Brooklyn’s Jones Street Station has taken a circuitous route to bluegrass. Two of its founding members, Jonathan Hull and Danny Erker, had met attending a bluegrass jam in Manhattan’s West Village in the early part of this century. Soon they had formed a group with Walt Wells, JB Benedict, and Sam Rockwell playing a mix of rock and Americana, with touches of bluegrass, but no one would have called them a bluegrass band.
They’ve created a number of albums with that eclectic mix of styles, drawing comparisons to alternative artists like Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, before the various members began moving to other parts of the country. The Station continues to write and record together remotely, sharing files among themselves online, with Erker and Hull remaining in New York.
But now Danny and Jonathan have returned to those bluegrass roots with Wolf At The Door, an album of straight ahead grass recorded with some of the top pickers on the NYC scene. They chose familiar bluegrass numbers that resonate with them. Danny is on mandolin and vocals, with Jonathan on harmonica and vocals. Other players include:
- Rick Snell – Guitar
- Jared Engel – Bass
- Ellery Marshall – Banjo
- Doug Goldstein – Banjo
- Nick Reeb – Fiddle
- Sam Barnes – Fiddle
- Todd Livingston – Dobro
- Maddy Wyatt – Vocals
It’s urban bluegrass! The guys liked the result so well that they have offered to give Bluegrass Today readers a free stream to check it for themselves.
Of course, they hope some of you will swing by iTunes or Google Play and get a copy of your own, or maybe give one as a gift.
