One especially gratifying aspect of bluegrass culture is the way we continue to honor the older members of the community, even as the younger performers generate most of the excitement in the music. A great example is Bobby Osborne, whose next album, Original, is among the most highly-anticipated new projects on the horizon this spring.
Another is Al Jones, who at 84, is surely playing the senior circuit. Longtime grassers will recall his work with Frank Necessary and the Spruce Mountain Boys who ground out hard core traditional bluegrassers in the tough bars around Baltimore and DC during the 1970s. Some called it “The Baltimore Sound,” but anyone will recognize it as old school.
Now comes news of a new album from Jones, one that has been under wraps for the past 3 and a half years since it was recorded. Al Jones Sings Again will be a welcome addition to anyone’s library of traditional bluegrass when it is released in June. A limited run of 500 copies will be pressed initially.
The album was produced by Matt Ringressi and Alex Leach, and was tracked in a basement studio in Salem, VA by Jerry Steinberg. Alex played guitar and Matt banjo, with Tim Martin on fiddle, Steinberg on bass, Travers Chandler on mandolin, and Jones singing the lead and tenor vocals.
Here’s a brief video tease to give you a flavor of the project.
Ringressi says that ordering information will be announced shortly, so keep an eye on his Facebook page for more details.
