Reviews

THE RAILSPLITTERS No Label No Number Once in a while, a debut project from a regional band will rise above the rest and stand out as one to pay attention to. The Railsplitters from Colorado certainly has caught my ears. This new project features strong songwriting, instrumental prowess, and expertly blended vocals. The band consists…

ALLEGHENY DRIFTERS CLIMB HEAVEN’S LADDER No Label, TAD-603 This is the first all gospel project from the Drifters, a Pittsburgh, Pa.-based band. Longtime fans of bluegrass will be familiar with the name Bob Artis, a mandolin player and author of one of the early books on bluegrass. He is joined by the rest of the…

BLUEGRASS JAZZ GUITAR, VOLUME 1—TAUGHT BY BARRY SOLOMON—MB30203BCD 9780786685639. Includes three CDs, $24.95. BLUEGRASS JAZZ GUITAR, VOLUME 2—TAUGHT BY BARRY SOLOMON—MB30472BCD 9780786685646. Includes three CDs, $24.95. (Stefan Grossman’s Guitar Workshop, P.O. Box 802, Sparta, NJ 07871, www.guitarvideos.com.) For the longest time, jazz and bluegrass music have had parallel paths that often converged. For example, Kenny…

BUTCH ROBINS’ IMAGICNATION SKETCHES Flat Five Records FFP-1138 Sketches is a new album by five-string master Butch Robins that is both raw and upbeat. These sessions were recorded during rehearsals back in 2012 and 2011 and features Robins on the banjo, along with Tom Ohmsen on mandolin and backing vocals, John McBroom on bass and…

PARKING LOT PICKER’S PLAY-ALONG GUITAR—BY DIX BRUCE—Mel Bay MB30115BCD. CD included, $19.99. (Mel Bay Publications, #4 Industrial Dr., Pacific, MO 63069, www.melbay.com.) This seems to be the second phase of books for parking lot pickers by Bruce. This trimmed-down version focuses on 15 songs from that rich cusp of material between old-time and bluegrass. Some…

TOM MINDTE SOMETHING I’VE BEEN WORKING ON Patuxent Music CD-242 Given his admiration for the honky-tonk bluegrass artists of the ’50s and ’60s, it should be no surprise that Tom Mindte opens his 13-song, all-instrumental, solo debut with a cover of Buzz Busby’s “Flat Creek.” Mindte spent a great deal of time with Busby and…