CD's

Grammy award winning CD! The trio brings exuberance, humor, virtuosity, and an infectious acoustic groove to its exploration of a near forgotten brand of banjo driven stringband music originating more than a century ago in the foothills of North Carolina. Learn More

Renaissance man Steve Martin returns to his musical passion - bluegrass - with a new album of all original songs, backed by the Steep Canyon Rangers. Rare Bird Alert is the follow up to 2009’s GRAMMY® Award-winning The Crow. Special guests, Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks lend their vocal talents.

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Terry’s first recording as a leader. His first such effort after more than 30 years as a bluegrass banjo sideman with such notable bands as Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, and BlueRidge.  The ‘core’ band with Terry is Barry Bales on bass, Wyatt Rice on guitar, Adam Steffey on mandolin and Jason Carter on fiddle.

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The structure is strictly that of classical concerti, with three movements and a standard instrumentation; many of the themes are typically Appalachian. Jens brings it all together with such ease is a statement that perhaps these things aren’t really that far apart after all.

And that banjo! The instrument simply has never sounded this sophisticated, clear, and jaw-droppingly beautiful before. If you’ve ever had doubts about the effectiveness of banjo in an entirely classical setting, this piece will dismiss them.

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"To say they've got the classic brother duet thing down is an understatement; they own it."
-- Michael Eck, No Depression

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Mark Johnson and Emory Lester have long been revered as roots music "super pickers" with their own takes on traditional fiddle tunes, British Isle ballads and original compositions. Johnson, one of the finest banjo stylists in the world (Clawgrass Banjo), and Lester, an Internationally known mandolin master and guitar great, have combined their talents to perform as a duet. Learn More

Eddie & Martha Adcock deliver an album in the tradition of Les Paul and Mary Ford in that they rely on the multi-tracking capabilities of the recording studio to create full arrangements rather than the presence of a band. Eddie covers the banjo, lead guitar, mandolin, and bass while Martha helms the acoustic rhythm and most of the lead vocals. Both cover the harmony vocals, sometimes multi-tracked into four-part harmony, and from time to time Eddie will take over the lead vocals. The fact that the two of them are the only performers on the disc is surprising for the reason that TwoGrass actually has the confidence of instrumental interplay which typically requires a group of trustful musicians playing together to firmly achieve without sounding rigid. Overall, TwoGrass has a comfortable summer Sunday lounging-on-the-porch feel and is a nice addition to the Adcocks' convention of wonderfully honed and relaxed yet virtuosic folk and bluegrass styling. ~ Gregory McIntosh

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For those who believe that the banjo is an instrument for bluegrass and bluegrass alone, think again. Harvey Reid's The Artistry of the 6-String Banjo concentrates on the rare six-string banjo, recording an eclectic collection of blues, ragtime, and even classical music. Scott Joplin's overly familiar "The Entertainer" is given a fresh reworking by Reid's bright banjo playing, while Bach's "Minuet in G" is delivered with a light and delicate air. He has said that good instrumentalists make their complicated fingerpicking seem easy, and he accomplishes just that. Several of these pieces come from earlier albums on which he used the six-string banjo, including the pirate-tinged "Pieces of Eight" and an old-time version of "The Cuckoo." The rocking — yes rocking — "Six-Shooter Stomp" has potentially created a new genre of boogie-woogie banjo, and one shouldn't miss the flamenco flavored "Andelusia Revisited." While Reid doesn't play guitar on this album, fans of his guitar work will enjoy flatpicker Dan Crary's guest spot on "Bill Baily." There's also one more bonus for banjo lovers: in case six-strings weren't enough, Reid has recorded two instrumentals, "The Gaoler's Jig" and "Sitting on Top of the World," using the 12-string banjo. Nearly half of these instrumentals were written by Reid, and they fit snugly beside the traditional material. One thing that makes him such a fascinating artist is his willingness to build an entire album around a theme, or in this instance, an instrument. The Artistry of the 6-String Banjo should fascinate banjo players and offer something bright and shiny to Reid fans. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., Rovi

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This delightful live recording finds John McEuen (former leader of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) onstage in his hometown, obviously completely at ease and spinning out a long program of tunes both standard ("I Am a Pilgrim," "Sheik of Araby") and original ("Good Old Boys Texas," "Night Flight"). The focus is on instrumentals, with McEuen taking the lead on guitar and banjo, but he also sings a few (including the inevitable "Mr. Bojangles") in his agreeably undistinguished voice. Surprises include a very attractive banjo arrangement of an old Muzio Clementi piano etude and a boot-stomping version of "Kiss" that probably makes the diminutive purple artist formerly known as Prince go into convulsions whenever (if ever) he hears it - young Jonathan McEuen approximating a soul falsetto is not something you'd want to hear without a good night's rest and a fully functioning sense of humor. Best of all are the Merle Travis songs and stories; McEuen's renditions of "Cannonball Rag" and "I Am a Pilgrim" are warm and wonderful. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson

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