Tangled Roots is one of the most exciting bands to appear on the bustling Minnesota Bluegrass music scene in recent years. They perform a broad spectrum of material ranging from songs and tunes made a part of Bluegrass by Bill Monroe and The Stanley Brothers to more recent tunes performed and/or penned by TR's mandolinist/fiddler Chris Silver, John Prine, Kevin Welch, Bruce Cockburn and Elvis Presley. All delivered in a most tasteful Bluegrass style. The members of Tangled Roots consist of some of the best known Bluegrass performers in the upper Midwest and combined, they bring to the stage over 100 years of musical experience.
What they say about Tangled Roots:
Susan of The Folk Forum, Oak Center, MN
I was pleasantly surprised when after expecting too much testosterone on stage, "Tangled Roots" proved they are balanced guys with their Midwest bluegrass hearts and heads in the right place. All are brilliant and accomplished musicians on their own with decades of experience, and when they come together, clear and rich harmonies and phenomenal instrumentation song after song, time and time again, prove a deeper level of quality and skill than you might expect on the surface. Oh no, this is not just another bunch of boys playing bluegrass. The whole is the sum of its parts and more! "Tangled Roots," is a band that is making magic happen masterfully while genuinely paying respects to the timelessness of the music. We are the beneficiaries--our ears and our tappin' feet--we're having fun and the band seems to be having just as much or more! Thank God these guys got together and are playing bluegrass with a(n) (positive) attitude!
Bruce Jaeger, Minneapolis, MN
(Reprinted by permission - Inside Bluegrass Magazine, May 2002)
My wife and I saw Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder at the Medina Ballroom April 6. (2002) Of course, they were terrific. But I want to make a special point of applauding our local friends Tangled Roots for their wonderful opening-set performance. They did exactly what an opening act is supposed to do - make the audience very happy and enthusiastic, and scare the main act into working their tails off! Great job guys!
Katryn Conlin (Reprinted by permission - Inside Bluegrass Magazine, November 2002)
When Tangled Roots steps up to the microphone, you know this band is special from the very first notes they play. The tempo is hot, the arrangements are sharp, the vocals flawless, the breaks fiery. They glide effortlessly through seriously challenging material, at ease with each other and the audience. Most of all, they look like they are having the time of their lives. And I do believe they are.
Band Members:
Chris Silver: While most often playing mandolin, Chris is a multi-instrumentalist and will bring out the guitar and fiddle when called for. Chris has written many of the songs the band performs and sings both lead and harmony. Also known for his teaching abililities,Chris has taught master classes in guitar and mandolin technique. He is the founder of Bluegrass in the Pines, a three day bluegrass workshop in Frederick, Wisconsin. Chris performed with Stoney Lonesome for for six years and also toured with Kate MacKenzie. He appears on several Stoney Lonesome albums and has two a solo recording projects of his own titled "Over Time and Souls and spirits". For more information about Chris and his recordings click here.
Marty Marrone: Marty spent 7 years touring with Special Consensus out of Chicago and appeared on three of their albums. Marty will be found playing the six-string guitar in the best Flat-Picking style interspersed with some hard-driving bluegrass rhythm guitar. He also carries a good share of the band's vocal chores including those high harmonies and soulful leads. Marty and Chris won the 2005 Minnesota State Duet Championship held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
Barry St. Mane: Barry is arguably the best, and is certainly the most well known 5-string banjo player in this area. He has played with a number of bands in the regional bluegrass scene including Buckacre Bluegrass, The Middle Spunk Creek Boys and The Pretty Good Bluegrass Band. The Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association(MBOTMA) named Barry their favorite bluegrass banjo player on the occasion of the organization's 25th Anniversary.
Pete "Ground Hog" Mathison: Plain and simple, the guy is a groove merchant. His subtle yet intricate choice of notes and incredible timing make Pete a rare find in the bluegrass world. Pete's resume includes work with Cousin Dad, Redhouse Record's Farm Accident, and countless studio seesions. Pick up a bluegrass CD in this area and you'll probably find that Pete's the bass player.
Record Review:
Bluegrass Music Profiles
Record Review
Sept-Oct 2005 Issue
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TANGLED ROOTS
Angel From Montgomery
Tangled Roots Records (TRR-101)
REVIEWED BY DAVE BAGDADE
Angel From Montgomery is the first CD from Tangled Roots, a well-established band from the Twin Cities. What makes this group significant is the fact that guitarist Marty Marrone spent six years with The Special Consensus, and mandolinist Chris Silver and bassist Doug Lohman are former members of Stoney Lonesome. Joined by Barry St. Mane on banjo, the group turns in a fine performance on this disc. Only two of the 13 tracks are originals, but Tangled Roots avoids clichés and formulas. The two best-known covers, Angel From Montgomery and Catfish John, have been frequently recorded, but the group manages to make them sound fresh. The remaining covers run the gamut from Carter Stanley, Roy Acuff and George Jones to Elvis (two, in fact) and Bruce Cockburn. The playing throughout is crisp and the arrangements are well-constructed. Definitely worth seeking out.
Songs include Angel From Montgomery, Catfish John, Come Back Little Pal, Our Last Goodbye, Rise & Shine, Till I See You, Stuck On You, Scoot, Git And Be Gone, The Ballad Of Wally, One Day I Walk, Shoe Goes On The Other Foot, Pony Express and Trying To Get To You.
BMP
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