You remember when your stoner-friend convinced you to see Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, saying it was a bluegrass band that jammed like jazzbos? That was a bum steer. But the same guy, if he hasn’t already done so, is getting ready to tell you about Railroad Earth. The New Jersey-based band’s gained significant traction during its decade’s long career, hitting festivals in Telluride and just about anywhere else patchouli and moonshine are scents lingering in the air. Read the rest of this entry »

On the new release by the Little Willies, the New York-based country music (!) group formed by Norah Jones (piano, vocals), Richard Julian (guitar, vocals), Jim Campilongo (guitar), Lee Alexander (bass) and Dan Rieser (drums), the group tackles a selection of old classics made famous by the likes of Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and others.

Among the notable tracks is “Tommy Rockwood,” an instrumental by Campilongo that is the sole original tune on the disc. The tune is mostly guitar-oriented with a country-rock vibe, but there is a smart Norah Jones solo that proves that she does have the chops to back up the acclaim some jazz snobs say is undeserved. Also very good is the cover of Parton’s classic “Jolene,” played here more organically than the original. Read the rest of this entry »

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When Bill Wyman left the Rolling Stones in 1992, fans of the septuagenarian bassist thought he would simply retire and concentrate on Sticky Fingers, his United States-themed cafe (according to Keith Richards’ best-selling autobiography) and his signature metal detector. However, nothing could be further from the truth. He has kept quite busy with his Rhythm Kings, a band he founded in 1998 with longtime musical partner Terry Taylor. Read the rest of this entry »

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Everyone has a friend they were close with who moved away. Sometimes years pass between meetings, even as each interim conversation is nothing other than pleasant. But finally getting together with a friend you grew up with in the suburbs and finding this person attired in cowboy garb is troublesome. That’s what John Doe’s career feels like. Ditching home for Los Angeles back in the seventies, Doe hooked up with some local punky characters to form X and record a few of the most thoughtfully crafted albums of the punk era. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Old Town School of Folk Music has been the stage for countless performances for its half-century existence, hosting concerts that run the gamut from Americana to folk-rock and world music and in the meantime giving lesser-known artists a chance to showcase their talents to appreciative audiences that might not be reached otherwise.

To celebrate this, the school is releasing a four-disc box set of recordings made during these shows—some made on the sound board and others captured during radio broadcasts. The full package includes as many as 127 songs that had to be individually cleared with each artist or their estates. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: M Sharkey

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Listening to Brooklyn-based alt-Latin band Pistolera (“female gunslinger”) you’d think they hail from the north of Mexico. Their sound is strongly influenced by “corrido,” a fast-paced, syncopated beat with lyrics about  various issues—heartbreak, social issues and, more recently, the tension involving immigration to the United States. That influence can be felt in songs like “Cazador,” a protest song about the Minutemen vigilantes on the Mexico-US border, and the very danceable “Policia.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Maybe the most incredible aspect of seeing bluegrass music performed live is the fact that stoners wrapped in tie-dye and crackers with rebel-flag patches sewn on their vests are there for the same thing. Each seeks a sort of instant solace from outside concerns, becoming immersed in frantic pacing of quick-step instrumental numbers and grooves from blues-based songs. Mandolin wrangler Sam Bush is the confluence of those people. He’d easily be mistaken for Phish’s guitarist, but sports a drawl gifted to him by an upbringing in Kentucky. Read the rest of this entry »

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Keeping his family close by employing his sons as musicians isn’t the only thing tying Del McCoury back to auld tyme traditions. The fact that the guitarist and banjo player first found wide acclaim, like so many other second-generation bluegrass players, in Bill Monroe’s group goes a long way. As a sort of bridge to New Grass, McCoury routinely made use of jazz-styled improvisational sections in his songs which frequently drew from forgotten, Appalachian songwriters. Read the rest of this entry »

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The number of people Jerry Douglas has played with is pretty much incalculable—although Del McCoury, a one-time compatriot, is set to perform at the Old Town School of Folk this week. Appearing on a steady stream of albums since the sixties, this Ohio-born dobro player has spent the better part of the last decade and change lending a hand to Alison Krauss in her backing group. The singer, who hails from Decatur, has counted innumerable accolades over time. And while Krauss’ vocals and acumen on fiddle are undeniable, the company she keeps isn’t too shabby either. Read the rest of this entry »

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If there’s one band out there to induce a big dopey smile on your face, it’s the Fruit Bats. These Chicago folk rockers are masters of being breezy, led by singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson, a former instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music. They’re bringing it all back home on September 8, with a new album, “Tripper,” in tow. Read the rest of this entry »