Reviews

MIKE BARNETT PORTRAITS IN FIDDLES Compass Records 746952 The tribute album has become a common occurrence, and bluegrass has not been an exception to the trend. Sometimes, it’s to honor tradition, sometimes it’s because it’s hard to get new music heard. At its worst, this can lead to weak imitations and a sense of hiding…

GEORGE P. KNAUFF’S VIRGINIA REELS AND THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN FIDDLING BY CHRIS GOERTZEN Univ. of Miss. Press 9781496814272. Printed case binding, 256 pp., 66 b&w illustrations, $65. (Univ. of Miss. Press, 3825 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, MS 39211, www.upress.state.ms.us.) This is the second book on American fiddle music from the United States by this author….

MARK KUYKENDALL, BOBBY HICKS & ASHEVILLE BLUEGRASS FOREVER AND A DAY Rebel Records REB-1865    In the liner notes, Mark Kuykendall (guitar) and IBMA Hall Of Famer Bobby Hicks (fiddle) note that combined, they have 110 years of performing and recording bluegrass music under their Blue Grass Boy belt buckles, and it shows. Hicks, the legendary…

NOTHIN’ FANCY IT’S A GOOD FEELING Mountain Fever MFR1 70922 Twenty-three years and eleven albums into their career, the five members of this Shenandoah Valley, Virginia band have hit an impressive stride and have clearly earned themselves a berth in contemporary bluegrass music’s front ranks. I have to confess that until listening to It’s A…

FELLER & HILL BROTHERS AND HEROES Rural Rhythm RUR-1139 What is not to like about this third release from Feller & Hill? In addition to some of the best harmony singing out there, there’s the rich and resonant lead vocals of Chris Hill, best exemplified on “Atlanta Is Burning,” the moderately-loping “Love Is A Stranger,”…

BULL HARMAN AND BULL’S EYE DRAW FOUR Bull’s Eye Records BER-1210 Of the instrumental musicianship in Bull Harman and Bull’s Eye, there can be little doubt. Bull, as anyone familiar with his work can attest, is an upper-tier bluegrass guitarist. His solos are imaginative. His lines are fluid. And he brings great energy to his…