Rebel Records has released Surrounded, the first single from a new album by Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein. It’s a song from Jonathan Edwards, one he had included on his 2011 album, My Love Will Keep, which as you might guess, is a set of tender love ballads.
This theme, duo remakes of songs from other artists, continues throughout. They include a version of Merle Haggard’s I’m Always On A Mountain When I Fall, plus Lyle Lovett’s If I Had A Boat, which serves as the title track. There are also covers of music from Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and James Taylor.
Though their duo work isn’t strictly bluegrass, both have a long history in and around the music. Gaudreau has worked for nearly everyone in bluegrass, from Tony Rice to The Country Gentlemen, and Klein made his bones with Seldom Scene.
Surrounded is available now as a single from popular download sites, with the full project releasing on September 30. Radio programmers can download the track from Airplay Direct.
Here’s just a taste…
That’s Moondi’s daughter, Lauren, on the high harmony.
Just as focus has been on Seldom Scene this week with their first new project in seven years, here comes a live album from another DC-based group with roots in the Scene.
Chesapeake got its start when Mike Auldridge, T. Michael Coleman and Moondi Klein, all members of Seldom Scene in 1994, decided to create a side project to play more regularly than was the norm for the Scene. They were joined by Jimmy Gaudreau, who was touring at the time with Tony Rice. Recording three albums for Sugar Hill during their five years together, they were on the forefront of what is now known commonly as Americana, mixing folk, bluegrass, country and rock.
Coleman tells us that Chesapeake was in the habit of recording almost all of their live shows when they were on the road. Many bands have done so, some to critique their shows, others for posterity.
Whatever the reason for these guys, they have compiled a live album from these archives, released as Hook, Live & Sinker. All twenty tracks feature live performances of the band, with some stellar guests, none of which were contained on the three previous Chesapeake CDs.
Complete track listing follows:
Georgia
Train Of Love
Song For A Winter’s Night
By The Side Of The Road
Ginseng Sullivan
Treasures Untold
Coleen Malone
Song or The Life
California Earthquake
White Dove
Red Georgia Clay
Like I Used To Do
My Window Faces The South
I’m Working On A Building
Bartender’s Blues
The Soul Of Man Never Dies
Cypress Jam
Bill Cheatham’s Tasteless Walk On The Wild Side Of Mission Impossible
Soldier’s Joy
John Hardy
In addition to primary band members (Klein on guitar, Gaudreau on mandolin, Coleman on bass, Auldridge on reso-guitar), guests include Tony Rice, Doc Watson, Sammy Shelor, Sam Bush, John Cowan, Rickie Simpkins, Jeff Little and Larry Atamanuik.
T. Michael says that this project is very special to him.
“I was inspired to put this together after the last time Chesapeake got together to play with Mike. That was not long before he left us, so it’s partly a tribute to Mike, and of course to Doc.”
Hook, Live & Sinker can be purchased online from Chesterbury Records. It will be available soon from CD Baby, iTunes and other digital resellers.
Radio programmers can download 15 of the 20 tracks for broadcast now at Airplay Direct.
Look for Chesapeake to do so touring in support, with various guests standing in for Mike Auldridge.
Over the years, bluegrass greats have often joined forces to create interesting, first-rate duo and group albums which somewhat stretch the boundaries of bluegrass music. These musicians take their training and influences in other genres, mix it with songs and traditions of bluegrass, and come up with thoroughly enjoyable listening experiences.
Recently, two excellent musicians have come together to deliver one of these albums. Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein have recently released their second duet album, Home from the Mills, on Rebel Records.
With songs ranging from traditional bluegrass to opera, and drawing from many several well-known songwriters, Gaudreau and Klein have compiled an album which should appeal to a wide variety of listeners. Overall, the album has a peaceful, folk feel. Two tracks from Tim O’Brien make the list: the Hot Rize tune Bending Blades and Rod McNeil, a song which honors the memory of (in Klein’s words) “a true philanthropist of acoustic music.” McNeil promoted bluegrass music at the Elizabeth, Pennsylvania Moose Lodge from the 1970s-1990s, and Gaudreau and Klein have provided a pleasing, Celtic-flaired tribute. Another Celtic-sounding tune is Leaving Nancy, which at first seems to speak of a man saying goodbye to his wife as he prepares to leave on a train, but which Klein reveals in the liner notes to actually be about a son leaving his mother to seek his fortunes.
The album’s title track touches on a familiar theme in bluegrass music – the homeplace. Even though this tune refers to the small mill towns of New England, many listeners can identify with the boy who misses “the hills of the homestead.” Another standout track is a rendition of the Gordon Lightfoot tune Shadows, which listeners may recognize from the Tony Rice Unit version from the 1980s (on which Gaudreau played). Klein’s wistful vocals mix perfectly with the track’s gentle mandolin solos.
One of the most intriguing songs on the album is Enferment les Yeux, taken from the 1884 opera Manon. Klein sings the tune, which translates to “closing the eyes” and is also known as the Dream Song, in its original French, with his daughter Lauren providing harmony vocals. Another tune drawn from a very different genre is New Morning, written and originally recorded by alternative rock band Alpha Rev. The song actually sounds quite similar to Alpha Rev’s version, with an octave mandolin mimicking the electric guitar of the original cut.
As is to be expected, the musicianship on the album is excellent, with Gaudreau playing mandolin and mandola and sharing duties with Klein on guitar and octave mandolin. Two instrumentals really show off their skills: a medley of Whiskey Before Breakfast and Red Haired Boy (featuring the octave mandolin) and Fisher’s Hornpipe (an octave mandolin/mandola duet). The two show off their bluegrass skills in I’d Rather Live By the Side of the Road, which begins in a very stripped-down fashion but includes a traditional-style break with great tremolo by Gaudreau.
Gaudreau and Klein have both had successful careers in bluegrass music, and are sure to continue drawing fans with their unique acoustic music. For more information on the duo, visit their website at www.jimmyandmoondi.com.
Home from the Mills can be purchased from the website, iTunes, Amazon, and a variety of other music stores.
Jimmy Gaudreau will be the guest on this morning’s edition of Lonesome Pine RFD, airing on WFDU. The signal is available over the air at 89.1 FM in the New York City metro market, or online at www.wfdu.fm.
Host Carol Beaugard will welcome Jimmy at 11:00 a.m. (EDT) to talk about his new release with Moondi Klein, Home From The Mills.
Carol tells us that…
“I love this CD and absolutely love their duet work, so I’m really looking forward to it.
We’ll play lots of the music from the CD.
The show will also be taped for later broadcast on WAMU’s Bluegrass Country.”
Lonesome Pine RFD airs from 9:00 a.m. to noon each Friday on WFDU.
Update 9:45 a.m.– Well it looks like the interview if off for this morning. Carol just got in touch with some wonderful news…
“Jimmy called me this morning to say he has to postpone the interview because his daughter was rushed to the hospital last night to deliver his FIRST GRAND CHILD! He spent the night at the hospital and is waiting on pins and needles for the baby to be delivered.
Have to say this is the happiest reason to reschedule I’ve ever experienced!”
This week we are going to remember the life and times of America’s Blue Yodeler, the Singing Brakeman, and the Father of Country Music: the late, great Jimmie Rodgers. On Saturday, May 26, Jimmie Rodgers will have been gone 79 years.
Arguably the most significant man in American music, he has heavily influenced country, blues, folk, jazz, Hawaiian, rock, pop, Americana, western swing, jazz, and bluegrass music. To celebrate the life and times of Jimmie Rodgers, I will be highlighting a Jimmie Rodgers’ song each day and showcasing popular bluegrass versions of each song.
Any Old Time — Jimmie Rodgers
[Yodel]
I just received your letter
You’re down and out, you say
At first I thought I would tell you
To travel on the other way
But in my memory lingers
All you once were to me
I’m going to give you another chance
To prove what you can be
Any old time you want to come back home
Drop me a line and say, no more you’ll roam
You had your chance to play the game fair
And when you left me, sweetheart, you only left a load of care
Now that you’re down, I’m going to stick by you
If you will only say your roaming days are through
You’ll find me here like the day you left me alone
Any old time you wanna come back home
You’ll find me right here like the day you left me alone
Any old time you wanna come back home, home, home
One aspect of Jimmie Rodgers that makes him so unique in American music is the sheer variety of musical styles he recorded during his short musical career. His original recording of Any Old Time may surprise many who have not heard it.
Any Old Time was recorded as a vaudeville/Dixieland jazz number. This may come as a shock to many who may not see the Father of Country Music in this light. Jimmie’s recording begins with him and his acoustic guitar, but finishes out with a complete jazz ensemble complete with piano, trumpet, and trombone. The Del McCoury Band and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band could have some fun with this one!
Jimmie’s influence in jazz music is oft-forgotten. Many of his tunes included horns and a very jazz-influenced fiddle. The greatest jazz musician of all time, Louis Armstrong, even had ties to Jimmie Rodgers. Back in 1930, a 29 year old Armstrong took part in a recording session in Hollywood, CA where he was asked to play behind America’s Blue Yodeler. With Louis on trumpet, and Lil Armstrong (Louis’s second wife) on piano, Jimmie sang Blue Yodel #9 (Standing On The Corner), which is one of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
Even without the Dixieland instrumentation, Any Old Time is still a very jazzy song. The melody has a very vaudeville feel to it, even without the horns. The jazzy feel to the tune makes it very easy for artists to let loose and have a good time recording this classic Jimmie Rodgers song.
Beautifully written, the song tells of a man who is giving a past lover a second chance. Although he has been hurt by this woman, he feels sympathy since she has not been doing well since leaving him. He decides to give her the chance to come back as long as she promises to be true.
You’ll find me here like the day you left me alone
Any old time you wanna come back home.
This song runs deep with emotion. Sadness, anger, pain, love, forgiveness, betrayal- it’s all here. This may be why it still resonates with audiences eighty years later.
Any Old Time has been recorded by many acoustic and bluegrass artists perhaps most memorably for bluegrass fans by Tony Rice on his Church Street Bluesalbum.
One of my favorites on the album, Tony’s voice soar on Any Old Time. Vocally, it is easily one of his best songs ever; he makes it seems so natural. The jazz feel to the song’s melody does nothing but help him.Rice’s guitar work on the song may seem simple compared to his mind-boggling work on others, but it is a perfect match to Rodgers’ style, and leaves more room for Rice’s vocals to shine. This is a more stripped-down rendition of the song compared to Jimmie’s original version, which many will find refreshing.
Another stellar version of Any Old Time which many bluegrass fans may not know is available comes from Alison Krauss & Union Station. In 1997, Bob Dylan led the charge to record a Jimmie Rodgers tribute album. The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers – A Tributeincluded such artists as Dwight Yoakam, John Mellencamp, Iris Dement, David Grisman, Willie Nelson, Jerry Garcia, Steve Earle, Bono, and AKUS performing some of Rodgers’ most well-known songs.
Alison’s version of Any Old Time is hands-down the best recording on the album. The track begins slowed down with simply Alison and a piano, then picks up the tempo and adds in mandolin, guitar, bass, and light drums. The arrangement for this song is great. It pays homage to the Father of Country Music, while still keeping it Alison Krauss. She sings her heart out and delivers the song’s lyric in a very honest way, brilliantly unveiling all of the song’s emotional subtleties in a way only Alison can. This is a recording every bluegrass fan needs to have.
Bluegrass and bluegrass-related artists such as Sara Watkins, Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein, and Doc Watson have also recorded Any Old Time, as have country stars such as Webb Pierce, Ernest Tubb, and Hank Snow. Hopefully, you’ll listen to any or all of the aforementioned renditions of this Rodgers classic and understand what makes this song appealing people of all generations.
Come back tomorrow for Rodgers Rememberance Vol III: Frankie and Johnny.
If you enjoy the Rodgers Remembrances this week, feel free to tune in to my radio program, Bending The Strings, this Saturday afternoon on My Classic Country from 3:00-5:00 p.m. (EDT). In honor of the life of Jimmie Rodgers, I will be producing a very special tribute show including many of the songs discussed in the Rodgers Remembrances this week. You won’t want to miss it!
It’s for the song, New Morning, written by Casey B. McPherson. The video, directed by Dan Almoney and Ed Fox with Media Boomtown, features Jimmy and Moondi performing the song, with vocal assistance from Klein’s daughter, Lauren.
There are audio samples from the other tracks in iTunes, and on the duo’s web site.
Rebel Records has announced May 8 as the release date for Home From The Mills, the second recording from the duo of Jimmy Gaudreau & Moondi Klein.
This pair of bluegrass veterans have served their time in some of the most celebrated acts in the business: Jimmy with The Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe & The New South, and The Tony Rice Unit; Moondi with Seldom Scene and Chesapeake.
Their debut project, 2:10 Train, was well-received in 2008, making a follow-up all but inevitable. The new album was again recorded duet-style, with Klein on guitar and vocals, and Jimmy singing and playing mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin and guitar. Moondi’s daughter, Lauren Klein, adds harmony vocals.
To whet your appetite, Rebel has sent us a trio of audio samples. First up is the title track, written by Paul Lawrence Mellyn.
Home From The Mills: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/home_from_the_mills.mp3]
Here’s another new song, this one from Casey B. McPherson.
New Morning: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/new_morning.mp3]
And a fine old-time fiddle tune, included as part of a medley on the record.
Whiskey Before Breakfast: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/whisley.mp3]
Here’s another update on the ongoing campaign to petition the US Postal Service to honor Bill Monroe with his very own postage stamp – and we have some very encouraging news!
People and organizations all over the US have been circulating petitions and returning them to the manager of stamp services for the USPS. The campaign has picked up steam this year in the hope of seeing the stamp issued in 2012, which will mark the centennial of Bill Monroe’s birth on September 13.
The good news comes in the form of a letter from Terrence McCaffrey, manager of the USPS stamp development office, in response to a set of signed petitions turned in by the Seven Mountains Bluegrass Association in Pennsylvania.
The letter indicates that the Bill Monroe stamp is under consideration for issuance, and that subjects for the 2012 release schedule are now being selected. Now is the time to double down, folks!
You can find all the details to print petitions to be completed, and the addresses where they should be sent, here on Bluegrass Today. Take them to a jam or a bluegrass concert, get your family and friends to sign, irritate your neighbors…
If enough bluegrass lovers participate, we’ll all be able to celebrate the founder of bluegrass music with an official US postage stamp in 2012.
We heard recently from Gianluca Tramontana, who hosts a weekly radio program in England. Sitting with Gianluca airs each Wednesday evening at 10:00 p.m. (GMT) on Resonance 104.4 with a mix of live music and discussion with roots music artists.
His guests last week were Jimmy Gaudreau and Moondi Klein, who sat for an interview with Tramontana in the basement of the Town Hall in New York, waiting to open for Emmylou Harris.
They talked with Gianluca about their music and their terrific CD, 2:10 Train, released on Rebel in 2008, and picked a few for the radio microphones.
You can hear the podcast from the show on the Sitting with Gianlucaweb site.
