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Northern California Bluegrass Society provides this CD review. You can find our most current reviews on our Message Board, where you can comment or query the author directly. Our monthly magazine, Bluegrass By the Bay also publishes them. Return to CD Reviews. |
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| The Stairwell Sisters | The Stairwell Sisters |
| Review by Brenda Hough | |
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Songs: Banjo Pickin' Girl Kiamichi Moon Oh Death Little Moses Crockett's Honeymoon/Waldorf's Reel Chased Old Satan Poor Orphan Child Buckets of Rain No Never No Hog Eyed Man Down to the Door Alcatraz Blues Swannanoa Tunnel Old-Time Roscoe's Gone Nobody's Darling Dug-Gunn Shame |
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The Stairwell Sisters are a Bay Area group that sounds as if they've stepped out of the distant hills of the past. They are "good time gals that love old-time tunes," and their enthusiastic delivery and heartfelt vocals get your feet stompin' and rarin' to go. Lisa Berman and Evie Ladin propel the sound with bouncy banjo and soulful dobro, backed by Martha Hawthorne on bass and Sue Sandlin on guitar. Stephanie Prausnitz's fiddle work makes the band; the woody sounds pull emotions out of the air and the fast-paced fiddle notes send the horse hairs on the bow flying! "Rock Andy" may be a Civil War tune, but it could easily be "Rock, Andy, Rock" - it's that exciting and bouncy! Bill Grant's "Kiamichi Moon" is filled with smooth harmonies and celebrates the Kiamichi mountains in Eastern Oklahoma. The group excels at dance numbers and their "Crockett's Honeymoon/Waldorf's Reel" and "Hog Eyed Man" are high-energy. Lisa and Sue do a sister duet in the style of Alice and Hazel in the song "No Never No." The songs also include a Bob Dylan tune "Buckets of Rain," and another version of the haunting "O Death" song popularized by Ralph Stanley in the "O Brother" movie. "Alcatraz Blues" is a nod to our local jail house and has lyrics rewritten by Bay Area bluegrass stalwart, Alan Senauke. "Swannanoa Tunnel" is this reviewer's personal favorite and it has all the rollicking banjo and smooth harmonies that make this group special. Check them out when they are performing near you - their special sound is worth seeing! |
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