Home  |  Hi-Fi Audio Reviews  Audiophile Shows Partner Mags  News       

 

 

Enjoy the Music.com Review Magazine
Kirsten Scott Benson
Second Season
Pinecastle Records ASIN: B001KNUQ96

Review By Steven Stone
Click here to e-mail reviewer

 

  It used to be that the idea of a woman bluegrass musician was gimmick, like a horse that can count or a dog that can juggle four balls at once. But trailblazers including Allison Brown on banjo, Laurie Lewis on fiddle, and Sally Van Meter on dobro put that hoary old concept deep into a mossy grave. This is the 21st century. Kristin Scott Benson's sex is irrelevant to the fact that she can play the snot out of the banjo.

Second Season, as you might surmise from its title, is Benson's second solo release. Her first, Straight Paths, was released in 2002. Since then she has been busy touring with the Larry Stephenson Band and recording with Roland White, Jim Hurst, Rhonda Vincent, and Laurie Lewis. All this work contributed to her award from the IBMA as "2008 Banjo Player of The Year." Just recently she accepted a new job, playing banjo with The Grascals.

This brings us to her latest release, Second Season. Its twelve cuts include eight instrumentals and four vocal performances. Four of the instrumentals are Benson originals, yet unlike most solo albums, Benson doesn't sing on a single tune. Instead she concentrates on leading a band made up of top bluegrass musicians including Wayne Benson on mandolin, David Grier and Cody Kilby on guitar, Shad Cobb and Jim VanCleve on fiddle, and Mickey Harris, Sally Jones, Larry Cordle, and Larry Stephenson on vocals. In many ways this is a traditional album. Even though Benson is the bandleader her banjo parts take the time-honored role as pacesetter rather than solo star. Her solos are clean with perfect timing, but not flashy. In fact, if you heard this album blind without knowing whose album it was, I seriously doubt you'd guess the banjo player was the bandleader. Her husband, Wayne Benson, takes much flashier solos, as does David Grier, whose first solo on the opening cut, "Don't Tread On Me," will leave guitar players shaking their heads in amazement.

Kristin Scott Benson's Second Season is a grand way to appreciate a banjo player worthy of being included among the first tier of contemporary players. After a couple of listens I suspect you'll go looking for her first release as well.

 

 

Enjoyment:

Sound:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
 

Quick Links


Premium Audio Review Magazine
High-End Audiophile Equipment Reviews

 

Equipment Review Archives
Turntables, Cartridges, Etc
Digital Source
Do It Yourself (DIY)
Preamplifiers
Amplifiers
Cables, Wires, Etc
Loudspeakers/ Monitors
Headphones, IEMs, Tweaks, Etc
Superior Audio Gear Reviews

 

 


Show Reports
HIGH END Munich 2024
AXPONA 2024 Show Report
Montreal Audiofest 2024 Report

Southwest Audio Fest 2024
Florida Intl. Audio Expo 2024
Capital Audiofest 2023 Report
Toronto Audiofest 2023 Report
UK Audio Show 2023 Report
Pacific Audio Fest 2023 Report
T.H.E. Show 2023 Report
Australian Hi-Fi Show 2023 Report
...More Show Reports

 

Videos
Our Featured Videos

 


Industry & Music News

High-Performance Audio & Music News

 

Partner Print Magazines
audioXpress
Australian Hi-Fi Magazine
hi-fi+ Magazine
Sound Practices
VALVE Magazine

 

For The Press & Industry
About Us
Press Releases
Official Site Graphics

 

 

 

     

Home   |   Hi-Fi Audio Reviews   |   News   |   Press Releases   |   About Us   |   Contact Us

 

All contents copyright©  1995 - 2024  Enjoy the Music.com®
May not be copied or reproduced without permission.  All rights reserved.