 Norm Strauss took to the Streaming Cafe stage on Saturday night to perform tunes from his latest CD “12 Track Mind”. This offering is Strauss’ 14th full-length recording and once again proves him to be a gifted storyteller with a unique voice and perspective that form the basis of his songsStrauss has an easy manner on stage, as one would expect from someone with his years gigging and recording. While he has some serious chops as a guitarist, this night was all about the songs. His performance was authentic and energetic and he gladly passed the solos around to various band members.On this particular night, that band consisted of Eric Funk on drums, Dave Moore and Kim McMechan on guitar, Graham Ord on guitar and pedal steel, Rod Miller on accordion and Shamma Sabir on fiddle.Strauss’s vocals were strong, and the harmonies provided by other band members spot on. The songs featured strong melodies that enhanced the lyrics, and the pacing of set displayed both maturity and excellence.Strauss spoke about “finding his voice” on this album, musing that it seemed odd to be finding it after so many previous recordings and songs. However, he seems to be a man at peace with himself and in his faith and very comfortable with his sense of what this phase of his life are to be about.Norm Strauss and his band hit that sweet spot were the high quality and execution of the arrangements support the songs so well that you almost miss how well the band is playing and how good the feel is. Almost, but you just know that you’re at a great concert.
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