ERYNN MARSHALL & CARL JONES, SWEET MEMORIES NEVER LEAVE

ERYNN MARSHALL & CARL JONES
SWEET MEMORIES NEVER LEAVE

Dittyville
006

Erynn Marshall and Carl Jones both have deep roots in traditional music. Erynn is Canadian, but spent many years learning from West Virginia and Kentucky fiddlers. Carl has played with Norman Blake, James Bryan, Beverly Smith, and many others. Both also compose new tunes and songs, and there are five on this recording.

They start off a cappella with a nice version of “Poor Ellen Smith” from Obray Ramsey and then add banjo and guitar. Next, Erynn fiddles the West Virginia fiddle tune “Camp Chase” with lots of sweet double-stops. Carl wrote “One Fond Adieu,” a song about the perils of aging, which also contains the title of the CD in its lyrics. “Piney Woods” is another relaxed and lovely West Virginia fiddle tune. Erynn wrote “Rocky Point” for a friend in Alberta. The Blue Sky Boys’ “Convict And The Rose” is a gentle duet. Erynn wrote “Daredevil Blues” for her brother and, as the title suggests, it’s a hard-driving fiddle tune with great twin-fiddling by Joel Savoy. Carl’s “Jack Rabbit Jump” is a lively original mandolin tune. The classic “Maple On The Hill” is another duet. Buddy Thomas’ “Turkey Gobbler” has a neat crooked B part. Erynn fiddles it smoothly and with power. Carl then sings the Dixon Brothers’ “Rambling Gambler.” It seems appropriate to end with a waltz, another original tune by Erynn, “The Lohman Waltz.”

You might appreciate this CD for its original material, for its skillful playing, for its sensitive singing, or for all those qualities combined. If you enjoy listening to traditional music, you will certainly find much to like here. (Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones, 99 Faith Dr., Galax, VA 24333, www.dittyville.com.)SAG