Blue Grass

Blue Grass

Track Listings
Disc: 1

1. Cindy

2. Rabbit Up a Gum Stump

3. Kentucky

4. Rattletrap

5. Early Early

6. Hodge's Time

7. Take Me Home

8. Grubb Springs

9. Frankie and Johnny

10. Salt River

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Hell Broke Loose in Georgia

2. I've Endured

3. Pumpkin Rock

4. Lost Indian

5. Dixie Darling'

6. Poor Liza Jane

7. Altamont

8. Down in the Willow Garden

9. Cornbread and Sweetpeas

10. Rye Straw

See all 15 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

Travelin' Prayer
Cash On The Barrelhead
A Few Old Memories
I'm Gonna Sleep With One Eye Open
Steady As The Rain
I Still Miss Someone
Endless Stream Of Tears
Silver Dagger
Train, Train
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Will He Be Waiting For Me
The Grass Is Blue
I Am Ready

Amazon.com

Hungry Again, 1998's return to form, was the sound of a country legend with nothing to lose and playing for keeps. Still, that startling album barely presaged the seamless grace of Dolly Parton's subsequent celebration of her mountain roots. This may be a full-out bluegrass venture, but tradition only tells half the story. The daring set includes barnstorming remakes of songs by Billy Joel and Blackfoot, two new Parton originals, and the old-as-time folk narrative "Silver Dagger," transformed--via Sam Bush's vertiginous mandolin picking and Jerry Douglas's frenzied Dobro work--into a mysterious, ambient epic. It's a testament to the force of Parton's voice and personality that while surrounded by top-tier players like Stuart Duncan (fiddle) and Bryan Sutton (guitar) she's still the undeniable leader. Her singing is masterful, absolutely vibrating with energy and soulfulness. Along with Steve Earle's The Mountain, this is the finest bluegrass release of 1999, and one of the most fully realized albums of Dolly Parton's career. --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

quality.......2007-06-12

this is an excellent album by an excellent artist singing songs from an excellent tradition; a must have in any collection;

eos

The modern dolly.......2007-05-15

Leave it to Parton to kick off a "true bluegrass" album with a Billy Joel tune (!) - and pull it off.

The crack session cats here are atomic cool and Dolly, digging that, turns in the most nuanced and meticulous vocal performance of her career.

Class from start to finish, definite highlights include the rollicking hokum of "Cash on the Barrelhead," howdown rippin' on "Train, Train" and, with its simple, exquisitely-realized metaphors, Parton's self-penned title track.

Super credible!

Dolly Gets Back to Her Bluegrass Roots And Finds Vocal Gold.......2006-03-11

When Dolly Parton took the stage at the Academy Awards this past week to sing her song from "Transamerica", "Travelin' Thru", her effervescent vocalizing and natural buoyancy (pardon the pun) reminded me of what a great performer she truly is. For someone who has not really embraced country music, I have come over the years to appreciate the honesty, giggly sense of humor and abundant singing talent behind the glamorous trappings of her outsized persona. With 1999's "The Grass Is Blue", I have come to respect her as a true artist who has found a musical genre perfectly suited to her bird-like voice.

Supported by a superb ensemble of bluegrass musicians, she takes on songs as diverse as Billy Joel's "Travelin' Prayer" and traditionals like "Silver Dagger", my personal favorite thanks to Sam Bush's amazing mandolin playing and Jerry Douglas's equally impressive performance on the Dobro. Other standout tracks include the Louvin Brothers' comically sly "Cash on the Barrelhead", Shorty Medlocke's driving "Train, Train"; and Johnny Cash's plaintive "I Still Miss Someone". The disc ends with the powerfully churchy "I Am Ready", an a capella hymn-like song written by her sister Rachel Dennison. Even if you are not a fan of this type of music, the recording is done with such professional precision and style that it's pretty hard to resist.

Fantasic.......2006-02-12

If you love country music or bluegrass music you with drool over this CD and constantly listen to pure bluegrass music and Dolly's amazingly strong voice over and Over and Over!

Album Standouts: TRAVELIN' PRAYER, SILVER DAGGER, TRAIN TRAIN & THE GRASS IS BLUE

A timeless masterpiece.......2005-12-20

I bought "The Grass Is Blue" on the strength of the rave reviews which appear below. They didn't lie. This is one of the finest things I have ever heard, from ANY musical genre. I played it for my wife, who has zero bluegrass background, and she was just swept away by it. Every cut is strong, but the odd-numbered tracks appeal to me most, with "Steady As the Rain" being a particular highlight. Be warned, "The Grass Is Blue" may permanently hijack your musical tastes. Now when I listen to blues and rock standards that used to appeal, I just can't sustain interest for more than a few minutes. Nothing compares to the power, the purity, the soul that Dolly Parton delivers. I am compelled to go back to "The Grass Is Blue" for another deep drought of that cool living water. This is one album I never want to live without.

Average customer rating:

Well-crafted original, compelling country and folk music
Unique music from a sincere voice

Wellspring
Caroline Herring
Manufacturer: Blue Corn Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000AUHPV
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Tracks:

Trace
Mortified
Jewels
Magnolias
Colorado Woman
Mistress
Texas Two Step
MGM Grand
The Way That You Are
Heart And Soul
Tacoma Blues

Customer Reviews:

Well-crafted original, compelling country and folk music.......2004-01-21

Originally from Mississippi, with a Master's degree in Southern Studies under her belt, singer/songwriter Caroline Herring found herself in Austin, Texas in 1999 pursuing a Ph.D. in American Studies. It soon became apparent to Texans that she has a keen intellect, aptitude and talent for writing hard-hitting songs which have both a literary foundation and earthy sensibility. A paradox, perhaps? No, just soulful. With the support of the Blue Corn label, her rise in the Austin music scene has been fast. Her 2001 debut, "Twilight," was an immediate hit, and she was named Austin's Best New Artist in early 2002 by the local newspaper and Austin Music Awards. At that time, she worked for Texas Folklife, accompanying traditional Tejano musicians to performances and shows. Marriage took her away from Austin in 2002, following her new husband's academic pursuits to Washington D.C., and currently to Atlanta.

Caroline Herring's southern music flows with influences of country, folk, blues, gospel and bluegrass. Caroline's sophomore release, "Wellspring," recognizes the significance of two key sources of strength in her life - Austin and her husband. Concerning the former, she says, "Texas, Austin specifically, was the source from which so much good came for me." Like the springs of central Texas, her music bubbles clean, pure and coolly refreshing. Concerning her husband, in her self-penned "Magnolias," she sings "we roughed through the wellsprings of our early days..."

The changes in Herring's life may explain why there are more relationship themed songs on "Wellspring." Being deceived and "strung along," is the tale in "The Way That You Are." Caroline's gift for poetic balladry is best illustrated in "Mistress," the story of an East Texas slave and her relationship with a plantation owner. "Mortified" is about "figuring out why we fail and fall in ways we never wanted to, but knew we would have to." Searching for the explanation may be elusive, especially as long as "the crumbs from the table kept me satisfied."

She's also adept at incorporating geographical and historical references and imagery to reinforce her messages. "Trace" makes reference to the Natchez Trace, a trading route in Mississippi, while "Magnolias" mentions her love of Austin and the Frio. In "Colorado Woman," she sings of tumbling with the dustbowls across the Oklahoma plain, but "tonight I want to be a strong Colorado woman, I don't want to be your Mississippi girl. There are times I need you to hold onto, and there are times I got to hold on by myself."

Besides Herring on vocals and acoustic guitar, "Wellspring" includes Rich Brotherton (guitars, mandola, glass harmonica, dulcimer and vocals), Bryn Bright (bass, cello, vocals), Billy Bright (mandolin, mandola), Eamon McLoughlin (fiddle, viola), and Jeff Plankenhorn (dobro). Other accompanists put percussion, accordion, pedal steel and organ into the mix.

Produced by Rich Brotherton (Robert Earl Keen), this album balances catchy arrangements with the need to keep Herring's gutsy alto in the forefront. From the album's first vocal strains to its last, one never loses interest in her appealing vocals. The impressionistic songs offer a fair amount of quick, memorable lines. The instrumental accompaniment is first-rate without going overboard in any attempt to steal the show. Herring has now fully developed a personalized signature sound that revolves around well-crafted original country and folk music, with stories and messages that are very compelling. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

Unique music from a sincere voice.......2003-10-08

Caroline's first solo CD, "Twilight", helped me overcome fifteen years of musical burnout on country/folk/bluegrass from the 80s. "Wellspring" showcases Caroline's growth and maturity, with finely crafted tunes, delicious lyrics, and insight into the core of of something that used to be - that half-mythical source of Southern music, the artesian font that country, bluegrass, and the blues all draw from.

She leads off with a winner - "Trace" actually had me singing along, much to the disbelief of my spouse. Listen to her lyrics - "You're what I call reasonably attractive / with an ego that's hyperactive" on the honky-tonk ballad "Texas Two-Step" had me replaying the track, just to make sure what I'd heard, then laughing - we've all known those guys. I like "Mortified" very much - I just don't know how to describe it.

"Magnolias" is a love song, pure and sweet and sincere, a story I can picture in my mind; "Colorado Woman" is an arguement between independence and need, co-written with her husband. "The Way That You Are" is a nice, Patsy Cline-ish number, a lament on men and the things they do wrong.

Tracks:

Rocky Road Blues
Kentucky Waltz
True Life Blues
Nobody Loves Me
Goodbye Old Pal
Footprints In The Snow
Blue Grass Special
Come Back To Me In My Dreams
Heavy Traffic Ahead
Why Did You Wander
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Toy Heart
Summertime Is Past And Gone
Mansions For Me
Mother's Only Sleeping
Blue Yodel No.4
Will You Be Loving Another Man?
How Will I Explain About You?
Shining Path
Wicked Path Of Sin

Tracks:

I'm Going Back To Old Kentucky
It's Mighty Dark To Travel
I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling
Little Cabin Home On The Hill
My Rose Of Old Kentucky
Blue Grass Breakdown
Sweetheart You Done Me Wrong
The Old Cross Road
That Home Above
Remember The Cross
Little Community Church
Along About Daybreak
When You Are Lonely
Molly And Tenbrooks (The Racehorse Song)
Shine Hallelujah Shine
I'm Travelin' On And On
Can't You Hear Me Callin'
Travelin' This Lonesome Road
Blue Grass Stomp
The Girl In The Blue Velvet Band

Amazon.com essential recording

Given his reputation as a tight-assed traditionalist, it's not easy to think of the late bluegrass fountainhead Bill Monroe as a revolutionary, but that's exactly what he was. As Mark A. Humphrey's liner notes contend, "Bluegrass was teething at the same time as bebop and rhythm & blues." Indeed, the music created by Monroe and his crack sidemen reflected the same anxious innovation as, say, Charlie Parker's contemporaneous creations. Four of the six recording sessions chronicled in this box featured the classic BlueGrass Boys lineup, which fell apart in 1948 when Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and Cedric Rainwater left to form a splinter group that took bluegrass in a more commercial direction. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

More info on Alternate takes.......2004-04-02

The complaints about Columbia issuing alternate takes on this set are factually correct. I was sort of puzzled by this too. However in the liner notes to Columbia's "16 Gems" Bill Monroe album they explain the background of this set. Apparently the original concept was to release a 3-cd set with the original and alternate takes together, but there were concerns over the marketability of that idea. So the result was the issue of the 16 gems album, which contains the primary (released) takes of some of the biggest cuts (Bluegrass Breakdown, The Old Crossroads, etc.) and the release of this set, with the alternate takes of those songs. The two albums--"16 gems" and "the Essential Bill Monroe" complement each other. If you are looking for a Bill Monroe on Columbia box set, those two products combined are probably the next best thing to Bear Family's "Blue Moon of Kentucky" 1936-1949 set (which is both more extensive and more expensive).
As a side note, "Uncle Pen" was recorded during Monroe's Decca years only and thus would not be available to Columbia for reissue.

Operalover's review.......2002-11-07

Boy are the previous reviewers picky-picky. I have never seen even opera picked apart as this boxset has. What do these folks expect-perfection? This set will please all but the fussiest bluegrassophile.

Part of the Bluegrass Curriculum.......2002-05-06

This 2-disc set was part of a "two-fer" deal and not my first choice, but am I ever glad it was! This one has gone to the top of the CD pile near my stereo and with me on the road. It seems to be a good sampling of the many incarnations of the "Blue Grass Boys" (and girl, counting Wilene/Sally Ann Forrester on accordion). Until this set, I didn't know that Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs had started out with Bill Monroe and being a dedicated fan of F & S, the cuts featuring them are exceptional.

Love the music, got a gripe with Columbia..........2001-08-31

I can't fault the superb music or the documentation (a previous reviewer said there's none...he should return his, the set comes with a pretty good book of history, session notes, etc.). However, for some reason, Columbia decided that 16 of these songs should be represented not by the originally released takes, but by alternate takes. The master takes were released later on a separate release (16 Golden Hits or something like that). Grrrrr...
So we get the following absurdity in the notes: "...Monroe opens the throttle and launches into what would become the most influential performance in bluegrass history." This is describing "Blue Grass Breakdown", but the problem is that the performance in question, undoubtedly an extremely important recording, ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE SET, but rather an alternate take is substituted. Dunderheads. If this set was meant to be an introduction to Monroe, it should have been all master takes. If it was meant to be a collection for completists, it should've had an additional CD's worth of music included.

On the plus side for Columbia, the sound is really quite excellent, considering these are 40's recordings. Many Columbia CD reissues, at least in their former Jazz reissue series, were marred by terrible remastering. This release sounds fabulous.

Great Music, but no documentation for a box set........2001-07-25

The music is fabulous. It touches a place inside you and makes you stop what you are doing just to listen to the music. This is what good music is meant to be. However: this box set has no (shall I repeat no) documentation. There are no liner notes to fill the oversize box. There are no liner notes in either CD case, just a 1 ply sheet with the song title, writer, and date of recording, which is also printed on the back cover of the box. I would still buy it, but be warned. It doesn't have anything but the CD's (which really is enough).

The Very Best of Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys

Average customer rating:

HIGH PRAISE FOR THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS
Be Adventerous!
An outstanding introduction to the father of Bluegrass Music

The Very Best of Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys
Manufacturer: Mca Nashville
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006GF9S
Release Date: 2002-08-27

Tracks:

Blue Moon of Kentucky
Jimmy Brown the Newsboy
I Saw the Light
Goodbye Old Pal
Footprints in the Snow
Roll on Buddy, Roll On
I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky
Molly & Tenbrooks
When the Cactus Is in Bloom
Walls of Time
I'm Working on a Building
Scotland
Walk Softly on My Heart (AKA Walk Softly on This Heart of Mine)
Kentucky Waltz
In the Pines
Toy Heart
New Mule Skinner Blues
Roanoke
Midnight on the Stormy Deep
Uncle Pen
Gotta Travel On
My Last Days on Earth

Customer Reviews:

HIGH PRAISE FOR THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS.......2005-08-26

THIS C.D. IS A GREAT COLLECTION OF THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS'S WORK. HIS STYLE WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE.

Be Adventerous!.......2004-01-04

Bill Monroe of Rosine, Kentucky (pop. 200) had just 9 charted Billboard hits from 1946-1959. There is vastly more to his career than that statistic. It certainly lasted longer! He is the designated Father of Bluegrass music and if anyone is a legend in his time, it is he. "The Very Best of Bill Monroe" is a sharply produced CD with excellent, almost piercing sound. The harmony and diction by Monroe and his backups are tops. Do we remember that line from "The One On the Left"? A very informative insert accompanies the CD. (Serious country fans should ALWAYS read those inserts). We learn for example that Monroe was a stern taskmaster, who encouraged "turnover" in his bands and made them dress in suits for concerts! Just like Willie Nelson! Of the 21 tracks, only the overplayed "Mule Skinner Blues" and "Gotta Travel On" disappoint. This CD is virtually educational. The time span here covers 34 years-from "Kentucky Waltz (1946) to the haunting instrumental "My Last Days on Earth". Bill wrote that one lying in a hospital bed in 1980-afraid he was dying of colon cancer. This reviewer would urge serious country listeners to be adventurous by trying a Monroe album , expanding their musical horizons and rounding out their collections. Sometimes that advice appears trite but not in this case.

An outstanding introduction to the father of Bluegrass Music.......2003-07-13

This is a generously programmed, slam-bang collection of the best songs recorded by Bill Monroe and his band (in its various early incarnations) on the Decca/MCA label. With 22-tracks total, this is perhaps the ideal album to pick up if you only want to get a single disc of Monroe's work... and it's all really great stuff. Kudos to MCA/Universal for doing such a good job on this well-made, thoughtful reissue!

Word to the wise: Although this best-of is really good, keep in mind that all the songs on here are *also* included on the equally fab 50 track, 2-CD "Anthology" collection, which cam out a year later, in 2003. Either way you go, though, this stuff is the very definition of "high lonesome," super-authentic bluegrass music. Highly recommended!!

Green Day Blue Grass: Pickin' on Green Day a Bluegrass Tribute
Average customer rating:
Green Day Blue Grass: Pickin' on Green Day a Bluegrass Tribute
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Cmh Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000A2H9NE
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Tracks:

American Idiot
Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
Welcome To Paradise
Basket Case
Coming Clean
Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance)
Maria
Warning
When I Come Around
Nice Guys Finish Last
Extraordinary Girl
Wake Me Up When September Ends

Product Description

1. American Idiot
2. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
3. Welcome to Paradise
4. Basket Case
5. Coming Clean
6. Time Of Your Life (Good Riddance)
7. Maria
8. Nice Guys Finish Last
9. Warning
10. When I Come Around
11. Extraordinary Girl
12. Wake Me Up When September Ends

Format: CD

Blue Grass Favorites
Average customer rating:

uneasy listening

The Band that Launched a Half-Dozen Country Rock Careers

Blue Grass Favorites
The Scottsville Squirrel Barkers
Manufacturer: Big Beat UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music
General | Country | Styles | Music
General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000TCOX2
Release Date: 2003-12-01

Tracks:

Shady Grove
Home Sweet Home
Katie Cline
Swamp Root
Willow Tree
Hand Me Down My Walking Cane
Three Finger Breakdown
Cripple Creek
Crown Junction Breakdown
Reuben's Train

Product Description

1. Shady Grove (1:13)
2. Home Sweet Home (1:46)
3. Katy Klyne (1:53)
4. Swamp Root (1:29)
5. The Willow Tree (2:37)
6. Hand Me Down My Walking Cane (2:23)
7. Three Finger Breakdown (1:47)
8. Cripple Creek (1:28)
9. Crown Junction Breakdown (1:28)
10. Reuben's Train (2:13)

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

uneasy listening.......2004-12-01

Sorry I bought this CD. Blue Grass it is not! The vocals are very difficult to understand and the musical instruments sound like they were being played by a group that has no appreciation for the history of blue grass. Very simply they do tunderstand how to play it.If anyone would like my copy, for free, please contact me at charlie@beerleague.com.

The Band that Launched a Half-Dozen Country Rock Careers.......2004-08-02

Well, almost a half-dozen...

Larry Murray - Hearts and Flowers

Chris Hillman - Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas, Souther-Hillman-Furay, McGuinn, Clark, Hillman, Desert Rose Band and Chris & Herb

Kenny Wertz - Flying Burrito Brothers and Country Gazette

Bernie Leadon - Hearts and Flowers, Dillard and Clark, Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Run C&W

See my full-review over on the Import recording.

Average customer rating:

2 albums for the price of one
Music from the sixties that is as fresh as today
a groove!
Very accessible

Grass Roots
Andrew Hill
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004GJVQ
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

Grass Roots
Venture Inward
Mira
Soul Special
Bayou Red
MC
Venture Inward (First Version)
Soul Special (First Version)
Bayou Red (First Version)
Love Nocturne

Amazon.com

Blue Note founder Alfred Lion considered Andrew Hill to be his last great discovery, and the reasons are apparent from this fairly obscure 1968 effort. Hill composed demanding yet elastic structures that straddled hard bop and free jazz; as a pianist, his abstract comping challenged soloists with elaborate counterpoint and fresh, alternative directions. Hill is joined here by one of the more conservative groups that he recorded with, but there's a high level of interactivity. He enjoyed a close playing relationship with trumpeter Lee Morgan, and Mingus veteran Booker Ervin contributes his personal mix of kicking Texas tenor and harmonic exploration. A rhythm section of Ron Carter and Freddie Waits completes the band, and the result is thoughtful, complex music that still inhabits the edges of the postbop idiom. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

2 albums for the price of one.......2002-11-22

Let me start off by saying that this album is comprised of two sessions with completely different personnel with the first session being tracks 1-5 and the second 6-10. The first session which was the one that was released back in 1968 is an all-star line up with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Booker Ervin on tenor sax, Andrew Hill of course on piano and who wrote all of the compositions, Ron Carter on bass, and Freddie Waits on drums.
This of course is an album with Hill covering a bit different ground than usual as this album is a lot more appealing to mainstream audiences than some of his other masterpieces of the 60s. But, the album still has that unmistakable sound of Hill.
So the first five tracks, as you would expect from the lineup, is great. There is passionate soloing by Ervin and somewhat more restrained but equally powerful soloing by Morgan. Hill as always never disappoints and never sounds in the least bit cliched or generic. My favorite of the first five tracks happens to be the most accessible, "Mira", which has a great melody and solos. It will stay in your head for days.

The second five tracks feature three of the same compositions and two new ones by a different band featuring Woody Shaw on trumpet, Frank Mitchell on tenor saxophone, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, Reggie Workman on bass, and Idris Muhammad on drums. As you would expect, the drumming is propulsive and funky, and the bass lines are tasteful and technically advanced. This was my first exposure to Mitchell and i wasn't that impressed with his playing, although his solo on Bayou Red is quite good. Shaw brings his signature sound to the table which works well with Hill's. "MC" is a pretty uninspired reading and really drags on for nine minutes with not much going for it except Hill's solo. "Soul Special" sounds completely different from the other version and is different in a really pleasing way. The tempo is taken much slower and everyone gets into the groove. "Love Nocturne" is a nice tender piece which has an interesting melody and some good soloing by all.
So even though the second part isn't quite as good as the first, if you put it into the context of when it was released, all you got was the first five tracks anyways, so you can just think of the second five as a bonus. All in all, a great purchase and a great addition to any serious 60s jazz collection.

Music from the sixties that is as fresh as today.......2000-06-20

"Lick" or "cliche" is not in Andrew Hill's musical vocabulary and this "new"release is no exception. I say "new" because four of the tracks have never before been released including the nine minute MC, and the seven minute Love Nocturne. When I think of the musical dross we were subjected to in the sixties when jazz players were scuffling to get a gig, washing dishes, or filled with despair when they saw their real talent count for little, like Woody Shaw, one can only thank heaven the likes of Michael Cuscuna are around to rescue their legacy. Examples of the quality and variety of this include the solo by Woody Shaw on Love Nocturne, the groove set up by Idris Muhammad, Reggie Workman, Jimmy Ponder and Reggie Workman on MC over which Frank Mitchell, Woody Shaw and then Ponder solo; Soul Special with its propelling groove and its typically fabulous piano solo by Mr Hill. But begin with the title song for a close listen: a majestic joyous solo by Booker Ervin and a conversational restrained masterful one by Lee Morgan, a typically sensitive and interesting solo by Mr Hill ending with the sole sound of the woody bass of Mr Carter. Apart from the exceptional players( I mean dig Lee Morgan's solo entrance on Bayou Red!) this CD has Mr Hill's writing to bring it to a level above just another gig. His guiding genius is all over this release and it's mainly for this reason that this reissue in the Blue Note connoisseur series is worth your attention. It is engineered by Mr Van Gelder with quite clear separation in the stereo which was the standard of the day. The programme of music has enough variety and intelligence to reward many, many listenings.

a groove!.......2000-05-06

This is nice finger-popping grooves by a composer who is often more abstract and avant garde.

The compositions are first rate and the rhythm sections grooves and there is fine solo work, especially from the trumpet players Lee Morgan or Woody Shaw.

Very accessible.......2000-02-25

Nice to see this finally released on CD. This was a mainstream effort for Hill, and if you want more challenging Blue Note releases, try, for example, "Point of Departure," "Judgment" or "Black Fire." (The latter two may be difficult to find. The best single source for his music is the seven-CD Mosaic boxed set. "Grassroots" is not included in that collection.)

Still, the change of pace makes this one appealing. Any band that includes Booker Ervin and Lee Morgan is going to swing, and the two manage to make Hill's playing less dark and introspective than usual. On the other hand, the compositions themselves, especially "Mira" and "Soul Special," are mostly bright and upbeat, so maybe the material helped to determine the players. Hill's comments on the original liner notes indicate that he was ready with this release to dip more than a toe into the mainstream.

In any event, Booker is particularly joyful on the title cut and propels the album along throughout with his powerful, bluesy tone. It's a mark of Hill's keen musicianship that he brought in this criminally underrated player for the session. Lee Morgan rarely missed a note throughout his career and this date was no exception. He delivers solidly throughout.

One is generally best rewarded by careful, repeated listening to Hill's music. "Grassroots" is unusual in that it grabs immediately. In my opinion, it isn't as deeply and consistently satsifying as the other releases I mentioned, but it's well worth having if you're a fan of his or if you simply want an easy introduction to his music.

Barnburner
Average customer rating:

The Clumsy Lover's Rock at Turbo Speed!

Barnburner
The Clumsy Lovers
Manufacturer: Clumsy Lover Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Still Clumsy After All These Years

ASIN: B00005RJBR
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

Good to Be Alone
Monumental Stupidity
California
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
London Bridge
Bay and Algoma
I'm on My Way
Hangover
On the Road
Long Time
Let the Sun Shine In

Product Description

1. Good To Be Alone
2. Monumental Stupidity
3. California
4. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
5. London Bridge
6. Bay & Algoma
7. I'm On My Way
8. Hangover
9. On The Road
10. Long Time
11. Let The Sun Shine In

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

The Clumsy Lover's Rock at Turbo Speed!.......2003-03-29

I became a fan of The Clumsy Lover's when I saw them live at a club in Salt Lake City a couple of years ago. Now everytime they come to town I see them play...which is quite often. They are incredible! They have a unique celtic/bluegrass thing going on. I have all of their CD's...but this one is still my favorite (LIVE is really good too). I especially like their cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't think twice, it's alright" and the tune "London Bridge". I highly recommend this CD to anyone who may like listening to something a little different and extremely upbeat. If I'm in a bad mood this music always picks me right up and makes me want to dance. Just a word of warning...if you listen to this CD while driving you may get speeding tickets!

Average customer rating:

Traditional Bluegrass at its Best

The Early Years
Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Band
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Hand-Picked: 25 Years Of Bluegrass On Rounder Records
Appalachian Stomp: Bluegrass Classics
Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza

ASIN: B000007RYZ
Release Date: 1998-07-14

Tracks:

Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Footprints In The Snow
Sweetheart, You Done Me Wrong
Blue Grass Stomp (Instr.)
Toy Heart
Blue Grass Special (Instr.)
Kentucky Waltz
Rocky Road Blues
Travelin' This Lonesome Road
When You Are Lonely
Wicked Path Of Sin
Blue Grass Breakdown (Instr.)
Little Community Church
Blue Yodel #4

Amazon.com

These are the songs that introduced bluegrass music to the world. The 14-song collection spans the band's first three incarnations, and thus, is useful as a tool to measure Monroe's incredible progress between 1945 and 1949 (although the songs are not sequenced chronologically). Four cuts come from 1945, with Tex Willis (guitar), "Stringbean" Akeman (banjo), and Sally Ann Forrester (accordion!) joining Monroe's hot mandolin and Chubby Wise's lonesome fiddle. "Kentucky Waltz" stands out from this session. The eight recordings from 1946 and 1947 introduce Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs to the fray and find the Boys in peak form---for this band or any other band. "Blue Moon of Kentucky," "Toy Heart," the gospel "Wicked Path of Sin," Jimmie Rodgers's "Blue Yodel #4," and the instrumental "Blue Grass Breakdown" are definitive statements of the genre. The final two tracks feature Mac Wiseman on guitar and on one lead vocal. A worthy single-disc alternative to Columbia's concurrent two-CD package. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Traditional Bluegrass at its Best.......2000-08-15

For the fans of good traditional bluegrass, this is a must. Mac Wiseman is featured on many cuts as well as "stringbean" and many others. The mid to late forties were a time of true development of Bill's style of playing, with bold solos and powerful fill-ins and chopping rhythms. This CD is like a "greatests hits" collection of the 2 CD set "The Essential Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys 1945-1949". A must have!!!

Average customer rating:

American Stories, Lies and Tales
Doug Spartz & Friends
Manufacturer: Diamond Music Group
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000ML4KJO

Product Description

1. Number 29 2. Nuthin' Much 3. Love Minus Zero 4. Wake Me Up and Slap Me 5. Name On The Wall 6. Hot Rod Lincoln 7. Sunshine 2006 8. No Easy Eay Out 9. She Had What It Takes 10. I Wish I Could 11. Fall Of '64 12. Bop-Alena 13. Clumsy Me 14. Daddy's Old Model A 15. Sweet Amy 16. Keep My Soul Featuring musicians like Todd Fritsch, Bobby Vee, Jonathan Edwards, Billy Lee Riley, Sarah Jo Roark, Rick Hollister, Big John Mills, World Famous Cuttin' Crew by Sherwin Linton and Charlie Ryan. Produced by Doug Deforest, manufactured by Noiseland, mixed at Palmetto Studios in Nashville, TN. This is a grassroots country band with steel guitars, fiddles, saxophones, and the sweetest vocals to accompany.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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