Various Bluegrass, Blues and Jazz Albums

Review By Steven Stone
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Susie Glaze
Green Kentucky Blues

Although she's surrounded by a passel of premier bluegrass pickers, Susie Glaze's vocals still stand out. Lilting leads and relaxed down-home phrasing light up bluegrass standards such as "West Virginia Mine Disaster," swing tunes including "Albuquerque," and folk-rock songs like Bob Dylan's "Lay Down Your Weary Tune." On her third solo album Glaze explores an eclectic mix of songs, but her special vocal style successfully unites the divergent sources into a cohesive and artistically satisfying bluegrass album.

Enjoyment:

Dan Paisley and the Southern Grass
The Room Over Mine

Dan Paisley spent 32 years playing in his father's band, Bob Paisley's Southern Grass. When Bob passed away in 2004 Dan pressed on. The new Southern Grass is actually a two-family band. The Paisley brothers, Dan and Michael are joined by TJ Lundy on fiddle and Bob Lundy on banjo. Only mandolin player Donnie Eldreth doesn't have a sibling to join him onstage. The band's musical personality harkens back to bluegrass roots where gritty authenticity trumps Nash-Vegas style. This is the real stuff.

James King
Gardens In The Sky

Given the strong connection between shape-singing hymns and bluegrass music it should be no surprise that almost every bluegrass band's repertoire includes gospel material. James King's latest solo album is dedicated entirely to his gospel roots. Many of the eighteen songs on Gardens in the Sky were culled from earlier releases, but six of the eighteen tracks were recorded especially for this album. King's powerful voice bristles with emotion on classics such as "Happy I'll Be" and Voice of My Savior."