Cherish the Ladies, Threads of Time. This band was Celtic when Celtic wasn't cool, and this new CD proves that a contemporary approach to Irish music can retain the spirit and gutsiness of the traditional style. There are some unusual pieces, such as a Yeats poem set to the "Foxhunter's" slip jig and a three-part a cappella setting of "The Bonny Light Horseman." Mary Coogan, the group's guitarist, varies her picking style, rhythmic approach, and harmonization to give the music a variety of feels, from wistful to hard-driving. The dance tunes cook, thanks to a combination of powerful playing, sensible arranging, and clean recording. (RCA Victor/BMG)
--Sue Thompson
Brooks Williams, Seven Sisters. Williams' new album is full of lyrical depth, warm soulful vocals, and powerful acoustic guitar accompaniment. The central theme of Seven Sisters is one of dreamers who have lost their way and are trying to find a new road. Williams surrounds his lyrics with a musical quilt sewn from bits of Celtic, folk, jazz, rock, and blues to create his own unique hybrid. While Hugh Marsh adds some stirring electric violin, and Bob Doidge and Gary Craig cover drums and bass, the central elements of this wonderfully underproduced, larger-than-life recording remain Williams' voice and acoustic guitar. (Green Linnet/Redbird, 43 Beaver Brook Rd., Danbury, CT 06810)
--James Jensen
Don Edwards, Saddle Songs. This is the real article--one voice, one guitar, and a collection of traditional tunes and original cowboy songs so authentic they might as well be traditional. In this two-CD, 31-song set, Edwards gathers such chestnuts as "Whoopi Ti Yi Yo," "Sam Bass," and "Streets of Laredo" with lesser-known greats such as "Zebra Dun" and "The Pecos Stream," and new settings of poems by Henry Herbert Knibbs and Charles Badger Clark. Edwards' instruments are as authentic as his songs--a 1921 Martin 00-45, a 1907 0-28, and a new Martin 000-42. (Shanachie, 13 Laight St., New York, NY 10013)
--John Herndon
Juan Carlos Quintero, The Way Home. Quintero lays down Latin, Afro-Cuban, and pop grooves on nylon- and steel-string guitars, while jazz harmonies and burning guitar solos abound throughout. From the flamenco-flavored "Hermanos" to the highly energized "Little Indians" to the eloquent melody and harmonic textures of the title track, Quintero weaves his magic, making you want more when this rhythmic, passionate CD is over. (Size 11/Escapade, 730 E. Elm St., Conshahacken, PA 19428)
--Charles H. Chapman
Pick 3, A Good Woman's Love. This bluegrass-inspired trio from the metropolitan New York area exhibits a passion for its eclectic repertoire. Sources include Bill Monroe, Red Allen, Bob Wills, Clarence White, Merle Haggard, and Tim O'Brien, and Pick 3 attacks them all with equal fervor. The group's jazzier tendencies peek through on Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose," as Tom Eaton delivers a Satchmo impression and Bob Green's mandolin quotes Charlie Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple." Besides enthusiasm and good taste, the band's adventurous style consistently aims for the tough licks, a trait especially evident in Eaton's guitar playing. (Flowering Chestnut, 12 Bradley St., Westport, CT 06880)
--Marc Greilsamer
Larry Sparks, New Highway. Sparks is one of traditional bluegrass' most passionate interpreters. He presents every note on this refreshingly simple (though abnormally short) gospel album with conviction and always sounds as if he's singing through tears. He conveys a knowing serenity on "Jesus Walks Ahead of Me" and "I Wasn't There," and he turns Mississippi Fred McDowell's dramatically slow "Gotta Move" into the album's most energetic rave-up. On the instrumental "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," Sparks' guitar work proves how timing, phrasing, accent, and tone can be as rewarding as speed and technique. (Mountain Home, PO Box 1227, Arden, NC 28704)
--Marc Greilsamer
Bingo and Molly, You Can Do It! Bingo and Molly are two pretend rabbits with their own musical television show for kids. They have soulful, honest voices, and their singing styles range masterfully from white soul to '50s doo-wop and reggae. Simple, humorous lyrics and tuneful, funky melodies link up to tell entertaining stories that teach good values and common sense to the toddler and preschool gang. Lively piano, plucked violins, and rock 'n' roll acoustic guitar will introduce your child to the real sounds of wood and steel instruments playing undeniably hip music--a modern sing-along smorgasbord that will surprise and please the whole family. (Music for Little People, PO Box 1460, Redway, CA 95560)
--Jessica Baron Turner
Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin, Heart Songs: The Old-Time Country Songs of Utah Phillips. I know of no finer songwriter than Utah Phillips. This album showcases Phillips' beautiful lyrics and melodies and his knack for capturing the essence of life's bittersweet journey in song. Stecher and Brislin sing and harmonize in the best authentic country tradition on some of Phillips' better-known efforts like "Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia" and "I Remember Loving You" as well as gems such as "Orphan Train" that just don't get enough play. (Rounder)
--Roger Deitz
Oscar Aleman, Swing Guitar Masterpieces. Brazilian swing guitarist Aleman may have lived in the shadow of his more flamboyant friend and rival Django Reinhardt, but many considered him Reinhardt's superior. The 52 tracks on this wonderful two-CD compilation are convincing evidence for that opinion. Aleman's solo fingerstyle pieces, such as "Nobody's Sweetheart," are some of the finest examples of early solo jazz guitar, while tunes like "Negra de Cabello Duro" find him exploring his Brazilian heritage. Swingsters unfamiliar with Aleman have a treat in store. (Acoustic Disc, PO Box 4143, San Rafael, CA 94913)
--Scott Nygaard
Pierre Bensusan and Didier Malherbe, Live in Paris. On his latest recording, fingerstyle magician Pierre Bensusan appears with multi-instrumentalist Didier Malherbe, who adds soprano sax, flutes, and other wind instruments. It is a fortuitous pairing, mutually supportive and tight. This live date includes original compositions by each, as well as some cowritten numbers and a seven-and-a-half-minute improvisation. There is a playfulness to their artistry that will appeal to nonmusicians as well as musicians. If you're new to Bensusan's unmistakable voice and guitar playing, this relatively stripped-down setting is a good place to start. (Zebra/Warner Bros.)
--Gary Joyner
Bob Franke, Long Roads, Short Visits. Franke is a folk troubadour and a talented guitarist who has sharpened his playing skills through years on the road. His dedication to his art and his sense of social justice put him in the lineage of folk music masters like Pete Seeger and Tom Paxton. On this CD, his well-crafted, thoughtful songs take center stage behind the understated, eloquent trio of Franke, guitarist Nina Gerber, and bassist Paul Bryan. (Daring/Rounder)
--Steve Givens
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