Reviews

MAMA CORN HOLD THAT CROOKED LINE No Label No number    Mama Corn is a lively five-piece band centered around State College, Pa., in the north-central part of the state. On Hold That Crooked Line, their second release, they lean heavily on their original material to showcase their freewheeling take on bluegrass music. Like with…

MICHAEL BARNETT ONE SONG ROMANCE Compass Records 4624    Virtuosity is its own reward. When achieved, it swirls about and spins a spell over the listener, drawing them in and whirling them through the thrill of it all. Barnett speaks with three voices here; his songs, his fiddle, and his voice. He’s accompanied by his former…

LAURIE AND KATHY SING THE SONGS OF VERN AND RAY  Spruce and Maple Music SMM 1012 Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick are paying tribute to one of the grittiest and greatest duets to ever play bluegrass, Vern Williams and Ray Park. The ladies set aside any niceties and get down to it with some of…

JOE MULLINS & THE RADIO RAMBLER ANOTHER DAY FROM LIFE Rebel Records REB-CD-1859    Those familiar with the recent concert DVD of Joe Mullins saw four-fifths of this current lineup in a performance that featured guitarist/vocalist Duane Sparks early in his band tenure. Sparks has since blended confidently into his role as the principal lead…

SWEETWATER STRING BAND RIVER OF RHYMES No Label No Number    I’ve always loved the different versions of bluegrass that come from around the world and from different parts of America. Yes, there’s always the need for the traditional fires to be kept burning in the bluegrass world. But, a hundred different versions of “John…

CARROLL BEST AND THE WHITE OAK STRING BAND No label No Number    These are field recordings from Hayward County, North Carolina in the 1950s. They are interesting as they reflect the music the musicians most wanted to play and not necessarily the tunes the collector wanted for his research. They capture the time when…