Stepping out as a bandleader for the first time, Tom Rozum has produced one of the better surprises of the year with Jubilee. Although best-known for his mandolin and guitar work with Laurie Lewis & Grant Street, here his talent shines with an all-star supporting cast and a tasteful collection of songs and styles.
Leading off with a smooth bluegrass take on Don Helms’ (Hank Williams’ steel player) “Don’t Fix Up That Doghouse” and following with a decidedly offbeat version of Merle Haggard’s “One Sweet Hello” that recalls Uncle Walt’s Band at its most tropical, Rozum sets up the listener for just about anything and then gladly follows through. Aided by Lewis, Herb Pedersen, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall and a host of today’s top pickers, he chooses rather obscure material from the likes of the Louvin Brothers (“Love Is A Lonely Street”), Bill Monroe (“On The Old Kentucky Shore”), Ralph Stanley (“Sweet Sally Brown”), Irving Berlin (“Without My Walking Stick”) and David Olney (“Walk Downtown”), giving each his own spin, yet with an understated amount of polish and just a hint of good humor.
A skillful mixture of bluegrass, old-time and western swing, Jubilee may be hard to classify, but music this effortless is a satisfactory listen and a worthy of lavish praise.
