| Author |
Message |
    
Colby Enck
Intermediate Member
Username: Thecheese
Post Number: 366
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 03:05 am: | 
|
I got a taste for bluegrass a few years ago in Alexandria, VA, of all places, in a little joint called Tiffany's.
Since then, for a Christmas gift, I got a "Time-Life Treasury of Bluegrass" which contains some great stuff, but it's mostly a rough historical kind of overview. I also listen occasionally to an internet broadcast from a station out of Clinton, TN which I discovered a few years ago and enjoyed listening to while stuck in a laboratory at work in NJ. Let me tell you that bluegrass drives people crazy in New Jersey. For me that was part of the appeal.
I guess I'm look for suggestions as far as albums, net radio, whatever. I've enjoyed the old-school stuff on the CDs I have as much as the newer things I've heard online.
Also, I'm trying to ID a song I heard about 3 years ago, by the Del McCoury band I believe (I apologize if I spelled that wrong), something about a Vincent Black (Something), a motorcycle (great song!). Help, please!
Nothing beats bluegrass for brewing music, as far as I'm concerned! |
Bob Wall
Intermediate Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 359
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 04:27 am: |
|
The Wife and I spent a weekend in Asheville N.C. a few weeks ago and caught a bluegrass band called "County Farm" at the Jack-Of-The-Wood Brewpub. They did a whacked out version of dueling banjos where they improvised licks from Baba O'Riley, Roundabout, & Pinball Wizard into the jam. Very inventive.
Living in North Georgia, been here 8 years, I get quite a bit of exposure to Bluegrass and have a new-found respect for it.
I would highly recommend anything by Gillian Welch. I saw her and David Rawlings on Austin City Limits about 10 years ago while channel surfing and was absolutely blown away. She kinda looks like Randy Travis in drag, but she is truely gifted.
http://www.gillianwelch.com/
Her website has a few samples. Enjoy.
Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and he'll waste a lifetime.
|
el_mocoso
Junior Member
Username: El_mocoso
Post Number: 53
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 04:36 am: |
|
Check out Old Crow Medicine Show. I'm not sure if they qualify as more blue grass or old timey music.
For finding new music, www.pandora.com can't be beat. Type in a favorite artist and they will build a station around them with like-wise music. Free.
el
el_mocoso
|
Dan Listermann
Senior Member
Username: Listermann
Post Number: 3529
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 01:42 pm: |
|
I find a lot of "ethnic" music styles to be very long on style but rather short on substance. Bluegrass, Irish, even Dixieland and such are fine in short bursts, I like them a lot, but after the first couple of tunes, they all start to sound the same. To a degree, I am sure that all music styles might suffer from this, but "ethnic" seem to be out on an extreme.
Feel free to correct me, but classic rock is probably at the other end of this spectrum. Every song seems like a unique creation, not something overlaying a common background soundtrack.
OTOH, I have been told that I have odd tastes in music.
--This space is STILL being left intentionally blank.-
|
Mike Huss
Senior Member
Username: Mikhu
Post Number: 1288
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 01:51 pm: |
|
Not a bluegrass fan by any stretch of the imagination, but I just had to chime and second the www.pandora.com recommendation. Just awesome. Pick a song or a band that you like and you'll get all kinds of bands you never knew existed. It's great! |
Colby Enck
Intermediate Member
Username: Thecheese
Post Number: 368
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 02:12 pm: |
|
Well, Dan... I suspect it matters how much "depth" you get. Say you listen to 100 of the best classic rock songs (just like listening to a classic rock radio station) ; they are different enough that you don't get tired of them, and you can easily appreciate the differences. But for those 100 great songs, how many crappy songs never get played?
The Time-Life collection I got has around 25 "great" bluegrass songs: the album was designed to introduce various forms of bluegrass and educate the listener about the stylistic differences. But listening to bluegrass on the web, I've heard stuff that's pretty silly/bad/boring/awful... ya gotta separate the wheat from the chaff, I guess.
Bob: "...Randy Travis in drag..." uh, maybe I'll check that out on Halloween. |
Dan Listermann
Senior Member
Username: Listermann
Post Number: 3532
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 02:35 pm: |
|
Colby, you have a point about what "sticks to the wall." I think some styles suffer from this more than others. Having said that, I like to listen to fusion jazz and a lot of folks see that as cacophony however when you start to understand it, it is spine tingling.
--This space is STILL being left intentionally blank.-
|
el_mocoso
Junior Member
Username: El_mocoso
Post Number: 54
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 02:38 pm: |
|
why do you hate ethnics, dan?
el_mocoso
|
Dan Listermann
Senior Member
Username: Listermann
Post Number: 3533
Registered: 03-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 02:49 pm: |
|
Hey, I am not running for elected office, el!
Dan
--This space is STILL being left intentionally blank.-
|
THM
Junior Member
Username: Thm
Post Number: 31
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 02:58 pm: |
|
Colby, the specific song yer thinkin' of is "1952 Vincent Black Lightnin'", it's off of the album "Del and the Boys".
Great song... I love the line "Red Hair and Black Leather, My Favorite Color Scheme".
Del, along with Rev. Ralph Stanley, are the last two survivin' bluegrass guys from the birth of bluegrass (at the end of WW2). |
Merle
Junior Member
Username: Merle
Post Number: 76
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 03:51 pm: |
|
I'm a fan of bluegrass and new country now after learning to strum the guitar and mandolin. I couldn't help but do some actually research before posting a message instead of voicing an opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxSCJpnojuM |
THM
Junior Member
Username: Thm
Post Number: 32
Registered: 09-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 04:28 pm: |
|
Howdy Merle.
I'm not understandin' yer problem with my post. This isn't a poor attempt at "trollin'"... I'm not understandin' yer post.
The only reason I said anythin' is no-one answered his question. He wanted to know the name of the song that he heard the Del McCoury Band play. I recognised the song and told him which album it was on.
Was it my comment about the last two survivors, or maybe ya don't agree with Bill Monroe and the end of WW2 as the birth of bluegrass? |
David C Johnson
Junior Member
Username: Daveofsherwood
Post Number: 54
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 06:44 pm: |
|
Im a new bluegrass fan, and I have hardly scratched the surface. Bluegrassradio.org is a good place to start if you're surfing the web. Community radio in your area might have programming. As mentioned in the thread, Old Crow Medicine Show is really good. The entire album is good. Bluegrass is good to brew to. |
Merle
Junior Member
Username: Merle
Post Number: 77
Registered: 05-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 11:23 pm: |
|
No problem with your post whatsoever THM... |
Ginger Larson
Junior Member
Username: Ginger
Post Number: 52
Registered: 08-2001
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 12:39 pm: |
|
Bluegrass is some of my favorite music. I started listening during the "NewGrass" phase in the 80s - New Grass Revival and Hot Rize are both bands that are gone now, but worth a listen.
Other faves:
Del McCoury (but you know about him)
Nashville Bluegrass Band - good picking and harmonies with a bluesy edge.
Yonder Mountain String Band
Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder
Seldom Scene - especially the older stuff with John Duffy
And for something on the far, far edge of bluegrass, try Split Lip Rayfield - guitar, banjo and a bass made from a Ford F-150 fuel tank. |
Miker
Advanced Member
Username: Miker
Post Number: 596
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 02:58 pm: |
|
The best way to listen to bluegrass is at an outdoor festival imho. We are fortunate here in Colorado to have the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Rocky Mountain Bluegrass Festival, Folks Festival and a few other smaller venues (some that are actually all bluegrass instead of trying to have something for everyone like Telluride does). My wife's the bigger bluegrass fan, but she has turned me on to some great music. I prefer what some call Newgrass and is a little more progressive than the old-timey stuff.
Some of my favorites off the top of my head and not mentioned yet that you might check out:
Sam Bush, Nickel Creek, Hit and Run, Tim and Mollie O'Brien, Edgar Meyer ... |
Miker
Advanced Member
Username: Miker
Post Number: 597
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 03:13 pm: |
|
Oops, missed that Ginger already mentioned "Newgrass" although I think it started more in the 70's. A couple of the folks I mentioned were old members of New Grass Revival and Hot Rize. |
Martin Stutz
Junior Member
Username: Stillbrewing
Post Number: 89
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 03:13 pm: |
|
I've recently discovered that I like bluegrass thanks to Cold Mountain & Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtracks. Those movies have given me an appreciation for Bluegrass that I never had before. Some songs (I guess the more traditional ones) give me a chuckle because they remind me of that Bugs Bunny episode where Bugs makes two toothless old bearded hill-billies to beat each other up !
Martin
(BTW, I checked out Pandora- awesome site. Thanks Mike & El ! I'm listening to Ralph Stanley as I write this...). |
Denny Conn
Senior Member
Username: Denny
Post Number: 5936
Registered: 01-2001
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 06:58 pm: |
|
I'm a big fan of bluegrass and "Americana" music in general. Speaking of "newgrass", I worked with Sam Bush one time ane he told a story about meeting Bill Monroe, his hero. Bush was SO excited to find that Monroe was familiar with his music. Monroe said top him "So, you play that...oh, what's it called?" Bush said "Newgrass"....Monroe replied "Yeah, I HATE that ••••".
LIfe begins at 60...1.060, that is.
|
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 4386
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 08:14 pm: |
|
>>I guess I'm look for suggestions as far as albums
I kinda like the Meat Purveyors...
http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/artists/themeatpurveyors/ |
Vance Barnes
Senior Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 2483
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 09:15 pm: |
|
Here's a friend of mine that's in a bluegrass bands station on Pandora he's setup.
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh91764372871472281&tc=h-001407-0035-1143
Boy that ain't bluegrass. Bush replied, yea I know!
I have some friends in NC that have a band that plays old time mountain music. They refer to bluegrass as that new ••••.
A good band I saw at a fest a couple of years ago was Reel Time Travelers. They're youngsters but you wouldn't know it by listening to them. Also heard CX-1 at a recording session 2 weeks ago. They're pretty new but it's the Pond brothers from Snake Oil Medicine Show and the bass player from Accoustic Syndicate's in a new band. They're a little more in the line of Bella Fleck though.
And Sat I was at the dvd release of a performance Vassar did not long before he died. It was the same band playing except for him. Joe Craven (Dave Grissman), Vasser's banjo player, David Blackmon (Panic, Blueground Undergrass vers 2.0), The CodeTalkers, Mark Van Allen (Blueground Undergrass vers. 1.0). I was at the original show with Vassar and it was phenominal. |
Bob Wall
Intermediate Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 362
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, October 16, 2006 - 11:03 pm: |
|
And of course, Vance just reminded me of one of the albums that got me paying attention to Bluegrass way back when.
Old & in the Way:
1975
Jerry Garcia - Banjo and vocals
David Grisman - Mandolin and vocals
Peter Rowan - Guitar and vocals
Vassar Clements - Fiddle
John Kahn - Acoustic bass
Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and he'll waste a lifetime.
|
Marlon Lang
Advanced Member
Username: Marlonlang
Post Number: 634
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 01:36 am: |
|
To my mind, the definitive Bluegrass was "Flatt and Scruggs:, a.k.a Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Scruggs did the banjo in Dueling Banjos (Deliverance). For you anul types, Bluegrass is ALWAYS done in the key of "G". Monroe would occasionally cheat and slip into "C".
__________________________
This space awaits confirmation of cosmic unity. |
Colby Enck
Intermediate Member
Username: Thecheese
Post Number: 369
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 02:34 pm: |
|
Hey, I actually have a disc called something like "(Not) For Kids Only." It's Garcia and Grisman doing some more whimsical tunes. I listen to it a lot. Wasn't sure if that would be considered bluegrass, though.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far, everyone. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 1138
Registered: 02-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 02:36 pm: |
|
I agree with Marlon that F&S is "definitive", but I enjoy Monroe. Dan Timinsky, too, for that matter. I'm no more wedded to having my music be "appropriate to style" than I am about my homebrew. After all, John Lee Hooker regularly broke every "rule" there was about the 12-bar blues style, but I find his work more compelling than 98% of the stuff which obeys them.
I can't add to the bluegrass recommendations already made, but I will plug my favorite hillbilly/old-time country band. If you have any interest in rural American music from before WWI, you need to check out the Wiyos (http://www.thewiyos.com). They've got 2 CDs out, one of old standards and one of original material in that style. Both are excellent.
Vegetables aren't food. Vegetables are what food eats.
|
Brewtun
New Member
Username: Brewtun1
Post Number: 8
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 04:44 pm: |
|
Hey Dan,
How many times in a row can you listen to FreeBird?
Ralph Stanley rules! |
Marlon Lang
Advanced Member
Username: Marlonlang
Post Number: 635
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2006 - 11:08 pm: |
|
Hey Paul,
One day, when you've got nothing better to do, compare John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chilin" with ZZ Tops', "LaGrange". Imagine that! Same song, different genre. |
Paul Hayslett
Senior Member
Username: Paulhayslett
Post Number: 1140
Registered: 02-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 12:22 am: |
|
Marlon,
I love that kind of "comparative musicology". Lately I've been tracking down and listening to different versions of "Frankie and Johnny/Albert". It's amazing how different it is in the hands of say Fats Waller and Taj Mahal. Different tone, different tempo, different moral. All from the same basic material.
Vegetables aren't food. Vegetables are what food eats.
|
Beerboy AKA The Jolly Brewer
Senior Member
Username: Matfink
Post Number: 1243
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 04:21 pm: |
|
Not so much bluegrass, but Gillian Welch is pretty good for that old style mountain sound. I can;t get enough of her. Love Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent, F&S, Old crow mediceine show, I'm still a bit limited but I'm broadening my collection.
Also check out The Be Good Tanyas, much more mellow, but really nice old time music |
Beerboy AKA The Jolly Brewer
Senior Member
Username: Matfink
Post Number: 1244
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 04:22 pm: |
|
Hey Paul I love that song, My favourite is the version by Mississippi John Hurt, my all time favourite bluesman, totally underated IMO, if you haven't heard it, I'll email it to you. Drop me a line.
(Message edited by matfink on October 18, 2006) |
Martin Stutz
Junior Member
Username: Stillbrewing
Post Number: 90
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 04:46 pm: |
|
Beerboy / Paul,
Another good version of Frankie and Albert was done by Chris Smither on "Avalon Blues- a Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt" (amazing CD BTW). I also saw a local (Montreal) guy named Adam Karch do a good cover at the Tremblant Blues festival in July.
Martin |
Bob Wall
Intermediate Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 371
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 09:40 pm: |
|
Colby,
I have the Garcia/Grisman "Not For Kids Only" When I bought it, I had to laugh because when I was a kid, we used to sing some of those songs in elementary school music class.
Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and he'll waste a lifetime.
|
Beerboy AKA The Jolly Brewer
Senior Member
Username: Matfink
Post Number: 1246
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 09:45 am: |
|
Martin, I've got Avalon blues, that's a great CD, and Beulah land by Gillian Welch is what got me into her. |
Colby Enck
Intermediate Member
Username: Thecheese
Post Number: 370
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 10:31 am: |
|
Bob: I know what you mean. Would you call that bluegrass, though? Isn't the stuff on that CD more "folk"? I reckon there's some overlap betwixt the two genres.
Not to be a style nazi or anything. ;) |
Bob Wall
Intermediate Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 376
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 09:06 pm: |
|
Colby,
I forget who said it, but I think it is appropriate in this case:
"Talking about music, is like dancing about architecture"
Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and he'll waste a lifetime.
|
Colby Enck
Intermediate Member
Username: Thecheese
Post Number: 372
Registered: 06-2003
| | Posted on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 01:50 pm: |
|
Right.
Gimme a few homebrews, and I'll talk about music. Gimme a few more, I might dance about architecture.  |
Bob Wall
Intermediate Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 379
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 03:35 pm: |
|
Be sure to post the photos! 
Give a man a beer and he'll waste an hour. Teach a man to brew and he'll waste a lifetime.
|
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 5925
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, October 21, 2006 - 12:48 am: |
|
My first exposure to bluegrass was Dusty Springfield's (who of course was English) version of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" in the mid-Sixties, which was later redone by Linda Ronstadt. But what really got me into the genre was Old & in the Way, which has already been mentioned. After that I discovered Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs. As for newer interpreters, I'll second the recommendation for Gillian Welch and also mention Alison Krauss. And we shouldn't forget Bela Fleck, who has bent bluegrass in several other directions, including jazz.
(Message edited by BillPierce on October 21, 2006) |
Miker
Advanced Member
Username: Miker
Post Number: 600
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 02:45 pm: |
|
Saw Bela at Telluride this summer but his latest funk-fusion stuff is not my style. Definitely not bluegrass anymore. But, then I never knew Silver Threads and Golden Needles was bluegrass either.
Darn, now I can't get that stupid song out of my head.
Was listening to Old & in the Way this weekend and it's still sounding great.
Haven't heard the Avalon Blues album, but will second the Chris Smither recommendation for some good New Orleans folk/blues. Saw him at a house concert a while back and can't wait to see him again. |
Miker
Advanced Member
Username: Miker
Post Number: 606
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 31, 2006 - 04:15 pm: |
|
Had to dig this thread up again, since I have a beer-related story to go with the Bluegrass. Just found out that I won 2 four day passes to Telluride Bluegrass Festival for next summer! Seems I won a drawing for those who filled out their on-line survey from last year. Great news since we had pretty much decided not to go next year - too darn expensive.
One of the friends we camped with last year is owner of a brewpub in another part of the state so he was bringing the beer. He showed up very late Thurs. night and hooked up the keg and poured maybe a couple of beers before everyone went to bed. This is in June. But, the lines froze and expanded overnight causing a leak and by morning ALL 15.5 gallons of beer was in the Brute trash can holding the keg and ice.
Ahhhhhh! No beer!
Ok, so I admit it did cross my mind that we could somehow drink the beer out of the trash can but sanity returned when I figured that heck, we can just buy Fat Tire at the festival if we want to drink watered-down beer.
But, not to worry.
Luckily, he knew the brewer of the Telluride brewery, we all pitched in and he was back well before noon with a freshly filled keg and the day was saved.
And, the music was oh, so sweet.
(Message edited by miker on October 31, 2006) |
Nathan Eddy
Junior Member
Username: Nathan_eddy
Post Number: 90
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 08:43 pm: |
|
Bela Fleck is amazing. While his band is more jazz-fusion, he can definitely play straight-up bluegrass as good as--if not better--than any banjo player in history. He's truly a virtuoso. Look for their stuff on Youtube. Be prepared to get blown away! |
Jake Isaacs
Intermediate Member
Username: Jake
Post Number: 375
Registered: 04-2002
| | Posted on Friday, December 01, 2006 - 10:18 pm: |
|
I've seen the Bela Fleck and Flecktones (I must say that Victor Wooten is to the bass as Bela is to the banjo) many times. One of the most memorable was a few days after 9/11. Towards the end of the show, Bela played a classical rendition of the Star Spangled Banner that didn't leave a dry eye in the house.
I tend to like the Newgrass more than the straight-up bluegrass. One of my favorite Newgrass albums is "The Bluegrass Sessions" with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, and a bunch of other stellar players.
One nice thing about living in Nashville is that I'm about a mile from the Station Inn, one of the premier bluegrass venues of the world (though it's pretty much a hole in the wall). On Sunday nights they have a free bluegrass jam session. |
Nathan Eddy
Junior Member
Username: Nathan_eddy
Post Number: 93
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, December 03, 2006 - 02:07 am: |
|
I saw them a few weeks after 9/11. I know what you're talking about. It was truly moving. And it was the first time my wife and I got out of the house after our boy was born. We got a gift certificate for Red Lobster, had a $100 meal, and then went to see Bela Fleck. It was celebratory, and sad at the same time. We felt glad to be alive. What more can you ask for in a night? |
World Expressions