One Kind Word

Having started and shaped the careers of many of Boston's singer/songwriter stars, local legend Geoff Bartley continues to put out some of the best music anywhere. Singing of peace and friendship, life and death, Bartley demonstrates the truthful talents that have put him on stage with the likes of Tom Paxton and on par with countless other renowned performers. With the gently flurried instrumental "Snowfall," the friendly and casual singalong "We're All Alike," the strikingly arranged poetry and guitar of "Natural Law," the countrified feel of "One Kind Word," the lonely shanty-ness of "A Letter From Prison," and the gently calypsoed "Welcome to the Spiral Dance," the breadth of Bartley's offerings is as impressive as their depth. Paying precise tribute to Blind Lemon Jefferson, Bartley also takes tips and hints from other musical heroes and colleagues (including guests John Gorka, Jonatha Brooke, Les Sampou, and Catie Curtis), adding his own experienced wisdom and creativity to forge songs that reveal the individual as much as the overall goals and rewards of music.