The Alex Leach Band- All the Way review

My review of The Alex Leach Band’s second album All the Way is up at Country Standard Time. Read it here. Here is how it started before the editor did his thing: “As he’s matured, many of us have grown up with Alex Leach. I’ve been listening to him on WDVX for more than twenty…

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Tony Rice- Guitar Vinyl reissue reviewed

Tony Rice Guitar Rebel Records There has been no end to bluegrass albums labeled as classics. Some of them even deserve the renown such a reference implies. Tony Rice’s recording debut, released in 1974, is arguably one of those recordings, an album that will be within the number should my book One Hundred Essential Bluegrass…

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Cedar Hill- New Chapter review

Cedar Hill New Chapter Mountain Fever Bluegrass can be complex. It doesn’t have to be. Simultaneously, it isn’t simple music, and it certainly isn’t easy to play. I just spent a weekend at a bluegrass festival featuring 18 acts, nine of them solid bluegrass of various shades. These groups all impressed in various ways, but…

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Dan Tyminski- One More Time Before You Go: A Tribute to Tony Rice review

Dan Tyminski One More Time Before You Go: A Tribute to Tony Rice North Star Records No one should be surprised by this project. Tony Rice was the most influential guitarist bluegrass music has produced, and that is revealed on each festival stage weekly. This past weekend, I had the pleasure to listen to Richard…

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Blueberry Bluegrass Festival, 2022

Thank you to all the volunteers who made this weekend’s Blueberry Bluegrass a complete success. And even bigger thanks to all the patrons who purchased tickets, camped, bought raffle tickets and merchandise, and supported our vendors, food trucks, musicians, and the businesses of Stony Plain this weekend: the festival cannot exist without your commitment and…

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Scott Vestal, et al- Bluegrass 2022 review

Scott Vestal, et al Bluegrass 2022 Pinecastle Bluegrass 2022 is the ninth in a series of instrumental bluegrass sets featuring Scott Vestal (banjo) and whomever he is playing with at the time. The series began in 1995 and ran consecutively until 2001 before being resurrected in 2020. This latest volume features Cody Kilby (guitar), Byron…

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Jim Hurst- From the Ground Up review

Jim Hurst From the Ground Up Pinecastle It has been some many years since I last heard a Jim Hurst album. I purchased Intrepid years ago upon release, and his performance of “Dew On The Mountain” remains one of my favourites. Jim Hurst is under-known within the acoustic and bluegrass worlds despite a career of…

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Peter Rowan- Calling You From My Mountain review

Peter Rowan Calling You From My Mountain Rebel Records In various configurations and eliminating live sets, Peter Rowan has recorded well over 40 albums of new music. That’s a lot, but considering his career going back to the 60s and the quality of his experimentation, both within and outside bluegrass, not an unwelcome amount. A…

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Tony Rice- California Autumn vinyl reissue review

Tony Rice California Autumn Rebel Records Several months ago, Rebel Records re-released Tony Rice’s early masterpiece California Autumn on CD. That welcome venture has now been followed by a vinyl reissue, and a welcome addition to our bluegrass shelves (and turntables) it is. Originally released in 1975, this influential recording has been carefully remastered from…

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The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys- Never Slow Down review

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys Never Slow Down Smithsonian Folkways East Tennessee’s The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, despite their on-stage lightness and good humour, take their bluegrass seriously. This is their career, and they are focused and single-minded in the sensible pursuit of not only financial stability but musical ideals. Several albums into their career including a…

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