The list is sorted alphabetically to make it easy to see who appears more than once.

This compilation CD represents several Scottish bands (10) plus foreign bands from England (6), the USA (4), Germany (1) Holland (1) and Czechia (1) and its' purpose is clear. Also clear is that with such a wide musical base of both live and studio performances we must expect complete inconsistency with the sounds and recording quality.

It isn't usual to give a detailed review of a compilation CD because most of the bands will already be known, but here most of the bands will be unknown to most people, so in with both feet... I am always worried when something claims to be "... of Bluegrass" for that is what I expect to find. No Irish, no old-timey, no swing, etc. So here "... of mostly Bluegrass" might have been better. '15 Years of Guildtown' would have been perfect! There. I'm criticising already!

John Sheldon founded the festival in 1987 with the support of Scottish bands and Bluegrass aficionados. Its successful principles are those of a non-profit making team effort by Scottish musicians. It is a showcase and focus for Scottish Bluegrass and welcomes European and overseas visitors for a relaxing and exciting Bluegrass experience. Each year the festival welcomes a small but growing number to a very special event. The festival has been likened to attending a reunion with lifelong friends and featuring the renowned atmosphere of the 'kerosene circuit' of early Bluegrass pioneering days.

I have to say I'm not happy reviewing CDs because I don't like saying anything not nice about things. Here in the UK we live in a small pond and it's impossible to avoid the repercussions; unpleasantness often results. But I feel it isn't fair only to praise the good and ignore the less good; fortunately this CD has a lot of good going for it. John Sheldon, Chair SBA and prime mover on this project, has done very well in a short time on a shoestring. The sound balance is excellent and little wrong with the mastering (a click on the start of J.Planks track and an 11 second gap between two tracks). The CD is one of the new "cottage industry" productions made possible by the ubiquitous CD burners.

The Acme Band

I really enjoyed this CD, partly because it brought back memories of yesteryear: sitting by the campfire at Barber Booth at an early Edale festival, drinking Old Hickory's whiskey; trying to communicate with a flat-out (from the bottle) member of Redwing (another Edale!); endless hours listening to Runaway String Band in general and Bob Stevenson's incredible voice in particular; jamming with Mark of Hired Hands at Leeds BGC; watching 'Sully' pick his tenor banjo with unbelievable skill; and in later years 'King' Arthur Robinson's wonderful singing.

Jones & Leva

The CD starts off by bursting into a happy-sounding, upbeat Bluegrassy version of what is really an old-time tune Tallahassee (I don't care if Bill Monroe did write it!) complete with 24 string chop mandolin (which could be mistaken for a snare drum...) Another old-timey-biased offering is Dick Kimnel doing OT dance number Turkey In The Straw, with vocals and terrific, clean frailing in C tuning. Absolutely ideal to dance to! Blue Skies and Teardrops, performed by Midnight Special, gets off to a strange, almost faltering start with 3-finger picked banjo but quickly becomes a competent, nice (my wife said) vocal with frailed banjo in the backing. I reckon it fits somewhere in the old-time/folk performance slot; a real foot-tapper - I liked it a lot.

There are several instrumentals, some of which are really good:

Suburban Edge put on a very creditable performance with Guildtown Breakdown, co-written by CD producer John Sheldon, while Old Hickory play a frantic version of Frank Wakefield's New Camptown Races very well, spoiled somewhat by an echoey sound at the live performance. Kinmel Rosenstein & Co.'s instrumental Road To Braemar, self-penned by Dick K., turns out to be an up-beat, minorish affair with leading chords - reminiscent of Little Maggie without words. Though it is very well done with great instrumental work, I personally found it lacking light and shade and, at over 4 minutes, overlong.

'King' Arthur Robinson

In the live recording of Over the Rainbow King Arthur & His Knights of BG have a spoken intro, which unfortunately doesn't identify the banjo picker, though I suspect it's young Jake Nichols. Arthur Robinson is a top-notch Bluegrass singer on the centre-line of the idiom, so this final track is the one I had been waiting for to hear how he would handle it. It starts off with a slow banjo intro then, after a slight pause, belts in at full speed. The banjo work is excellent and I waited for the vocals.. and waited... and waited. None came - it was banjo all the way through. But what a track!

In total contrast Tony Sullivan with his Jigs & Gigs plays what is almost straight tenor banjo greengrass with improvisation thrown in (thus giving it a bluish tinge). Tony was All Ireland Champion at the Fleadh Choile (Traditional Irish Music Festival), so for added authenticity the dreaded bodhran provided rhythm... It's a great track and we enjoyed it - we used to go to a lot of Fleadhs and even have prizes... But on a 'Bluegrass CD'?

50 Fingers' (left) Eastern Minor really is a cracking Bluegrass instrumental, spoiled slightly for me by having an off-putting slow intro which which, maybe, is OK onstage but not an a CD. In complete contrast Rob Mairs & Alison Loudon present a technically proficient, well played but confused, tension-inducing Zarana with leading chords; a ragtimey thing that lies somewhere between a Harry Lyme and Turkish Rondo played by Scott Joplin. I love you, Rob, and your whiskey was great, but...

Jim Hyndman

There is a good selection of real Bluegrass songs:

To start with organiser John Sheldon's band Goldrush offer Ballad of Hammer Jack, a minor-key true ballad song of which John is co-author. It's bang in the Bluegrass idiom and they sound good. Several-times winner of the BCMA Bluegrass Award, The Acme Band show 's professional polish with self-penned All Over Town. Jones & Leva's 2 songs are quite dissimilar. The first, self-penned Something Shall Remain, is sombre but driving non-Bluegrass in a minor key while the second, Dip Your Fingers, is an instant attention-grabber with a full band; real up-beat Bluegrass with minor tensions - excellent! Foxtower's self-penned Picture Of Hometown has got to be a real BG song; it is very sad but sounds happy... Jim Hyndman's own Already Gone is great; real Bluegrass with a full band.

Spruce Pine's attention-grabber with a real Bluegrass sound is stronger on the instrumentals than vocals; The Moonshiners sing a different kind of Bluegrass with soaring choral sounds, while The Jumbo String Band present real old-time Bluegrass via a Lester Flatt song. Well done all three!

The Runaway String Band

Though good, the track selected for Scotland's Runaway String Band doesn't do justice to this fine band. Why didn't they have Midnight On The Highway? Redwing's Falling In Love with girl singer is AK-type 'sweetgrass'. It's well done and will have a strong following. In contrast 50 Fingers' own Once Upon A Heartbeat has a girl lead singer but this time in the real BG idiom with the right edge to her voice. The track immediately claims your attention with its' Lonesome River Band-style intro and sound - an equal best track of 3 on the CD, along with Appalachian Mist's Ain't Gonna Lay My Armour Down. This is crack fast gospelgrass with great sound, singing and instrumental work. Sung in the real Bluegrass manner, it just shows (as also would Arthur, had he sung) that an American accent isn't what matters but a feeling for the song and intonation, accentuation and phrasing... perfect!

There is a selection of odd songs.

Hired Hands presents LoneStar State of Mind, a New Country song which is good, while Sounds In Mind sing an unashamedly Texas Swing song. But at least both have Bluegrass instruments in the line-up.

Pick of the bunch has to be J.Plank's own Send Me Your Handkerchief. 12/10 to John for including this - every CD should have one! I laughed all the way through this parody on Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On, written with sentiments and style reminiscent of Tom Lehrer's I Hold Your Hand In Mine, Dear. Article

Overall a very good CD, lots of variety in every way and available at the Guildtown Festival, 10th - 12th August 2001. Write to organiser John Sheldon

Sorry it's such a long story, but it's a landmark in British Bluegrass.

Derek Brandon, Chester.

1st July 2001