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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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| Jim & Jesse | 'Tis Sweet To Be Remembered |
| Review by Brenda Hough | |
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Pinecastle Records PRC 1126 |
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Jim and Jesse McReynolds had a career that spanned 55 years and throughout that time they were renown for their fine brother duet harmonies and Jesse's unique mandolin crossing picking style. This last album project was started in February 2002 and while Jim McReynolds played guitar on many of the songs, he was unable to add his distinctive high tenor to the mix of harmonies. Sadly, Jim passed away on December 31, 2002 and this album is aptly named in honor of him, "'Tis Sweet To Be Remembered." Jim and Jesse always had the wonderful family duet sound and while Jim does not sing on the album, Jesse is joined by "family" and produces some magically blended harmonies. Luke McKnight, Jesse's grandson, and Jim's son-in-law Matthew Allred join Jesse in several songs including the Mac Wiseman tune, "'Tis Sweet To Be Remembered" and the classic "Before I Met You." Charlie Whitstein of the Whitstein Brothers joins Jesse on two songs and "She's Running Wild" and "Tennessee" were re-mastered from earlier recordings to give Jim a vocal presence on the album. Grandson Luke is just 22 years old, but he takes the lead vocal in the classic "Cora Is Gone" and the Jesse McReynolds original tune, "Mississippi Moon." Jesse wrote a new song, "I Hope You're Lonely" that has interlocking leads with banjo, fiddle and mandolin and a great message song to a love gone wrong. The album shines with the classic mandolin of Jesse McReynolds, the ever-tasteful banjo work of Lloyd Douglas, guitar work from Jim McReynolds and Charlie Cushman, Matthew's bass work and Glen Duncan's fiddle. Jesse plans to continue to record and tour as Jesse McReynolds and The Virginia Boys. From the carefully blended harmonies and strong instrumentation in this album, this group is a worthy successor to the award winning Jim and Jesse. |
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