Forget all those jokes that take aim at banjo players. As Damien O'Kane and Ron Block proudly proclaim on the inside sleeve of their new joint venture, appropriately titled Banjophonics, "Ain't no thang, like a banjo strang." Banjophonics drives that point
Music Reviews
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Eddie Ray – Eddie Ray Buzzini
Eddie Ray Buzzini (whose given name is Ettore) makes his home in Mooresville, North Carolina. Just fifteen years old at the time of this recording's release, the young banjoist lives with his Swiss-Italian father and American mother born in East
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The Broken Circle Sessions – Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra
The distance separating Norway from North America seems insignificant when Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra take the stage and share the sounds inspired by their seminal influences. After making their mark with Migrants, their well-received debut, the eight piece ensemble take things
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Riveter – Sami Braman
Often times with fiddle-oriented recordings, the tunes tend to be a mix between new arrangements of standard pieces alongside original compositions. Sami Braman's debut solo release, Riveter, relies on a completely original formula, with all ten tunes composed by Braman. Sami, who began
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Bluegrass Vacation – Robbie Fulks
Bluegrass Vacation could be considered Robbie Fulks' return to his roots, both theoretically and in terms of practical purposes. Fulks' initial entry into singer/songwriter realms was preceded by a stint with Greg Cahill and his band, Special Consensus, but even
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Friends, Faith & Songs of the Sea – The Captain’s Crew
The Captain's Crew, based in North Carolina, has been recording their own brand of acoustic gospel music since 1997. With the release of their tenth album, Friends, Faith & Songs of the Sea, the group has taken a slightly different direction
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Dreams For Sale – Theo & Brenna
There's nothing that compares to a sibling duo as far as harmony, symmetry, and common intent are concerned. In bluegrass, it's a tradition that dates back to the Stanley Brothers and the Louvin Brothers, and then extends forward, to bands
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Travelers Rest – Foreign Landers
The Foreign Landers are a musical duo consisting of husband and wife, David and Tabitha Benedict. As evidenced in their first full length release, Travelers Rest, the pair are adept at playing, singing, and writing songs within multiple genres. All but one
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Bluegrass On My Mind – Fox Crossing Stringband
After only two albums, the Chicago quartet that refers to themselves as the Fox Crossing Stringband demonstrates the fact that they’re prepared to move into the upper echelon of up and coming bluegrass bands of todays current generation. Founded by
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Radioactive – Jason Barie
Jason Barie's 2019 release, Pieces, was highly regarded by bluegrass fans for its all-star guests, along with material that was firmly rooted in traditional stylings. Barie's latest effort Radioactive successfully repeats that formula, but with an arguably stronger song selection than the previous project. The recording opens