BOJ OSBORNE
IN THE TRADITION
Rocky Top X-Press Records
RTX-0001

Boj Osborne debuts with an album somewhat centered in sound created by his mandolin-playing father and banjo-playing uncle, hence the album’s title, but one that also goes its own way quite a bit, which is, of course, also part of his family’s tradition. Wondering how he compares to his father, Bobby, is one of the things you may be contemplating, as I did when this CD arrived. Instrumentally, there is no comparison. Bobby plays mandolin. Boj plays bass. Vocally, the similarities are stronger, as one would expect from both the genetic and cultural backgrounds. Still, despite some inflections and tonal qualities, Boj has his own genial sound, one that is, honestly, still developing and strengthening.

Several tracks stick fairly close to the Osborne Brothers sound. The closest is their cover of Vince Gill’s “Liza Jane,” on which the entire song is sung in their classic three-part harmony style. The tempo rips along and the joy is unmistakable, with fine solos all around. The slow country of “Love One Or The Other,” with pedal steel and electric guitar and drum-rim rhythm, also works in the Osborne mold, as do, “Just A Little Prayer” and “Next New Heartbreak.” Despite the similarities to his father’s group, with the exception of “Liza,” Boj still manages to give these tracks his own stamp.

For the balance of the recording, traditionally-based tunes such as Flatt and Seckler’s “No Mother Or Dad” and Stanley’s “Say Won’t You Be Mine,” alternate with more contemporary material, most notably, the instrumentals, “Tears Of The Samurai,” featuring shamisen player, Takeharu Kunimoto, “Sasparilla,” with its grinding, bluesy interplay of Obediah Golding’s banjo and the great Howard Levy’s harmonica, and “Jovial Journey,” which twists and whirls about in several directions. With a strong sense of his tradition and an ear for new ideas, Boj Osborne gives us a solid debut. (Rocky Top X-Press Records, P.O. Box 321, Portland, TN 37148, www.bojstonepeak.com.) BW

BLUEGRASS 43
THE WITCH
No Label
Si-Sol7/4

Since Bluegrass 43 has not had a new recording on the market since 1989, a brief re-introduction seems in order. Formed in 1977 in France, the group has had at least two previous CDs to their name—Country Swing and Old Old Truck—and currently consists of bassist/vocalist Alain Audras, banjoist/vocalist Jean-Marc Delon, guitarist/vocalist Jean-Paul Delon and mandolinist/vocalist Phillippe Ochin. Ochin sings all the leads.

Six songs, totaling seventeen minutes, comprise their new release, ranging in style from the uptempo, tradition of “Never Again,” a tune recorded by the Stanleys and by Bill Monroe in the early 1960s, to the lullaby country of “Carolina Star” and to the Beatles’ country-rock of “I’ve Just Seen A Face.” While all of them make for pleasant listening, vocally the lighter, more pop-oriented tunes succeed the best. A song such as “I’ve Just Seen A Face” or Raul Malo’s (of the Mavericks) “Mr. Jones” is a perfect vehicle for Ochin’s smooth, melodic lead and for the band’s tight, gentle harmonies. “Never Again,” on the other hand, needs a bit more bite. Applying smooth vocals to it undercuts the traditional feel the song needs and which the band creates instrumentally.

Speaking of the instrumental side, it must be said that Jean-Paul Delon’s guitar work grabs the center stage. The other players put forth solid chops, but Delon’s guitar overflows with bright and twisting lines and crackles with Pat Flynn-like snap, giving a lift to what is an overall average-to-good recording. (www.bluegrass43.com) BW

RUSS CARSON
LAST CHANCE
Patuxent Music
CD 219

This first recording by young Mr. Carson is an aural treat. Instead of hammering away on a dozen warhorses, he digs deep into tradition, creating contemporary versions of some older tunes with some powerfully good help. The title tune is an older piece he probably learned from Reed Martin, one of his influences. Carson, the son of an old-time fiddler, heard plenty of the old-time tunes as he grew up. This helps explain the great fiddle tunes, “Squirrel Hunters,” the medley “Liberty Off The Corn Liquor Still” and “Devil In The Wood Pile” that pepper this project.

Russ is currently playing with Audie Blaylock and Redline. Previously he played with Gold Heart. They are present here with two numbers. “Blue” stands out for its complex vocal work and harmonies that only siblings can share. Brandon Rickman and Jeff Parker show up to sing Del McCoury’s “I Feel The Blues Movin’ In,” “One Tear” from the Osborne Brothers, and the great Gordon Lightfoot tune “Redwood Hill.” Another treat is Marshall Wilborn singing Ron Block’s “You Can Take Your Time.”

When Russ decides to play pure bluegrass instrumentals he tears through them with aplomb. He displays amazing finesse on “Shenandoah Breakdown” and Doyle Lawson’s “Runaround.” On an original, “Sullivan County,” he craftily demonstrates his command of the banjo. His playing will catch your ear but he shares the limelight with his cast of players including Michael Cleveland and Patrick McAvinue on fiddles, Dominick Leslie, mandolin, Jake Stargel, guitar and Marshall Wilborn bass. Hot fiddle breaks, outstanding mandolin and slippery guitar breaks pop out of the music. McAvinue and Cleveland twin at times with outrageously effective and unexpected harmonies, and energizing fills.

Carson’s great taste and restraint on this project goes a long way, highlighting his abilities, which are substantial. To miss this project is to miss one of the best banjo CDs of the year. (Patuxent Music, P.O. Bo 572, Rockville, MD 20848, www.pxrec.com.) RCB

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY
TALL GRASS & COOL WATER
Rural Rhythm
RUR-1077

There has always been a connection between bluegrass/Appalachian music and the cowboy music of the Old West. Many of the same songs and fiddle tunes written centuries ago in Ireland, Scotland and Britain made their way out West and were adopted and adapted over the years just as they were in the mountains East of the Mississippi River. And, after the Civil War, many native Easterners and Southerners went West and brought their music with them. One can look at the music research done by John Lomax to understand this. While his son Alan Lomax became more famous as a musicologist and folklorist in the early to mid-1900s, his father went westward to Texas and other places before then to do similar research on the music of the cowboys and settlers.

The title of Michael Martin Murphey’s new project says it all, Tall Grass And Cool Water: Cowboy Songs VI, Buckaroo Blue Grass III. Murphey’s distinctive voice and guitar are backed up by musicians such as Pat Flynn, Sam Bush, Craig Nelson, Andy Leftwich, Andy Hall, Charlie Cushman, Mike Bub, Troy Engle, Ronnie McCoury, and Michael’s son, Ryan Murphey.

To be sure, there is less actual bluegrass content on this effort than Murphey’s first two Buckaroo Blue Grass projects. In fact, this is a rather mellow album, recorded at an easy lope geared to bringing these cowboy story songs to life. The highlights include the two faster bluegrass-style cuts, “I’m A Texas Cowboy” and “Way Out There,” which features co-lead vocals by Carin Mari. In the liner notes, Murphey does a good job of explaining the origins of these songs. This all comes together on “The James Gang Trilogy,” which features three numbers based on the life of Jesse and Frank James and Cole Younger. (Rural Rhythm, P.O. Box 660040, Dept. D., Arcadia, CA 91066. www.ruralrhythm.com.) DH

JOHN BOWMAN
FAMILY CHAIN: THE SONGS OF JOE ISAACS
Pisgah Ridge
PR13682

Why the gospel songs of Joe Isaacs have not been better covered by bluegrass bands defies understanding. Lack of quality of composition can’t be the reason, nor can lack of name recognition, and yet the fact remains. Enter John Bowman, who has taken the first step toward correcting this shortfall, releasing this 13-track CD of Joe Isaacs’ songs. Joining Bowman, who plays the guitar and banjo and sings all the leads, are reso-guitarist Rob Ickes, bassist Ben Isaacs, fiddler Jimmie Edmonds and mandolinist Adam Steffey.

In the bluegrass community, Joe Isaacs’ best-known tune is “I Pressed Through The Crowd,” recorded by numerous groups. Here, Bowman offers a slow, spare arrangement of solo guitar and voice, focusing you on the lyrics, but also on the emotion of a man seeking comfort and healing. Bowman’s tenor-pitched, clear and gentle voice and his delivery full of wonder and reverance gives this song a presence that, even though he sings beautifully and emotionally throughout this CD, cannot be matched.

All the rest of the tunes receive full band treatment and the tempos stay predominantly in the medium and slow range, with one or two exceptions. At the faster end are three highlight tracks, “Ye Men Of Galilee,” “He’s My Constant Companion” and “I’ll Sail For Higher Ground.” All three are cast in traditional bluegrass form and are guaranteed to get the spirit moving, especially “Ye Men…” which has a compelling old-time gospel feel. On the other end, the highlight tunes are the slow-timed “The Garden Tomb” and “Tired Of Sin,” the latter a re-telling of the prodigal son story. “The Garden Tomb,” in particular, underscores Isaacs’ writing skills. To fold into the rhyme scheme, such rich detail of the two woman visiting Jesus’ grave to annoint his body is truly masterful.

Perhaps with Bowman’s tribute, more bluegrass bands will discover Joe Isaacs’ songwriting mastery. (Crossroads Music, P.O. Box 829, Arden, NC 28704, www.crossroadsmusic.com.) BW

NELL ROBINSON
ON THE BROOKLYN ROAD
Red Level
No Number

Nell Robinson is the stage name of Hilary Perkins, and this is her second CD on which Nell performs with many of the best musicians in the West: John Reischman and the Jaybirds, Tony Marcus, Chad Manning, Laurie Lewis (who co-wrote “Wahatchee” with Nell), Rob Ickes, Keith Little, her partner in the Henriettas, Cary Sheldon, and too many more to list. There are two bonus tracks from the Henriettas. Jim Nunally co-produced with Nell, and in addition to being a Jaybird, Jim co-writes, sings, and plays guitar on several tracks. Nell also includes stories told by her relatives in the South interspersed among the 21 tracks. The stories do not bear listening over and over.

When she sings, Nell has a warm, bouncy voice that reminds this reviewer a bit of Iris Dement. She opens with “Woe Is Me,” which is a sort of upbeat gospel song about suffering. Next is Richard Brandenburg’s “Mayflies,” which is about the fast fading of love. “Red Clay Creek” is based on a family story about a slave mother drowning her children. “Don’t Light My Fire” is a Cajun-style duet with Jim about avoiding unreliable love. “I’m Brilliant” is about alcoholic denial. “Wahatchee” is based on another family story from the Revolutionary War. Next comes a series of covers, Loretta Lynn’s “I’m A Honky Tonk Girl,” Hank Williams’ “I Saw The Light,” “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,” “Turn Your Radio On,” “The Last Old Shovel,” and “Sweet Sunny South.” The Henriettas do “Crawdad Song” and “Big Ball In Texas.”

This recording has grown on me with repeated listening, except that I could do without the story tracks. I think Nell is still developing as a songwriter, but this recording documents well where she is in 2011. (Hearth Music, 14879 6th Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155, www.nellrobinsonmusic.com.) SAG

VOLUME FIVE
CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAIN
Mountain Fever Records
MFR110401

You will like this. You may not think it’s the greatest recording of all time, or even that it’s among the ten best of the year, but you will like it. You could, I suppose, quibble with the inclusion of such warhorses as “More Pretty Girls Than One,” “Crying Holy To The Lord,” “Can’t You Hear Me Calling,” and “Long Journey Home,” but here the band brings such a vibrant, bright, and appealing sound to them (to all the tracks, for that matter) that rather than sound tired, the qualities that made them standards are pronounced. The majority of the tracks, however, mix three band originals with some covers. Half of the latter you’ll probably recognize, and half you may not.

Opening the recording is “Anywhere Is Home Again,” a leavin’-the-grind-behind song by mandolinist Jesse Daniel and sung in resonant baritone lead by fiddler Glen Harrell. Daniel also wrote the title tune and “Coal Miner’s Curse,” and while they’re both well-crafted songs, “Anywhere Is Home Again” is the highlight. Ear-catching hooks are everywhere on it, and the performance and arrangement are impeccable.

That’s followed by the first of the non-standard, but recognizable, covers—“Good Ole Boys Like Me,” once a hit for Don Williams. The band brings to it a tour de force performance and a beautiful arrangement that is instantly engaging. Guitarist Adam Duke sings the lead with a smooth, slightly higher delivery, underscoring that the band has two equally fine lead vocalists. Similar good things can be said of “The Rabbit Song” (from the Lost & Found) and “The Grandpa That I Knew” (popularized by Patty Loveless). Both of those match perfectly with Harrell’s lead and capture the songs’ sentimentality without being mawkish.

Of the covers, “Greenwood Mill” and the lively gospel tune “You Better Wake Up” stand out, but there are no weak cuts here. As stated previously, you will like it. (Mountain Fever Records, 1177 Alum Ridge Rd. NW, Willis, VA 24380, www.mountainfever.com.) BW

DAVE GIEGERICH
IT’S ABOUT TIME
No Label
DG1001

I wish I had known Dave Giegerich, but after listening to this album, I feel like I did. Recorded between 2008 and 2010, this was Dave’s gift to the world as he battled an almost inconceivable series of ailments: throat cancer, aplastic anemia, and finally complications from a bone marrow transplant that took his life in December 2010.

With the production help of Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer and the added tracks in April 2011 by Rickie Simpkins, Jimmy Gaudreau, Ralph Gordon, Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Richard Ward and Gary Ferguson, the album was completed and released under the loving guidance of Dave’s wife Pam McLeod. This is not a tribute album; it’s a full-throated burst of life from someone who clearly lived with a sense of the possibility inherent in every minute and every measure. Dave’s playing covers a wide range of styles, all done with respect to the genre, but with a playful creativity that keeps you listening.

Of the 19 tracks here, 15 are solidly in the bluegrass/acoustic style, and four from his Hawaiian band, the Hula Monsters. When that band kicks into “Cat’s Eyeland,” if you can keep from buying a ticket to the islands, you’re more disciplined than I. There are so many great moments on this recording. One of the best is Dave’s version of “Isa Lei,” a traditional Fijian farewell song, made poignant by the circumstances, but given a joyful interpretation by Dave.

Giegerich played with many bluegrass artists: Mac Wiseman, Jimmy Arnold, Bobby Hicks, Gary Ferguson, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, and others. He was a sideman in the best sense of the term—always making the song and the artist shine. He was also an effective and much-loved teacher, having taught at ResoSummit in 2008 and 2009. He is missed by family, friends and the wide musical world he inhabited so gracefully and humbly. This album will keep his playing and his memory alive for many generations of resonator guitarists to discover. I’ve run out of stars to give it. Highly recommended. (Pam McLeod, 3731 Crossbow Ct., Ellicott City, MD 20142, www.davegiegerich.com.) CVS

THOMAS PORTER AND COPPER RIVER BAND
TROLLEY DAYS
No Label
TKPIV003

How many of the 12 originals by guitarist Thomas Porter (two co-written with fiddler Doug Bartlett) will become bluegrass classics? Given the whims of the music business, the odds are long any of them will. Right now, you’re probably thinking it is too early to be looking for classics from a band without a label and which is just now spreading its name. Perhaps you’re right, but classic songs can come from any source, and this new recording has half a dozen with potential. Those six are bright, tuneful, well-crafted songs performed, if not with jaw-dropping instrumental and vocal chops, certainly with verve and with attention to putting the right note in the right place.

Start with the title song, a nostalgic medium bouncer detailing the joys of trolley days in Phoenix, days which are “gone away, sad to say.” That has all the marks of a hit. So also does “Belt Buckle Polishing Song,” a tune whose western swing beat reflects the band’s southwest home base and which praises dancing to a song of the title’s variety. Then there is the hard-to-shake chorus of “That’s A Fine Banjo Mr. Brown,” and there is “Next Time’s A Charm,” with its bravado and a hook in which the cheater asks to be forgiven by promising that a “second” or “third” or “fourth” time he’ll be faithful. On the somber side is the slow, 3/4 murder song, “Poor Sister Cry,” one that recalls the Stanley Brothers in style.

“God Bless My Home,” however, with its marriage of rocking gospel form and patriotic themes, is the one with the most classic potential. The verses alternate patriotic theme “calls” with the title line “response,” then culminates in a stirring, emotional chorus. It is brilliantly constructed and full of appeal. If it doesn’t become a standard, it won’t be for lack of quality. I think it will, some way. Recommended. (www.copperriverband.com) BW

BUDDY GREENE
HARMONICA ANTHOLOGY
Rufus Music
RMCD195317

Banjo? Check. Fiddle? Check. Mandolin? Check. Harmonica? Huh? It’s not exactly the first instrument associated with bluegrass music, but fans will likely change their tune with the release of Buddy Greene’s Harmonica Anthology. This 16-song collection digs into a variety of genres from bluegrass, old-time, Celtic, blues, and Americana. He kicks off the disc with the rollicking “Texas Gales,” which features the impressive banjo rolls of Ron Block from Alison Krauss and Union Station. Greene puts his unique spin on classics like “Old Joe Clark,” “Orange Blossom Special,” and “Wabash Cannonball.” He even dives into a classical medley that includes his YouTube popular, “William Tell Overture.” Greene’s harmonica hero Charlie McCoy joins him on a couple of cuts. Musicians Aubrey Haynie, Stuart Duncan, Byron House, Jeff Taylor, and Gordon Mote. Tim O’Brien, who adds harmony vocals on “The Train That Carried My Girl From Town,” and Bryan Sutton, who co-produced the project, are some of the other talents that help make this album a joyous experience. (Buddy Greene Music, P.O. Box 3687, Brentwood, TN 37024, www.buddygreene.com.) BC

ANN PORCELLA
GATHERING STONES
No Label
No Number

Ann Porcella has gathered a group of talented friends to help her on this solo release of 14 songs. She has Paul Brown on banjo, Mark Clifton on resonator and Weissenborn guitar, Ira Gitlin on guitar, Marcy Marxer on percussion, Al Murphy on fiddle and mandolin, Bill Schmidt on banjo and guitar and Flawn Williams and Dede Wyland on backup vocals.

Porcella sings in a range and voice that reminds me of Patsy Cline, though her material is much more traditional. She opens with A.P. Carter’s “I Have An Aged Mother” with just her voice and guitar and closes with the a cappella “Farewell, My Friends.” She follows with Fran Weber’s lovely “Bluegrass Lullaby” which adds mandolin, resonator guitar, and three-part vocals to the arrangement. “Building On That Rock” is by Julia Mainer and adds Bill Schmidt’s banjo to Porcella’s guitar and voice. Ralph Stanley and Bill Clifton wrote “Stairway To Heaven.” Three of the songs are by E.J. Blombergand/J.L. Nelson, “Country Girl,” “The Solid Rock” (lyrics by Edward Mote), and “Charlotte’s Song.” Porcella wrote the title cut, “Gathering Stones,” which uses her full vocal range.

This recording is a showcase for Ann Porcella’s singing, and that is always in the forefront with these simple, but effective arrangements. She has a warm and strong voice and lots of interesting material, new, old, and traditional. There is quite a bit of gospel here, but if there is a unifying theme, it is to try to get in touch with a variety of very strong emotions, especially dealing with loss of loved ones, by singing through them. Those who enjoy strong and heartfelt singing will enjoy Ann Porcella’s recording. (Angelita Porcella, 3503 Keene Ave., Baltimore, MD 21214.) SAG

RICKY SKAGGS
COUNTRY HITS BLUEGRASS STYLE
Skaggs Family Records
698901012

I suppose if there’s a down side to having a hit song, it’s that you’re stuck with it for the rest of your professional life. No matter if you played it 12,000 times; your next audience isn’t going to be happy until you’ve played it for the 12,001st time. Judging from his Country Hits Bluegrass Style CD, this has never been a problem for Ricky Skaggs, who, of course, had a slew of bluegrass-flavored country hits back in the 1980s.

On this, his latest “best-of” compilation, Skaggs embraces, revitalizes and reconfigures 14 of his most familiar titles with such vigor and imagination that he makes oldies like “Heartbroke,” “Country Boy,” “Highway 40 Blues” and “Cajun Moon” shine with new luster. Overall, Skaggs has remade these songs with at least a little bit more “bluegrassy” ambience than heard on the original hit country versions. But, as always, he brashly breaks out of the box now and then when he’s so inspired. Drums and subtle percussion adorn nearly every cut, while Paul Franklin’s pedal steel and Buck White’s sparkling piano can also be heard on various tracks. Jeff Taylor’s accordion embellishes an exuberant reprise of “Cajun Moon,” and Skaggs even enlists the Nashville String Ensemble on a lovely update of “Somebody’s Prayin’.”

Skaggs, who also produced this collection, called on stalwarts Andy Leftwich (fiddle and mandolin), Mark Fain (bass and Tic Tac), John Gardner (drums), Jim Mills (banjo) and Paul Brewster and Sharon and Cheryl White (background vocals on various tracks). Skaggs himself plays a little bit of everything throughout, including a few lead guitar solos and some piano.

And when it’s all said and done, he’s accomplished what is often nigh onto impossible: He’s taken the old and predictable and made it sound new and exciting all over again. (Skaggs Family Records, 200 Louise Ave., Hendersonville, TN 37077, www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com.) BA

NU-BLU
THE BLU-DISC
Pinecastle Records
PRC 1176

Nu-Blu is a fine young band from North Carolina which features a very tight, polished sound, impressive instrumental work, and excellent vocals led by Carolyn Routh. On this, their second release (and the first for the newly active Pinecastle label) they present 12 well-chosen and engaging cuts that range from solid bluegrass to modern country. In addition to Carolyn Routh on vocals and bass, the band includes Routh’s husband Daniel on guitar, resonator guitar and vocals, Levi Austin on banjo, guitar, resonator guitar and vocals , and Kendall Gales on mandolin. Rob Ickes guests on resonator guitar on five cuts, and Greg Luck supplies fiddle on seven cuts.

Nu-Blu has the fortune to be blessed with not only Carolyn Routh’s vocal abilities—she can sing ethereal as on “Roses And Rust” and “Look To You” and hard and punchy on “That’s Who I’m Supposed To Be,” all with a purity of voice that conjures visions of Alison Krauss—but also with a harmony blend with Daniel Routh and Levi Austin that seems almost perfect it is so smooth ( if “raw” is your favorite kind of harmony, this may not be your type of band). Daniel Routh also does some fine lead vocal work on “Every Shade Of Blue” and a moving “Guitar Case,” as does Levi Austin on “Lonesome Heartache Blues” and “Just Trying To Get Home To You.” This band is deep in vocal talent, and they make the most of it. Song choices fit the abilities of the band well here (though when you have this level of vocal ability almost anything might sound very good). Highlights include the gently rolling “Make Me Whole Again” with very nice resonator guitar work by Austin, “Family Quilt” (a family-ties metaphor), and the driving “Must Be The Wind.” The instrumental support from the band members is stellar, and Luck’s fiddle and Ickes’ guitar are very complimentary.

For those who like variety along with straight bluegrass, and some absolutely topnotch vocal work, this release is highly recommended. (Pinecastle Records, 2881 NC 108 Hwy. E., Columbus, NC 28722, www.pinecastlemusic.com.) AW

DALE ANN BRADLEY
SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF CRAZY
Compass Records
7 4564 2

Dale Ann Bradley has been on a roll of late. She has seen the ups and downs of music business virtually at the same time in recent years. Yet her string of IBMA awards are well-deserved, as anyone who has seen her live can attest. Somewhere South Of Crazy is her latest album for Compass Records and it features an all-star cast with Alison Brown in the producer’s chair.

First of all, yes, it would be nice to see Bradley make an album with her fine touring band, working the new songs out on the road and then bringing that energy into the studio. Other than Mike Sumner playing banjo on a couple of cuts, that doesn’t happen. But, I also have to admit that I have loved the albums that Brown has produced of late. She is musically intelligent yet doesn’t over-produce these efforts. And, as you listen to this album, you appreciate the idea of bringing in Sierra Hull on mandolin. The other musicians include Stuart Duncan, Mike Bub, Kim Fox, David Long, Andy Hall and Brown on banjo.

The title cut features Bradley’s earthy and sweet vocals. She co-wrote the song with Pam Tillis, and it is one of those numbers that leave you with a warm, good feeling. Other highlights include a nice version of the classic Seals and Crofts song “Summer Breeze,” the fired up “In Despair” and the Reba Rambo-penned “New Shoes.” This album is not a barn-burner, but instead is an easy-going project where Bradley’s friend Steve Gulley sings on nearly every cut and helps to keep her heartfelt music in the pocket. The last cut is a live solo performance of “Old Southern Porches.” When a singer sounds that good with just a guitar, you know you are hearing something special. (Compass Records, 916 19th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212, www.compassrecords.com.) DH

DONNA ULISSE
AN EASY CLIMB
Hadley Music Group
HMG 1007

There have been many examples of mainstream country music missing the boat on some very good vocalists over the years. Some of those singers, in turn, have thankfully landed in the bluegrass genre. What is Nashville Pop’s loss has been bluegrass music’s gain in many cases with artists such as Rhonda Vincent, Sonya Isaacs, Pam Gadd and Patty Loveless being good examples. You can add another one to the list with Donna Ulisse.

There have been bluegrass-fueled songs on each of Ulisse’s recent albums, usually one cut in particular, where her vocals soar and the excellent bluegrass musicians backing her up are given room to rip. On her When I Look Back album, it was the song “I’m Calling Heaven Down.” On her Holy Waters CD it was “This Crazy World.” On her new album, An Easy Climb, it’s rocking group effort called “Let It Rain.” Ulisse’s inspired vocals soon give way to some topnotch picking by Keith Sewell on guitar, Scott Vestal on banjo and Andy Leftwich on mandolin and fiddle.

Ulisse’s pipes can withstand the pressure of singing a fired-up bluegrass song, but she can also sing a pretty one to boot. An Easy Climb is sprinkled with both. However, Ulisse is more than just a talented singer as she wrote or co-wrote every song on this new album. Produced by Sewell, the other musicians featured include Viktor Krauss on bass, Rob Ickes on resonator guitar and Tony King, Greg Davis, Jon Martin and Rick Stanley on harmony vocals. Highlights include the deep-woods slinky “Black Snake,” the rollicking cut about love called “Crawlin’ Back” and a beautiful song about the family of a deployed soldier with “Where The Cold Wind Blows.” (Hadley Music Group, 11 Music Cir., Ste. 100, Nashville, TN 37203, www.hadleymusicgroup.com.) DH

VARIOUS ARTISTS
MOODY BLUEGRASS: TWO…MUCH LOVE
Bunny Rae Records
BRRMBG2

There have been a lot of albums released in recent years with a “bluegrass style” tag on them, which usually means non-bluegrass music played with bluegrass instruments. Many are full of great music, but the bluegrass sound never really kicks in. However, the new album, Moody Bluegrass: Two…Much Love, the second project in a series that recreates the songs of the classic rock band the Moody Blues with a bluegrass twist, does make the effort to kick it up with three-finger drive.

The first Moody Bluegrass album was nominated for a Grammy, and rightly so as the all-star cast put together fun and lively versions of the Moody Blues soundtrack. Series producer David Harvey has assembled another all-star cast for this second effort, and while not all of the songs chosen lend themselves to a bluegrass arrangement, the ones that do are given the treatment. The cast of musicians includes John Cowan, Tim O’Brien, Sam Bush, Larry Cordle, Alison Brown, Andy Hall, Aubrey Haynie, Peter Rowan, Tim May, Barry Crabtree, Stuart Duncan and many more artists. Also along for the ride are five of the original members of the Moody Blues including John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Graeme Edge, Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas.

The highlights include Vince Gill singing “I Know You’re Out There,” which kicks into high bluegrass gear halfway through, Ricky Skaggs on a wonderfully upbeat version of “You And Me,” Cowan performing “Tuesday Afternoon” and Ronnie Bowman doing “The Story In Your Eyes.” My favorite cut is “Higher And Higher” with Edge providing some delightful spoken word, Duncan adding some Middle Eastern fiddle and Andy Todd thumping one of the most infectious bass lines in recent memory. And, in a special treat, Harley Allen added a new vocal performance, “Meanwhile,” before his untimely death. (www.moodybluegrass.com.) DH

RICK PARDUE AND TIMMY MASSEY
THE GHOST OF NOAH HAYES
Lizard Records
LCD12011

The witty, perceptive, to-the-bone songwriters Rick Pardue and Timmy Massey have combined their considerable talents with guitarist Jimmy Haley, mandolinist Jason Tomlin and fiddler David Johnson and have produced an entertaining all-original, 12-song CD.

Massey wrote four of the songs here, plays bass and sings most of the leads. Pardue wrote five, plays banjo and sings the balance. Three, they co-wrote. Massey seems the more straight-ahead writer, good with a turn-of-phrase and a melody line or hook. Along with his “Cold Virginia Nights,” given here a slightly thicker sound and a bit more bite than Ronnie Bowman’s hit version of the 1990s, he’s at his barroom best singing his “I’ve Got It Bad” tale of loving a wild woman who won’t have him. His other two are country weepers, the stronger of the two wistfully pleading that his girl’s return can save him from singing “This Lonesome Song.” All four are conventional thematically, but well-crafted and well-delivered.

Pardue, equally melodic and word-savvy, is more the storyteller. He too can write a conventional heartbreaker, such as “Something To Say,” but he’s at his best creating portraits of colorful characters. “Two-Chord Charlie,” the tale of a raconteur mountaineer with a limited musical knowledge, and “He Can’t Catch Fish,” which enumerates all the reasons he can’t, fall in that category. Both make good use of mountain feel, the former interpolating “Cripple Creek,” the latter employing a fiddle-tune style. Both will make you smile. “They Don’t Name Girls Beulah Anymore,” on the other hand, probably won’t as it recounts Beulah’s marital hardships and her old-time grit, but for poignency, construction and imagery it has the magic of a Tom T. story song.

Similarly magical and evocative are the Massey/Pardue song in which a father counsels his rakish potential son-in-law to “Talk Sweet To Jenny,” and their “The Ghost Of Noah Hayes,” with its “Brown Mountain Light”-tinged story of a road that won’t be paved. As with all good story songs, a few words and you’re hooked. Highly recommended. (Lizard Records, 2441 Poplar Springs Rd., State Road, NC 28676, www.rickpardue.net.) BW

FINNDERS AND YOUNGBERG
FY5
No Label
No Number

While some bands are mainly about flashy instrumental work, the Colorado quintet Finnders and Youngberg seem to be principally about the songs. Most on FY5 are by guitarist Mike Finnders, who takes the lion’s share of the lead vocals. He’s a storyteller at heart, converting his experiences and those of people he knows into a wide array of good tales in interesting settings.

“Red Mountain Pass” tells a harrowing story of a treacherous drive on a snowy summit, while “Driftwood” and “Fiddlin’ To My Grave” are both from the musician-as-rambler school. Two of the most striking songs are “Sold On You,” a lovely proclamation of love cast as a slow country weeper, and “Nebraska,” sung by bassist Erin Youngberg, a stark account of an abandoned pioneer woman and her ailing infant. Banjoist Aaron Youngberg joins her on a sweetly swinging recasting of an old Kay Starr/Tennessee Ernie Ford duet, “I’ll Never Be Free.”

The band seems equally comfortable playing swing and classic country as they are bluegrass, and while they transform Hank Thompson’s “Tomorrow Night” with a bluegrass rhythm, the harmonies still have a swing-influenced quality to them. The Youngbergs bring pedal steel guitar and snare drum to the arrangements when they stray from the bluegrass tent. That’s all part of a nice overall sense of harmonies, instrumental breaks, and arrangements all supporting the songs rather than being thrown in for the sake of showing off.

So while a certain amount of eclectic taste might be an important pre-condition for enjoying FY5, another might be that Finnders tends to sing with an over-the-top abandon. He’s good, and he’s expressive, but his vocal flourishes are extravagant at times. The most extreme example is probably his “Connie,” the story of a yuppie-hating barroom brawler who takes defending the barmaid’s honor to violent extremes. It seems like he’s really trying to sing the song in character, but it may stray a mite too far so that it feels like you’re hearing a cross between Jack Nicholson and Yosemite Sam, and may drive the listeners further away from the song rather than drawing them in.

For all that, FY5, is an interesting and original collection of mostly new songs that use bluegrass as a point of departure. Fiddler Ryan Drickey and mandolinist Rich Zimmerman contribute tasty breaks in all the styles that the band explores. Good writing and good playing make this a band worth keeping an ear on. (www.finndersandyoungberg.com.)HK

TOMMY EDWARDS
NORTH CAROLINA: HISTORY, MYSTERY, LORE AND MORE
Salisbury Street Recordings
SSR1978

Edwards has put together a nice CD of songs about his home state of North Carolina. The songs, new and old, rare and familiar, for the most part are played well with the help of a long list of mostly Tarheel musicians. We get treated to another guitar version of “Black Mountain Rag,” and a reading of “Tom Dula” that owes much more to Frank Proffitt than to the Kingston Trio. There is a somewhat subdued version of “Poor Ellen Smith” and a nice rendition of Elizabeth Cotten’s “Freight Train” featuring some fine guitar picking from Jim Mills. Edwards wrote five originals for the project and they all sound fine as well. Interesting among the originals are “The Ghost Light Of Maco Station” and “Holy Smoke,” an ode to the sacred food of the Tarheel, barbecue. Then there is his tale of Yankee youths challenging and running from the supernatural in “Devil’s Tramping Ground.”

Two numbers that will be well known by long time fans of bluegrass are Flatt and Scruggs’ “My Cabin In Caroline” and the Stanley Brothers’ “Carolina Mountain Home,” which features Ralph Stanley’s current fiddler, Dewey Brown, and Jim Mills.

This recording may hold more for North Carolina natives than folks who live elsewhere, but it is a pleasantly done and well recorded tribute to a state that is not only full of history, mystery and lore, but has also long been a hotbed of bluegrass and homegrown music. (Salisbury Street Recordings, P.O. Box 364, Pittsboro, NC 27312.) RCB

TIM GARDNER
TIMMETRY
Coyote Ridge Audio
No Number

Kicking it all off with a fine reading of “Daley’s Reel,” there is a lot to like on this first solo release by this young western North Carolina fiddler. Gardner has played fiddle in the bluegrass band High Windy, and more recently for Paul’s Creek, an old-time band out of the Asheville area. He brings this full range of experience along with a healthy dash of Celtic influences to this project. “Squirrel Munster” is a genre-expanding cut featuring the unbounded talent of Charles Wood on banjo. The old West Virginia song “Cherry River Line” is treated as an atmospheric Irish lament. He completely recasts it into something new and contemporary. “Midnight On The Water” is a dreamy reading of the standard with rich fingerpicked guitar. There are bouncy old-time tunes like the “Booth Shot Lincoln”/“Gunboat” medley and “Lazy John” and the wonderful banjo and fiddle on “Chinquapin Hunting.” Gardner not only builds banjos he does a great job of playing them as demonstrated on the medley of “Rachel”/“Forked Deer” medley. He can turn around and burn the house down with a rousing “Katy Hill” and render a reading of “Denver Belle” that will make us glad someone is carrying on with the good taste of the late Kenny Baker.

The play on words that is the title hints at the balance of different styles and Gardner’s ability to bridge the gaps between them. He is supported by some of the best musicians from his home region, an area rich in musical tradition. The last cut sounds like an old 78 through studio effects, but reminds us as we listen to that solo fiddle that the tradition and art of fiddling in western North Carolina is in good hands. (Tim Gardner, 223 Summerglen Dr., Asheville, NC 28806, myspace.com/fiddlintim.) RCB