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More even than Ry Cooder studied part of the history of Chávez Ravine in Los Angeles, Stace England tells
the entire history of Cairo, a divided city in the American Midwest. After digging for treasure he recovers the background
of a large number of persons, places and events. He recounts on his second CD, Greetings From
Cairo, Illinois stories about traveling to town, rough women (women in Cairo send you down to your
grave), discrimination, the civil war, migration, education fights, election fraud and the social impact of "progress.”
A true musical chameleon, he uses multiple music styles, namely gospel, blues, rock, country, pop and 1970s soul. More
than 50 different musicians assist on the side, with the most well known being Jason Ringenberg. An extraordinary book
provides a synopsis of each song, the time in which it takes place and it’s place in the cycle. Moreover still the book
is completed with drawings and photographs. A concept record that shows history does not need to be boring.
- Peter Pleyte
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