Healthy, whole-grain bluegrass music without a lot of preservatives and additive
author: Joe Ross
Playing Time – 40:54 -- Conceived as a way to accurately portray Palmer Divide’s live contemporary bluegrass sound, soul, spontaneity and synergy, “The Bow River Sessions” were recorded during three days over one weekend in a makeshift cabin recording studio near the Medicine Bow River in Elk Mountain, Wyoming. To capture an organic and earthy feeling, Palmer Divide recorded the lead vocals and all the instruments live without overdubbing. Then, the harmony vocals were added later so that they could get vocal separation for the mixing process.
Conceptually, the resultant music is a success without anything trendy or gimmicky. The Colorado-based band’s musicality fully compensates for any minor shortcomings that result from recording live. The songs are all originals, with the majority of them from the pen of Jody Adams whose lead vocals are warm with a texture as rich and smooth as suede on songs like “Oklahoma Daydreams,” “Dress Rehearsal,” and “Red Dirt on my Shoes.” A successful singer/songwriter who has appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, White House, and on The Nashville Network, Jody Adams’ mandolin is also a pervasive thread throughout their musical fabric. His occasional understated fiddle is a flavoring that the album could’ve used more of, especially on the slower numbers, for a more thorough bluegrass and all-encompassing sound. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Adams is a SPBGMA mandolin player of the year award winner.
It’s interesting that none of the other three Palmer Divide members are Colorado natives either, but they do have one common experience having played in Black Rose, a trio that later went on to win the Rockygrass band contest. Originally from east Tennessee, Greg Reed (guitar, mandolin) also has experience with White Lightning and The Cletus Brothers. Written with his son, Greg’s instrumental “White Oak Flats” was inspired by the old family homesteads and cemeteries in the Great Smoky Mountains. A Virginia native who migrated to Colorado in 1997, Mickey Stinnett (banjo, Dobro) also has performed with Flatland Grass, Benny Galloway, Cletus Brothers, and Lost Creek. Two of Stinnett’s instrumentals (24 West, Legend of Baby Doe) appear on this project. Bass-player Dick Carlson comes originally from Nebraska and he toured from 1976-82 with the western swing band, Sour Mash, before relocating to Colorado. Palmer Divide seems to be Black Rose’s evolution from a trio to a quartet (with the addition of Jody Adams).
“The Bow River Sessions” is more than just a tepid collaboration, but one can’t help but wonder how the addition of a fifth member to the band might take them to even greater heights. I’d like to hear more of their fine originals. I’d like to hear Palmer Divide’s next album produced in a more controlled studio environment. And I’d like to see them invite an award-winning guest fiddler like Ronnie Stewart or Tim Crouch to provide some tracks for further embellishment. Meanwhile, as their second album (their debut was called “Goin' Home”), “The Bow River Sessions” is a fine documentation of this group’s captivating creativity, relaxed sophistication and great potential for Colorado bluegrass stardom. If you like healthy, whole-grain bluegrass music without a lot of preservatives and additives, check out this album from Palmer Divide. (Joe Ross)
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