Pass It On

There were several reasons I decided to write for HickoryWind. I know and like the other bloggers. I love writing. I love music. Probably the main reason, though, was Larry's altruistic goal of an online community where people who love this music can gather and celebrate it. It's like a front-porch jam, except everyone is bringing their opinions to the table instead of their tasty new bluegrass licks.

In that spirit of community, I'd like to recommend some CDs to you that have been recommended to me in the past couple of years. Many people and publications have steered me toward the too many CDs I've bought in that time, but all the discs on this list were recommended by Barry Friedman at Birdland Music in Virginia Beach. I'm sure I'll write more about Barry and his store another time. For now, let's just say that to me he's the epitome of a great music seller. His store is stocked with new music as well as hidden gems, and he and his staff make every effort to make sure you leave with the music you came looking for – as well as some you didn't come looking for.

Here are six discs recommended by Barry that I have thoroughly enjoyed:

Buddy Greene, "Rufus" – This was on the house system the first time the wife and I went into Birdland. It got Sharon's attention right away, and soon a sale was made. "Rufus" kind of typifies that front-porch jam I was mentioning earlier. It's a bunch of great players (among them Sam Bush, Ron Block, Jerry Douglas, Byron House and Chuck Leavell) playing a bunch of great tunes in a place where blues, bluegrass and The Beatles ("All My Loving") come together. I've checked out other Buddy Greene CDs since, but none has made the impression this one did.

Buddy Miller, "Universal United House of Prayer" – One of my favorite CDs from 2004, and I might not have bought it if Barry hadn't talked me into it on the day it came out. Miller's voice can be a bit of an acquired taste, but it would be pretty hard to find fault with the songs. It's gospel without being too preachy. "Don't Wait," co-written with Jim Lauderdale, has one of the heaviest guitar sounds you're likely to hear on an Americana album. The female backup singers make me want to crank this disc, too. There's even a cover of Bob Dylan's "With God on Our Side," which sounds as timely as it must have in the '60s.

Richard Ferreira, "Somewhereville" – Of all the discs on this list, this is the one I take the most pride in recommending. Barry sat me down with headphones to hear this one, and it just blew me away. Ferreira's album reminds me of the song "Nashville Cats," because here's this guy I've never heard of kicking around Nashville and he made an amazing disc. He really nails the early Elvis Costello sound, with a touch of Van Morrison for good measure. If you haven't heard of Ferreira, you might have heard one of his songs. Burrito Deluxe covered his "Memphis Money" last year. If you want to hear the original, find a copy of this CD. You won't be sorry.

Ray Bonneville, "Roll It Down" – Bonneville is a Canadian, and this album consists mostly of laid-back blues in the style of the great J.J. Cale. It's full of enjoyable grooves, and it's a great album to put on after work Friday night if you want to start the weekend in style.

Paul Reddick, "Villanelle" – Another Canadian bluesman, Reddick takes more of an antique, prewar approach to the blues fused with the villanelle, which the liner notes define as a type of centuries-old work song. The disc sounds great in a gritty way, and was produced by Colin Linden, who incidentally played guitar on Ray Bonneville's "Roll It Down." Based on that disc and this one, I'd be inclined to check out a project that listed Linden in the credits.

The Duhks, "The Duhks" – They made quite an impression on the main state at Merlefest this year, but I'd been fortunate enough to hear them before that thanks to another great recommendation. Yet another Canadian band (gotta be something in the water up there. Or maybe it's just Labatt's), The Duhks are one of a new group of bands picking up the old-time torch and serving up a stew spiced up with touches of folk, bluegrass, Latin, Celtic and other styles. I'm sure the production by Bela Fleck didn't hurt. If this is the sound of the future, we're in for some exciting music in the next several years.

If you've already heard of these bands, thanks for sitting through my rambling. If you haven't, I hope you found something interesting. I love to talk about music, and I certainly love to listen to it. Learning about it is just as much fun. So what do you say, neighbor? Heard anything good lately that I might want check out?