Steel and Grass

Andy Hall and Roosevelt Collier 

Let The Steel Play

   Every once in a while you hit big time pay dirt with that unasked for and unknown disc that comes across your desk.  This one was in a black cover with not much to brighten it up until you put it in the player, BAMM!  It hits you right in the gut with “This Little Light of Mine,” a song played by both Bluegrass Pickers and Gospel Music enthusiasts, exactly what we have here playing together, picked uptempo and different.  Each of these artists is well known and respected in their genres, and they come from very different backgrounds, however they happened to meet up on a Jam Cruise and loved playing together with no preconceptions and open minds, and we are blessed and so much richer with the results.  

   Andy comes from the world of bluegrass and is an integral member of The Infamous Stringdusters, who has also shared the stage with Earl Scruggs and Dolly Parton.  He is playing on this disc a National Style Squareneck, a Beard Model Resonator Guitar and a Bear Creek Koa Weissenborn guitar.  Roosevelt Collier is from The Lee Brothers Band, who have made a name for themselves in the Sacred Steel community.  He uses just his Asher Electro Hawaiian Lap Steel guitar.Both are known for their versatility and intuition as to where things are headed musically.  Both of these men are known for their dexterity and intuitive feel for the music, their familiarity with a wide range of styles and an even wider variety of players in various genres has made them both in demand players.  

  This is one of those discs that came to the desk unheralded but the names seemed familiar and the lack of pretension about the disc said that it was either going to be a quick skim through the tunes or hold on this one is The Real Deal!  It is definitely the Real Deal with all kinds of bells and whistles on it.  The music on this disc is made by just the two of them, except on the last cut when they are joined by Anders Beck on Resonator guitar.  The tracks are mostly written by them and pretty much divide up the the genres of music.  For those of you unfamiliar with Sacred Steel Music it is a music filled with passion and superb playing.  Couple of good groups to listen to are The Campbell Brothers, The Robert Randolph Band and of course The Lee Boys.  I have trouble getting this one out of the changer.  

by Bob Gottlieb