While
bluegrass
samplers are by no means rare, it's unusual to encounter one as well thought-out as this generous (and mid-priced) package from
Smithsonian Folkways
, the
folk
label known more for its ethnomusicological
field recordings
than its
albums. Cynics will point out that this collection comes hot on the heels of the success of the film
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
and its soundtrack, but they miss the point: if
becomes trendy for a while and the result is fine albums like this one that wouldn't otherwise have an audience, then everyone benefits. The artists on
Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways
range from the obvious (
Bill Monroe
,
the Country Gentlemen
Doc Watson
the Stanley Brothers
) through the influential but obscure (
Red Allen
the Lilly Brothers
) to the just plain obscure (
Smiley Hobbs
Hugh Moore
, banjo innovator
Roger Sprung
), and the result is a thorough overview that offers as much musical satisfaction as scholarly edification. Many of the songs selected were recorded live, and those are among the best performances:
the Johnson Mountain Boys
deliver a bit of pitch-perfect high-lonesome heartbreak on
"Our Last Goodbye,"
while
the Friendly City Playboys
kick things into high gear with the hard-edged
"Teardrops in My Eyes."
Hazel Dickens
and
Alice Gerrard
illustrate an important thematic stream in
songwriting with their rendition of the horrifying
"Tiny Broken Heart,"
reveal some of the roots of
with their performance of
"Little Birdie"
(on which
Ralph Stanley
plays banjo in the older "clawhammer" style). Highly recommended, especially to anyone looking for an introduction to the genre. ~ Rick Anderson