Charlie Haden - Rambling Boy
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Free Music Notes for Rambling Boy
Free Music Review: One of the Most Remarkable Recordings of 2008
Hit: 5 Stars
By now, you undoubtedly know the back story. In the 1940's Carl Haden, Sr. was the patriarch of the singing Haden family. They hosted a radio show from their hometown of Shenandoah, Iowa. This was the midwestern counterpart to "The Grand Ol' Opry." The Haden family sang country folk songs, and the Haden counterpart to Michael of the Jackson family or Donny of the Osmond family was 2 year old yodelin' "Cowboy Charles."
But 10 years or so later, Charlie Haden had gravitated to jazz, and by 1958, he was the bassist in one of the most revolutionary recordings in jazz history, Ornette Coleman's "The Shape of Jazz To Come." That recording sounded 20 years ahead of its time - and still does. At that point, Charlie Haden was a 21-year-old wunderkind.
However, as the years rolled on, Mr. Haden proved that he was more than "just" a musician "searching for the notes outside of the chord." He expanded his horizons, including a beautiful 1994 recording with the legendary pianist, Hank Jones, of Negro spirituals.
And now, as a senior citizen, Charlie Haden has come full circle. As the new patriarch of the singing Haden family (featuring his triplet daughters, Petra, Tanya and Rachel; his son, Josh; his wife, Ruth; and his son-in-law, actor Jack Black), he has recreated the Haden family radio show - with 21st century sound.
And perhaps as a tribute to his greatness and his influence, Charlie Haden has recruited the most interesting gaggle of musicians to help the family. From the jazz world, we have the legendary guitarist, Pat Metheny; from the jazz cum rock world, we have the legendary pianist, Bruce Hornsby; from the country world, we have the legendary Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill; we have the crackerjack country/bluegrass sidemen, Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, and mouth harpist Buddy Greene; and joining the festivities for a song are the legendary Rosanne Cash and the peripatetic Elvis Costello.
This is not a "jazz-country" album. The two genres don't mix well, and there are precious few such recordings to choose from. (The best one I can think of is Chet Atkins and Les Paul, "Chester & Lester," ca. 1978)
Instead, it is a single-minded attempt by a number of gifted musicians from different genres to re-create the best sounding folk-country album imaginable. And they succeed.
2008 was bookended by two remarkable albums: Otis Taylor's "Recapturing the Banjo" at year's beginning, and this one at year's end. American music is alive and very well. RC
Free Music Review: CHARLIE HADEN's ALL-STAR KALEIDOSCOPIC COUNTRY-FEST
Hit: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Five HUGE Stars!! One of 2008's best CDs. Honest, heartfelt, authentic country music that ranges over many styles, including bluegrass, country-folk, honky-tonk, country & western, country-gospel, and blues. Jazz poll-winning bassist Charlie Haden shows his musical roots before he became the original 'free-jazz' "New Thing" bassist for the first Ornette Coleman Quartet (with altoist/ harmolodic-composer Coleman, trumpeter Don Cherry, and drummer Billy Higgins) that turned the jazz world on it's ear forever. Since then, Mr Haden has taken the "Escalator Over The Hill" with Carla Bley, fronted his own ground-breaking "Liberation Music Orchestra" and vibrant "Charlie Haden Quartet West" groups, putting him in the forefront of both the experimental and traditional wings of the jazz world, all with most of the public not knowing that it all sat atop pure country music roots. And this return "home" to country music argues for much, much more music in this area. And he is aided by his talented daughters and son, some huge musical luminaries, and a blast from the old "Haden Family" radio show past. Even son-in-law, actor Jack Black, who is husband to Tanya, respectfully and successfully gets in on the act.
From the Bluegrass-influenced "Single Girl, Married Girl" (Petra, Tanya & Rachel Haden) to the gospel "Spiritual" (Josh Haden) to the honk-tonk "You Win Again" (Elvis Costello) to an aching "20/20 Vision (vocal by a piano-less Bruce Hornsby) to "The Fields of Atheny" (Petra Haden with the guitars of Pat Metheny and Russ Barenberg and probably Hornsby's piano) to the bluegrass of "Ocean of Diamonds" (Dan Tyminski and Rachel Haden), the musical gems keep tumbling from this fascinating COUNTRY MUSICAL CONUCOPIA. But best of all may be Vince Gill's rendition of the title track "Rambling Boy" with it's allusions to two of my all-time favorite cowboy songs: "The Trail To Mexico" and "The "Dying Cowboy", and Tanya Haden with Bruce Hornsby's piano on a doleful "He's Gone Away". Bravo, Charlie Haden and a big "bottle of soda pop" for you!! More country music, please!!!! Five IMPRESSIVE Stars. (Audio CD, advance copy)
Free Music Review: Superb Old Fashion Country Music With Some Great Twists
Hit: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Rambling Boy is old fashion country music at its best with some incredible twists. In order to understand the twists you need to understand a little of Charlie Haden's background.
Charlie Haden was born into a family which sang country music. He was two when he first was on the radio. After contracting Bulbar Polio at the age of 15 his vocal cords were weakened so he could not sing. After hearing Charlie Parker he decided to play jazz. He is one of the most respected jazz bassists and jazz composers today.
Returning to his family roots with the help of some friends including Vince Gill, Bruce Hornsby, Roseanne Cash, Elvis Costello, Ricky Skaggs and Jack Black, Haden has created an album that will bring you back to the good old days with some old fashion country music which includes gospel as well as blues and will also introduce you too some great ballads and instrumentals.
The album is made up of the following selections:
Old fashion country songs include:
Single Girl, Married Girl;
Rambling Boy;
The Wildwood Flower;
Ocean Of Diamonds: and
Old Joe Clark.
The old fashion country blues include:
20/20 Vision;
Oh, Take Me Back;
You Win Again;
He's Gone Away;
Road Of Broken Hearts; and
Seven Year Blues.
Old fashion country gospel include:
Spiritual;
A Voice From On High; and
Tramp on the Street.
The Fields Of Athenry and Down By The Salley Garden remind me more of old Irish ballads. They both are amazing.
Is This America? (Katrina 2005) is an instrumental featuring Pat Metheny. The haunting piece deserves to be listened to over and over again.
The album ends with two special selections. The Old Haden Family Show is an actual selection from when Charlie Haden performed with his family as a child and in Oh Shenandoah, Charlie Haden, despite his weakened vocal cords, sings once again for all to hear. The two songs are a fitting tribute to a great album and a great performer.
Free Music Review: amazing performances
Hit: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I chose this off the Amazon vine, because i thought it would be ok, and something that would be a little different. Well, I was half right-this is a little different. The instrumental combinations and the infusion of jazz players into a bluegrass/country environment was wonderful and a revelation. But ok? This is far beyond that. An amazing performance that I've enjoyed as much as anything I've heard in a while.
This cd is full of guests from all over the musical spectrum. Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas Dan Tymanski and Ricky Scaggs represent the Nashville establishment-though they neither sing or play the conventional tripe heard out of Nashville. Pat Metheny and Bruce Hornsby bring a jazz sensibility to the performance, and Charlie Hayden brings the kind of inventive bass lines one only hears in jazz, putting a real twist on traditional music.
The highlights-the smart-aleck response is "Put on track one and quit when you finish track 19." Roseanne Cash gives a tender reading to the Carter Family classic Wildwood Flower. The Fields of Athenry showcases brilliant interplay between Douglas and Metheny and mixes a beautiful vocal by Petra Hayden. Ocean of Diamonds provides a really raw vocal from Dan Tymanski and You Win Again features a surprisingly sensetive vocal performance from Elvis Costello. Traditional gospel is represented with A Voice From On High featuring the Hayden Triplets. Rachel Hayden slays us with a wonderful version of Tramp On the Street
Perhaps the real showstopper is Is This America (Katrina 2005) featuring Pat Metheny. His beautiful playing create a real sense of lament and sensitive accompaniment by Hayden, Hornsby and Douglas set this off perfectly.
If you like great music this is for you. If you liked the Dirt Band's Circle records, you need this one. Simply put, this sucker is a blinder and a must have. Do you get the message? Click on the buy now tab and get it . It's scary good.
Free Music Review: This CD exceeded my expectations
Hit: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
There is such a variety of music on this CD that it's almost hard to know where to begin. There are the bluegrass, country, ballads and spiritual type, folksy, and even a hint of jazz. Because his family and friends all join in to do different songs, there are a lot of different styles. I didn't really expect to like this CD as much as I do, but find I can't stop listening to it. Do you know how some music just makes you feel good? This is one of those collections.
My favorites are: Down by the Salley Gardens (with Ruth Cameron) This reminds me of an Irish ballad, slow and soulful. Her voice is kind of wistful and the guitar in the background is beautiful. Seven Year Blues and A Voice From On High (with the Haden Triplets) are so melodic. Their voices harmonize perfectly. You can almost imagine them in an old-time radio station standing around one of those big old silver microphones singing.
Is This America? (Katrina 2005) (with Pat Metheny)is an instrumental, soft, slow and soulful. Old Joe Clark (with Jack Black)is a quick, guitar picking tune which I dare you to listen to without tapping your toe. The guitar reminds me of that song in the movie Deliverance.
Rambling Boy (with Vince Gill) is another toe tapper that will have you singing along. Road of Broken Hearts (with Ricky Skaggs) is pure country.
The last two songs on the CD are the Old Haden Family Show with Charlie Hayden singing at 2 years old. Super cute although a little off-key, but for a 2 year old, hey, it's not bad. This kind of goes into the next track which is Charlie at 71 singing a soft, whispery version of Oh Shenandoah. This is the way that song was always meant to be sung! It's perfect.
For me, this is one of those CD's that will be a classic that will be played often, whether at a gathering of friends or lying back in a hammock with a bottle of beer on a sunny afternoon.