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Hans York
Young Amelia
Hazzazor Records
Combining the youthful naiveté' of Jonathan Richman with the musical virtuosity of Django Reinhardt, the German-born singer/songwriter Hans York is a prodigious talent. Although he founded the German World Music outfit Moka Efti and in his birth country he has played on close to fifty albums as a session player, the U.S. is only now catching on. What is so remarkable about York—who now calls Seattle home—is his abundant musical ease. Whether it's gentle folk ("Snow"), a fingerpicking shuffle ("Lifeline") or a jazzy number like "Invocation," York sounds like a man who's comfortable in any genre. Recorded live in two days and produced by York himself, this twelve-song collection may be the musician's finest work to date. A dexterous player armed with an endless supply of finesse, York moves through each of Young Amelia's tracks with graceful expertise. Elsewhere, there are gentle ballads ("Letting Go") playful numbers, like the Dan Hicks-inspired "Tell Me" and swaggering acoustic jazz ("Never Been In Love") and it all sounds fresh and invigorating.
—Alex Green
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