Reviews

COURTNEY HARTMAN & TAYLOR ASHTON BEEN ON YOUR SIDE Free Dirt Records DIRT-CD-0089 The debut recording from Della Mae’s virtuoso guitarist Courtney Hartman and Taylor Ashton, clawhammer banjo player and guitarist of Canadian roots ensemble Fish & Bird, is a quietly introspective piece of mostly original music recorded in the dead of winter with a…

WILLIAMSON BRANCH FREE Pinecastle Records PRC1217 The second release from Williamson Branch on Pinecastle and their third national release, Freeis an impressive showcase of Kevin and Debbie Williamson and their three talented daughters: Melody (19, on fiddle and guitar), Kadence (16, on bass), and Caroline (9 on vocals, and she also plays fiddle at live performances)….

SISTER SADIE SISTER SADIE II Pinecastle Records PRC1223    In the liner notes, the women of Sister Sadie say: “We are in a very natural state when we perform as a group. No struggle…just in tune with thought, spirit, and musical expression.” The sophomore effort from this all-female band of bluegrass superstars does not disappoint. The…

ALAN MUNDE & BILLY BRIGHT ES MI SUERTE Munde’s Child Records MCR005 Alan Munde and Billy Bright probably need no introduction to fans of instrumental bluegrass. Munde, of course, is a legend in the banjo community for his earliest work such as Sam And Alan Together Again For The First Time, his wonderful duet of fiddle…

LORRAINE JORDAN & CAROLINA ROAD TRUE GRASS AGAIN Pinecastle Records PRC1219 This recording is the follow-up to Country Grass, released over three years ago, which featured several of country music’s biggest artists. True Grass Againcontains 11 songs, all with a bluegrass flair. Following the previous model, this latest project includes guests Junior Sisk and Danny Paisley on…

DOC AND MERLE WATSON BEAR’S SONIC JOURNALS NEVER THE SAME WAY ONCE, LIVE AT THE BOARDING HOUSE, MAY 1974 Owsley Stanley Foundation No Number In 1974, Doc Watson, along with his exceptionally gifted son Merle and bass accompanist T. Michael Coleman, stood at the absolutely zenith of their music powers. Honed into a frightfully tight…