The latest BBN

The latest issue (no. 96, winter 2021) of British Bluegrass News (BBN), journal of the British Bluegrass Music Asociation, features on the cover Leanne Thorose and Eleanor Wilkie of Midnight Skyracer (UK), who are also playing together as Sapphire Storm and are about to release the duo's debut album Two hearts and a double shot of whiskey. They are interviewed inside by BBN editor Chris Lord.

Other features include Philippa Ogden's four-page analysis of the messages conveyed by bluegrass album designs over the decades; illustrated reports from UK events; the regular 'Gospel corner'; three US CDs given substantial reviews by Chris Courogen; full-colour instrument ads; and Jack Baker's 'Tab corner' which reviews the recordings since 1926 of the song 'Way downtown'/ 'Late last night'/ 'Oh me, oh my', and bases the tabs for guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin on breaks from different recordings.

BIB readers, however, should find special interest in Chris Lord's four-page interview with Greg Blake, who since his last tour here has joined the Special Consensus as lead singer and guitarist; he and Special C. leader Greg Cahill have been friends for over twenty-five years. Chris writes that the Special C. 'are one of my favourite bands, and there are very few people that would make as good a fit as Greg Blake in such a prestigious position.'

© Richard Hawkins