New Ben Taylor album “Listening” due in August

 in Americana Music

Americana Music News – We haven’t seen Ben Taylor play since he performed on a Cayamo cruise three years ago, but he’s clearly been busy. New album Listening is set for release on August 14 and you’ll find a free stream of the soulful single “Oh Brother” at the Rolling Stone site.

Upcoming tour dates:

July 5 – New York, NY – Canal Room

July 6 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater

July 7 – Teaneck, NJ – Mexicali Live

July 8 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse

July 11 – Vienna, VA – Jammin’ Java

July 12 – Norfolk, CT – Infinity Hall

July 13 – White River Junction, VT – Tupelo Music Hall White River

July 14 – North Hampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall

July 17 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall

July 18 – Londonderry, NH – Tupelo Music Hall

For American Music News updates, follow us on Twitter at @sun209com.

JD McPherson, Willie Nelson top Americana music chart

 in Americana Music

JD McPherson’s Signs and Signifiers moves to the top spot on the Americana music radio chart, followed closely by Willie Nelson’s Heroes.  Justin Townes Earle,  on top of the chart for many weeks, drops to third with Nothing’s Going to Change The Way You Feel About Me.

New to the chart: Kin: Songs by Mary Karr and Rodney Crowell at #29, Americana from Neil Young and Crazy Horse at #33  and Shawn Colvin’s All Fall Down at #38.

Top adds at Americana radio stations: Chris Smithers’  Hundred Dollar Valentine, Americana,  Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Ashes and Roses and  O ’Be  Joyful  from Shovels and Rope.

You’ll find the full Americana music radio chart here.

Follow Sun209: Americana Music News on twitter at @sun209com.

Beach Boys, Sarah Jarosz, Deep Dark Woods at Bonnaroo

 in Americana Music

By Ken Paulson

The final day of the Bonnaroo festival was amazingly eclectic,and the rain held off. That’s as good as it gets.
The Beach Boys are not an Americana band, but they’re arguably the American band. Their 50th anniversary appearance was astonishing. Yes, they show their age and Brian Wilson seemed a little unsettled and lost, but the harmonies (with a little help from their friends, particularly Jeff Foskett) are intact. They played songs from every era of the band and an audience roughly five decades younger sang along with joy and exuberance. Magical.
Sarah Jarosz played a fine set in one of the tents, and engaged the audience throughout. Her stage presence and confidence are now matching her musicianship.
The Deep Dark Woods played the Solar Stage, a small, but very pleasant venue, in front or a small, but very pleasant crowd. Much of the set came from their excellent second album. They also had to endure a mini-interview that included a question about how each of us can make the world a better place. The Deep Dark Woods’ response: Be good to others. We’ll second that.

Sun209: The week in Tweets

 in Americana Music

Review: Steve and Jubal Lee Young in concert

 in Reviews

Jubal Lee Young

By Paul T. Mueller

–Any family is lucky to count one fine singer-songwriter among its members. Rarer still is the family with two, and lucky is the audience that gets to see them play, separately and together, in the same show. Such was the happy fate of the fortunate few dozen in attendance at Heights Presbyterian Church in Houston when the legendary Steve Young and his son, Jubal Lee Young, came to town.

Jubal Lee opened the show, part of a series held in a smallish church meeting room with an excellent sound system. His 35-minute set drew heavily from 2009’s The Last Free Place in America. Jubal Lee’s writing has a tendency toward humor, was evident in the album’s title track, a Woody Guthrie-inspired tribute to an asylum, and in the rowdy party anthem “Uh, Let’s Go!” But the man knows his way around a weeper too – lost love in “More Than Anything,” new love in “Falling for You,” and just driving away in “Why Does It Always Rain?” Through all of it, Young seemed loose and at ease, throwing in a little banter between the songs.

Steve Young took the stage almost immediately after his son’s set wrapped up. Still in fine voice as he nears age 70, he spent the next hour and 20 minutes showing how he earned his reputation as one of the most underrated (and underappreciated) singer-songwriters and guitarists in the business. His set included both his own songs – including “The White Trash Song, ” a loving ode to his family in Georgia, and his reworking of the traditional “Little Birdie”– and covers, including “Lawdy Miss Clawdy,” “Tobacco Road” and “That’s All Right, Mama.” His guitar playing on the latter combined strumming and picking in a way that recalled Leo Kottke.

After a break in which both Youngs mingled with fans and the audience enjoyed a staffer’s birthday cake – a switch from pie, the usual Heights Live intermission fare,  father and son returned to the stage to play a few songs together. They opened with a nicely picked “Silverlake,” a valentine to a Los Angeles neighborhood Steve once lived in. “Seven Bridges Road,” Steve Young’s biggest hit, followed – but, as he noted, not in the upbeat style of “the famous people” (read: The Eagles) who covered it. “This is the way I wrote it,” he said before giving a solemn, almost mournful performance, backed by Jubal Lee’s droning bass lines and vocal harmonies.

They picked up the pace with a lively rendition of “Lonesome, On’ry and Mean,” featuring some nice acoustic soloing by Jubal Lee. That slow/fast pattern was repeated with “Heartbreak Girl” and “Neon River,” Jubal Lee’s tribute to Houston that drew a big ovation. After ending the set with the love-and-violence-themed “Switchblades of Love” and an Appalachian ballad featuring Jubal Lee’s guitar and harmonica, the pair returned for an encore – “Gonna Find Me a Bluebird,” the Marvin Rainwater hit from the late ‘50s that Steve Young covered on his first album, Rock Salt and Nails, back in 1969.

Steve Young

Film review: Troubadour Blues

 in Americana Music, Reviews

By Paul T. Mueller

If you’re looking for revelations, Troubadour Blues may leave you disappointed. There’s not too much in the way of new truths in Tom Weber’s independent documentary about singer-songwriters. Most of it comes down to (A) these folks do what they do because they love it, not for money or fame, and (B) what really counts is time spent on a stage; everything else is just a means to that end. Not that those things aren’t true, but we’ve heard them before.

What may be new here is a chance to see some performers you might not otherwise get to see. There are some pretty big names here, but also many who are less well known, at least to the wider public. And beyond the usual performance footage, Weber shows them talking about their lives and their art – the kinds of things you don’t always get to hear in the course of a show. If you’ve got any fondness at all for this corner of the music business, Troubadour Blues is a pretty entertaining way to pass an hour and a half or so.

The film, which Weber seems to have spent the better part of a decade working on, is loosely centered on Peter Case, a founding member of the Plimsouls who reinvented himself as a solo performer and has spent most of the past 26 years in that role. Snippets of Case performances from 2003 to 2009 are interspersed with narrative segments in which he recalls his upstate New York roots and the various turns of his musical career.

Along the way, Weber gives us brief looks at a wide range of other musicians, ranging from the well- known – Chris Smither, Dave Alvin, Mary Gauthier, Gurf Morlix, Slaid Cleaves – to some who may be less familiar – Mark Erelli, Billy Matheny, Jeff Talmadge and Karl Mullen, among many others. There are also some interesting glimpses of the venues where they perform, from house concerts in private homes, to the Tin Angel in Philadelphia, to Jorma Kaukonen’s Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio, to McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California.

Says Knoxville’s R.B. Morris of the troubadour life, “I feel like I’m a circuit preacher, ridin’ a horse from town to town… showing up in different places, and preaching the word, so to speak… just telling the stories and moving on to the next place. “ If you’re the kind who’s likely to be in the “congregation” when Morris or someone like him comes to town, you’ll find Troubadour Blues rewarding.

Tom Weber is currently on what he calls the Troubadour Blues Big Southwest Tour 2012, a series of screenings in several southwestern states.

New to Americana chart: Grant Peeples, Jerry Douglas, Rhett Miller

 in Americana Music

Justin Townes Earle remains at the top position in Americana music radio with Nothing’s Going to Change The Way You Feel About Me, with JD McPherson’s Signs and Signifiers in the second slot.

New to the Americana music chart: Grant Peeples’ Prior Convictions at #37, Jerry Douglas’ Traveler at #39 and Rhett Miller’s The Dreamer at #40.

Most added on Americana music radio stations: KIN: Songs by Mary Karr and Rodney Crowell, Langhorne Slim’s The Way We Move, Shawn Colvin’s All Fall Down and the Honeycutters’ When Bitter Met Sweet.

Americana music news can be found on Twitter at @sun209com.

Reviews: Jason Heath, Jerry Reed, Mike + Ruthy, Stilson Greene

 in Americana Music

Quick hits in Americana, folk and country music:

Packed for Exile – Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls: When you hear that a band named itself after a passage in the Old Testament, you don’t expect the energetic, often raucous mix of folk and American found on Packed for Exile. There’s a lot of Bruce Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions here, songs with a social conscience and a dancer’s heart. The Springsteen connection isn’t exactly happenstance; Danny Federici’s son Jason plays accordion and organ with the Greedy Souls. Highlights include “Sacred Geometry,” “#1 with a Bullet” and “California Wine.”

The Unbelievable Guitar and Voice of Jerry Reed / Nashvillle Underground – Jerry Reed: This new Real Gone Music collection of Jerry Reed’s first two albums is one revelation after another. Before he became Burt Reynolds’ sidekick in the Smokey and the Bandit movies, Reed was already a fine guitarist, session player and songwriter.
Reed wrote “U.S. Male, a bit of bragadoccio that became a hit for Elvis Presley in 1968 and “Guitar Man,” a recurring musical element in Elvis’ 1969 comeback special. Both songs are on this collection.
Beyond those biographical hits are Reed’s efforts at country-flavored pop. The lyrics to “You’re Young” may make you gag – it seems that this young lady is just too good for this guy – but the production is terrific and sounds as fresh as the lyrics sound dated.
The package also includes Reed’s ” A Thing Called Love,” which became one of Johnny Cash’s big hits in 1971.

 

The NYC EP – Mike + Ruthy: At the heart of this husband-and-wife duo’s new EP is “My New York City,” a song written around unrecorded lyrics from the Woody Guthrie archives. I’m always left wondering how much Guthrie DNA is still in a song once it’s finished and married to a melody, but the harmony-laden results here are so pleasing that you won’t care. Other highlights: “Romance in the Dark” amd “Raise Your Glasses High.”

 

Young Lions – Stilson Greene: Young Lions began with a single song. Stilson Green wanted to record Shenandoah for his ailing father, who loved the song. That track grew into this new album, a highly personal effort that addresses family, friends and relationships.
There’s an appealing sincerity and simplicity throughout. Green talked with Leesburg Today about the origins of Young Lions. You’ll find the interview here. Favorite tracks: “When the Night Falls,” “You (A Song for Tammy)” and “Shenandoah.”

 

Review: Chris Richards’ Goldenwest

 in Reviews

By Ken Paulson

— It’s not a surprise that a songwriter who’s logged time in Wisconsin, Nashville and now LA would travel throughout his new album Goldenwest, beginning with “Rubblefields,” a reassuring tale of a road trip gone right.
Richards writes smart, compelling narratives and delivers them with a voice and cadence that may bring Gordon Lightfoot and an earlier generation of singer-songwriters to mind.
Many of the songs are about journeys, personal or literal, and highlights include the affirming “Let’s Show ‘Em How It’s Done,” “Cried Like a Steel Guitar.” and the haunting “Brilliantine.
Goldenwest is available at Chris Richards’ site.

Follow Sun209: Americana Music News on Twitter at @sun209com.

Sun209: The week in Tweets

 in Americana Music

2012 Americana Music Awards nominees announced

 in Americana Music, Americana Music Festival, Reviews

Robert Plant and Patty Griffin at the 2011 Americana music awards show

The 2012 Americana Honors and Awards nominees were announced today in Los Angeles. They’ll be presented at the Ryman Auditorium on September 12 during the Americana Music Festival in Nashville.
The nominees:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Here We Rest – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive – Steve Earle
The Harrow & The Harvest – Gillian Welch
This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark – Various Artists

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Gillian Welch
Hayes Carll
Jason Isbell
Justin Townes Earle

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Alabama Shakes
Dawes
Deep Dark Woods
Robert Ellis

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Alabama Pines” – Written by Jason Isbell and performed by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
“Come Around” – Written and performed by Sarah Jarosz
“I Love” – Written by Tom T. Hall and performed by Patty Griffin
“Waiting on the Sky to Fall” – Written and performed by Steve Earle

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Chris Thile
Darrell Scott
Dave Rawlings

DUO / GROUP OF THE YEAR
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Civil Wars
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Punch Brothers

Punch Brothers join bluegrass music cruise

 in Americana Music, Reviews

The inaugural Mountain Song at Sea, a bluegrass festival on the ocean, just added the Punch Brothers to a line-up that already includes  the David Grisman Sextet, Del McCoury Band, Steep Canyon Rangers, Tim O’Brien and Bryan Sutton, the Kruger Brothers, Peter Rowan, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, The Travelin’ McCourys, Shannon Whitworth, Della Mae and Town Mountain.
The cruise comes from Sixthman, the same company that runs Cayamo, the Americana music cruise we’ve reported on extensively.
Details about the cruise can be found here.
.

Review: Rick Nelson’s “Complete Epic Recordings”

 in Americana Music, Reviews


By Ken Paulson
— Rick Nelson was best known as a teen idol whose family starred in The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, one of the most popular television shows of its era.

But he was also one of those rare artists whose best work actually came after his hit-making and television star years.

His early hits hold up well and most feature James Burton on guitar, but Nelson’s most interesting work came with the formation of the Stone Canyon Band, a pre-Eagles outfit that helped pioneer country rock.

Nelson’s 1972 hit “Garden Party” set the stage for a series of tasteful albums, which included a number of his own compositions. Windfall, Rick Sings Nelson and Rudy the Fifth were all adventurous and entertaining albums. Unfortunately, the sales were not as impressive as the content and Nelson left MCA to sign with Epic. He hoped for a rewarding creative environment, but it didn’t turn out that way.

Rick Nelson: The Complete Epic Recordings (Real Gone Music) contains three albums Nelson recorded for the label, only one of which was released in his lifetime. The best material here is outstanding and the rest is instructive.

Intakes, the only album to have an official release in Nelson’s lifetime, was outstanding, yet largely overlooked. It included “One X One” and Wings – two fine Stone Canyon Band songs – plus terrific covers of Gallagher and Lyle’s “Stay Young” and Brenton Wood’s hit “Gimme A Little Sign.”

The next 10 songs on the album are from the never-released Back to Vienna album. As James Ritz points out in his excellent liner notes, this was an aggressive attempt to modernize Nelson’s sound, with Al Kooper at the helm. It was all too much and the songs sound cluttered and unfocused.

There are some interesting moments, including a cover of Arthur Alexander’s “Every Day I Have to Cry Some” and Bob Dylan’s “Mama, You’ve Been on My Mind,” but most of Vienna is forgettable. Still, this is a valuable slice of rock history and it’s good to have it available.

The second disc in the set is called “Rockabilly Renaissance” and features classic rock ‘n roll performances in a stripped-down style that Nelson had to be very comfortable with. There are great moments throughout, including a sizzling version of “That’s All Right Mama”, a driving “Rave On” and a totally unexpected take on Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle.” A highlight is “Send Me Somebody to Love,” one of two tracks written by a young Tim Krekel. Inexplicably, Epic sat on this release, eventually putting out an EP with four remixed tracks.

Like other releases from Real Gone Music, The Complete Epic Recordings is a collector’s dream. In addition to releasing the original rockabilly album that Nelson delivered to Epic, the collection has multiple alternate mixes. Do you love John Fogerty’s “Almost Saturday Night?” You’ll find it here in three different incarnations.

If Rick Nelson had not died in a plane crash in 1986, today he would be a regular at the Americana Music Festival, honored as the creative artist and pioneer he was. The Complete Epic Recordings serve as a vibrant reminder of his talent and range.

Interview: Kevin Gordon and “Gloryland”

 in Interviews, Reviews

By Ken Paulson
—Kevin Gordon is one of the most respected singer-songwriters in Nashville, which is saying something. Gloryland, his latest album, elicited rave reviews in the New York Times, USA Today and the Tennessean. Here he talks about the album and “Colfax,” a song about both his school marching band and courage in the face of adversity:

listen to ‘Gordon’ on Audioboo

Sun209: The week in Tweets

 in Americana Music

Review: Eljuri’s “Fuerte”

 in Americana Music

By Joe Ross
Eljuri is Cecilia Villar Eljuri, an Ecuadorian singer-songwriter and guitarist who now makes her home in New York. Her world-beat music conveys great strength on her sophomore album Fuerte. It’s been several years since she released En Paz (In Peace) to both U.S. and Mexican audiences. The force of her universal truths and global rhythms brought her much acclaim, and she spent three years touring Mexico as a power trio with Alex Alexander (drums) and Keith Golden (bass).

Beside her intensity and many tones on the broad aural palette, we hear the electrifying pop appeal of her melodies and lyrics. She continues to call for an optimistic future for all, united by peace and enlightenment. While bilingual, Eljuri sings primarily in her native Spanish, but we also hear some English in “Victima,” a rocking song about coming to grips with one’s troubles and reality. Like her debut album in 2008, I hope that her future albums will also provide English translations or at least a few liner notes about the meaning of each song.

Eljuri is the daughter of radio/TV/theater pioneer Paco Villar and composer/pianist Olga Eljuri de Villar. Both were inspirational to her during her formative years, but now Eljuri’s signature sound is driven by strong rhythms and crisp guitar work that keep your attention on a visceral level without detracting from her tender vocalizing.

Produced by Gustavo Borner, “Fuerte” emphasizes the need for human freedom. Besides her touring partners of Alexander and Golden, other instrumental and vocal support comes from Mario Muñoz (two tracks), Sergio Acosta Leon (two tracks), both from Colombia’s famed rock group Doctor Krápula. A cast of others are featured on the highly-arranged opener entitled “Empuja (Push)” (with Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Dougie Bryan, Ansel Collins, Robbie Lyn, Sticky Thompson and Skully Simms). Following that song is Eljuri’s first single “Un Fosfóro,” and there’s a rocking video of that song on You Tube, produced and animated by Z Collective.

Eljuri’s music continues to build bridges between both genres and cultures. She embraces rock music, but she also presents a softer silky side with a song like “Amame.” I’d like to hear even more of her more mellow, acoustic side in the future. “Fuerte” closes with a bonus track of “Paloma,” a remix of her song by Mexico’s celebrated electronica group called Kinky.

A few tracks earlier, we heard her present the same song in a different musical setting emphasizing her solid guitar riffs, danceable melody and expressive lyrics. Like her 2008 album, “Fuerte” accentuates up-tempo grooves, highlights her band’s expert musicality, and underscores her important socially-conscious messages of moral urgency and conviction.  

 

Music Producers Institute brings artists, fans together in the studio

 in Nashville music

Steve Fishell

 One of the more innovative ventures in Nashville’s music community offers a chance for fans and prospective producers to sit in on the recording sessions of some of their favorite bands.
Music Producers Institute, directed by Grammy-award winning producer Steve Fishell, gives artists a chance to defray recording costs by inviting in paid guests, and attendees get a rich musical experience.
5 Questions for Steve Fishell:

1. You’ve found an innovative way to bring artists and fans together in a recording studio. How does it work?

 “Music Producers Institute brings students of recording and music fans right into their favorite artists’ master studio sessions. The premise is simple: the best way to learn about the recording process is to observe your favorite artist at work. Tuition is generally around $800 for a two or three day event and a majority percentage goes to the artist to cover their studio costs. Artists walk with the masters and attendees check off another “bucket list” item.”

 2. Do most people enroll  because they’re aspiring producers or because they want to watch their favorite artist work?

“The attendees are generally split 50%-50% between aspiring producers and fans. They are very respectful of the process and feel privileged for the chance to observe. We’ve never had one problem with interruptions in over four years of sessions. Nobody wants to blow it and get the boot!”
 

3. How does the presence of fans affect the recording process?

 “Martie Maguire of the Dixie Chicks played mandolin and fiddle on Radney Foster’s March MPI sessions in Austin. I asked Martie if the attendees made her feel self-conscious and she said “I forget they were even there. Artists are performers and they prefer playing in front of a small group of respectful people rather than just to the four studio walls.”

4. You’ve had some amazing artists join you. What have been some of your best moments in the studio?

“The Del McCoury Band sessions were a highlight. Del and the band were cracking jokes all day long and still managed to record 17 songs in two days. In fact, on the last day they wrapped up the sessions around 6:30pm which is way early for most artists. Their virtuosity was simply mind-boggling to watch. The resulting album, “Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe” was nominated for a Grammy last December.

“Poco let their entire class play percussion on one song and Todd Snider had his class sing harmony vocals on a track. Anything can happen at an MPI session.”

5. The great Duane Eddy has a session coming up. How would you describe his contributions to popular music and how can folks see him firsthand?

 “Guitarist Duane Eddy – a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – influenced everybody: The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Creedence, the Ventures, Mark Knopfler. John Fogerty calls him “the first rock and roll guitar god.” Our MPI session June 22-23 marks the first time Duane has ever opened his studio doors to the public. He’s one of the nicest people on the planet so it promises to be a lot of fun. Also on the session are steel guitar session giant Dan Dugmore and legendary musicians Spooner Oldham and Richard Bennett. These sessions will also be special because the resulting tracks will be included on an album benefitting the Country Music Hall of Fame. All attendees will be thanked by name in the liner notes. To learn how to attend go to www.musicpi.com or call  MPI at sessions@musicpi.com.”

Elizabeth Cook tour dates announced

 in Americana Music

Elizabeth Cook is back on tour, appearing  tonight in Albuquerque, along with husband Tim Carroll and Bones Hillman. She’s also scheduled to perform on Late Night with David Letterman on June 13.

Future concert dates:

May 24 – KTAOS Solar Center – Taos, NM

May 25 – Meadowgrass Festival – Colorado Springs, CO

May 27 – Cabaret – Sparks, NV

May 29 – Bourbon Theater – Lincoln, NE

May 30 – Knuckleheads Saloon – Kansas City, MO

May 31  – Vaudeville Mews – Des Moines, IA

June  1 – Old Rock House – St Louis, MO

June  2 – Uncle Slayton’s – Louisville, KY

June  3 – Mountain Stage – Morgantown, WV

June  7 –  Station Inn – Nashville, TN

June  8 – Cosmic Charlie’s – Lexington KY

June  9 – Kirk Ave Music Hall – Roanoke, VA

June 10 – Night Cat – Easton, MD

June 12 – City Winery  (w/ Matthew Sweet)  – NYC

June 14 – Mockingbirds – Staunton, VA

June 16 – Todd Snider’s What the Folk Festival – Memphis, TN

July  6 – The Shed – Maryville, TN

July  7 – Rumba Cafe – Columbus OH

July 8 – Beachland Tavern – Cleveland, OH

July  9 – Sportsmen’s Tavern – Buffalo, NY

July 11 – Higher Ground – Burlington VT

July 13 – One Longfellow Square – Portland, ME

July 15 – Green River Festival – Greenfield, MA

July 16 – Club Passim – Cambridge, MA

July 19 – Abbey Bar at ABC- Harrisburg, PA

July 20 –  Rams Head On Stage – Annapolis MD

Aug 24 – Shank Hall – Milwaukee, WI

 

Review: David Naiditch’s Douce Ambiance: Gypsy Jazz Classics

 in Americana Music


By Joe Ross
My first introduction to chromatic harmonica came as a young teenager in the 1960s when I picked up a Music Minus One LP called Blues and All That Jazz featuring world famous harmonica virtuoso Cham-Ber Huang from Shanghai and New York.
While many learn harmonica by ear, Mr. Huang’s material was bonafide instruction that brought me many hours of enjoyment as I learned about such techniques as closed and open tone colors, wah-wah effect, tremolo effect, breath control vibrato and blue tone slurs. The course then provided studies in folk blues, swing blues, progressive jazz blues, harmony progressions and exercises. Mr. Huang also wrote a complete two-volume method, “The Art of Playing Chromatic Harmonica,” and he developed an instrument called the “Chordomonica” which allowed melody and harmony to be played simultaneously. He worked on developing a concert harmonica with broader dynamic range, greater volume and resonance and a wider variety of tone colors.
As a teen, Los Angeles harmonicat David Naiditch first got involved with the instrument through the playing of legendary bluesman Sonny Terry. By the 1960s, Naiditch was teaching and performing throughout southern California. He’s clearly a guy who stuck with it, studied harmonica for decades, and developed his skill to a high degree of mastery. Naiditch now plays Seydel Saxony or Hohner CX-12 jazz models.
I first met Naiditch in a bluegrass festival jam session and thought, “Who is this guy who’s able to hit all the notes and nuances in intricate fiddle tunes?” Turns out Naiditch is well-known in the L.A. music scene, and he’s just as comfortable with blues, country, swing, and bluegrass as he is with gypsy jazz. His eclectic 2005 album with 36 tunes is calledHarmonica and Guitar Duets. His highly-acclaimed 2008 CD was High Desert Bluegrass Sessions, and in 2011 he put out a lively release called Bluegrass Harmonica.

When properly played, a fully chromatic instrument (capable of playing in all keys) produces a bouncy lilt that can handle even the most complicated melody and improvisations.  With multi-tracking, twin harmonicas offer both melody and harmony to the opener “Tchavolo Swing,” written by Tchavolo Schmitt. Nine of the 15 tunes come from the repertoire of Django Reinhardt, and we also hear classics like George Gershwin’s “Oh, Lady Be Good” and Dorado Schmitt’s “Bossa Dorado.”

The project closes with “Gonzalo’s Castle,” penned by one of the other four fine musicians on this album – lead guitarist Gonzalo Bergara. We also hear the accomplished musicianship of Pat Cloud (5-string banjo), Jeffrey Radaich (rhythm guitar), and Brian Netzley (upright bass).  Bergara, Radaich and Netzley are members of The Gonzalo Bergara Quartet.

Naidtich and company are clearly well versed in the standards of gypsy jazz, and they are all very proficient, both musically and technically. Naiditch phrases with great awareness and sensitivity in taste, and his articulation is remarkable. This is a pleasing instrumental album, with some instrumentation not commonly heard in the gypsy jazz context. It works!

Sara Watkins, O’Brien Party of 7 enter Americana music chart

 in Americana Music, Reviews

Justin Townes Earle continues to dominate Americana radio with yet another week at #1 with Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, followed by Ray Wylie Hubbard’s Grifter’s Hymnal.
New to the Americana music chart: Sara Watkins’ Sun Midnight Sun at #30 and the O’Brien Party of 7’s Reincarnation: The Songs of Roger Miller at #35.
Most added albums this week: Willie Nelson’s Heroes, Sonny Landreth’s Elemental Journey, the Bodeans’ American Made, the Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Everybody’s Talkin’ and Sara Watkins’ album.

(Follow us on Twitter at @sun209com.)