Both a musician and an instructor, Dutchman Paul Van Vlodrop was initially inspired to pick up his first guitar after seeing the Beatles in 1964, at the age of nine in his native Netherlands. Inspired by Jim Croce, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Ralph McTell, and later, Doc Watson, Merle Travis, and Chet Atkins, he found his first calling in bluegrass while playing mandolin with bands such as the Country Ramblers, Jerrycan, Freewheelin’, and Smoketown Strut, the latter of which found him on the banjo. He further established himself by sharing stages with the likes of Byron Berline, Bill Keith, and Vince Gill.
Along the way, he helped introduce the sounds of bluegrass to audiences in his home country, mostly due to his band Four Wheel Drive’s ongoing appearances on national television.
Van Vlodrop’s latest album, Alley Cat, marks his most recent achievement. With Van Vlodrop himself on vocals, guitar, banjo and mandolin, it features a lengthy cast of contributors, including Heiko Ahrend on guitar and vocals, Joost van Es on bass, violin and vocals, Arthur Deighton on guitar, Nathalie Schaap on bass and vocals, Bertolf Lentink on dobro guitar and vocals, Janos Koolen on guitar mandolin, clarinet, and vocals, Jos van Ringen on banjo, and Rens van der Zalm on violin, mandolin, and guitar.
Whew, that’s a lengthy list, but fortunately the assets all pay off. Alley Cat is an impressive effort, an album chock full of expressive melodies and, naturally enough, astute instrumentation. The rousing opening track, Keep On Pushin’, offers first indication while staying true to its title. Hamilton County Breakdown, Remington Ride, and Cricket on the Hearth are lively instrumental standards that find the picking and plucking solidly in sync.
The delicate sounds shared with the title track follow suit as the song gathers steam and eventually culminates in a robust — and remarkable — full crescendo. The same can be said of the closing track, From Galway to Spencer, a riveting way to bring the proceedings to a close. The mellow and mediative Blue Umbrella, a song by the late John Prine, and a graceful cover of Willie Nelson’s Night Life, reflect the fact that van Vlodrop has a clear reverence for past precepts, but also the ability to establish a style and stance of his own.
Ultimately, Alley Cat comes across as a significant offering, one that ought to help elevate van Vlodrop to the higher standing he so decidedly deserves. Pardon the pun, but Alley Cat is indeed the cat’s meow. It’s practically purr-fest.
Anyone wishing to obtain a copy of Alley Cat is invited to contact Paul by email for details.
