429 Records
He went from the Northern California foothills (Cameron Park, near Placerville, to be exact) to Sacramento to San Francisco, but as Greene put it in a recent radio interview, “For being on the road a lot, it kind of doesn’t matter where I live.”
Bridge
These symphonic reimaginings of Gershwin’s crossover compositions succeed in terms of performance as well as engineering: Anne-Marie McDermott superbly conveys the serious and playful side of the material; guest conductor Justin Brown moves the Dallas Symphony Orchestra along at just the right speed, balancing restraint with vigor; and the digital recording combines with the excellent Meyerson Symphony Center acoustics to provide optimal audio.
Favored Nations
Sardinas won’t be able to do these songs justice in concert, and that’s a good thing. There hasn’t been a lot of difference between his shows and his CDs, because he’s always recorded in a trio configuration (outside of an occasional guest appearance by Hubert Sumlin, Johnny Winter or Honeyboy Edwards). But the addition of “and Big Motor” to his moniker isn’t the only change since his last album five years ago.
Sugar Hill
This is the second solo album for Hall, resonator guitarist (dobroist) for emerging “new” bluegrass band The Infamous Stringdusters. Recorded mostly live in the studio, it boasts eight instrumental and three vocal tracks, on which Hall sings lead. He plays a mahogany Meredith resonator, a 1929 National squareneck Style 2 Tricone, a Bear Creek Hawaiian and a koa Harper resonator.
Yep Roc
Who does Lauderdale think he is, Ryan Adams? Actually, when it comes to prolific, he’s about to best Adams’ feat of three albums in a year. “Honey Songs” is the second in a trio planned to span a nine-month period.
