Rivertown Bluegrass Society - Conway, SC

We like to visit the Rivertown Bluegrass Society at least once a year these days. Back when we first became really interested in bluegrass music, Rivertown provided the monthly bluegrass events that sparked our interest. It was there, on a winter evening, we first heard Alan Bibey and his band Blueridge. Irene was so taken by his mandolin playing that she decided she wanted to play one, and a year later bought her first mandolin. One of the big days in her life was when Alan Bibey, then, as now playing with Grasstowne, sang his song “Side By Side” at Down Home in Johnson City, TN before stepping down from the stage and handing her the new Alan Bibey Signature Gibson F5 mandolin he had chosen for her in Nashville. It’s still one of her most prized possessions. Over the years at Rivertown, we’ve heard some very good local and regional bands and come to cherish this institution and others like it across the country that keeps bluegrass music alive and vital. Bluegrass is probably the only music genre where a large portion of its adherents also play the instruments and make the music. The local and state bluegrass societies provide a place to jam, a stage to perform from, and early paydays for young bands to test their mettle in front of real audiences. The Rivertown Bluegrass Society meets on the third Saturday of each month at Horry-Georgetown Technical College on route 501 about 15 miles west of Myrtle Beach South Carolina.

Local Gospel Group

Rivertown Regulars

Typically, a Rivertown evening begins around three in the afternoon when members and newcomers begin to show up with their instruments for some informal jamming. At five, a local band will take the stage for a period of open microphone performance. Sometimes two or three bands perform during this hour. Around six, the first hired bands begin to perform. There may be one or two local bands that perform for money and then a better known regional or sometimes national band will perform. Each band will perform two sets of about forty minutes, and the evening often ends with a 50/50 raffle to help defray expenses and a drawing for chances taken on goodies as well as a few door prizes. Admission at Rivertown is $8.00 for members and $10.00 for visitors, although sometimes the rates are higher if there’s a big name national band performing. This week, about 225 paying people showed up for the performance, about half filling the comfortable auditorium which features fine sight lines and good sound.

The Morris Brothers

Mike Morris

Matt Morris

Tammy Holt

On Saturday, a new gospel band played in the open mic as well as a pickup band composed of Rivertown members. After an invocation the Morris Brothers band came out. We’ve enjoyed listening to the Morris Brothers for several years. They are quite typical of good local bands. Mike Morris is a very able Reno style banjo player. In these days when Scruggs style or Scruggs influenced players dominate the banjo, solid Reno style single string players are rare indeed. Mike is fast and accurate. Brother Matt acts as the groups emcee and sings lead, also playing a very creditable guitar. They both play very fine instruments built by local builder Terry Holt. Tammy Holt, and attractive and sprightly blond bass player, has been adding spark to the band for the last year or so. They play first rate covers of classic bluegrass songs and deeply felt and rendered bluegrass Gospel music. Their rendition of “Victory is Sweet” will raise goose bumps on the back of anyone’s neck. The Morris Brothers have two new CDs they’ve just released, one a gospel recording and the other a good mix of instrumental and classic bluegrass covers with a few Matt Morris originals. Write them through their web site to inquire. The Morris Brothers present an engaging and enjoyable show.

The Bluegrass Brothers

Victor Dowdy

Robert Dowdy

Donald Dowdy

The night’s headliner was the Bluegrass Brothers. We hadn’t expected to see them for another week, as they’ll be appearing at both YeeHaw Junction and Palatka in Florida within the next three weeks. Hailing from southwestern Virginia, the Bluegrass Brothers, consisting of Victor and Robert Dowdy on bass and banjo as well as Victor’s sons Donny, a left-handed multi-instrumentalist primarily on mandolin these days, and Steve, who plays a very solid rhythm and lead guitar as well as contributing vocals. They’ve recently added Billy Hurt, Jr. on fiddle who helps to fill out their already strong sound. The Bluegrass Brothers hit the stage with huge amounts of energy, which never flags. Victor plays bass and sings lead with huge vigor, bending low over his bass for passages of slap bass solo that gets the crowd properly aroused. Robert Dowdy, on banjo, contributes strong breaks and even stronger backup work. He also exhibits a sly sense of humor from the side. Donald is that unusual instrumental player, a left hander who plays his instruments upside down. Until a year or so ago he was a guitar player, but he has taken to the mandolin, and performs quite capably, especially since he’s doing it backwards. Steve Dowdy’s singing and picking have become even stronger with his loss of a considerable amount of weight.

Steve Dowdy

Billy Hurt, Jr.

The Bluegrass Brothers are not noted for their finesse or the subtlety of their play. They feature rough, raw, old time traditional bluegrass. Their repertoire contains standards and songs that have become standards with lots of Country Gentlemen and Seldom Scene covers. Their renditions of “Sharecroppers Son” and “Country Poor, Country Proud” perhaps best express the well from which their repertoire is drawn. The addition of Billy Hurt has enabled them to add a good variety of fiddle tunes to their show, and their “Orange Blossom Special” was rousing, allowing all members of the band to shine. In an interesting show piece, Donald, Steve, and Victor all played bass solos (Donald from the southpaw side) on "Grandfather's Clock" with energy and skill. This band has extended its repertoire in the past couple of years and modulated its tone a bit, but they are a make no apologies, in your face traditional bluegrass band. They know their audience, and their audiences respond appropriately to them.

Will the Circle Be Unbroken?

Evenings at Rivertown usually draw to a close around nine. It was a good evening, ending with a grand finale of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” People visiting or living in northeastern South Carolina or southeastern North Carolina can attend meetings of local bluegrass associations nearly every Saturday. They provide good, inexpensive entertainment and lots of opportunities to jam in a pleasant and welcoming setting.

Introducing Joe Walsh - The New Gibson Brother

Joe Walsh

Joe Walsh’s first solo project “Saturday Night Waltz” is a tour de force for the young mandolinist who has now joined The Gibson Brothers and will make significant contributions to their sound. Such projects serve as showcases for the artist’s versatility and strength. Walsh more than ably showcases his own work as an instrumentalist and composer in this very strong album, but goes beyond that in assembling a fine group of New England musicians to present modern and traditional acoustic pieces that do honor to the musical talents available in this often musically under rated region of the country. Walsh was the first student enrolled at Berklee College of Music as a mandolin performance major. Two cuts from this CD can be found on Joe’s MySpace page here.

“Chasin’ Shane” an instrumental by Joe Walsh and banjoist Wes Corbett, opens the CD with a blast of sound. The core band for this CD is composed of Walsh and Corbett with Lincoln Myers on guitar, Mike Barnett on fiddle, and Karl Doty on bass. This group of mostly New England musicians will please many and surprise those who don’t know the depth and strength of New England bluegrass/acoustic music. Walsh demonstrates his liquid mastery of tone as well as his delightful syncopations on the mandolin. Barnett, the principal fiddler on Tony Trischka’s Double Banjo Spectacular was still in high school or just out when this was recorded. His play demonstrates maturity way beyond his years. Corbett’s flights up and down the fretboard as well as his contemplative moments on the banjo are clear and sometimes startling. This song demonstrates great dynamic range in each of the instruments as well as capacity for including a range of moods within the space of only a few minutes of melodic excitement.

Moving from the jazzy opening cut to John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” provides an interesting transition and showcases the versatility of this group and particularly the host, Walsh, whose vocal is down and dirty here. Again, Walsh’s mandolin weaves melodic circles around Prine’s song. Ben Demerath contributes harmony vocals here. The bluesy tone, with Barnett providing a framework of both melody and chop while Corbett’s banjo and underlying blues drone is just right for Walsh’s voice.

“Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss” is a traditional fiddle song with a strong melody allowing all the instruments to show their stuff. Ashleigh Caudill plays bass on this track along with several others. Each instrument plays an extended break while others weave their magic around it and mesh together for ensemble play. Walsh’s clean and accurate mandolin is always in evidence and often leads the way.

In the ways of such “solo” projects, the performers appearing on this CD are found almost interchangeably on each other’s recent or forthcoming projects. Many of those on Walsh’s “Saturday Night Waltz” are students or graduates of Berklee College of Music and well known in the Boston area, playing in a variety of musical aggregations. Each deserves wider recognitions for performance in bluegrass and way beyond.

In “Whiskey Before Breakfast” another traditional fiddle tune known and played by many aspiring bluegrass pickers, Walsh approaches the initial run-through of the melody in an almost thoughtful and highly melodic tone. Meyers comes in with his guitar solo in the same tone as he and Walsh trade notes back and forth. The two instruments complement each other in ways this song seldom sees. The entire piece features only the two instruments in call and response mode making this song ring anew. The almost leisurely pace the take, in contrast to the breakneck speed often used, gives “Whiskey Before Breakfast” a new and welcome sound.

Robert Earl Keen’s “I’ll Go On Downtown” sung by Ashleigh Caudill, Meya Kerman, and Ben Demerath with Flynn Cohen on bass strikes another blues note in its evocation of urban loneliness. The lyric celebrates “slipping” off and going out to carouse downtown while knowing that “tomorrow I’ll be home.” The singer asks, “Why am I feeling so lowdown and mean.” She answers by saying she’s given up smoking and drinking, keeping the “devil deep down inside.” Roger Williams on Dobro adds exactly the requisite tasteful notes to help create the right sound. Downtown represents release from the constraints and demands of polite society while not completely providing the satisfaction the singer seems to want.

“Chinquapin Hunting” and “Saturday Night Waltz” are both traditional tunes giving the instrumentalists lots of room to roam. Tashina Claridge, a frequent guest of Tony Trischka, gets to shine on fiddle in these two pieces, but Walsh’s clear and rich mandolin is never very far away and always contributes tasteful and thought provoking breaks. Particularly interesting is his use of syncopation, creating spaces between notes filled with as much richness as the notes themselves. Natalie Haas chimes in on cello in the second of these two pieces. There’s a general contemplative tone to each of these songs.

“Fall and I’m Not Falling” by Ashleigh Caudill is kicked off by a lilting Wes Corbett banjo break leading into Caudill’s pleasant voice along with Walsh’s harmonies. The song sounds traditional even though it’s fresh out of the box. I wished for a little more clear enunciation from Caudill in her singing of this song of not quite realized love in the autumn. As winter approaches, love loses its allure, even though spring and summer will recall the feelings.

Walsh, Myers, Barnett, and Corbett weave the instrumental through “The Good Part” a seemingly simple but increasingly complex instrumental that, characteristically of this disk, is highly melodic with an often lurking sense of loss and loneliness. “Waltz for Steve” carries a similar longing style, this time with strong elements of jazz sounds. Barnett, only eighteen years old, always contributes tasteful breaks that move the song along. Corbett’s banjo surprises with its gentle strength, not elements usually associated with the instrument. The driving finale, “Waitin” is, fittingly, another Walsh tune.

Walsh has joined the Gibson Brothers and will make significant contributions to this marvelous band. His debut album is a welcome addition, but I look forward to hearing him in his new spot. He's surely got a great future before him.

Walsh's Second Appearance with The Gibson Brothers

Ashby Frank's Journal

Ashby Frank plays mandolin for Special Consensus, Greg Cahill's marvelous bluegrass band. They're currently on tour in Ireland with other visits planned, and Ashby is writing a journal of the trip. Ashby is one of the best writer/musicians on the bluegrass circuit, so you might want to follow his adventures on his web site here. It's quite entertaining and provides good insights into the demands of life on the road.

Ashby Frank with Special Consensus
at
IBMA Fan Fest

Claire Lynch Band in E. Hartford - Review

It’s difficult to understand why bluegrass music fans living within a reasonable distance of the E. Hartford Community Cultural Center don’t show up in droves to attend the concert series promoted by Roger Moss, Director of Recreation for E. Hartford. The venue is only a short distance from I-84 or I-91, is located in a former High School where lots of parking is provided in the midst of a pleasant neighborhood, and offers unusually comfortable seating and superlative sound. There are plenty of small, inexpensive restaurants nearby to provide a pleasant dining experience for people driving in from a distance. We ate dinner at Piolyn Jr., a Peruvian restaurant where we were served two of the most delicious dinner soups, filled with large chunks of fish, shrimp, crab, and squid in a rich and tasty broth, we ever had. On a cold blustery night, with snowfall scheduled for the next day, the Community Cultural Center was warm, welcoming, filled with good music, and held a small, but very appreciative audience for the appearance of the Claire Lynch Band.

The Claire Lynch Band is one of the strongest bands playing on the bluegrass circuit today. Far removed from the hard driving bluegrass you might expect from more traditional bands, he sound and sensibility still show their deep roots in traditional bluegrass. Her song “The Day That Lester Died” commemorates the huge loss of one of the first generation greats and the debt owed them by the succeeding generations of bluegrass musicians. Meanwhile, the band’s setting for “Wabash Cannonball” provides a traditional setting for a jamming classic second to none. In this piece, Jim Hurst on guitar, Mark Schatz on bass, and Jason Thomas on fiddle each build breaks that enrich the familiar tune in unexpected and interesting plays. The success of this song is symbolized by its frequent play on Sirius/XM’s Bluegrass Junction, where it is a favorite despite the fact it last about eight minutes.

Lynch’s clear, pure voice wraps lovingly around every song it embraces. She can caress a love song or swing out on songs like “I’m Fallin’ in Love.” A new song, which will appear on her next album, “Face to Face”, is unusual for gospel songs in that it recognizes the idea of doubt and personal weakness without judging and affirms the hope for the future represented by faith and the Bible. It’s a wonderful new song. Her “Up This Hill and Down” recognizes the ups and downs of the roadway through life in a lilting and engaging tune. Lynch successfully portrays emotion in her singing and body language while never becoming so wrapped in the song that she loses connection to her band, her audience, or herself. Her voice is a flexible and vibrant instrument complemented by her joyful approach to the music.

Jim Hurst

The members of Claire Lynch’s band not only complement her on every song, but stand alone as brilliant performers in their own right. Jim Hurst has twice been selected as IBMA guitar player of the year, but his work on banjo is equally creative and innovative. His drive on traditional three finger style banjo playing stands with the very best. His finger style guitar playing sets him apart from many pickers. He used as thumb pick to create the sound many flat pickers achieve while supplementing that sound with the three other fingers of his right hand His up the neck virtuosity is as good as anyone’s. Whether it’s on straight instrumentals of the anti-blues song “Ain’t Got the Blues,” his taste and tone are beyond reproach. His guitar playing keeps him in the top rank.

Mark Schatz

Mark Schatz on bass has also been twice recognized by IBMA. Even without the other qualities he brings to the band, Schatz would be a stand-out virtuoso on the basis of his bass playing alone. His beat is impeccable, steady and reliable. He works the entire range of the instrument and draws sounds from not heard with every band. Watching Mark’s hands is often like watching two skilled dancers working together to create a total unity of purpose. Add to this his ham-boning on “Cindy, Cindy” and his clogging, and the audience receives a greater range of entertainment than can usually be expected from the bass player. During the band’s second set, Schatz slung an open back banjo around his neck for a medley of old time songs. Working with Thomas and Hurst, their rendition of “Soldier’s Joy” was one of the finest I’ve ever heard – fast, clean, and lilting. Throughout the performance, Mark Schatz communicates his sheer joy at being a member of this fine ensemble as well as the tones his instrument can add to the mix.

Jason Thomas

It would be easy to overlook the less heralded Jason Thomas on mandolin and fiddle in this band. Thomas replaced David Harvey when Harvey’s responsibilities at Gibson Instruments made it impossible for him to tour as much as the Claire Lynch Band requires. Thomas, who lives in Florida, was a standout among the musicians auditioned and, like his other band-mates, makes fine contributions to the band’s appeal. His mandolin play is melodic and extremely clear. He doesn’t rely upon excessive speed to make his musical mark, but need take second place to no one. On fiddle his bowing is clear and his tone delightful. He fits in and contributes without needing to compete for attention within the band. As the band has become increasingly comfortable with its new lineup, its work has become increasingly strong and impressive.

Roger Moss

The Claire Lynch Band’s next two appearances in New England will be in Madison, CT on February 13^th and then at the Joe Val festival the next day. Her schedule is a truly national one. She’ll be making a couple of trips to California this year as well as Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Georgia, and Michigan. Dates are being added all the time, so check back frequently to see her in a concert or at a festival near you. The tight play and high quality ensemble of this standout band is not to be missed.


Upcoming events at the East Hartford Community Cultural Center include:

January 22 – The Steep Canyon Rangers

March 14 – The Infamous Stringdusters

April 16 – John Reischsman and the Jaybird

In addition to these events, the Center offers other Americana performers and a weekly schedule of free films. We attended Podunk Bluegrass Festival last summer and now this excellent concert in East Hartford. The auditorium is as good as any, anywhere. Music fans should support these events with great enthusiasm. Information about tickets can be found here.

To see more pictures from this concert, look at my Picassa Web Album. Please be kind enough to observe my copyright if you decide to post these anywhere. Please be sure to provide me with photo credits and a link to my blog. Providing this link to my albums is an experiment for me. Don't disappoint me. - Ted