21 April 2023

Detached notes

The latest e-newsletter from the Mountain Home Music Company announces a new single by Chris Jones & the Night Drivers (last here in 2019 for the Omagh festival and a tour) - 'Blow whistle', a song written by their bassist, Marshall Wilborn. The recording can be heard in full on Bluegrass Today. The band's regular lineup (Chris, guitar and lead voice; Marshall, bass; Mark Stoffel, mandolin; and Grace van ’t Hof, banjo/ baritone uke) are supplemented on the recording by Billy Cardine on resonator guitar.
*
Two recent features by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today are of special interest to guitarists: one on the high-quality luthiery of Ben Walters Guitars in Virginia, and the other on Together!, a digital release on David Grisman's Acoustic Oasis label, comprising thirty-nine tracks of live guitar duets by Tony Rice and his brother Wyatt, which seems a bargain at $25.00. Billy Strings is quoted: 'This album is a must have for anyone who appreciates the power and beauty of live acoustic music, and a testament to the talents of two of the greatest guitar players to ever pick up the instrument.'
*
For banjo players (and others), multi-instrumentalist Dave Richardson of Compact Recording Systems in Colorado has brought out Banjo V-1: acoustic artists interact with virtual instruments, a twelve-track album (including nine original compositions). A promo video for the album is on Kevin Slick's feature on Bluegrass Today and also on YouTube
*
For lovers of the mandolin: Sandy Hatley's commemoration on Bluegrass Today of mandolinist Alan Niederland, who died earlier this month, includes many tributes from his fellow musicians, one of which takes the form of an elegiac composition for mandolin by Scott Napier. The video of it can be seen on Bluegrass Today.
*
A week ago (14 Apr.) Becky Buller, bandleader, fiddler, banjo-player, and songwriter, who played here earlier this century as a member of Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, was inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. Other commitments prevented her from being present at the ceremony, but her acceptance address can be read in full in John Lawless's report on Bluegrass Today.

© Richard Hawkins

Labels: , , , , , ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home