PERFORMERS: Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, Tony Allen
The CD: “The Good, The Bad and The Queen.” Get it here
“The Good, The Bad, and The Queen” is a phenomenal work, even though it’s tough to describe. In some circles it’s billed as being by the group “The Good, The Bad, and The Queen,” but the group actually doesn’t have a name. This is the brainchild of Blur front-man Damon Albarn, whose other recent group, Gorillaz, doesn’t even exist in the real world.

This project was originally announced as an Albarn solo album to be produced by DJ Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley). Halfway through production the solo album mutated into a new group fronted by Albarn, and including The Clash’s bass player Paul Simonon, freshly un-retired after sixteen years out of the music business, along with Simon Tong, guitarist for The Verve and Gorillaz, and Afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen on drums. Apparently, it was decided that the group would have no name, probably to annoy the British music press. (more…)

CD: “Texas Hoedown Revisited.” Get it here.

This CD is a reissue of recordings released in the 1960s and ’70s on County Records and Voyager. Texas fiddling means Benny Thomasson, and “Texas Hoedown Revisited” is doubly important because it contains the obscure recordings made by Texas fiddlers Lewis Thomasson (Benny Thomasson’s brother), Vernon Solomon and Bartow Riley.

Any talk of fiddling always wends its way back to West Virginia. In this case, the early recordings of Kanawha Valley legend Clark Kessinger were highly influential on Texas fiddling, and is the template on which that highly developed Texas contest style is built. This is richly ornamented music, featuring complicated, sometimes six- and seven-part tunes with cascades of notes pulled from with a long bow. That pretty much describes Kessinger’s style. Those Texas boys learned their lessons well. Highly recommended.

County Records, P.O. Box 7405 Charlottesville, Va. 22906

– By Paul Gartner

PERFORMER: Peggy Seeger
CD: “Peggy Seeger Three Score and Ten: 70th Birthday Celebration Live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London”

For a concert to mark her 70th birthday, Peggy Seeger was joined by some of England’s top folk and traditional musicians. If the name sounds familiar, it ought to be. She is the younger sister of folklorist and musician Mike Seeger, and older sister of folk legend Pete. Her father was the renowned 20th century musicologist Charles Seeger. Seeger moved to England in the late 50s and was married to the late English traditional singer Ewan MacColl.

But we digress. (more…)

PERFORMER: Wynton Marsalis
The CD: “From The Plantation To The Penitentiary”

The latest album by Wynton Marsalis, “From The Plantation To The Penitentiary,” is an impressive statement about the state of this country and the way race plays into it, told from Marsalis’ unique perspective. This is the declaration, by an American who just happens to be black, that our culture is in serious need of repair. He doesn’t just take the easy route and blame the Republicans for keeping down black people. There are parts of this CD that sound like Bill Cosby’s strong words set to music. Everyone comes in for their fair share of the blame, conservatives, liberals, blacks, and he doesn’t shy away from addressing the institutional forces at work.

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