JOE WEED

JOE WEED
TWO STEPS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI

Highland Records
No Number

Joe Weed has been around quite a while, producing atmospheric, acoustic projects that lay well on the ear with an uplifting feel to them. Each project has a theme, and here we are on a kind of road trip from the bayous of Louisiana and East Texas up through the Midwest for the most part and on toward Colorado and parts west of the Mississippi.

There is an extensive list of musicians appearing on this project. Names that might be recognizable by bluegrass fans include Dennis Crouch, Matt Flinner, David Grier, Rob Ickes, Todd Phillips and Joe Walsh. This names approximately half of the musicians on this project. The tunes are layered like a rich cake and include two-steps, polkas, and waltzes.

The extensive liner notes tell about each tune, its inspiration, and lists the musicians on that track. You can chill out just listening to this recording, use it to set a mood,  or just bask in the richness of each performance. As you might expect, each instrument is caught in a rich sonorous soundscape of sonic sweetness. There are hints of Cajun, Mariachi, Western Swing, and other musical flavors that pervade the music of such a large and diverse region. This is one of those recordings that will fill the quiet evening or those early morning coffee hours nicely. (www.joeweed.com)RCB