Roxanne Potvin
The Way It Feels
RUF 1128
RUF Records has a knack of finding fabulous Blues Women and giving them the tools and support they need to go into the studio
and produce great works of art. They’ve done it again with Canadian artist Roxanne Potvin. Amazingly poised and talented as a
singer, guitarist and songwriter, her music conveys the wisdom and longings of a soul far older than Potvin’s 23 years. But then
again, pain, love and rejection have no age requirement. It’s just that most people at such a young age haven’t given it as much
thought as Roxanne’s lyrics reveal she has.
Such a song is “Hurting Child”. The tender song is chilling, but at the same time strangely compelling and comforting. "La Merveille"
is musically lilting, and makes me wish I hadn’t given up on French in college quite so quickly. "While I Wait For You" chronicles
those desperate hours between dusk and dawn spent waiting for an unresponsive and irresponsible lover.
This is a very contemporary blues CD – nothing in the way of old school, traditional blues. More the blues of a 23 year woman making
music from her vantage point. After all, her blues journey began with an accidental TV viewing of Johnny Lang, which she declares
was like being hit by lightning. And, Lang led her (as Stevie Ray led many 20 something’s in the 80’s) to the music of Waters, BB King,
Howlin’ Wolf and (how things will come full circle) Stevie Ray Vaughan. So, at 15, bitten by the blues bug, she got her first guitar and
became a weekly fixture at Ottawa blues jams. For this, her first release for RUF, she joined with Nashville-based fellow Canadian
producer Colin Linden, who helped her bring together an impressive team including The Memphis Horns and John Hiatt. Roxanne
wrote 8 of the disc’s 12 songs.
Currently on tour with Sue Foley and Deborah Coleman as part of RUF’s Guitar Caravan, The Way It Feels proves Potvin has things
to say, and is not shy about saying them. It will be interesting as the year’s pass and life takes it tolls on her, everything yet to be said.
- Blue Lisa -
Southwest Blues CD Review - August 2007
Current Reviews - 2007 Reviews - available at our store
