Canadian Ben Plotnick tells it like it is as he plays viola and fiddle with a toe tapping team of Andrew Collins/mand, Adrian Gross/g and James McEleney/b through a collection of fun filled originals plus a traditional tune to close out the session.
The music is a mix of gypsy swing on one hand, with dashes of Nashville bluegrass on the other, as banjoist Frank Evans gets everyone two stepping on “Abandon Ship” while clarinetist John Williams joins in with Kelsey McNulty on accordion and vocals for a bohemian “On My Own,” and “One Goodbye” with Angie Hilts’ winsome voice taking the forefront. Jarred Albright and Claire Lecocq share lead vocals on the winsome “Every Night When You’re Lying Alone and Jamie Oliver leads the way on “Halfway Down the Track.”
For the instrumentals, Plotnick swings easy on “Molly’s Favorite” and gets everyone on the floor for “K&K Waltz” while “Railroad to Babylon” rides the track at 8 to the bar. Toe tapping tunes in abundance from up north make this one a delight.