Reviews
Rasa
Don Giovanni Records, Dg-271 RASA is a Sanskrit term for defining an artist’s essence. This project was first recorded and released in 1980 and created a fusion of music from East and West that became a much listened to and talked about undertaking. Now the project has been remastered and is again being made available,…
Ida 2
Ida Clare offers a new project of original material that blends their mix of bluegrass styles. The band is based in Louisville, Kentucky and includes Lea Cockrell (vocals, guitar), Jim Wheatley (vocals, mandolin, harmonica, guitar), Robin Thixton (vocals, banjo), and Nick Stevens (bass, piano). Others include Rob Edwards (percussion), Jeff Guernsey (fiddle, resonator guitar), Todd…
Coulee Creek
Coulee Creek features singer-songwriter Sarah Jackson and poet Rita Mae Reese. The group also includes Beth Becker (fiddle, cello), Michael James (resonator guitar), David Strudthoff (banjo), Tom Baker (guitar, bass), and Cori Vought (vocals). Guest artists are Brett Huus (harmonica), Terry Nirva (cajon), and Josh Rabie (mandolin). Most of them hail from the Wisconsin/Minnesota area…
Ballad Hunting with Max Hunter – Stories of an Ozark Folksong Collector,
University of Illinois Press Although not as well-known as the Southeastern United States, the Ozarks region of Missouri and Arkansas has long been a hotbed of fine old-time fiddling, folk ballad singing, and bluegrass music. One of the primary reasons that so many ballads and tunes from the Ozarks have been faithfully preserved over the…
I Gotta Minute (And Other Songs From A Pandemic)
From the Baltimore, Maryland area, the Union is Andy Belt (guitar, banjitar, vocals), Jon Ackerman (resonator guitar, lap steel), Tony Bonta (banjo, vocals), Noah Heming (guitar, vocals), Shawn Heming (mandolin, vocals), and Dave Markowitz (bass). Belt wrote or co-wrote all the songs on this project for which the title indicates much of the material came…
UnXpected
Poetman PMR 70088 Now thirteen, Phoebe White is a young lady from Appalachia who grew up influenced by the Western music performances of folks like Roy and Dale Rogers, Patsy Cline, Patsy Montana, and Jimmie Rogers. She has become a skilled singer and yodeler and plays guitar, mandolin, ukulele, piano and more. And, she has…