His languid, introspective style found kindred spirits in New England, where the fellow musicians as well as the climate helped to hone his sound. Released in 2000, Many Rivers did not find a huge audience, but Viesselman's fortunes turned for the better when he caught the attention of Taj Mahal, who appreciated the country and blues elements he brought to his acoustic work. Working with producer Evan Reeves, Viesselman achieved his most fully realized recording to date with his self-titled 2003 independent release, which became a fast favorite at indie online retailer www.cdbaby.com and enabled him to share stages with Mahal as well as Tom Rush, Geoff Muldaur, and Ellis Paul. As 2004 began, he continued to tour in support of the album in small New England clubs. The Pull followed in 2006. ~ Joseph McCombs