Various Artists – Travis County Pickin’: Country-jazz Guitar, Austin, Texas Style
Country guitar instrumentals may not be as much in vogue as they used to be, but hopefully this magnificent all-instrumental album will bring attention to a neglected part of country history.
Produced by guitarist Jim Stringer and featuring some of Austin’s finest twang guitarists, Travis County Pickin’ features all original compositions that often pay homage to some of the legendary axe-wielders of the past. With formidable chops focused on tight songcraft, there’s no aimless noodling. Instead, the album honors the tradition of the great jazz-influenced country guitarists while providing an effective forum for some of Austin’s ace pickers.
Every cut’s a pleasure and highlights abound, beginning with the leadoff track, “Austin-tatious”. Inspired by Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant (to whom the album is dedicated), the song pairs Scott Walls (Don Walser’s pedal steel player) and Dave Biller (known for his work with Dale Watson) for some stratospheric country boogie. Biller also contributes some lightning runs to the Roy Nichols-inspired “Stranger Pickin'”, and Walls adds a brilliant pedal steel solo to another Bakersfield-inspired song, “Ellen”, penned by the Derailers’ Brian Hofeldt, whose twangin’ Telecaster on the song pays loving homage to his idol, the Buckaroos’ Don Rich.
Casper Rawls and Lloyd Maines pay tribute to James Burton and Ralph Mooney’s “Corn Pickin'” with “White Corn”, and Rawls blasts off on “Buckaroo 2002”, which takes “Buckaroo” into outer space. There’s also the sizzling swing of guitarist Joel Hamilton and pals on “Oreo Swing”, and Hamilton emulates the eclectic guitar cooking of the late Danny Gatton on “Danny’s Boogie”.
High Noon’s Sean Mencher can also be found here, making a couple of successful stabs at solo Merle Travis-style pickin’ on “House Of Cards” and “Your New Flame (Is Burning Me)”. While the players on top are the album’s focus, the likes of bassist Kevin Smith, as well as drummers Lisa Pankratz and Donald Lindley, ensure the album’s various rhythm sections are in good hands.
This fine album is not only a reminder of the important role played by guitar instrumentals in country-music history, it also throws a spotlight on the musical inventiveness and roots reverence of the deservedly acclaimed Austin music scene.