Articles

JEFF WHITE RIGHT BESIDE YOU No Label, 316    Jeff White has always been the quiet bluegrass star. Going back to his landmark work with Alison Krauss & Union Station on Two Highways, his two solo CDs for Rounder, his long-time role as backup vocalist and guitarist for Vince Gill, Tim O’Brien, The Chieftains, Patty Loveless,…

FRANK WAKEFIELD AND LEON MORRIS Patuxent Music CD-283 Mandolinist Frank Wakefield has legendary status in bluegrass. Guitarist and vocalist Leon Morris, though a strong talent as a singer and songwriter, has not quite achieved that level. Both are, however, old friends and associates, having recorded together in the 1960s, and both are strong keepers of…

NEFESH MOUNTAIN No Label No Number This a different sort of pairing, one both interesting and welcome. The principal musicians involved, the husband and wife team of Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg, aim to color old-time and bluegrass with Jewish elements, what they call “Jewish spirit.” This does not mean, necessarily, that they are mixing…

DICK KIMMEL CORBETT ON THE COUCH: MANDOLIN RECORDINGS Dick Kimmel Music CD-2016-01 Mandolinist Dick Kimmel’s latest release presents a gathering of predominantly instrumental tracks. Of its 18 tunes, Kimmel wrote nine. Five are traditional, running from the familiar “Mississippi Sawyer” and “Ragtime Annie”/“Texas Gals” to the lesser-known “Old French”/“Here And There Hornpipe” and “Sweet Ellen.”…

THE SPINNEY BROTHERS LIVING THE DREAM Mountain Fever MFR 160429 This recording marks a slight departure for the Spinney Brothers. It’s still the same band, Rick and Allen, Gary Dalrymple on mandolin, and Terry Poirier on bass. The guests are Rob Ickes and Ron Stewart. Gentle nostalgia still dominates. Their sound has a more modern…

RICK BARTLEY RIVER FULL OF BLUES No Label No Number Rick Bartley has combined five originals with three bluegrass standards and several additional new songs from relatively lesser-known sources to produce what appears to be his first release (the liner notes here are the soul of brevity). The result is a well-performed, pleasant offering of…