Bluegrass Done Right – Right Now!
If you’re like me, you get this hankering for some bluegrass music from time to time. You’re like me, right? If you are, you probably bought a banjo, a guitar, a mandolin, and all sorts of albums and instruction books just trying to sound like those guys on the recordings. You wanted to be a part of the music; I know I did! I loved bluegrass music in the 70s and 80s – a lot. Every group had a sound, and after a few sparkling notes from a banjo or a guitar I could immediately identify the group and most of the players. Then suddenly, somewhere in the early 90s things changed; everyone started sounding the same: capo at 4, 125 bpm, blues licks, and flat 7s to spare. I soon grew tired of it, and I quit listening.
Then a couple of months ago I was dragged (kicking and screaming) to a release party for the Hamilton County Ramblers. I expected the same old same old form the past 25 years of “mash in B”. It didn’t take long to realize that these guys didn’t do that. What? How could a modern group steer clear of that trap? Never once, in two hour long sets did these guys play in B. The keys varied, the tempos varied, and they played a good selection of classics and original tunes without once “mashing” anything. It was exhilarating. At the show intermission I sat fixed in my seat. I was completely blown away. It had been so long since I heard something so refreshing – so new – so exciting.
Obviously, at the end of the show I bought a CD – even got it autographed. The guys all just joked around and talked to everyone like they had known them forever. They all humbly accepted compliments as if they we embarrassed to hear them. “Oh, we just like to play and have a good time…” They’d say.
That was in October. Since then I’ve had no other CD in my truck. Seriously, I’ve listened to nothing but the Hamilton County Ramblers since October. It’s a good thing that a CD doesn’t wear out, or I’d have had to replace it a couple of times. I’ve since memorized every word to every song and I’ve about got all the guitar parts memorized – can’t play them, but I can sing them.
Josh Hixson’s solid bass playing, Roy Curry’s strong rhythm work and Jim Pankey’s driving banjo set the rhythmic foundation for James Kee’s mandolin and John Boulware’s fiddle – in stone! It’s lively, not sterile like so many albums you’ll hear on the radio – but it’s strong, and you can feel the ebb and flow of the rhythm and how everyone in the band reacts to it.
The instrumental work is amazing. James Kee is definately one of today’s finest mandolin players. His playing really shines on “I Hear You Talking”, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg, each mandolin break leaves you wanting more. Three time National Flat Picking Champion Roy Curry’s guitar work is stellar as one would expect. John Boulware’s fiddling is exciting and dynamic, “Old Chattanooga” shows exactly how versatile he is. The banjo tone on this recording is amazing and provided by none other than Jim Pankey – one of the most versatile banjo players I’ve ever met. His bluegrass style is reminiscent of the players from the 60s and 70s and his old-time playing is sweet and melodious.
That brings us to the singing. “Hard Times” is an a capella number that leaves you wishing for another verse. The vocal blend on this tune literally gives me goosebumps. James Kee’s voice on the James Taylor classic “Copperline” sounds so smooth and inviting; there’s no way anyone could fast forward through that tune. Josh Hixson’s vocals on “Wave the Ocean” and “I Just Came Back to Say Goodbye” are soulful and honest. The harmonies are tight and the arrangements are just perfect.
If there’s a fault with this album I just can’t find it – other than it being only eleven tracks, and even then I’ve not begun to tire of hearing them over and over.
I can only hope this release represents the future of bluegrass, and I’ll look forward to hearing other bands follow the Hamilton County Ramblers’ lead and move into the future and begin playing bluegrass the way it should be played (at least in this writer’s opinion). Mostly, I’m looking forward to hearing more from the Hamilton County Ramblers.
Go buy this album!