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Various Bluegrass, Blues and
Jazz Albums
Review By Steven Stone
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Nick Pagliari
Please and Thank You
This thoroughly modern singer/songwriter combines pure pop attitude with just the right amount of sensitivity to create an arresting musical amalgam. At times he sounds like a young Nick Lowe while on other songs he reminds me of Peter Case during his rocker phase. But regardless of which of his musical forebears he may allude to Nick Pagliari creates unique and instantly affecting music.
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Genticorum
La Bibournoise
French Canadian roots music has a lot more in common with Celtic and Cape Breton styles than Francophile boosters would care to admit. The Genticorum trio feels their Quebecois background makes their music unique, but their kinship with English-only monolingual practitioners will be immediately obvious to even casual listeners. Still, cool music with the added perk of giving you a chance to improve your French language skills.
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Ralph Stanley
Old-Time Pickin': A Clawhammer Banjo Collection
Most banjo players use the finger-picking roll style. But the claw hammer banjo technique predates the finger-roll style by many decades. Ralph Stanley ranks as the most senior and best-known practitioner of claw hammer technique. On this eighteen-song collection you'll find nine previously unissued tunes and three that have never before been on a CD. This latest CD is a welcome addition to Dr Ralph Stanley's extensive discography.
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Melonie Cannon
And The Wheels Turn
On her second release Melonie Cannon continues to explore the spaces between bluegrass and country music. Her very radio-friendly voice and carefully considered phrasing make her lead vocals both arresting and emotionally accessible. The two original songs demonstrate her knack for pithy songwriting. Produced by her father, the legendary Buddy Cannon and bluegrass superstar Ronnie Bowman, the sidemen list includes almost every first-call player in Nashville.
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