Professor "Louie" & The Crowmatix:

Over The Edge

by Øyvind Rønning

CD facts:
Professor"Louie" & the Crowmatix:
Over The Edge
Big River Recordings/ MNW
Rating: 5 (out of 6).

Partners: Aaron Hurwitz and Rick Danko outside Woodstock, 1999. Danko and several other Band members are present on Hurwitz' new album Over The Edge, dedicated to the late Danko. (Photo: Tore Bergsaker)

Glittering rock and rhytm'n'blues from The Band's Woodstock neighbourhood.

The opening song on this album, "Restless Islands" with Levon Helm on mandolin, sounds like The Band on a great day. Aaron Hurwitz, aka Professor "Louie," worked with The Band as producer, technician and musician on their '90s projects, and cooperated closely with Rick Danko until Danko's death in 1999.

Danko contributes guitar on "The Great Beyond," a beautiful ballad that could have been written for him. The same goes for "Tear of the Clouds," where Dave Cooks' jaw harp and Hurwitz' accordion threaten to levitate. The album ends with Robbie Robertson's "Endless Highway" and an extended version of the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias."

It's a mystery that Hurwitz hasn't released more of his music. Over the Edge is his first album since 1986, and the new CD Jam is still unavailable over here. He writes songs together with "Miss Marie" Spinosa (vocal/ percussion/ whistling), who like Hurwitz was present on the now legendary Mercury Rev album Deserter's Songs. This says a lot about Hurwitz' versatility; besides singing he also plays piano, organ, synth and a demonic accordion.

In addition to the group The Crowmatix, Over The Edge features guests like The Band's Garth Hudson, Randy Ciarlante and the aforementioned Helm and Danko, trombonist Tom Malone and others.