J. SCOTT HINKLE: Blueridge Martini

J. Scott Hinkle

Blueridge Martini

© 2008 J. Scott Hinkle (796873021890)

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Take a penetrating acoustic-folk-roots foundation, add melody-driven conversations, and you will hear - Blueridge Martini music.

notes

J. Scott Hinkle
Singer-Songwriter

Genre: Americana, Folk, Alt-Country Producer: Chris Rosser (chrisrosser.com)

J. Scott Hinkle was born the day he died. Sounds out there, but it is true. Since he was not thriving right after birth and the priest happened to be on his floor in the hospital, the Father saved himself time by giving Scott the last rights. Thank God the spell did not stick. That was in Nashville the same year that Sir Edmund Hillary stood on the top of Mt. Everest and Hank Williams’ hit “Your Cheatin’ Heart” swooned us over the radio.
Being from a military family, Scott was packed off for a few years of oriental living. Although living in Bangkok, his mother sang the hymns of Sunday morning that clearly impressed Scott’s songwriting. Returning to the States, he was baptized by bluegrass in North Carolina and watched the Porter Wagner show being taped for television on Friday nights in Tennessee. Through his travels the sounds of Nashville, bluegrass, folk, blues, and rock never escaped him. Even when he lived west of the tension line in Colorado, music continued to be a life-force.

One Christmas his mother bought him a plywood Prestige acoustic guitar. The first song he learned to play was Flat and Scrugg’s “California Uptight Band.” But as John Hiatt alludes, a man can only take so much mandolin, and Scott needed to balance out his forthcoming musical vision with the beat of the Beatles, Stones, and Zeppelin.
In college he was a short-timer music major playing double bass and was fortunate to be schooled in jazz theory by the one and only Jerry Coker. Graduate school and a Ph.D. took their toll on his musical education, but he always gravitated back to his Nashville roots and eventually wrote and recorded “Blueridge Martini” – eleven songs ranging from the bluegrass inspired “Take My Bones to Alabama” to the funky Cajun roots of “Voodoo Choo Choo” to the gospel-flavored “Over Yonder.” Scott’s unique vocals and harmonies are supported by his guitar, mandolin, bass and drum playing. Don’t be surprised by the range of music on “Blueridge Martini”– it sings of love from the heart, as well as some tunes that you can groove to. As John Lee Hooker once said, “its just that boogie woogie, the boy’s got it in him, and it’s got to come out.”

We look to musicians to show us something new. Well, here it is. The themes on “Blueridge Martini” range from bittersweet relationships, to a lullaby for children, to a new look at a trucker’s song. The music sends you to one emotional level and then gently pulls you to the next. From down-home roots to broken love, Scott’s knack for arranging makes the listener think of musical conversations. His melody-driven songs are crafted to penetrate the acoustic-folk-roots foundation – at times with a sparse organic texture and at other times with the flavor of a B3 and pedal steel. This alt-country Americana songwriter is both compelling and captivating. On the music side of the equation, Scott’s songs are like taking a little Steve Earle and Ryan Adams and mixing in some Lyle Lovett. If you add in the insight of Leonard Cohen, Bruce Cockburn, and Chris Whitley on the lyric side, you’ve got “blueridge martini” music.

Joining Scott on “Blueridge Martini” are: drummer Jeff Sipe (Susan Tedeshi, Leftover Salmon, Phil Lesh, Keller Williams), resonator guitar builder Brad Harper, Rayna Gellert (Uncle Earl), percussionist River Guerguerian (Free Planet Radio), multi-instrumentalist David Johnson, guitarist Capt. Jon Trunz, and the sweet vocals of Beth Wood and Lynn Morgan Rosser. The Swannanoa Angel Choir (Herschel Lee Brown, Steve Simpson, Jon Trunz) add back-up harmonies. And, with apologies to Ben Franklin, producer Chris Rosser is evidence that God loves songwriters and wants us to be happy!

reviews

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  • Blueridge Martini
    author: John Warren

    Scott Hinkle's “Blueridge Martini” CD is so listenable that I played it through three times the first day! His songwriting ranges from wistful to soaring, and each tune introduce a different musical story-picture enhanced by the largely acoustic arrangements. Repeated listen-ings of “Blueridge Martini” reveal fresh discoveries of Scott’s evocative turns of words and phrases. And Scott securely anchors the different musical styles chosen for this project with his own, understated delivery (think JJ Cale and Lyle Lovett). Song arrangements are tight without being slick. I’m a particular fan of the stops and swells in some of the more complex arrangements. But make no mistake, this album is a songwriter’s showpiece – Scott’s vocals, and those of backup singers, always shine through. And the overall production value (and album design with its great lyric sheet) make “Blueridge Martini” one of my new favorites destined to be a frequent resident in all of my CD players.

  • A great effort!
    author: David Simpkins

    I've been listening to Scott Hinkle's first CD release, "Blueridge Martini." I've been listening to it a LOT. And it seems to me that this superb collection of songs and performances deserves a wide audience and some serious industry attention. It all starts with Scott. I had the honor of sharing a gig with him a while back at the Crooked Door in Marion NC and that's where I first got an inkling of the strength of songwriting and his musicianship. This CD fairly shouts that he is indeed the real deal. Readers of reviews want touchstones, so here are a few: I'm hearing some Lyle Lovett and Jesse Winchester influences on Scott's new CD -- and some early Matthew Ryan as well, especially in Scott's voice. Overall, though, Scott projects a unique and personal vision -- and yet manages to connect with the big picture as well. That separates the songwriting wheat from the chaff, y'all. This is a professional release all the way down to the packaging. Scott has obviously picked every possible nit -- and that's a good, good thing. Producer, mixer, engineer, and keyboardist Chris Rosser (a noted performing songwriter in his own right) has it going on as well. At every turn, he's coaxed superb performances out of Scott and he has lovingly shepherded Scott's sympathetic backing musicians through some complex and interesting arrangements. Sound, performances, music, lyrics, arrangements, packaging, attitude -- everything's in place. If you're thinking I really like this CD, you're absolutely right!

  • Blueridge Martini
    author: Bert Bennett

    I got my copy and put it into the car to listen to as background but found myself playing it through twice listening 100%. It was great! I liked the lyrics as well as the music and really enjoyed the album very much. At breakfast today, another friend who had seen Scott with me live, told me that he loved the album and had listened to it multiple times. In fact, he was quoting lines that he had memorized. Scott - keep up the good work. Bert

  • Blueridge Martini
    author: Charlie Golding

    The review by ed bumpass is on the money. Blueridge Martini is a perfect name for this wonderful collection of songs. The broad scope of songs is impressive. My favorites are "Take my Bones to Alabama" and "Voodoo choo choo. Fortunately I have a six disc player so I don't need to remove the CD.

  • Blueridge Martini
    author: ed bumpass

    First a word of warning: I had a hard time getting this disk out of my player. Every time track 1 rolled around I let it go again. I was raised in the north by a family that spoke wistfully about "down home". I listened to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio and from the first cut this album sounded to me like a tour of Scott's life filtered through that stage. (The Ryman, not the theme park) 'Take my Bones to Alabama' sets the tone like a prelude followed by an especially tender hurtin' song. Hop down to Key West for 'Don't Live Faster than your Angels can Fly' Then it's over to Memphis for some funky B-3 evocative of Booker T. Break for a lullaby. Over to Nawlins for 'voodoo choo choo' . Settle down for a true love/wedding song. Some people burn bridges but in the next song Scott burns the boat. 'Thief of hearts nods back to Nashville with some sweet pedal steel before we go west for a truckin song. Finally, "Over Yonder' takes me back down home to the Ryman with tears on my face. The music on this album is all over the map without being scattered. The writing is engaging, thoughtful and clever. Now if I could just get it out of the player.

  • Blueridge Martini
    author: Katherine Cross

    Blueridge Martini is one of those great, unique albums that you're always on the look-out for. Scott's smokey sexy voice reaches into your brain in the smoothest, pleasing way. His lyrics are far from pat; on the contrary, they are so interesting - some fun, some set in a different era, some even lullaby and gospel - that you'll never be bored. It's so nice the written lyrics are included in the CD; you'll want to read them as you listen. The interest lies not only in the lyrics but in the wide variety of genre-influence in the tunes. My favorite song is the rocking "Fall Down 7, Stand Up 8" with its great organ and piano infusions. Get this album; I can assure you you'll love it and have nothing like it!

  • Bartender, I'll have another!
    author: angelo melendez

    Lots of really cool melodies and lyrics I could really sink my teeth into. Love the versatility of the songs and instrumentation, great grooves and production. Not sure I can pick an absolute favorite (yet), but "Burn the Boat" hooked me with the idea, the simplicity of "Over Yonder" is haunting yet uplifting. This is an inspired compilation... thanks Scott, for honoring your gift by making this record and sharing it with us!

  • A wonderful CD!
    author: alan barrington

    Scott has come up with a wonderful set of tunes in his new CD "Blueridge Mattini". Giving Dreams, Voodoo Choo Choo, and Over Yonder hit the nail on the head for this Americana genre. Thanks for the music, Scott!

  • author: Penny Dangler

    About 10 seconds into my first listen of Blueridge Martini I swore I was listening to Lyle Lovett. Many listens later, I had heard shades of Doc Watson, J.J. Cale, and Townes Van Zandt. And Jack Johnson would love the laid back groove of this album. This aptly titled collection really couldn’t be considered exclusively Blueridge nor is it all martini. Instead it is an unlikely blend of both with a bit of jazz, funk, country and God knows what else thrown in that somehow all fits together. Kind of what you would expect when country meets worldly Ph.D. Each song is neatly framed by a careful arrangement that is effective but never over the top. Scott’s subtle vocals are huge part of the glue that makes this thing work and helps meld a wide array of styles into a cohesive whole. I no longer think of other folks when listening to this wonderful album. I’ve concluded that the sound is Scott’s own. And that’s definitely a good thing. Lyle, Doc, JJ, Townes and Jack would be proud, and Scott should be also. This one is a keeper.

  • Blue Ridge Martini
    author: Paul Finnican

    Awesome CD. The whole record is great and the first song will stay in your head for days.

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