Album Notes

The great stringbands that performed at the turn of the century were adept at all genre's of American roots music. Whether performing in medicine shows, vaudeville, minstrel or the local juke joint, they would perform everything from a waltz to a stomp. The members of The Second Fiddles have resumes that range from Punk Rock to Old Time. Their common ground is a love of Pre-War Blues, Ragtime and Hokum Swing. The bustling New York Roots scene has afforded The Second Fiddles an audience of similar minded fans with equally eclectic backgrounds.

When the Second Fiddles first gathered together they found they shared a passion for obscure blues, swing and Hokum artists like the State Street Boys, Georgia Washboard Stompers and Mississippi Mudsteppers. The musical landscape of the mid twenties to late thirties saw the birth of everything from Hawaiian Swing to Chicago. A typical Second Fiddles setlist will include everything from tin pan alley to a fiddle tune. Like their hero’s in the medicine show days, they are prepared to play all types of American Roots music from the golden era.

The Fiddles debut recording was recorded live over two evenings in the NY studio of Sheriff Uncle Bob, the unofficial Mayor of New York’s Bluegrass scene. With production help from the WIYOS Joebass Dejarnette, these recordings accurately represent the genuine “back porch” nature of the ’78 era.

Multi-instrumentalist Jon Vesey; guitarist Guillaume Goussault and New York’s merry monarch of the mouthharp, Trip Henderson each take turns at vocals. Roots stalwart Peter Ford on the Box Bass joins them on this record.