The Rheinstetten-based band, 4-Star Grass, epitomizes what it means to hold international stature. Founded ten years ago, its members hail not only from Germany, but France and Switzerland as well. That's evidenced in the group's current line-up, which consists of
Author: Lee Zimmerman
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Cosmic Banjo – Michael Johnathon
As anyone even vaguely familiar with the instrument will tell you, the banjo had its origins in Africa long before it became synonymous with bluegrass and other forms of folk music. Nevertheless, the indelible imprint it's made on esoteric American
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Somewhere Beyond – Breaking Grass
With a 14 year history that’s found them releasing six well-received recordings, Breaking Grass — currently consisting of Jody Elmore (banjo, harmony vocals), Cody Farrar (guitar, lead vocals, harmony vocals), Britt Sheffield (bass, harmony vocals), Tyler Wrote (fiddle), and Zach
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Up the Hill and Through the Fog – The Slocan Ramblers
It's a credit to the Canadian outfit that calls itself The Slocan Ramblers — Darryl Poulsen (guitar, vocals), Adrain Gross (mandolin, mandola, vocals) and Frank Evans (banjo, vocals), and guest Charles Hames (bass, vocals) — that they don't allow their
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Bluegrass Beyond Borders: The Cherry Pickers from Down Under
The Cherry Pickers - photo by Silver Spring Photography When asked to describe his band's take on bluegrass, Mark Bandick, the guitarist who belongs to the Australian outfit that call themselves The Cherry Pickers, shares his thoughts succinctly. "Our sound has developed
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Andy Hall talks Infamous Stringdusters and Towards The Fray
Infamous Stringdusters have always pursued their own muse. While they retain an obvious allegiance to bluegrass, they've never felt obligated to always stay within its parameters. Their latest album, Toward the Fray, finds them confronting the issues that have plagued
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Calling You From My Mountain – Peter Rowan
Borne from previous years flush with uncertainty and strife, Peter Rowan's remarkable new album, Calling You From My Mountain, on Rebel Records, finds the legendary bluegrass standard-bearer and erstwhile musical pioneer touching on topics that deal pointedly with today's troubling circumstances.
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Amanda Gore – part of the future of bluegrass
Amanda Gore is a multi-tasking individual, but given her devotion to bluegrass and all it entails, she clearly wouldn't have it any other way. So too, the fact that she's funneled that enthusiasm from an early age, still provides all
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A Tale To Tell – Rick Lang
New England-based songwriter Rick Lang makes it clear he finds it hard to resist sharing a good story, and indeed, as indicated on his new Dark Shadow Recording album, A Tale To Tell, he's clearly proficient when it comes to
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Bluegrass Beyond Borders: FlamenGrass plays flamenco with banjo and fiddle
As noted in last month's Bluegrass Today review of their current album, Alegria, FlamenGrass defy the notion that bluegrass and flamenco are mutually exclusive. The Barcelo-based band — Lluis Gomez (5-string banjo), Carol Duran (violin/fiddle), Maribel Rivero (vocals, stand-up bass), and Javier