MEETING ON SOUTHERN SOIL

MEETING ON SOUTHERN SOIL

On their first full-length collaboration, these two topnotch acoustic instrumentalists lead a picturesque tour down the back roads of American music, from frisky fiddle tunes to loping blues to mournful country ballads. Norman Blake supplies his beautifully rolling guitar work and homespun vocals on traditional gems like "Only a Bunch of Violets" (learned, like many other tunes here, from vintage 78s), while Peter Ostroushko expertly switch-hits on mandolin, mandola, and fiddle while evoking his Eastern European heritage (Ukraine via Minneapolis) on original instrumentals such as "President Richard Milhous Nixon's Hornpipe." "Blake's Railroad Blues" drags a bit during its nearly nine-minute ride, and Ostroushko is a much stronger player than singer (he pipes up on two grim traditional songs--"Little Bessie" and "Oh Death"), but these are minor quibbles given all the sweet melodies and fine picking to be found here. <I>--Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers</I>