Reviews

JUSSI SYREN & THE GROUNDBREAKERS THERE’S NO GREATER MESSAGE Snowflake Records JSGCD 23102    Jussi Syren should not be unfamiliar to readers of BluegrassUnlimited. Hailing from Finland, he has had a number of recordings reviewed here and has showcased a number of times at the IBMA’s World Of Bluegrass. His musical taste ranges across the…

VARIOUS ARTISTS YOU ARE THERE: CLASSIC EARLY FILMS OF LEGENDARY PERFORMERS, 1952-54 Shanachie 622DVD    Albert C. Gannaway, Jr., (1920-2008) was years ahead of his time. A noted film and television producer and songwriter, he had written songs for Nat King Cole, Bob Hope, Frankie Lane, and collaborated with Johnny Mercer on others. He produced several…

RACHEL EDDY NOTHIN’ BUT CORN No Label No Number    Rachel Eddy’s musical journey is an interesting one and international in scope. She is a very talented musician from West Virginia who grew up in a musical family. Eddy’s dad expertly played the “don’t touch my fiddle” trick when she was a kid, hoping his…

JOHNNY CAMPBELL AND THE BLUEGRASS DRIFTERS Let’s Pick LP-001    It’s refreshing to hear traditional bluegrass played with drive and vigor and sung from the heart. This outfit does just that. Out of the gate, they hit it hard with the old number “Gospel Plow.” They have picked some fine gems to include on this…

DAVID WHITE LONG ROOTS Footpath Records No Number    David White is one of those people you love to hate. Already blessed with the brilliant mind to be a pediatrician, the Texas-native is also an extremely talented singer/songwriter. On his debut album Long Roots, White’s storytelling and relaxing baritone voice take center stage with a…

TRINITY RIVER BAND BETTER THAN BLUE Orange Blossom Records No Number    With their fourth recording, the Trinity River Band makes a subtle change. Where once they recorded three standards per album, here they only include one, a throttle-open rendition of “Mystery Train,” sung with great verve by the group’s principle lead singer, Sarah Harris….