John Reischman & the Jaybirds and River City Playboys- Bluegrass @ SilverSkateFestival, 2023.02.19

It was late on Sunday afternoon, as I watched the local team blow another three-goal lead, that a tweet caught my eye- John Reischman & the Jaybirds were playing two sets a half-hour away from my trusty recliner. And the River City Playboys were also appearing! It takes a lot for me to change plans…

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Ancient Fervor Coulee Bluegrass CD reviews, pt 2

Continuing to mine the archives, some bluegrass Gold…In a Way.

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Ancient Fervor Coulee Bluegrass CD reviews, pt 1

Going back in time to post some reviews from the early aughts, the first years of Fervor Coulee, with all of from the Waskaoo Bluegrass Music Society newsletter, That High Lonesome Sound.

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Fervor Coulee’s Favourite Roots Albums of the Decade, 2010-2019 (#21-#30, pt. 3/5)

When considering inclusion on this list, I weighed the album’s positioning on my annual lists, how frequently I continue to listen to the recording, its impact on me—has it influenced me down a path of listening— and how enjoyable I continue to find the music. The final element is most important: can I listen to…

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Fervor Coulee’s Top Ten Canadian Albums 2010-2019

As with any list of this type, albums could move up and down the list with second and third thought. I considered a lot of music to come up with this list for the Exclaim! editor who solicited it. Unfortunately, none of my albums made their list of 50 Best of the Decade. I had…

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Ten Takeaways from Blueberry Bluegrass 2019

The festival has never been so appealingly eclectic. While it was once billed as “& Country Music Festival” and as such included some very questionable lineup choices (look no further than Trick Ryder and Dirt Road Angels), Blueberry is now decidedly and positively heterogeneous in its ‘big tent’ approach to bluegrass and acoustic roots music.…

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More Blueberry Bluegrass Festival, 2019- Stony Plain, Alberta reflections- Day Two

The second day of three-day fests are the most difficult, I find. The novelty of day one is over—the renewing of acquaintances, the excitement of once again celebrating great music in a community—and by the end of the day, no matter the quality of music, I am bagged. Proof in point—in bed by 10:30 last…

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Fervor Coulee’s Favourite Roots & Bluegrass Albums of 2017

What is roots music? I frequently have to remind myself that not everything I seek out is ‘roots.’ When I start considering Little Steven or Danko Jones (Wild Cat might have been my favourite album of 2017) albums as ‘roots’ music, I may be starting to lose the plot. So I pull myself back. However,…

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John Reischman & the Jaybirds- On That Other Green Shore review

John Reischman & the Jaybirds On That Other Green Shore Corvus Records http://www.thejaybirds.com/ It has long been known that John Reischman & the Jaybirds are one of my favourite bluegrass combos. To my ears, they have everything I expect from a band—vocal complexity and diversity, exceptional instrumentation and harmonic interplay, rock solid material with a…

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Nick Hornbuckle- 12X2(+/-1) review

Nick Hornbuckle recently released his debut solo recording, a collection of mostly traditional old-time fiddle tunes given new arrangements for banjo in a variety of (mostly) duo settings. As a long-time proponent of the special music created by John Reischman & the Jaybirds, with whom Hornbuckle has played for some 15+ years, it should be no…

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