By Ian Reynolds

Draggin’ the Cow / Wayfarin’ Stranger/ Stoney Creek / Evelina / Happy Time Waltz / Battle Hymn of The Republic / Jerusalem’s Ridge / What A Friend We Have In Jesus / St. Anne’s Reel / Roanoke / Foggy Mountain Rock / Bells Of St.Mary’s.

NOT A BAD LINE UP, is it? here we have Eddie Adcock on banjo and guitar, Kenny Baker on fiddle, Josh Graves on Dobro, Jesse McReynolds on mandolin - and a supporting cast.

Don’t worry too much about Draggin’ the Cow; it is, in my opinion, the weakest of the tracks on offer, and therefore a poor choice to lead with. It’s not a great tune, and the guitar picking is unconvincing. But, much like the players themselves, the project gets better as it goes on; you might say it improves with age.

But get into the album and you soon discover why these guys are legends. Some of the playing is truly glorious, and each of the guys get to showcase their talents with what one assumes are party pieces.

The album does have its’ surprises, however: The guitar lead on Happy Time Waltz is lovely, and completely unexpected. Is there a better dobro player than Josh White? Hear him on Evelina. Kenny Baker fiddles up a storm on Jerusalem’s Ridge. Jesse’s cross picking is legendary - check it out on What A Friend We Have In Jesus.

The sleeve notes are, however, cloyingly tacky and sycophantic. You think, having read them without the benefit of hearing the album, ‘here’s a bunch of guys trying to get something back for all they’ve put in’. So what, if that were true; but these guys are still breaking barriers down and doing what they do best. This is great music (after a dodgy opening) and worthy of anyone’s collection. Shame there’re no songs on the album, though.

Ian Reynolds, Blackley, Manchester.

Sammy Shelor : Leading Roll (Sugar Hill-3865)
 Click for March 1997 preview

By Bill Hyde

Tracks: Pretty Little Girl / Mountain Girl / Ernest T Grass / Lonesome Scene of Winter / North Carolina Breakdown / Alien’s Dream / Walls / Janey Belle / I’m On To You / Cross Road Blues / Without A Word / Darlin’ Child.

BANJO PLAYERS TAKE NOTE - in fact take a few notes Leading Roll is Sammy Shelor’s solo debut album and you can bet there’s more to follow featuring the superb sound of Ms Gibson RB12 5-string.

How do you condense 30 years of banjonic experience into just 12 tracks? Answer: you don’t - he does! With the accent on traditional, this two-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year blends his root and contemporary influences admirably - resulting in this fine collection of pieces to delight the ears of Bluegrass purists and tantalise admirers of today’s innovators.

Sammy says “It’s not completely instrumental because my favourite thing to do, really, is to kick off a vocal song” - “But I also want to do some older tunes that haven’t been done to death by other banjo players.”

I’m resisting the temptation to comment on every track. There’s a diversity here and Sammy’s love for the banjo does shine through all tracks on this album - most evidently on the 8 polished instrumentals and yet more subtly in his backup work over vocals. His evolved Scruggs style becomes more Crowesque, featuring crystal-clear pull-offs, hammer-ons and slides etc., all of which intertwine endlessly with a fluency and precision that sufficiently define and drive the tightly crafted melodies. The mighty power of Fleck crosses almost every track and, indeed, takes a foothold on Cross Road Blues with a tonality to challenge the man himself; take a listen to North Carolina Breakdown, Pretty Little Girl and Janey Belle - those rolling verse endings will power you up.

You’d need a long arm to list all of Sammy’s influences, but perhaps some things you won’t hear him do on this album is to utilise Keith Tuners fully or render complete (fiddle) tunes in the melodic style. Nor, for that matter, jazz chord substitutions and older banjo styles. Sammy definitely is a Scruggs banjo picker who’s not standing still.

For me, being a lover of hard driving flatpick instrumentals, almost any album with Tony Rice blistering on 8 of the tracks can do no wrong. The power and energy from the dobro of Jerry Douglas and fine mandolin work from Dan Tyminski, not to mention Sam Bush or the several other top supporting musicians combine with Sammy to produce this record of heart and soul - “Get the right players in there and do them good!”, said Sammy.

Enjoy this: when Sammy Shelor has more in store for us, let’s hear it!

Bill Hyde, Manchester.

CD available from: Frets Old & New (see ads), who kindly loaned it for review.
An official tablature transcription of the banjo parts is available direct from AcuTab Publications, PO Box 21061, Roanoke, VA 2408-0108, or from Frets Old & New (UK).

Updated 23rd Jan 1999