Drew from Jake Swamp & the Pine joined me in-studio to give our listeners a preview of the show coming up at The Parlor Room on October 17. We began with the first of four live songs called “Drive, Drive, Drive”. Our discussion covered song-writing in all it’s aspects; scheduling, inspiration, editing, writer’s block and song-writing prompts. Drew gave his perspective on the state of the “music business” especially from his experience a few years into the process. We also talk about music videos and cider donuts! All among stripped down versions of his songs including “Yellow”, “Go By Darkness” and “Heidi Klum”.
The Parlor Room show will be a full band show with drums, bass, and even pedal steel in addition to Drew on acoustic guitar and vocals. Details at ParlorRoom.org
Wes Corbett has some talented friends! He recorded this album, “Drift” with his Nashville friends and it’s an amazing group! Over the course of three years, he invited folks like Darol Anger, Bryan Sutton, Sierra Hull, Brittany Haas and Sam Bush (to name just a few) to help him on his second solo(?) release.
We start our conversation with Wes describing his Bainbridge Island ,Washington ,upbringing and his time refining his craft on banjo with stops in Boston at Berklee School of Music (as an instructor at 26) and finally Nashville. We talk about his first release, “Cascade” and the differences between the two recording approaches. We discuss his banjo influences documented on “Drift” with song nods to Alan Mundes and John Hartford along with the serious impact of Bela Fleck on Wes’ playing.
We start the segment off with “Salmon Run”, an energetic cut with Casey Campbell among others leading the charge. We include a song from Joy Kills Sorrow from Corbett’s Boston years followed by the previously mentioned tributes” Case of the Mundes” and “Hartford’s Bend on the Cumberland”. Wes’ tribute to his home environment on Bainbridge Island, “Eagle Harbor” includes the star trio of Todd Phillips, Darol Anger and Sam Bush (in their first studio appearance together since Tony Rice’s Manzanita!) Did I mention “star-studded” yet? We finish the songs with “The Tidal Pool Jigs” with Brittany Haas and Pawl Kowert after one rehearsal. The musicianship is astounding and the arrangements loose and improvisational.
Our conversation highlights the songs mentioned and much more. Song titles, studio experiences and banjo influences are discussed throughout. While Wes Corbett is modest, giving credit to his amazing collaborators, his vision for these tunes is ambitious. His musician friends help him exceed expectations in every tune. It’s a bounty of musical treasures proving sometimes it’s better to “Drift” than to drive. Meander along this album with Corbett and you’ll agree; it’s a very special release.
Mandolin help from Sam Bush, Sierra Hull and Casey Campbell. Guitars include Bryan Sutton and Chris Eldridge. Fiddles from Darol Anger, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Jason Carter and Brittany Haas. Dobro help from Justin Moses. Bass work by Paul Kowert, Todd Phillips, Mike Bub and Vickie Vaughn. Everyone a true original and award-winning player on their instruments.! Wow!
Details about this October 3 release at WesCorbett.com
The duo of husband and wife Pete and Crystal Damore are “Ordinary Elephant”. They play gorgeous acoustic originals with superb vocal harmonies. Their third album,the self-titled “Ordinary Elephant” is filled with sometimes spare but haunting songs; usually avoiding “verse-chorus-verse” style and singalong hooks. But they are full of emotion and tension and don’t avoid big subject matter. Songs about death, despair, addictions and difficult family interactions are included. But the beauty of nature, love and hope keep the listener engaged. Crystal who pens much of the lyrics is accused as a ‘world class noticer” of circumstances, relationships and other fodder for songs and poems. She agrees with this assessment!
We talk about their decision to jettison their day jobs in Veterinary Cardiologist and Computer Programmer and buy an RV to take to the road. They honed their craft with countless open mics and observing an endless horizon of new places and experiences. After five years in this nomadic lifestyle (along with a pandemic) suggested finding a homeplace in Opelousas Louisiana (close to where Crystal grew up). The pair credit this feeling of “home” for this latest record which was recorded with Dirk Powell in his nearby Louisiana studio. Dirk is a multi-instrumentalist who’s toured and recorded with Joan Baez, Levon Helm and, more recently, Our Native Daughters. We open the segment with a cut from the new album, “Once Upon a Time”. The album has been nominated for Album of the Year by the International Folk Music Awards.
We talk about their song-writing process, recording vibe with Powell, their feature film of the experience and more. They will be performing a number of dates in the North East including September shows in Putney Vt (9/19) The Parlor Room (9/20) Cambridge Ma (9/21) Portland Me (9/25) and North Adams Ma (9/26).
We finish with a song introduced by Crystal as a letter to her future self called “I See You”. I finished with selections from other releases including “I Come From”, “Walk With You” and a cover of “If I Needed You”. If you need a break from the never-ending bad news cycle and frantic overload, do yourself a favor and dive into their powerful catalog of original songs. Of course, we hope you’ll catch this dynamic talented pair in person at a show in the next week.
Darol Anger is the pre-eminent fiddler of our time! From his early work in the ground-breaking David Grisman Quintet (fifty years ago!) to his current group, Mr. Sun, Darol has collaborated with acoustic music’s finest. Our conversation begins with a discussion of the origins of “Diary of a Fidler Vol.1” which features collaborations with his contemporaries. Fiddlers like Vassar Clements, Richard Greene, Stuart Duncan from the bluegrass world to Natalie MacMaster, Alasdair Fraser and Martin Hayes from the celtic side; every tune is stellar. Darol has reprised this project with “Diary of a Fiddler Vol.2” that brings together several generations of young fiddlers who were mentored by Darol, either at Berklee School of Music, the many camps he’s taught at, and his online Artist Works platform.
The list of young fiddlers is comprehensive as it is impressive. Brittany Haas, Jenna Moynihan, Kathleen Parks, Bronwyn Keith Hynes along with Alex Hargreaves, Avery Merritt and Mike Barnett; just to name a few! The project began during the 2020 pandemic to give these incredible musicians a creative outlet and the two disc set is jam-packed with Darol’s students playing his original material.
Our conversation covers over sixty years of performances and projects including the David Grisman Quintet, Turtle Island String Quartet, Republic of Strings, Montreux and Mr. Sun. Topics including Darol’s early decision to play fiddle during the Rock n Roll 70’s when guitar ruled the airwaves. Folks like David Lindley (on the Youngblood’s “Darkness, Darkness”) and Richard Greene’s work in Seatrain gave Darol the inspiration and role-models to follow the fiddle instead.
Darol has an opportunity to view his legacy over decades through the musicians he has mentored and whose early careers he has helped flourish. This self-described Valedictory address to the music world is a capstone to a musical legacy that few can match.
Darol Anger’s current project for the last dozen years is Mr. Sun who will be appearing at this year’s Freshgrass Festival, September 19-21 at North Adams’ Mass MOCA. Make sure to catch their set as well as Darol Anger’s collaborations with all the participants who will want to congratulate him on his lifetime of outsized contributions to the acoustic music world.
We include more the a half dozen of Darol Anger tunes in the segment. Give it a listen.
Two legendary figures in old-time acoustic music joined me last night for a clinic in the history of traditional music. Jim Watson has been a key figure in old-time and country music since the late 1960’s with a stint in the Hollow Rock Stringband from Durham County, NC. Jim is the co-founder of the hugely influential Red Clay Ramblers where he spent 14 years and ten album releases. He was a member of NC based Green Level Entertainers as well as the Piedmont Melody Makers. His encyclopediac knowledge of this music is evident in his discussion of his influences and his long career.
Chris Brashear, multi-instrumentalist and local legend, plays in the Deep River Ramblers with Paul Kochanski and Jim Henry. They are the long-time house band for the Signature Sounds Songwriter series (going on 16 tributes to date). They feature the music of Bob Dylan and The Band’s “Basement Tapes” material at the Academy of Music on August 22. They play an opening set the next day at Arcadia Folk Festival, Easthampton on August 23. Chris has an amazing knowledge of the old-time and country catalog as well. Between Jim and Chris, I was overwhelmed with the stories and legacy that these talented musicians have contributed to. Both Chris and Jim were in Robin and Linda Williams’ Fine Group and the Piedmont Melody Makers (also featuring Cliff Hale and Alice Gerrard!)
We start the segment off with a Chris Brashear original “Oregon Country” followed by Jim’s request to play Sandy’s Fancy version of “Sally Anne Johnson”. The duo followed with their take on “Hard Road To Travel”. We checked out two Chris originals “April Promenade” with the Deep River Ramblers and “Lost Canyons” from his duo album with Peter McLaughlin. Jim and Chris play “This River Will Want to Run” and a spirited vesion of “West Virginia Rag”. We finish with Chris’ “21 On the Border” and Jim’s “Prairie Lullaby”. In between, we get a master class in storytelling through song. Their incredible back catalog together over six decades is deep and soulful. Give the segment from these master instrumentalists and singers.
The Pousette Dart Band have played the Iron Horse many times from the early to mid eighties onward. Jon Pousette Dart returns for a duo show on 7/18. Alice Howe and Freebo open this evening of acoustic music.
Our conversation begins with Jon’s childhood in Suffern NY just 30 miles north of Manhattan. Jon’s father and grandfather were well known artists. Both generations prior were visual artists with grandfather Nathaniel an artist, editor, art advertising businessman while Jon’s father Richard was an abstract expressionist artist, a photographer and sculptor. This creative environment was immersive for Jon and his older sister; encouraging and open to experimentation. Neighborhood bands were formed at an early age. Except these bands included Burgess Meredith’s son and Soupy Sales’ kids, enabling this fledgling teen garage band, Tony & the Tigers, television exposure!
We chat about Jon Pousette Dart’s visit to his grandparents Nantucket summer home and “being dicovered” by Rock n Roll promoter Don Law who brought him to Boston. We discuss the vibrant musical community in Boston/Cambridge at the time (early and mid 70’s) and being booked for national rock tours with a wide variety of British and American stars including James Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Billy Joel, and J Geils. The two biggest rock tours of that era; “Peter Frampton Comes Alive” and “Yes Fragile Tour”, both had the Pousette Dart Band included!
Our conversation includes the ups and downs of the industry for the band including Jon heading to Nashville to write jingles. We chat about how the music ‘business’ has changed as well over time. Discussions of songwriting challenges and what the current tour entails finish out our chat. Of course, there’s music along the way! We begin with “Women In My Dreams”, “County Line”, “Fall On Me” and finish with “Amnesia”. Jon Pousette Dart is joined by long time accompanist Jim Chapdelaine on this show.
Details at Pousette-Dart.com as well as IronHorse.org
The amazing Alice Howe and Freebo open the 7/18 Iron Horse show.
Karla Bonoff’s career spans decades of an industry that has radically changed. Her music and talent has not. The songs from her ten albums showcase that a gorgeous melody and a lyric that rings true is timeless. Bonoff will bring that incredible catalog of songs to the Shea Theater on THIS FRIDAY 6/27.
Our conversation is wide-ranging; from her early training in Southern California to her open mic sets at LA’s Troubador, the center of a burgeoning singer songwriter scene. Karla tells stories of her friendships and collaborations with folks like Jackson Browme, James Taylor, Elton John and members of the soon-to-be Eagles. We talk about her collaboration in a band with Wendy Waldman, Kenny Edwards and Andrew Gold called Bryndle; a band ahead of their time. All these friendships led to folks like Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt recording her songs paving a way for her individual success.
Ou conversation touches on her popularity in Japan, her feelings about hearing her songs performed by others, her work in film and TV soundtracks. We also examine how much the “music industry” has changed and which era she prefers. We finish with a discussion of folks’ influence on her career and personal life such as JD Souther and Linda Ronstadt.
Our segment features THE SONGS! We open with “I Can’t Hold On” from her excellent live release. We include “Lose Again” a song that hooked Linda Ronstadt into a major collaboration over years with Karla. We include versions of Bonoff’s work by Bonnie Raitt and Wynona Judd as well as a JD Souther song in tribute to his passing. Karla’s “Goodbye My Friend” and Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville’s grammy award winning version of “All My Life”.
Karla Bonoff’s live shows feature her on guitar and piano while the amazing Nina Gerber accompanies her on electric guitar. Stunning virtuosity in an intimate setting of the Shea is an opportunity NOT TO BE MISSED! SheaTheater.com for ticket details.
Bryce Robideau from the Pittsburgh based Buffalo Rose joined me to talk about the band’s story and music on Nine Volt Heart. Buffalo Rose will play at Northampton’s Parlor Room on May 24.
Buffalo Rose could field a baseball team with a roster of six musicians including songwriters and vocalists Lucy Clabby and Margot Jazerc, Mac Inglis (dobro),Jason Rafalak (bass),Shane McLaughlin (guitar) and Bryce Robideau (mandolin). They are upbeat, charismatic, and talented. For nine years they’ve been releasing music and touring regularly with six releases to their name. We began the segment with their latest single,”Solid Ground”.
My conversation with Bryce Robideau covers the bands rapport and genuine friendship enabling the band to persevere these sometimes difficult industry shifts over the last decade. They’ve been able to open for some amazing folks over the years including Tyler Childers, Infamous Stringdusters, Sam Bush, Wood Brothers and the Traveling McCouries! This exposure during these high profile opportunities has allowed the band to grow their fan base organically. Additionally, Buffalo Rose has showcase artists at Mountain Stage, SXSW, and Folk Alliance. Folk Alliance experience led to an amazing opportunity to collaborate with folk legend Tom Paxton. The band did ten weeks of online co-writing with Paxton resulting in a batch of songs leading to an EP “Rabbit”.
The segment ends with the collaboration on Paxton’s “I Give You the Morning” followed by the upbeat instrumental “Cabin Fever”.
Information on the band can be found at BuffaloRoseMusic.com and ticket information for Saturday’s 5/24 show is available at ParlorRoom.org
Jess Martin, Abby Hanna and Amy West joined me on the Town Crier to preview their multi-sensory show offering a fresh perspective to the works of Poe, Shelley, Irving, Dickinson and Ann Rice. Drawing Board Brewery in Florence will host the Incubator Performance and Fundraiser on May 10 at 7PM.
We began our segment with a live in-studio version of Martin’s “Bride of Frankenstein” and finish with “Every Quiet Night” dedicated to Emily Dickinson. In between these live performances we chat about Puppetry with Amy West; they have designed a “crankie” of puppet images to these songs. The trio transform these literary monsters into icons of resistance, complexity and queer power. We discuss “Monsters as Metaphor” with Martin and Hanna. Writers of horror allow readers to explore and understand their deepest fears and anxieties. They represent the unknown, the dangerous and “the other”.
Check out this trio’s immersive genre-defying performance throughout the year but certainly catch their May 10th incubator/fundraiser at Florence’s Drawing Board Brewery.
Lily Sexton and Josh Ballard join me on Nine Volt Heart to discuss their latest batch of songs, “Icon”, along with the release party planned at Amherst’s Drake with High Tea on 5/9. We begin with Lily and the beginnings of Mamma’s Marmalade more than a decade ago in the dorms of UMass. We chat about those humble beginnings and the string of five albums that followed. Lily and Josh talk candidly about the new lineup, the new name of Splendid Torch, and their experience recording “Icon” with Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound studio in Jamaica Plain.
In some ways, the recording of “Icon” created the new band with producer Karl Helander joining on drums in addition to Sexton, Ballard and Sean Davis on guitars. The duo talked about the roles of recording engineer and producer in creating a new identity for Splendid Torch. While Mitch Bordage is playing mandolin on the record, he stepped away from the band playing his last gig at Arcadia Folk Festival last summer.
The segment includes four songs; two live in-studio and two from the upcoming release. We heard a live version of “Gold” with Lily taking the lead vocals. A studio version of “You Can’t Hate Me For That” and “Icon” and a brand new song “Double Back Flip” live in-studio. We end with an older Mamma’s instrumental “Rabbit Analog”.
While we heard these tunes as a duo, the full band versions will be debuted on May 9 at Amherst’s Drake with High Tea opening the CD release party.
Nine Volt Heart 