Credo
Cameron Strings
Cameron Strings is a duo of guitar and vocals, hailing from Merrickville, Ont. Tara and Scott Cameron, originally from Toronto, lead music at Holy Trinity Anglican in Merrickville. Before I introduce you to Credo, their CD from 2007, I must offer this disclosure: I worked with Scott both at the Beach Music Studio in the 80’s, and before that, way back in the late 70’s at the guitar studio of Eli Kassner, guitar guru and former teacher of Liona Boyd and many, many others. So I’ve know Scott’s guitar work for lo, these many years.
Credo is a collaboration between guitarist Scott Cameron and his wife, vocalist Tara Cameron. The CD also features piano and percussion.
The duo make effective use of classical guitar—crisp, sure and melodic. That part’s not surprising: Scott Cameron has been a professional classical guitarist for many years, and understands how to use it to set up a rhythmic attack, or in a sweet countermelody. Listen to how the guitar sets up the chorus in Borderline, or the piano. Tara’s vocals are smooth and well-controlled.
You won’t find ground-breaking theological imagery or spiritual insights that haven’t been offered before: but what the Cameron duo offers is simple and direct. This is from the title song:
A wounded heart, a faced scar
All that’s lost and torn apart
Take it all and lay it down,
Heavy as stones upon the ground.
(…) I believe in you
I will go wherever you lead me.
They have paid attention to musical detail, with interesting voice leadings in the instrumental parts. The CD omits critical copyright information, and some I would have liked to see, such as who played what (even “All songs written, arranged and performed by…”) and contact information.
Holy Trinity has some interesting features, particularly Big Question Sunday in which a service is built around questions the children and youth have asked. The church’s website states that the service has a “more contemporary feel” with the music led by Cameron Strings while the organist is on extended sick leave. It sounds like the music at Holy Trinity is in good hands.
