Mary McCaslin's Roundup
April,
14 2007
In the liner notes for his new CD, Try Me One More Time, (Appleseed #1099)
David Bromberg writes that it sounds like a field recording…just a guy doing
tunes.
Well, not quite. It's a recording of one of the best acoustic guitarists ever
"doing tunes." David is a member of a very select group of finger
pickers which includes the late Dave Van Ronk, Jorma Kaukonen, Roy Book Binder,
Taj Mahal and Paul Geremia. These incredibly talented players followed in
the musical steps of the Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert
Johnson, Elizabeth Cotten and others in the previous generation of country
folk guitarists.
Try Me One More Time is a collection of mostly traditional songs sung and
accompanied on solo guitar. The first track, which is the title song, features
some of David's fine slide work. On most cuts David is finger picking, with
some slide thrown in, but he also showcases his considerable ability as a
flat picker on "When First Unto This Country." "Buckdancer's
Choice" and "Hey Bub" are tasty instrumentals. He is such an
expressive and lyrical player that each track stands out. I started to make
a list of my favorite songs and discovered that I had written down nearly
every one.
The drawing on the front and the photo on the back are updates of the graphics
from an earlier Bromberg LP, which caused me to wonder briefly if this was
a re-issue when I first saw it at Streetlight. But this is no re-issue, even
if David has performed many of these songs for years - and maybe recorded
one or two of them previously. This is a long awaited recording by one of
the best American musicians living today.
Another great country blues guitarist, Paul Geremia will be sharing an evening
of music at Don Quixote's in Felton with bluegrass legends Eric and Suzy Thompson
on Thursday, May 24th. More about this show next column.
HELP FOR AN OLD FRIEND
Bass player extraordinaire Bill Laymon has had a run of serious health problems
over the last couple of years. As a result, he has not been able to tour with
his long time band mates in the David Nelson Band. Like many musicians Bill
has no medical coverage and is now deeply in debt.
On Sunday, June 24th a contingency of Bill's friends, who also just happen
to be an assortment of some of the most popular musicians in and around the
Monterey Bay, will be performing at a benefit concert at Don Quixote's. Money
raised will go to help with his overwhelming medical bills.
So far, the musical line-up for the June 24th benefit concert includes Lacy
J. Dalton, the Ginny Mitchell Band, Harmony Grits, Jimmy Jackson, Craig Owens,
Annie Steinhart, Pat Nevins, Mary McCaslin, Larry Hosford, Jeff and Rachel
Cruse and JC Flyer.
For information call (831) 603-2294 or go to www.donquixotesmusic.com.
Email Mary McCaslin at roundup@marymccaslin.com.