Album Notes

Widely acclaimed as one of New England’s premiere instrumentalists, David Surette is highly regarded for his work on the guitar (both flatpick and fingerstyle), mandolin, and bouzouki, in a wide variety of settings. As a soloist, he is nationally known as a top player of Celtic fingerstyle guitar. Yet his diverse repertoire also includes original compositions, blues and ragtime, traditional American roots music, and folk music from a variety of traditions, all played with finesse, taste, and virtuosity. As part of a duo with his wife, singer Susie Burke, they have performed regularly together for 20 years, recording several albums and building a reputation as one of New England’s top folk duos. Surette was a founding member of the Airdance band with fiddler Rodney Miller, with whom he recorded four albums and toured nationally.
His most recent solo release, Northern Roots, is a collection of traditional New-England based music that has drawn strong praise. "We can't recommend it highly enough," wrote Mandolin Cafe. "One of the best discs of 2005”, while Sing Out Magazine wrote that “Surette’s playing is always inventive and sets a new standard for traditional instrumentalists.” Northern Roots is the first album to feature the guitar and mandolin in a program of all-traditional, New England-based dance music; it marks as well Surette's first return to solo recording since 1996's Trip to Kemper (which was selected by Yankee Magazine as one of their "Top Forty" essential New England CDs). Surette draws on his background as an experienced dance and session player, as well as his solo guitar arranging skills, to create a fresh, vibrant treatment of New England music.

"Surette has distinguished himself among North American Celtic guitarists by his use of Breton and French materials...His technique is impeccable, and his touch and phrasing are immediately recognizable." Acoustic Guitar

"A brilliant soloist, in the acoustic celtic fingerstyle genre..." Trad Magazine (France)

"New Hampshire guitarist extraordinaire...he plays with a rare combination of exuberance and articulation." Scott Alarik folk music critic, Boston Globe