The Truffle Valley Boys, based in Italy, have a clear goal and mission with their music. With their vintage instruments, single microphone, homburg hats, and shirts and ties, the group is paying homage to the forefathers of bluegrass music’s earliest decades. This comes through in their music as well. The group’s latest release, The Truffle Valley Boys Sing And Play Authentic Blue Grass has by far the most fitting album title of any.
You’ll Never Find Another leads us into the recording. From the opening notes of Germano Ciavone’s banjo kickoff and Matteo Ringressi’s aggressive mandolin picking, this track strongly indicates what the listener can expect from this recording. It should be mentioned that this project was recorded live with a 1950s Altec microphone and all analog equipment was used. This to me is part of what makes the Truffle Valley Boys and their authenticity so appealing.
Have Mercy On Me by Mac Wiseman is a marvelous demonstration of the Josh Graves inspired dobro playing by Denny Rocchio, and the strong vocal harmonies from the group as well. Along with Rocchio, Ringressi, and Ciavone, the Truffle Valley Boys also consist of Emanuele Valente on bass.
High As a Mountain was first recorded by country singer Buck Owens in 1961. The Truffle Valley Boys’ arrangement is patterned after the classic recordings made by Flatt & Scruggs on Columbia Records in the early 1950s. It’s one of several standout tracks.
I Could Love You All The Time was written by Cuddles Newsome and first recorded by his band, the Flat Mountain Boys, in the mid 1950s. This track features heavy duty mandolin work from Matteo Ringressi. This is one of those raw performances that should be carefully studied by aspiring mandolinists
Green Light In My Heart was first recorded by rockabilly singer Don Epperson in 1961. The Truffle Valley Boys’ interpretation of the song carries somewhat of a swing feel to it, featuring excellent dobro from Rocchio and first rate duet singing from Ringressi and Ciavone.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this recording is the band’s ability to switch between instruments. Pretty much every member of the Truffle Valley Boys with the exception of Emanuele Valente all play guitar at different points on the album. Most impressive though is Matteo Ringressi’s fiddling, which is featured on I Promise You and Wasted Love. These two tracks demonstrate Ringressi’s command of bluegrass and country fiddle styles from the earliest decades.
The Truffle Valley Boys Sing and Play Authentic Blue Grass gives a definitive summary of the group as a whole. While they’re honoring those that crafted this music, they’re not at all rehashing standard classics. Instead they’ve gathered obscure material from a wealth of sources, and have rendered it in a truly reverent fashion. This is a fine work, one that deserves to be listened to and studied for years to come.
