When The Morning Sun Has Stopped Shining (A Mix)

Part two of two for my girlfriend's road trip. I guess the title is sort of foreboding, but it's not. Line from the Huckleberry Flint song included (Humboldt represent). This one isn't "mixed" like the other, just a collection of folk, country, bluegrass, americana songs that I like and thought would go together pretty decently on this mix. There is a chance that the Leon Redbone song is untagged in the artist field, so tag it as such. Also the Laura Cantrell song might be tagged as track 8, but should be 15. Otherwise there isn't much to say...just enjoy if you want it.

1. kate wolf - riding in the country
2. phil ochs - bullets of mexico
3. the seldom scene - hello mary lou
4. leon redbone - desert blues (big chief buffalo nickel)
5. willie nelson - three days
6. bill anderson - sittin' in an all-night cafe
7. doc watson - interstate rag
8. huckleberry flint - good night darling
9. uncle earl - sleepy desert
10. wilco - forget the flowers
11. calexico - dub latina
12. carrie rodriguez - never gonna be your bride
13. the wailin' jennys - devil's paintbrush road
14. wanda jackson - fujiyama mama
15. laura cantrell - yonder comes a freight train
16. hamilton camp - a satisfied mind
17. brenda lee - speak to me pretty
18. ricky nelson - i'm walkin
19. the brothers four - where have all the flowers gone
20. louise massey & the westerners - my adobe hacienda
21. norman blake - salt river
22. heron - sally goodin'

Link Removed by DMCA - let me know if you want it.

Jerry Garcia & David Grisman - So What (1998)

So from the beginning of the 70s until his death, Jerry Garcia was an active participant (though not usually given his due) in to the "new grass" bluegrass revival scene. Most notable was his friendship with legendary mandolin player David Grisman. The two recorded many records together most of them striking a great calm balance between Grateful Dead and the bluegrass virtuosity that Rounder records was putting out at the time. This record, released in 1998 on Acoustic Disc is a collection of Miles Davis (and Milt Jackson) covers recorded in the early 90s. The disc actually has 3 different recordings of the classic "So What", two of "Bag's Groove" and "Milestones" and then right in the middle of the record is a Grisman original "16/16"

Though the record has little variety in the songs that are actually presented here, the musicianship and the unique takes on these familiar jazz tunes are perfect for fans of new grass and jazz equally. It's a really beautiful and enjoyable cd, with enough funk to get you nodding your head but enough relaxing strings to wake up with again and again. It is a great, unique recording and one of my favorites the duo put out.

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Fruition String Band - Hawthorne Hoedown (2008)

I am feel kind of bad posting this, but I'll consider it an opportunity for exposure.

Fruition String band it a little quartet of 20-something folks from Portland, Ore, my home city. Last Friday, here in Arcata they played at one of the local coffeeshops to a crowd of jeez, 15 maybe? The 15 of us there had a great time, because Fruition puts on a great show (and have a small dedicated following up in Portland). They're not big, will probably never get big, and can barely book dates on their west coast "tour" that seems more like a vacation for them, but they are a lot a lot of fun.

The music contained on this disc is roughly recorded (they say it was recorded in a treehouse and all the songs are first takes). It sounds distant, like someone just turned on a microphone on a front porch jam and let the band have at it. The band (1 female and 3 male) share songwriting duties as well as singing and also who plays what, except for the bassist who just chugs along back there having a blast. The recording is not the best, the songs are not the best, but the live show and their attitude about just making music to make it really thrilled me. Obviously there are hundreds of bluegrassy/jam bands like this out there playing in college towns every day and Fruition isn't necessarily different. They have the potential, but more than anything, they inspire others like me to just get out there and make some god damn music. Download the record, listen to it once, it's short. If you hate, whatever get rid of it. If you like it, maybe contact the band at Myspace and try and buy it somehow (they don't sell it online) and their asking price is sort of whatever you have.

It's good to feel good sometimes.

Myspace

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The Tony Rice Unit - Manzanita (1979)

My love and wonderful girlfriend turned me onto this album. I knew Tony Rice and had an album of his, plus other albums where he was just the guitarist, but this album is just something else.

It's like a 5/5 bluegrass album. Tony is one of the best guitarists and this is just beautiful. His side players on this album are in top form as well. It's a mixture of trad. and original songs, and everything is great. Nothing else to say really except you probably need to download it.

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A To Z: F - Fly Through The Country by New Grass Revival

Not many bands can say they gave a genre its name, but that is more or less what New Grass Revival did. Though they have gone through many incarnations and are most known for helping to launch perhaps the most famous banjo player in the world, Bela Fleck, it is their earlier albums that I truly enjoy.

Fly Through The Country and is that 70s bluegrass (or "new grass") sound that was made somewhat popular by them and fellow bands like The Seldom Scene and Hot Rize. It is pretty traditional sounding and not breathtakingly fast, but remains solid the whole way through.

The album is a great combination of instrumental prowess, slower romantic songs, and great harmonizing. It can be almost cheesy at first, but repeated listens reveal small revelations about how the musicians use their instruments to truly frame the vocal parts. It sounds natural, and though the sound is clean, it doesn't sound like their is too much studio trickery on the album. You seen those old-timey bluegrass guys on the corner of the market having a good time? That sound stems from New Grass Revival, and for anyone remotely interested in the modern bluegrass sound, this is a great place to start.

Download:
Fly Through The Country