[.ca] Rambler

The best ever from a group who never disappoint:
The Red Clay Ramblers bring together a collection of traditional tunes, older jazz, and original tunes which are squarely in the tradition in the way that only they can. My favorite among a collection of superb tracks is "One Rose/Hot Buttered Rum". "One Rose" is an instrumental reminiscent of Jay Ungar's "Ashokan Farewell"; it segues into Tommy Thompson's "Hot Buttered Rum", a vocal number of equal, though different, beauty. The Ramblers' combination of knowledge of several different but related traditions with creativity and solid musicianship will not be found again.

RAMBLER:
CORRECTION: Tommy Thompson is not "the late," as the 3d review of RAMBLER states. He is alive and well in Chapel Hill, NC, though he left the Ramblers in 1994, a victim of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Everybody's favorite "Whatnot Band" sings again!:
Though nothing compares to seeing the band live, "Rambler" provides a good sampling of the slightly goofy, very thoughtfully developed sound that is uniquely the Ramblers'. Not many of their albums are avaiable on CD -- so this one is all the more worth getting in this format. It represents the band at a crossroads: matured and relaxed, but with the zany energy of the late Tommy Thompson. Until their next album, this may be the best of the bunch.

A uniquely American band that defies classification.:
"Rambler" is the latest studio CD of the Red Clay Ramblers. It is a showcase of the band's breadth, which runs from traditional American ("Cotton-Eyed Joe"), to traditional Scottish ("Queen of Skye"), to original ballad (the heartbreaking "Black Smoke Train"), to brilliant string-band instrumentalism ("Ryan's/Jordan's Reel") to the stone zany ("Hiawatha's Lullaby"). The Ramblers don't tour much anymore (except in theatrical productions that they write), which is a shame. If you go back and listen to some of their vinyl albums, you will hear a similar unwillingness to be type-cast as one sort of band or another. They have been around, in one incarnation or another, forever. I think they are great to listen to while driving, because the variety keeps it interesting.

• Cotton-Eyed Joe
• Cajun Billy
• Black Smoke Train
• Saro Jane
• Annie Oakley
• Queen of Skye
• Ninety and Nine
• Mile Long Medley
• Darlin' Say/Pony Cart
• Hiawatha's Lullaby
• What Does the Deep Sea Say?
• Ryan's/Jordan Reel
• Barbeque
• One Rose/Hot Buttered Rum
• Polkas