By Eric Kwiatkowski | CD Review | Demo CD review |

In the 1960s Bill Clifton played tracks from an LP by a bluegrass group on his Cellar full of Folk programme. There was some beautiful smooth singing on this LP. (As an aside, I of course sold mine (!) and would like to get hold of a copy again.)

Now you would expect that a group playing, for example, one of the Kentucky Travellers' songs (The Moon saw me crying last Night), plus Old Train with Tony Rice guitar introduction, with the Kentucky Colonels If I be Lifted Up, all clearly inspired by the original had certainly done their homework. I've just heard such a group - vocals absolutely bang on bluegrass style, instrumental work right - and they're from Czechoslovakia! They are of course the much admired Reliéf, who played at the Trent Bridge Inn, Nottingham, by courtesy of Geoff and Pat Bowers, who yet again organised a superb evening of music.

Tomas, Pavel, Zbynek and Jin: Reliéf

I'd not heard Reliéf before, and I was astonished at how well they'd learnt their style. I could easily have thought that this was an American group I was listening to, had I not known who they were. For me, this was a demonstration that if you have the ears, voice, fingers and determination, then it can be done, no matter where you come from. Bluegrass has truly become international. This group could get on stage with anyone. Reliéf are: Tomàs Dvoràk on mandolin, Zybnek Bures on banjo and Dobro, Jiri Holoubeck on guitar, and Pavel Peroutka on bass. My apologies for not putting the correct accent marks over their names but my computer won't let me!

All the group sing. Oh, yes they sing, all right! I would have liked one or two more instrumentals, plus perhaps some contemporary songs, such as those penned by Norman Blake, but that's a personal view. The gospel numbers were beautifully performed, and again, right. What more can I say? If you haven't heard them, make sure that you do. You won't be disappointed!

Eric Kwiatkowski, Nottingham

20th January 2002