Old Ties

Old Ties

With a spot on the <I>O Brother</I> soundtrack and <I>Down from the Mountain</I> tour, singer and multi-instrumentalist Norman Blake was introduced to a host of roots music fans for the first time. Yet anyone with even a passing interest in old-time and bluegrass music surely knew of Blake 30 years prior to the turn-of-the-century bluegrass boom. In addition to his many fine solo recordings, Blake has played with names like Dylan, Cash, and Kristofferson. He also appeared on 1972's <I>Will the Circle Be Unbroken</I>, the <I>O Brother</I> of its day. This 19-track compilation cherry picks from his Rounder and Flying Fish albums dating back to 1972 and offers a mix of traditional songs and originals, instrumentals (both delicate and hot-picked), and vocals, solos, duos, trios, and quartets. As such it showcases the full range of Blake's talents: an uncanny blend of blistering speed, unerring taste, and rhythmic precision on guitar, an endearing, understated singing style, and a deep appreciation for beautiful melodies. <I>--Marc Greilsamer</I>