I heard Dvorak play from his new CD,” Every Step of the Way”, at a lunch time concert at the Chicago Cultural Center. One of my favorite songs written by Dvorak on the CD is “Not War”. “Who will bring the soldiers home? Not war. And welcome them with open arms? Not war. Who will bring the soldiers home? Who will heal their shattered bones? Who will pray for the ones now gone? Not war.” Dvorak told the story at the lunch time concert of a friend whose son is in Iraq. Each week the soldier e – mails home, but there came a week when no e-mail came. Another week passed, and another, with no e-mail. The frantic mother asked all of her friends to pray. Finally in the fourth week, an e-mail came saying the young man was alive. His squadron had been attacked and they had lost all communication equipment, but they were safe. Dvorak wrote the song when he heard the young man was safe. I also love Dvorak’s rendition of “Smile” and the haunting “Walking on Air” on this CD.

This CD is beautiful. His songs are gentle gems with gleaming unusual and surprisingly cut semantic and tonal facets spraying shards of light all around the room. Mark's own lyrics and tunes take chances and they work beautifully! All the years he worked in and with American musical roots traditions have been gloriously utilized and realized.

About a year ago, I was listening to an NPR radio interview with two gentlemen, both of whom had just finished writing a book about folk music. While both men were obviously well read on the subject, the woman who was doing the interview kept trying to nail down a definition of what folk music is and “exactly, who are the folk.” Both men agreed that the original term probably came from middle 19th century “hillbilly” music, or what we now call bluegrass. Gospel, blues, bluegrass, country and, what we’re now calling “roots” music could all be considered a subset of folk music. If you need proof that all these musical tastes are encompassed in folk, look no further than the latest collection from Mark Dvorak, Every Step of the Way(Waterbug records). According to his website, this is Mark’s fourth solo album (he also has an album out with the group “Weavermania”) and his first since 1998. Among the twelve selections, ten are penned by the artist and two are covers. Walking in the Air was written by Howard Blake for an animated film, “The Snowman.” It is a pretty instrumental. Mark closes with the famous Nat King Cole song, Smile (written by Charlie Chaplin, John Turner and Geoffrey Parsons). Both of these songs allow Mark to display his talents both vocally and on guitar, but it’s the originals that put this album over the top. Wisely, Dvorak surrounds himself with good players. Keith Baumann is more than ample on the national steel guitar and actually makes the mandolin sing. Al Ehrich delivers on stand-up acoustic bass with unfailing and unsmiling expertise. Tony Dale deftly adds percussion and Dave Moore plays accordion on some songs. The title song begins the album and sets the eclectic tone. The lyrics have a gospel quality and the song features some wonderful harmony vocals from Ellen Shepard, Mitzi Lebensorger and Annalee Koehn. My Rose of Jericho has an almost Marty Robbinsesque sad, country mystique. Lucky in Love seems vaguely cabaret style and One Couldn’t Run, One Couldn’t See is a blues tribute to the Blues/Folk duo of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. While That Old Man may be a little sentimental for some, it is a sweet ballad. Every writer and artist wants at least one piece of their work to have an everlasting impact. For Mark Dvorak Not War is just such a piece. This song alone is worth the price of the CD. Billed as a patriotic song, the lyrics cry for an answer—any answer—other than war. If the words don’t bring a lump to your throat, Ehrich’s haunting bow work on the bass almost certainly will. Dvorak’s guitar work is superb and all the songs, like his concerts, have a sing-along quality. We can all only hope we don’t have to wait another eight years for Mark Dvorak’s next offering.

I loved your record...great songs and great singing; wonderful playing. I particularly like the instrumental (as soon as i got home I put a guitar in that dminor tuning) and 'That Old Man.' 'Every Step of the Way' could be a Weavermania! tune. 'Don't Let the Blues" and the McGhee and Terry one made me think of Steve Goodman, and of course, 'Not War' is very heavy...that one will last.