Search Results: Bill Emerson

VARIOUS ARTISTS THE PATUXENT BANJO PROJECT: THE BEST OF WASHINGTON, DC/BALTIMORE, MD/NORTHERN VIRGINIA/SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA Patuxent Music CD-250    Where to begin? Perhaps it’s best to start with an overview of what’s here. That would be forty tunes (half are originals; the rest are traditional or covers), one each from forty-two banjo players (two tracks are…

UNSPOKEN TRADITION SIMPLE LITTLE TOWN No Label CRA 002    Split by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the western North Carolina-based members of Unspoken Tradition have melded into a polished ensemble with strong original material, abundant talent, and an already distinctive sound subtly more trad than most new bands. Simple Little Town proves an auspicious debut…

CRAIG MORRIS TWIX ’N TWEEN No Label No Number This is Morris’ follow-up to his Banjology CD from 2011. We are treated to well-done versions of bluegrass classics along with a few old-time fiddle tunes and “Little Sadie,” largely associated with the late Doc Watson. Kicking off the project with Earl Scruggs’ “Foggy Mountain Chimes,”…

MARTEKA AND WILLIAM TRUE GRASS REVIVAL No Label No Number After my first listening to True Grass Revival by Marteka and William Lake, I knew what I was going to say: Wow! Marteka, at age 15, is already a banjo player who demonstrates much depth. She has obviously studied Earl Scruggs in detail, and she…

ALAN BIBEY AND WAYNE BENSON THE MANDOLIN CHRONICLES Pinecastle Records PRC 1183 For those who have ever wondered how Alan Bibey and Wayne Benson would approach the same tune, like say Bill Monroe’s “Pilgrim’s Knob” or Tommy Jackson’s “Crazy Creek,” here’s your opportunity to find out. Hearing their styles juxtaposed, particularly on the four mandolin-only…

BYRON BERLINE JAMMIN’ WITH BYRON Double Stop Music DS-CD03 This is a 22-cut fiddle extravaganza featuring solid array of guests. But Berline demonstrates quickly he can do it alone on the fine “Byron In The Highlands,” one of the many great original tunes included here. Berline tackles not only the repertory of bluegrass with “Cattle…