The latest reviews from Kevin Bryan.

Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, "The Travelling Kind" (Nonesuch Records)-  Emmylou and Rodney  have been musical soulmates since the mid-seventies, but this beguiling country duo  had never actually recorded an entire album together until 2013's "Yellow Moon" was released to universal acclaim.  The  eagerly awaited follow-up is a little more subtle and understated but well worth hearing nonetheless, from the chugging opener, "The Travelling Kind" to unabashed tearjerkers such as "Her Hair Was Red"  and the life enhancing Louisiana flavoured finale, "La Danse de la Joie."

 

"Ain't Gonna Hush - The Queens of Rhythm & Blues" (Fantastic Voyage)- This gritty 3 CD  anthology was assembled by  journalist and r&b specialist Lois Wilson and  showcases a grand total of  76 largely obscure recordings from the fifties and early sixties. These  passionate and uncompromising creations couldn't be further removed  from the homogenised  fare which tends to dominate the charts these days, and open minded listeners would be well advised to lend an ear to the  visceral contributions from long forgotten performers such as Lula Reed, Myrtle Jones and Cordella De Milo, whose 1955 offering, "Ain't Gonna Hush," features no less a luminary than the great Johnny "Guitar" Watson on stylish  lead guitar.

 

Avi Avital, "Vivaldi" (Deutsche Grammophon)- This engaging celebration of the vast creative output of prolific Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi  provides a stunning  vehicle for the  artistry of Grammy nominated mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital. These transcriptions of works which were originally penned with other  instruments in mind make the transition to mandolin with effortless ease, and this fine D.G. CD closes  with a traditional Venetian song, "La biondina in gondoleta," exquisitely handled  by Peruvian  classical  tenor Juan Diego Flores.

 

The Resonant Rogues, "Here & Gone Again" (Self Released)- Rampant eclecticism is the order of the day as  this fine young band unveil an album which draws on elements of Gypsy jazz, Balkan folk music and infectious Americana for its genre transcending appeal. The contents were captured for posterity in The Resonant Rogues' homebase of Asheville, North Carolina, leaning heavily on the creative input of founder members and lifelong partners Keith J.Smith and Sparrow, who excel themselves with stand-out tracks such as "Make Us Stay," "Flowers" and  "Tomorrow."