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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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| Kruger Brothers | Up18North |
| Review by Brenda Hough | |
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Songs: Up18North Drought Shower Tennessee Stud Waterfall My Cabin In Caroline Dusty Trail Red Rocking Chair John's Gone When The Works All Done This Fall Sarah |
Double Time Music DTM-014 |
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Up18North is a highway in North Carolina, but the Kruger Brothers have traveled a long way to get to this highway - they're from Switzerland but their roots are firmly planted in the bluegrass soil. Brothers Jens and Uwe have been playing professionally for 30 years but in the last ten years they have teamed up with "third brother" Joel Landsberg to form an exciting trio that pushes the sound beyond Highway 18 to the world. Uwe has a muscular baritone that rumbles into the Johnny Cash range and it sounds at home with the cowboy work song, "When The Works All Done This Fall," and the Doc Watson classic "Red Rocking Chair." Jens and Joel add vocal harmonies that blend seamlessly with Uwe's voice. They've also written songs that sound as if they were written on that old highway. "Carolina In The Fall" is a perfect traveler returning home song with visions of the leaves turning color. "Drought" is an old-timey farmer's lament about the lack of rain. While the brother vocal sounds are special, the instrumental perfection of this trio gives them a unique sound in the music world. Joel plays a custom Crafters of Tennessee Resophonic bass guitar that gives all the bass notes a unique and vibrant sound. Uwe's guitar work flows throughout the songs, forming little rivulets of sound to support the vocals. Deering Banjo has issued a Jens Kruger model banjo and after hearing his playing, it is easy to see why Deering would want to honor this world class player with a signature edition. Jens can play all styles - fast paced bluegrass, a clawhammer-style that he plays with two fingers and melodic phrasing that gives his banjo soulful harmonics and koto-like trills. Brother duets are often vocals, but these brothers do instrumental duets. "John's Gone," in honor of John Hartford, has some lovely passages that put lower register guitar notes against a cascade of banjo notes. "Dusty Trail" has a gently, loping gait that fits cowpokes and horses at the end of the day. "Waterfall" could also be called Runaway Freight Train. It's that fast with some double-time licks that come out so clean and fast that it's hard to believe it's just one banjo and one guitar pushing the limit. There's something for everyone to like in this new album, and if the Kruger Brothers are ever playing near you, drop everything and see them! |
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