Yes, people check in and give us a hard time about including artists that do country and bluegrass, but as long as Bill Frisell does this stuff, I’m going to have no problem reviewing these pickers. Besides, BENNY CARTER wrote “Cow Cow Boogie,” so let it go!!!
Anyway, modern jazz artists have A LOT to learn from albums like these latest two from Rounder. Ron Block plays banjo and guitar as well as writing and singing on his album. He’s pretty good on his solos as well, as he shows on instrumentals such as “Devil in the Strawstack” and the fun loving “Shortnin’ Bread.” The supporting team includes Barry Miles/b, Jeff taylor/acc, Stuart Duncan/fiddle and Sierra Hull/mand. What these artists have to teach is first of all, harmony used to be an important part of the jazz scene; Block’s vocals with Evelyn Cox, Suzanne Cox and Kate Rusby have a melding of sounds that should be an inspiration for jazz arrangers. Even more important, Block’s songs do what jazz soloists used to do: TELL A STORY! Songs about relationships between people (“Chase Me To The Ocean” ) or about God (“Rest, My Soul”) make you remember that songs can take you somewhere. Nice lesson!
The band Deadly Gentlemen consists of Stash Wyslouch/g-v, Mike Barnett/fid-v, Greg Liszt/banjo-v, Sam Grisman/b-v and Dominick Leslie/mand-v. They also demonstrate some nice bluegrass sounds, and are pretty adept on their instruments. Their sound, however, is a bit more sophisticated and indie-rockish, so they blend their wonderful voices along with more sophisticated song structures as on “Falsehearted Anthem.” The title track is a clever mix of directions on the title track, while a bit out of the character of the rest of the album, is a treat. Lots of ideas bounce around at this jamboree.
Rounder Records