Tricopolis Records-CD Reviews

Going Back To San Antone
Tumbleweed Town
Blue Hollow Road
Bullet Bob
San Jacinto Farewell
Grandma’s Remedy
Mexico Love
It’s A Great Place To Be (If You’re Lonesome)
If L.A. Was A Lady
Carmen
Look At What You’ve Done
The Talking Cigarette Blues
They Don’t Play George Jones On MTV

Click on CD Cover to Purchase this CD

Anytime you marry great song writing with equally fine musicianship and impeccable sound production, you’re going to make magic. It’s a given.

In this case, it’s an understatement.

Steve Spurgin has been putting thought-provoking, picture-painting lyrics together with exquisite melody lines for longer than he’d probably care to put in writing. He’s recorded them with bands like the bluegrass supergroup California, and on his own on his "Distant Faces" CD a few years ago, and now, "Tumbleweed Town". This time Steve joins forces with the talented folks at Tricopolis Records and stellar musicians the likes of John Moore on mandolin, Byron Berline on fiddle, Dennis Caplinger on everything that has strings, and Herb Pedersen and Chris Hillman on harmony vocals to put together another truly memorable collection of music.

Steve and Company get off on the right foot from the opening guitar strums on the opening cut, driving us “Back To San Antone.” This one will have you tapping your foot and bobbing your head from the first chord, but take time to note the exquisite guitar lead and little fills throughout this one….and, of course, the lyrics.

Steve writes songs of the land, of love and family, of leaving the bright lights and going back home. “If L.A. Was A Lady,” is certainly the most profound, evocative piece on this CD, and perhaps anywhere. Lovely in its simplicity, Steve’s inspired lyrics are surrounded by fingerstyle guitar and the plaintive strains of fiddle and mandolin. Listen to this one with a tissue nearby.

Rounding things out nicely are a few well-placed light-hearted pieces, like “Grandma’s Remedy,” and “Talking Cigarette Blues,” cleverly done and good for a few chuckles on the heels of his more serious stuff.

Steve wrote all the songs, Steve and Dennis on “It’s a Great Place To Be (If You’re Lonesome).” Dennis also produced the CD. Every piece is a true gem; sung in Steve’s rich, pure Texas baritone and weaved together in a stunning musical tapestry.

Each is deserving of quality airplay in its own right.

Silverado "All Doors Will Open"

Tricopolis Records TRCD006
Produced by David Richardson

Joe (Zeke) Faletta
Tricopolis Staff Writer
May 26, 2002

Playing time: 42:55

Preaching Up a Storm
Another Night
Sin City
All Doors Will Open In San Juan
Heart of a Little Mountain Girl
Hurting When You Go
Jack Rabbit at Kennywood Park
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
How Mountain Girls Can Love
Alvera
Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow
Who’ll Sing For Me

Click on CD Cover to Purchase this CD

This is an excellent collection of bluegrass music – some old standards and some new originals – from an equally fine assemblage of Southern California bluegrass musicians. But that’s nothing surprising. The Silverado Bluegrass Band and Tricopolis Records have been hard at work for some time now bringing folks to the realization that good bluegrass music doesn’t have to originate from east of the Mississippi. The word may be finally getting around now, but that doesn’t mean the band’s work is done. Not by a long shot.

The gang gets right to work with Mike Nadolson’s hot guitar opener to his solid country lead vocal on “Preaching Up A Storm.” Dave Richardson’s husky baritone and dependable banjo work follow up on a fine rendition of the old standard “Another Night.” From there it only gets better with songs by Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman (“Sin City”), and Steven Brines and Charles Bush (“Hurting When You Go”), along with old standards like “I Wonder Where You Are Tonight” and “How Mountain Girls Can Love.”

There’s a trio of instrumentals from a pair of Daves: Richardson composed the title cut from an idea he got while traveling the daily Metrolink train to Burbank, CA. You can almost experience for yourself the train’s early morning arrival with the tune’s dreamlike opening lines, then pull away as the band picks up the pace. You’ll want to strap in for Dave R.’s driving “Jack Rabbit at Kennywood Park.” Everyone gets a turn showing off their fine instrumental lead work on this one. Dobro player Dave Dias wrote “Alvera,” a lovely instrumental in memory of his wife’s mother.

Like a fine wine, this band gets better with age, their musicianship even more innovative and their harmonies tighter with each passing year. Newcomer Dan Sankey rounds out this fine band nicely with his tasty work on mandolin. Dan’s no stranger to the Southern California Bluegrass scene, having played banjo and guitar, and lately fiddle and mandolin for a variety of bands and in solo settings for some 25 years.

All in all, "All Doors Will Open" is a worthy addition to anyone’s music library.

Suzie Glaze "Home on the Hill"

Hilonesome HL2002
Produced by Steve Rankin

Joe (Zeke) Faletta
Tricopolis Staff Writer
July 26, 2002

Playing time: 45:55

Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies
One More Mile
Paper Wings
The Lightning Express
My Only Love
Prove My Love
Home on the Hill
Wichita
Making Plans
Who Will Watch The Home Place
Go Dig My Grave
Healing Waters
Brightest And Best

Click on CD Cover to Purchase this CD

If you like beautiful country soprano vocals, a little variety with haunting backwoods melodies, a little swing, and a taste of tex-mex thrown in for flavor, you’re going to love Susie Glaze. This lovely lady has a wonderful way with a song.

Susie was inspired by Jean Ritchie, and it shows here. The opening and closing cuts are both Ritchie arrangements on traditional songs. “Come All...Ladies” is an abbreviated rendition, and Susie’s gorgeous mountain vocal backed solely by Kenny Kosek on droney fiddle leaves the listener wishing she’d performed the entire song. Similarly, Susie winds out the CD as she started, performing the closing cut backed by Kenny’s soulful drone.

“One More Mile” is a Jean Ritchie original, stirringly done with Kenny on fiddle, Michael Witcher on resonator guitar, Dan Sankey on banjo, and Fred Sanders on bass and sitting in on harmony vocal. The traditional “Go Dig My Grave” is performed here hauntingly, with Jean’s new lyrics accompanied only by Dan on banjo.

“Paper Wings,” one of a pair of songs composed by Gillian Welch, is a silky swing number co-written with David Rawlings and done with Rick Cunha on steel guitar (Rick also does a excellent job recording and mixing the CD), Steve Rankin on electric guitar, Alex Wright on banjo, and Charlie Otte on fiddle.

There’s a lot to like about Susie. She’s performed on Broadway (she and Kenny met while performing in “Big River”) and off (the two worked together again in “Feast Here Tonight.”). She knows when and where to ornament a song and when less is more. She can bring raw power to a song or give it a sultry or a tender quality. Jean calls Susie “a fresh young voice, strong and flexible...And, she’s a communicator, to me the most important of qualities in a singer.”

Susie’s selection of songs here not only ably illustrates the range of genres she comfortably...and competently performs, but, Kenny notes, “honestly reflects Susie’s personality--invitingly homey and graceful.” Susie Glaze is a real winner.

top...