Reviews

NICK AMODEO No Label No Number One of the best ways to guage an instrumentalist is to consider their handling of the standards. There are two such standards on Nick Amodeo’s all-instrumental, six-song debut. One is “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” the other is Bill Monroe’s “The Evening Prayer Blues.” On both of those, Amodeo stays fairly…

TINA ADAIR BAND BORN BAD TAB Music Group No Number Yep, this is going to be one of those “I get many bluegrass CDs across my desk, but few stand out like this one” reviews. After family tragedy and time spent in higher education, Tina Adair is back and sounding better than ever. She made…

DOYLE LAWSON AND QUICKSILVER ROADS WELL TRAVELED Mountain Home Music MH14612 Doyle Lawson, as we all know, has had a long career in bluegrass music. When he was inducted into the IBMA Hall Of Fame in 2012, he said, “I’ve got a lot of fuel left in my tank with a lot of plans in…

DOC & MERLE AN INTIMATE DOCUMENTARY Vestapol 13044 There have been several reaches back into the past of roots music legends in recent years, as studios and labels have come to realize the power of history. The staggered release of the old Flatt & Scruggs TV shows are a prime example of celluloid gold for…

MIKE COMPTON ROTTEN TATERS No Label No Number Not even Bill Monroe, who Mike Compton has studied and absorbed for most of his musical life, ever recorded a solo mandolin CD. But that’s what Compton has achieved here. Well, not exactly a solo mandolin CD, because Mike sings along with his beautiful Paul Duff mandolin…

TOSHIO WATANABE THE FICTION TWINS Red Clay Records RC-126 Sometimes another person’s perspective acts as a mirror to our music. Toshio Watanabe has made a spot-on recording capturing the instrumental nuances of the Monroe Brothers’ duet recordings. His mandolin and guitar playing sound just like the originals. This is a wonderful throwback to another time….