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IssueM Articles
The Cockman Family – Dedicated
THE COCKMAN FAMILY DEDICATED Heartwarming Records HTW092011003 There is a seemingly endless number of family bluegrass gospel bands, but few have achieved the level of professionalism found here. The Cockman Family has a firm musical base, and they play and sing with skill. They write the majority of their material, and it is all above…
McCamy’s Melody Sheiks – There’s More Pretty Girls Than One
McCAMY’S MELODY SHEIKS THERE’S MORE PRETTY GIRLS THAN ONE Arhoolie Records CD519 Those who saw the film Crumb might recall that cartoonist and musician Robert Crumb has a huge collection of old 78s in his house in southern France. Crumb’s recordings served as the inspiration for this band of English and American expatriates in France….
Various Artists – Close Kin
VARIOUS ARTISTS CLOSE KIN Mountain Roads MMR1012 Close Kin is definitely a concept recording; it even comes with a 15-minute DVD about the project. There are 16 tunes and songs performed by 29 musicians with old-time and bluegrass roots in combinations that mix people with different musical backgrounds. Take Adam and Tina Steffey, Jeanette and…
Eddie and Martha Adcock with Tom Gray and Friends – Many A Mile
EDDIE AND MARTHA ADCOCK WITH TOM GRAY AND FRIENDS MANY A MILE Patuxent Music PXCD228 This is an interesting project. Eddie Adcock and Tom Gray were there in the early days of the Country Gentlemen, and here they revisit the catalog from that band. Starting with the title cut, we get smooth readings of some…
Acoustic Blue – Timeless
ACOUSTIC BLUE TIMELESS No Label No Number With each new CD, and this is their fourth, the Massachusetts-based group Acoustic Blue alters its format a bit. Some have more standards. Some have more original material. Number four, Timeless, is mostly either newer compositions from outside the band or lesser-known covers. They include among them, the…
Barcelona Bluegrass Band – Old Time Blues
BARCELONA BLUEGRASS BAND OLD TIME BLUES No Label No Number Bluegrass tag teams with blues, jazz, and Celtic music on this all-acoustic CD from the Spanish based band. What a stunning instrumental tour de force from founding musicians Lluis Gomez (five-string banjo) and Joan Pau Cumellas (harmonica), along with additional members, Miguel Talavera (guitar/mandolin/resonator guitar)…