WE BANJO 3

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, Mich. The Irish quartet is two sets of brothers—David Howley (lead vocals, guitar), Martin Howley (mandolin, banjo), Fergal Scahill (fiddle, percussion), and Enda Scahill (banjo)—that blend together bluegrass, Americana, and Irish on 14 songs the band either composed or arranged.

The band has transitioned from its true-to-the-name three members, exploring the depths and breadths of the banjo, and progressed to a four-man band with other instruments. High energy sound is immersed throughout the album as the guys played in the intimate setting. “There’s no distance between you and the crowd, and you get to soak in that,” says David Howley. “You’re taking tunes you’ve played live months and months on the road, and they’ve evolved organically to have these extra special moments,” adds Martin Howley. “On a live album, you get the spark that keeps people coming back, trying to capture what happens in a room live that gets people excited and up and dancing and going home singing your songs and humming your tunes,” says Fergal Scahill. “Little Liza Jane,” “Shine On,” and “Prettiest Little Girl,” are three of the best selections, but you can’t go wrong with the rest of these creative tunes. (Frog Pad Records, 1435 Yarmouth Ave., Ste. 106, Boulder, CO 80304, www.webanjo3.com.)BC