Saturday, November 21 Old Crow Medicine Show continues a growing tradition of incredible music at Murray State's Lovett Auditorium. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and locally at the Regional Special Events Center Box Office.
"Mountain music revivalists Old Crow Medicine Show spin traditional folk and bluegrass yarns with a rock & roll attitude. Critter Fuqua (vocals/banjo/resonator guitar), Kevin Hayes (guitjo), Morgan Jahnig (upright bass), Ketch Secor (vocals/fiddle/harmonica/banjo), and Willie Watson (vocals/guitar/banjo) may specialize in rags, hollers, and pre-World War II blues, but they were weaned on Nirvana and Public Enemy. The quintet members -- who are all from different states -- met in New York, hit the road, played before an impressed Doc Watson in front of a North Carolina pharmacy, and were promptly scheduled to play the folk icon's Merlefest. Old Crow Medicine Show relocated to Nashville, found themselves gracing the stage at the Grand Ole Opry, opened for the likes of Dolly Parton and the Del McCoury Band, toured with Merle Haggard and Marty Stuart, and appeared on NPR's Prairie Home Companion. They signed to Nettwerk America in 2003, began crafting their own compositions among the jug band standards and reels that had become the backbone of the group, and went into the studio to make a record with Gillian Welch's other half, guitarist David Rawlings, at the helm. The self-titled debut, which was recorded in RCA's legendary Studio B (Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings) as well as Woodland Sound Studios (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), arrived the following year. The group's second album, Big Iron World was produced by Rawlings and appeared in August of 2006. The band then switched producers, going with Don Was for 2008's Tennessee Pusher."
I have been playing around with TubeRadio and have created a playlist of videos of Old Crow's work that can be found on YouTube. You can view it at http://www.tuberadio.fm/?pl=1199818.
Although Chris Thile was born in California, he really "grew up" right here in Murray, KY. He was a guest many times on my radio show Music From the Front Porch on WKMS and even helped host a few shows before moving to Nashville to make the big push with Nickel Creek.
I remember how Chris was most comfortable with his mandolin in his hands. He was an energetic fella with a racing mind but when he picked up that mandolin his energy remained and became extremely focused. It was truly a magical experience to watch him come completely together the minute the music began to flow. I often said he was the only musician I had been around who had no barrier between his mind and his hands and that was the result of finding his limits musically and attacking them head on to push through. I think it was this approach that not only made Chris the undoubtedly singular musician he is but also was the vehicle to his success... and the impetus to the carnal music he delivers today.
The album Punch by the Punch Brothers is extremely heady stuff. The band consists of heady musicians. It's cerebral music that forces your undivided attention and challenges you as a listener to grow... to expand... and to accept. This IS Chris Thile as a musician. He has always been willing and intentionally focused on shoving the walls of any music to give him more space to move musically... heck, sometimes he crawls right out the window and plays outside while still keenly aware of what is inside those walls.
He has always placed himself around musicians who were willing and able to take this approach to music alongside him. Nickel Creek took a core of bluegrass and pushed it to pop, classical and jazzy deliveries and it made listeners learn, explore and accept new kinds of music. Many have said how Nickel Creek brought a whole new audience to acoustic music, bluegrass in particular and as a result those same listeners found themselves exploring bluegrass music further which expanded the genre's fan base.
Now, the Punch Brothers are bringing fans of acoustic music to a world of classical music... stopping just short of giving a complete lesson and leaving the listener to explore on their own the genre of classical music at their own pace. The journey of the Punch Brothers and their fans reaches into a new medium of delivery in an upcoming film to be released in 2010 to be titled How to Grow a Band. From the films website:
How To Grow A Band is an up-close look at Chris Thile's daring new project and the musicians he has drafted to help him find his way. The film follows the new band, Punch Brothers, on their first tour as they debut "The Blind Leaving The Blind", Thile's four-movement suite with lyrics inspired by his divorce and the band's intense collaboration. On the road, Punch Brothers soon face questions about whether Thile can lead them –and his audience –where he wants them to go.
How To Grow A Band is a musical coming of age story. Beginning with Punch Brothers first show at a folk festival in Scotland and filmed over two years across twenty-five cities, the film explores the tensions between individual talents and group identity, art and commerce, youth and wisdom. An intimate portrait of dizzying young talent at a crossroads, How To Grow A Band is ultimately a film about growing up and starting over.
The Mark Meatto film is scheduled for release next year, 2010, and is produced by Michael Bohlmann and Mark Meatto. Dan Algrant was the executive producer. The film features the Punch Brothers: Chris Thile, Gave Witcher, Naom Pikelny, Chris Eldridge, Paul Kowert and Greg Garrison. Watch the trailer and get on the mailing list at punchbrothersmovie.com.
Sara Watkins self-titled debut album hit the shelves a few weeks back and is garnering favorable reviews. The album was produced by John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin fame and features quite the list of helping hands with the likes of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawling, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench, Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas; Tim O’Brien, Chris Eldridge, Ronnie McCoury and Rayna Gellert; and her Nickel Creek band mates Sean Watkins and Chris Thile.
The album's 14 tracks features 8 originals that offer enough range to keep any listener interested. Two great fiddle tunes, "Freiderick" and "Jefferson" feature Sara's incredible handiwork and will be welcome listens for her traditional followers. Sara sprinkles in new approaches to songs of old as she works up covers of Jimmie Rodgers' "Any Old Time", John Hartford's "Long Hot Summer Days", Jon Brion's "Same Mistakes", the Norman Blake tune "Lord Won't You Help Me", and Tom Waits "Pony".
Bob Dylan has a new album coming out April 28th. To promote the new album a single was dropped onto the Internet for free download. Here is one location... Aquarium Drunkard.
The Steeldrivers first self-titled release was the number one seller in 2008 in the Americana/Bluegrass Album category on iTunes and it blew everyone away. The success was accepted with a bit of reluctance from this group of session players, friends and incredible musicians. I was a little nervous that there might be no second album. Those worries have been relieved as they entered the studio on February 13th to begin work on a new album. No word yet of a targeted release date.
Steve Martin will be showcasing his new album The Crow of 5-string banjo work at the Grand Ole Opry on May 30th.
As some you know I love music from all over the map. The Henry Clay People is a band that I have been listening to more and more of late. Great rock and roll fro this band out of LA that reminds me of so many that have come before them yet still being fresh enough to spark my interest. Check out some of their tunes over at the great blog Songs: Illinois.
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out is hitting the road on a min-tour and reporting that a new CD should hit the shelves in late spring or early summer. They have been dropping singles on iTunes for a while.
Dailey & Vincent have officially released their second CD Brothers From Different Mothers. Bluegrass lovers fell all over themselves with the traditional-to-the-T debut from the duo. You can hear a couple tracks over at The Bluegrass Blog.
Reed Foehl has a new album coming out in May... but I have no idea what it will be called. This guy has flown under the radar for far too long and his two previous releases Spark (2007) and Stoned Beautiful are incredible additions to any library. Take a look at the interview My Old Kentucky Blog put together while listening to one of the songs from the new album.
Here it is, my feeble, possibly futile attempt to get my arms around a ton of tunes and pick out the highlights. I will in no way say that the picks I make are the "best" of the year past. Instead, these are the albums that stood out to me from the sampling of music that I have collected.
So with that [useless] disclaimer aside here is the first of my cream of the crop picks.
Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson - Rattlin' Bones Image via WikipediReleased April 21, 2008 on Liberation Records
This one really flew under my radar this year. I was trying to put together a 2008 year in review show for the Front Porch and I was perusing various blogs to see if I had missed anything. I can't remember the blog that pointed me to this album but what a great turn.
Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson are a husband and wife duo from Australia. For this album they offer up a pop/folk/country/bluesy sound that oddly enough has an Appalachian feel at times. The album plays intimate throughout no matter the pulse of the beat delivering 14 original tunes that are interesting a delivered impeccably well.
This album is definitely in the top tier of Americana albums released this year.
