John Hartford: Gum Tree Canoe

Flying Fish – FF289

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: United States
Released: 1984
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 I'm Still Here (2:53)
A2 Way Down The River Road (2:17)
A3 Gum Tree Canoe (4:05)
A4 Your Long Journey (2:25)
A5 Jug Harris (2:24)
B1 Little Piece Of My Heart (3:11)
B2 Take Me Back To My Mississippi River Home (3:53)
B3 Lorena (4:44)
B4 Wrong Road Again (2:49)
B5 No Expectations (4:06)
[Credits]
John Hartford (banjo/guitar/fiddle/plywood/vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin) Roy Huskey (bass) Jack Clement (dobro/guitar/ukulele) Jerry Douglas (dobro) Mark Howard (guitar) Marty Stuart (mandolin) Kenny Malone (drums/percussion) Mark O'Connor (fiddle/guitar/mandolin) Billy Lee Riley (french harp) Richard Schulman (vocals) Jeannie Seely (vocals) Tommy Hannum (vocals)
[Notes]
Hartford's most even Flying Fish album, with equal measures of songwriting whimsy and expert musicianship, Gum Tree Canoe includes a number of tunes that would remain concert staples for the length of his career. From the relaxed stroll of the album's title track to a rendition of Doc Watson's "Your Long Journey" to an original breakneck bluegrass instrumental, "Jug Harris," there's not a clinker to be heard. Hartford's banjo playing is exceptional, as is the accompaniment provided by a host of fine country, bluegrass, and newgrass pickers, Roy Huskey, Jr., Sam Bush, and Jerry Douglas among them. Riverboat tales, an R&B staple, and the Rolling Stones couldn't sound more at home together than they do on this fine album from one of roots music's genuine originals. Flying Fish's remastered CD, issued in 2001, includes two previously unreleased tunes and a short written tribute by Hartford String Band banjo player Bob Carlin.-- AllMusic Review by Brian Beatty

O'Connor Band: Coming Home

Rounder Records – 1166100003

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2016
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Bluegrass, Country
[Tracklist]
01 Always Do (3:13)
02 Coming Home (3:23)
03 I Haven't Said I Love You In A While (3:53)
04 Ruby, Are You Mad At Your Man? (3:02)
05 What Have I Been Saying? (3:48)
06 Jerusalem Ridge (3:40)
07 The Sweet Ones (3:09)
08 Blacktop Boy (3:42)
09 You Too (3:44)
10 Fishers Hornpipe (3:42)
11 Old Black Creek (3:39)
12 Fiddler Going Home (5:00)
[Credits]
Mark O'Connor (fiddle/vocals) Kate Lee (vocals) Forrest O'Connor (mandolin/vocals) Maggie O'Connor (fiddle/vocals) Geoff Saunders (banjo/bass/vocals) Joe Smart (guitar/vocals)
Producers: Forrest O'Connor, Gregg Field and Mark O'Connor, Designer: Jimmy Hole, Photographer: John David Pittman, Engineers: Neal Cappellino, Jorge Velasco, Owen Lewis and Gregg Field
[Notes]
If there's a gold standard for fiddling in American music, it's Mark O'Connor, an artist who has earned his stripes as one of the finest instrumentalists in bluegrass, country, jazz, and classical. Given how far he's pushed the boundaries of his music and his instrument, it's just a bit surprising that he's opted to dip his toes into one of the most traditional formats in bluegrass, the family band, but you can't argue much with the results. Released in 2016, Coming Home is the first album from the O'Connor Band, which along with Mark features his wife Maggie O'Connor on violin, his son Forrest O'Connor on mandolin and vocals, and his daughter-in-law Kate Lee on violin and vocals. (Friends of the family Joe Smart on guitar and Geoff Saunders on bass fill out the arrangements.) While three fiddlers might seem like overkill, this group manages to merge them seamlessly, sounding like a tiny orchestra on "Fishers Hornpipe," weaving gracefully through the title track, and bringing their voices together in sweet sorrow on "Fiddler Going Home." The guitar and mandolin lend the melodies a fine rhythmic counterpoint, and the group's harmonies are excellent. Mark O'Connor is clearly the star of this show, but his bandmates are more than capable, and Forrest O'Connor and Kate Lee are fine lead vocalists who season the group's instrumental blend with impressive skill. While some of Lee's songwriting leans a bit hard on pop-country tropes, the musicians more than compensate, and the material moves back and forth between traditionalism and contemporary bluegrass styles with easy authority. Coming Home is a splendid set of modern-day bluegrass with deep Appalachian soul, and proof that there's a lot of talent in the O'Connor household besides the guy with the hat. -- AllMusic Review by Mark Deming

The Definitive Doc Watson

Sugar Hill Records – SUG-CD-4097097

Format: 2 x CD, Compilation
Country: US
Released: 2013
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Folk
[Disk One]
01 The Cyclone Of Rye Cove (2:22)
02 St. Louis Blues (2:35)
03 The House Carpenter (3:55)
04 The Wagoner's Lad (3:17)
05 Anniversary Blue Yodel (Blue Yodel #7) (2:10)
06 Sitting On Top Of The World (2:39)
07 Black Mountain Rag (1:33)
08 Country Blues (3:32)
09 Weary Blues (2:43)
10 Little Sadie (2:01)
11 Dreams Of The Miner's Child (2:51)
12 Southbound (2:52)
13 Tennessee Stud (3:38)
14 Blue Railroad Train (2:46)
15 Georgie (2:47)
16 Katie Morey (2:25)
17 Matty Groves (6:04)
[Disk Two]
01 Whistlin' Rufus/Ragtime Annie (4:04)
02 Big Spike Hammer (3:14)
03 Listening To The Rain (3:15)
04 Willie Moore (4:04)
05 My Rough And Rowdy Ways (2:32)
06 The Wreck Of The Number Nine (2:58)
07 Omie Wise (5:27)
08 Shady Grove (2:59)
90 Watson's Blues (3:32)
10 Slidin' Delta (2:03)
11 Bright Sunny South (2:38)
12 Greenville Testle High (3:28)
13 I'm Going Back To The Old Home (2:14)
14 George Gudger's Overalls (3:26)
15 The Ninety And The Nine (2:36)
16 Your Lone Journey (2:48)
17 Whiskey Before Breakfast (2:53)
[Credits]
Doc Watson (guitar/banjo/vocals) Merle Watson (guitar/banjo) Sam Bush (mandolin/fiddle) Marty Stuart (mandolin) Mark O'Connor (fiddle) Stuart Duncan (fiddle) Dan Crary (guitar) Bryan Sutton (guitar) Jack Lawrence (guitar) John Herald (guitar) Béla Fleck (banjo) Buddy Davis (bass) T. Michael Coleman (bass) Junior Huskey (bass) Roy Huskey Jr. (bass) Russ Savukus (bass) Eric Weissberg (bass) Pat McInerney (percussion) Alan O'Bryant (vocal/harmony)
Producer: Fred Jaspe, Liner Notes: Derek Halsey, Cover Illustration: Carrie Smith, Photographer: Peter Figen, Mastering: David Glasser
[Notes]
Arthel "Doc" Watson was nearly 40 years old and had been playing guitar and banjo most of his life when he was discovered as part of the folk music revival of the early '60s; Watson was a remarkably gifted instrumentalist who had a nearly encyclopedic knowledge of traditional folk and country songs, and he became a cornerstone artist on the folk music scene, as he recorded and toured regularly until his death in 2012. A massive influence on such pickers as Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Clarence White, Watson left behind a massive body of work, and The Definitive Doc Watson is a two-disc set that brings together highlights from his recordings for Vanguard and Sugar Hill Records. While this means that a large portion of Watson's catalog is left unrepresented, Vanguard and Sugar Hill happen to be two of the labels with which Watson had the longest and most fruitful relationship, so this gives the set a broader focus than one might imagine. And while this set is a bit short of truly being "definitive" -- it would take a cross-licensed box set to truly fit that description -- there's plenty of great music here, and these 34 tracks show off Watson's warm, rich, unaffected vocals, superlative flat-picked guitar, and impressive banjo work to excellent advantage. A collection of essential songs performed by a master of the form, The Definitive Doc Watson is a fine introduction to a giant of American folk music, and a strong if somewhat limited sampler of his recording career. -- AllMusicReview by Mark Deming

Will The Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Universal Records UVLD-12500

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country Rock, Bluegrass
[Tracklis]
01 Life's Railway To Heaven: Johnny Cash (4:21)
02 Grandpa Was A Carpenter: Jimmy Ibbotson (3:10)
03 When I Get My Rewards: Levon Helm (4:26)
04 Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan / John Cowan (3:32)
05 Little Mountain Church House: Ricky Skaggs (3:32)
06 And So It Goes: John Denver (3:33)
07 When It's Gone: Jimmy Ibbotson (2:33)
08 Mary Danced With Soldiers: Emmylou Harris (2:57)
09 Riding Alone: Emmylou Harris (2:34)
10 I'm Sittin' On Top Of The World: Jimmy Martin (3:07)
11 Lovin' On The Side: Paulette Carson (2:56)
12 Lost River: Bob Carpenter (3:11)
13 Bayou Jubilee: Sam Bush (2:52)
14 Blues Berry Hill: Instrument (3:10)
15 Turn Of The Century: Jimmy Ibbotson / Jeff Hanna / Bob Carpenter (3:38)
16 One Step Over The Line: Rosanne Cash (4:20)
17 You Ain't Going Nowhere: Roger McGuinn / Chris Hillman (3:37)
18 The Valley Road: Bruce Hornsby (4:03)
19 Will The Circle Be Unbroken: Johnny Cash and legends (4:47)
20 Amazing Grace: Instrument (1:48)
[Credits]
Johnny Cash (guitar/vocals) John Prine (guitar/vocals) Levon Helm (mandolin/vocals) John Cowan (vocals) Sam Bush (mandolin/fiddle/vocals) Pat Flynn (guitar/vocals) Ricky Skaggs (guitar/vocals) John Denver (vocals) Emmylou Harris (guitar/vocals) Jimmy Martin (guitar/vocals) Paulette Carlson (vocals) Michael Martin Murphey (guitar/vocals) Rosanne Cash (vocals) John Hiatt (vocals) Roger McGuinn (guitar/vocals) Chris Hillman (guitar/vocals) Bruce Hornsby (piano/vocals) Roy Acuff (vocals) Earl Scruggs (banjo) Vassar Clements (fiddle) Jerry Douglas (doblo) Bela Fleck (banjo) Mark O'Connor (fiddle/mandolin/mandola) Randy Scruggs (guitar) Chet Atkins (guitar) Roy Huskey, Jr. (bass) Buck White (piano) Bernie Leadon (banjo)
NGDB: Bob Carpenter (accordion/piano/vocals) Jimmie Fadden (drums/harmonica) Jeff Hanna (guitar/mandolin/vocals) Jimmy Ibbotson (mandolin/accordion/vocals) John McEuen (banjo)
[Notes]
This easily won the Country Music Association's Album of the Year Award, thanks to a stellar cast that includes John Denver, Johnny Cash, the Carter Family, Bruce Hornsby, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn, Rosanne Cash, Steve Wariner, Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins...you get the message. Tracks were all recorded in one "take," with no overdubs, making the outstanding musicianship particularly noteworthy. Atheists beware: there's a lot of gospel. -- AllMusic Review by Tom Roland

Appalachian Journey: Yo-Yo Ma • Edgar Meyer • Mark O'Connor

Sony Classical SK-66782

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Mar 21, 2000
Genre: Classical, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Classical Crossover
[Tracklist]
01 1B: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:02)
02 Misty Moonlight Waltz: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (4:46)
03 Hard Times Come Again No More: James Taylor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (3:43)
04 Indecision:  Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:28)
05 Limerock: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma (2:28)
06 Benjamin: James Taylor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer/Mark O'Connor (3:31)
07 Fisher's Hornpipe: Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor/Edgar Meyer/Alison Krauss (3:44)
08 Duet for Cello and Bass: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma (5:53)
09 Emily's Reel: Mark O'Connor/Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma (2:48)
10 Cloverfoot Reel: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:24)
11 Poem for Carlita: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (7:33)
12 Caprice for Three: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (3:47)
13 Second Time Around: Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:31)
14 Slumber My Darling: Alison Krauss/Edgar Meyer/Yo-Yo Ma/Mark O'Connor (4:52)
15 Vistas: Mark O'Connor/Yo-Yo Ma/Edgar Meyer (9:57)
[Credits]
Yo-Yo Ma (cello) Edgar Meyer (bass) Mark O'Connor (violin) James Taylor (guitar/vocals) Alison Krauss ((violin/vocals)
A&R: Mia Bongiovanni, Liner Notes: John Schaefer, Art Direction: Allen Weinberg & Laura Torres, Photography: Merri Cyr & Michael Lutch
[Notes]
Appalachian Journey is the second album from the string trio of bassist and composer Edgar Meyer, fiddler and composer Mark O'Connor, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. James Taylor and Alison Krauss join the trio individually on two Stephen Foster songs arranged for the trio. Sony Classical released the disc in 2000. The album joined a number of other recordings released since Appalachia Waltz that continue a new kind of classical music tinged with and influenced by the sounds and structures of America's own musical traditions. It is possible that the titles of these albums imply a continuity of the American classical tradition begun by Aaron Copland in Appalachian Spring. Unlike their first album, the three virtuosos spent several months on the compositions and arrangements, from July 19 to September 10, 1999.