It’s a head scratcher, really. I’m trying to figure out Byron Berline. His music shop burned down in early 2019, then a major pandemic shelved most communal music making for 2020. Nobody would blame him for kicking back and taking … Read More
You would be hard-pressed to find a more accomplished and prolific fiddler than Byron Berline. The Oklahoma-based former Blue Grass Boy recently released an impressive three-CD set in 2020 entitled, Early in the Morning. Exclusively available through his music store … Read More
All I can say after listening to this album is: finally. Finally, Justin Moses has struck out on his own and defined his vision, skillset, and identity within the bluegrass genre. Finally, Justin Moses—who a lot of my picking … Read More
(Ed. Note: There were two people who wanted to review this CD and we thought it good to give our readers two takes on the same album. For comparisons, read the review posted last month.) Remember those great old rock … Read More
Here’s a brand new CD of fresh traditional-style bluegrass music from Rock Hearts , a fine 5-piece New England band. It was officially released last Friday, Oct. 30. Rock Hearts named themselves after a great old Jimmy Martin recording from … Read More
In August of 2015 at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival (remember those?) I saw Mark Stoffel (playing with Chris Jones and the Night Drivers band) be spotlighted by performing a tune on the mandolin using purely harmonic tones. That made such … Read More
What brings an artist to bluegrass? Robert Hale shows us with his great new CD, Blue Haze. Over the years, Hale has gained attention for his world class musicianship, performing with countless musicians. His background includes playing at the Grand … Read More
“Newgrass” has become such an integral part of bluegrass that sometimes you can lose track of what’s “new” and what’s “traditional,” not to mention the shadings in between. Fireside Collective certainly checks all the newgrass boxes; driving rhythms, powerful harmonies, … Read More
I have long been a fan of the Boston-based band Mile Twelve, and co-founder Bronwyn Keith-Hynes’ fiddling has been a major factor in the group’s appeal. It’s exciting to see her make her mark with her own album, especially one … Read More
When you’re someone who listens to as much bluegrass as I do, it takes a really impressive musical moment to truly surprise you. That happened to me when I found out about Special Consensus’s new album, Chicago Barn Dance, while … Read More