Reviews

THE SELDOM SCENE CHANGES Rounder Records 00485 Released in June 2019, this is the latest project from the current members of this stellar, awarding-winning ensemble. Founded in 1971, the band included the late Mike Auldridge, John Duffey, and John Starling, as well as Ben Eldridge (retired) and Tom Gray (still active). Since the late 1990s,…

JAKE WORKMAN LANDMARK No Label No Number In an era when newly emerging flatpicking giants like Molly Tuttle and Billy Strings are growing more popular by the day, and when flatpicking legends like David Grier have found new inspiration, it can prove easy to overlook other guitarists taking flatpicking to new realms these days. Holding…

STEPHEN WADE A STORYTELLER’S STORY: SOURCES OF BANJO DANCING Patuxent Music CD-333    Four decades ago, Banjo Dancing—a one-person show conceived, created, and performed by musician and writer Stephen Wade—premiered in a small theater in Chicago. The original show was subtitled The 48th Annual Squitters Mountain Song, Dance, Folklore Convention & Banjo Contest And How I Lost,…

WE BANJO 3 ROOTS TO RISE LIVE Frog Pad Records FP0117 Not everyone can make it out to the concerts, so We Banjo 3 brought the shows to the fans on record. The music of Roots To Rise Live was captured in front of two sold-out crowds on February 27-28, 2019, at The Ark in Ann Arbor,…

STEVE GULLEY & NEW PINNACLE HIGH PEAKS AND NEW GROUND Rural Rhythm RUR-1150 Steve Gulley’s career has had a good run. He spent some years with Doyle Lawson and moved on to be a founding member of Mountain Heart and Grasstowne. He also has a number of solo projects, a duo project with songwriting partner…

JEFF PARKER & COMPANY TIME HAS MADE A CHANGE Truegrass Entertainment TGE-69093 After 12 years playing mandolin for Dailey & Vincent, Kentuckian Jeff Parker has stepped out and decided to give running his own band a try. His current band includes Colin Ray (guitar), Joey Cox (banjo), David Chrisley (bass), and Max Silverstein (fiddle). Andy…