Matt Bauer is no stranger to me. In fact, he and Grumpy Bear appeared on compilations together twice many years ago, one by a small Tucson label called Keep Recordings and the other a tribute to the Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music. Bauer’s skills as an Americana/bluegrass/folk troubadour and fingerpicker were a wonder to hear at the time, especially to a guy like me who could barely pick arpeggiated chords on an acoustic guitar. Fast forward some 15 years to a wintertime ballad that balances bone-chill and burning-heart warmth on an arrangement of music box, guitar, strings, and understated percussion—with no trace of Bauer’s unique voice or banjo stylings—to see how an artist dedicated to his craft has grown into a dynamic composer.
The teller of this tale is Broadway star and thematic alchemist* Brittain Ashford. With a voice that balances diaphragmatic force with childlike vulnerability, Ashford paints the sort of holiday portrait that those of us who suffer from melancholy particularly this time of year can appreciate and empathize with, and what’s more—what we need most during the dark season—she infuses every line with a tattered but palpable hope.
The pairing of Matt Bauer and Brittain Ashford on “Tinsel and Snow” is one of those rare treats that looks good on paper and sounds even better on record.