Monthly Archives: May 2010

Kenny Kosek and Matt Glaser – Hasty Lonesome

Posted on May 24, 2010 by

Boy, once I get started on a theme I can’t stop! Especially when it involves newgrass players, because every time I look at one it leads me to another. These guys have been in the scene since the Country Cooking … Continue reading →

Posted in bluegrass, Branches, fiddle, new acoustic | 7 Comments

Rob Wasserman – Solo

Posted on May 22, 2010 by

And another Grisman bass player’s album from 1983! There is just something so incredible about a good bass player. They root the music, giving it a foundation in the pulsating rhythms of the Earth, and if they’re good they can … Continue reading →

Posted in avant-garde, bass, new acoustic, seeds | 2 Comments

Todd Phillips – Released

Posted on May 22, 2010 by

Another spotlight on a pioneer of Newgrass / New Acoustic music. We’ve left Country Cooking now and are working back throught the members of the David Grisman Quintet. This is a very OPEN record. What does that mean? It means … Continue reading →

Posted in bass, Branches, jazz, new acoustic | 9 Comments

Peter Rowan

Posted on May 20, 2010 by

Who can say what music really is? It’s a formless energy that moves people. It’s a good place to put your head. -Peter Rowan Ok next in our series of progressive bluegrass-rooted musicians who helped to crete a new form … Continue reading →

Posted in bluegrass, Branches, Folk, tex-mex | 5 Comments

Gangstagrass

Posted on May 19, 2010 by

ahoy. i dig your blog. you might enjoy gangstagrass: http://soundcloud.com/rench/sets/gangstagrass-featuring-t-o-n-e-z-lightning-on-the-strings-thunder-on-the-mic Hey Gangstagrass, nice tunes! Good timing too, as I’m focusing on experimental bluegrass right now. You know, it’s rather surprising that there haven’t been more bluegrass/hip-hop fusions. If Peter Rowan … Continue reading →

Posted in bluegrass, Branches, hip-hop | Leave a comment

Tony Trischka

Posted on May 18, 2010 by

“…the godfather of what’s sometimes called new acoustic music.” – New York Times “…most influential banjo player of the latter part of the 20th century, certainly in terms of his profound influence on succeeding generations of modern players.” – Banjo … Continue reading →

Posted in banjo, bluegrass, new acoustic, seeds | 5 Comments

Russ Barenberg

Posted on May 17, 2010 by

Ok, on to number 3! This time the best aspects of the previous 2 artists are joined for two truly remarkable albums. To start, let me say that there is something very personal, immediate, and beautiful about Russ’s playing. His … Continue reading →

Posted in bluegrass, Branches, celtic, Guitar, new acoustic, world fusion | 9 Comments

Pete Wernick – Dr. Banjo Steps Out

Posted on May 17, 2010 by

The Man With the Underwater Banjo. That’s Doctor, to you. Our next look at the members of Country Cooking yields this one-of-a-kind gem: This is a wonderfully expansive bluegrass album. While Pete’s banjo-picking sticks to basically Scruggs-style bluegrass techniques, he … Continue reading →

Posted in banjo, bluegrass, Branches, new acoustic | 1 Comment

Andy Statman

Posted on May 17, 2010 by

“There are those who know Andy Statman as the virtuoso klezmer clarinetist – violinist Itzhak Perlman, for instance, who chose Statman to lead his klezmer album. There are those who know Andy Statman as the down-home mandolin player with a … Continue reading →

Posted in bluegrass, Branches, klezmer, seeds | 12 Comments

Country Cooking

Posted on May 16, 2010 by

Ingredients: 1 fiddle. 1 Manodlin, a-model. 1 Guitar, steel-string. 1 bass, electric. 2 banjos. That’s right. TWO BANJOS. Instructions: Begin with tradition. Bluegrass. Kentucky. Dash liberally with new-york-city mentality. Stir in a heaped tablespoon of virtuosity on each ingredient. Begin … Continue reading →

Posted in banjo, bluegrass, Branches | 2 Comments