Reviews

Maybe it tells you what you need to know when along with guest artists listed in the liner notes are the noted and vintage instruments used to make the music on the album. That’s what you get with this CD re-issue of the 1987 vinyl release from Ed Schaeffer & Rattlesnake Hill titled Scene from…

Hailing from the Big River area around SE Missouri, the aptly named Riverbend is a five-piece band with a style rooted in traditional bluegrass. Over 11 tunes here, the band shows a deft hand with high tenor lead voices and the driving Monroe-style mandolin of Andy Navara to bring a very traditional sound to their…

Daisy Caire It’s inspiring and heartwarming to encounter a young emerging talent like Northern Californian Daisy Caire. This 16-year-old is not just an enchanting singer and songwriter; she’s a fine fiddle player and guitar flatpicker to boot. Caire possesses a lovely sense of innocence and playfulness that’s simply irresistible. It comes through clearly in both…

When Luke Abbott got bit by the bluegrass bug attending his first festival at the age of 11, no one could have imagined he’d one day create a practice software program thousands of people are using to keep their chops up during self-isolation. Strum Machine is an app that allows users to set the tempo…

 Josh Turknett In The Laws of Brainjo neurologist, and banjo player, Josh Turknett, MD does a phenomenal job busting a few myths about learning how to play music.  The first myth is that “natural talent” exists.  The second myth is the notion that the older you are, the harder it is to learn a new…

Barry Abernathy There’s a moving story behind the genesis of banjo ace Barry Abernathy’s first solo record, which, space-wise, can’t be told here. Suffice it to say, this exquisite release is a labor of love that has been several years in the making. The array of celebrated guest artists enlisted here is also a measure…