Rita Hosking. Courtesy Rik Keller Photography

It makes old Fiddlefreak proud that his adopted home state can produce an artist of this caliber. Rita Hosking is a singer-songwriter from Northern California whose music falls into a very sweet spot: nestled comfortably between folk, country, and bluegrass (previously reviewed here). Her new record Burn expands and builds upon previous releases by adding a little more rock swagger and alt-country twang to her solid acoustic foundation.

Burn

Rita’s on the rise! From the demolition derby to Hazel Dickens, the rusty and ragged landscape of Ritaland is the real America. Check her out. (Bonus video: campground jam at Strawberry Music Festival! Is that Joe Craven in the back?)

LISTEN: Something You Got

LISTEN: My Golden Bull

Rita Hosking Website (Listen/Buy)

Photo by Dan Tappan

Friends of Fall

East Coast alt-bluegrass band Crooked Still is in the middle of their 10th Anniversary Tour, currently on the West Coast and heading south. (I’m planning to attend their show this Friday in Arroyo Grande.) Their new 7-song EP titled Friends of Fall was released October 11th on Signature Sounds.  Since their early days, the kids have wandered a bit from the traditional pieces that were the raw material for their modern explorations. This release features creative covers of the Beatles, Paul Simon, and John Hartford as well as original pieces and a musical adaptation of a Wendell Berry poem. Yet they remain rooted in old-time Americana, with a lovely rendition of When Sorrows Encompass Me Round, and a soulful take on Pretty Bird, from the pen of West Viriginia’s legendary Hazel Dickens, who left us behind on April 22 of this year. Her songs are in good hands.

LISTEN: When Sorrows Encompass Me ‘Round (MP3)

LISTEN: Pretty Bird (MP3)

Thanks to motnovak.

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BAND WEBSITE

Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum

Today marks the release date of Skippin’ and Flyin’ from Laurie Lewis (Spruce and Maple Music). Yes, this is yet another Bill Monroe tribute record on the 100th anniversary of his birth. God knows there were enough of those this year (and every year, in the humble opinion of ole Fiddlefreak). The Father of Bluegrass continues to spawn oodles of traditional bluegrass bands that adhere strictly to his original formula, and even his repertoire. But not Laurie. With her musical partner Tom Rozum, she has established her own smooth-yet-rootsy style that integrates West Coast bluegrass, folk, swing, old-time country and her earth-friendly originals. Kinda like Bill Monroe did.

Says Laurie: “It’s an ongoing thread in my musical life. I fell in love not just with the music, but with the vehicle for the music. I just love a string band,” she adds with a laugh. “A string band of versatile players can do just about anything — they can follow me just about wherever I want to go.”

LISTEN: Carter’s Blues

LISTEN: A Lonesome Road

Skippin’ and Flyin’ is an amazing and satisfying listen, chock full of bluegrass classics as well as little-known chestnuts that deserve the exposure. The album’s title comes from Old Ten Broeck, a signature Bill Monroe piece that Laurie reworked from various sources, and the opening track. Extensive liner notes reveal an essay from Laurie on her inspiration for this project, as well as lyrics and some surprising guest appearances (from Linda Ronstadt to Nadine Landry of Foghorn fame). With sources that include Flatt and Scruggs, Jimmy Rodgers, Maybelle Carter, Utah Phillips, Bill Monroe, and herself, she has produced a fine bluegrass record by inspiring top shelf string players to a new level. Kinda like Bill Monroe did.

Laurie Lewis Website

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Jason and Pharis Romero

Jason Romero first came to my attention through his artisan banjos, and Pharis through her membership in her oldtime band Outlaw Social Club. After stints in Chico and Arcata, CA, Jason migrated northward though Portland and settled with Pharis in the remote outpost of Horsefly, BC, where they create beautiful instruments and music. Their previous releases include Shout Monah from The Haints Oldtime Stringband and Back Up and Push, an ambitious collection of fiddle tunes from sawyers all over the West Coast, previously reviewed here.

Chris Mateer just published an in-depth interview with the couple on his blog Uprooted Music Review. From that interview:

‘We didn’t really plan out complementary tunes on the album, but we both seem to have a sense of songs that needed learning or writing to fill what might have been otherwise a gap. A good example would be “My Flowers, My Companions, and Me” — that was the last song we learned before we recorded the album, because we realized that a vocal duet with just banjo accompaniment would be a great contrast to much of the other material.’

A Passing Glimpse

Here’s that song, and another. Hope you enjoy this listen!

LISTEN: My Flowers, My Companions, and Me

LISTEN: Where Is the Gamblin’ Man?

Pharis and Jason Romero Website

UMR Interview

Nettle Honey

Wild Greens and the Old Path

Here’s another band we heard and met at NW Folklife. Nettle Honey is an old-time quartet from Seattle, WA that plays equal parts classic standards and original compositions. Their sound is as pure as the Northwest rain that falls on her mist-shrouded mountains and fills her roaring rivers. They’ve taken pure-core Appalachian chops and applied them to Northwestern themes of nature and the land, with wonderful results. Their DIY CD Wild Greens and the Old Path takes its homemade aesthetic to a minimum, utilizing a simple brown paper sandwich bag as its package. The tracks are equally split between band originals (Wild Greens) and old-timey chestnuts (The Old Path). Fiddler Brittany Newell leads the band with her solid old-school sawing, and Johnny Fitzpatrick swaps between clawhammer and three-finger banjo with ease. Rock-solid rhythm comes from Colin Sterling (guitar) and Robert Fulwiler (bass fiddle).  Nettle Honey is a band to watch as they expand their touring schedule outside their Seattle base. Fiddlefreak recommended!

LISTEN: Chilly Winds

LISTEN: Follow the River

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