What is it about hearing good music in really small venues that is so satisfying? On Saturday, April 14th, my wife and I had the pleasure of seeing a fine performance by the Manhattan Valley Ramblers at the Orchard House Café on the east side of New York City. Bluegrass in the Big Apple? Yes it does happen. And when MVR is on the bill you’ll get good solid old time picking, soulful vocal harmonies and one of the best fiddle players this listener has ever heard. John Saroyan – guitar, banjo and mandolin – and Bill Christophersen – fiddle and guitar – make up this excellent duo.
The two set program leaned heavily on songs of earlier eras. We heard covers of the Stanley Brothers, Louvin Brothers and, impressively, the Everly Brothers. There were fiddle tunes bowed with what seemed like wild abandon. And that only shows how skilled the fiddler really is. I won’t do a song by song review but here are a few titles that stood out for one reason or another. “Turkey Buzzard” “Wild Hog In the Woods” “Big Tiger Special” “Single-Footing Horse” and “Three Thin Dimes” all showcased Mr. Christophersen’s inspired fiddling. The vocal work on “Down, Down, Down” “Summertime is Past and Gone” “Devoted” “Making Believe” and a particularly fine rendition of “Childish Love” exemplified the deep feelings so evident in Bluegrass music. All of the songs selected display the respect and affection that this duo has for all the compositions.
Now back to the first rhetorical question that I posed. A small venue like the Orchard House Café provides an intimate and friendly atmosphere that is so difficult to duplicate in larger concert settings. Here the musicians can look into the eyes of the audience and gauge how the songs are being accepted or rejected. They can change their set list to alter the mood and they can engage in friendly banter with their listeners, and between themselves, which can also get folks loosened up or ready to appreciate a serious point about the origin or story behind a song. It’s a great way to hear music and the Manhattan Valley Ramblers maximized their setting.
The duo has a fine CD of their music available. The title is “Ballads and Barnburners” and I believe if you check out their website you can obtain this item. John and Bill each have their own CD’s from a few years back and they’re also very good. Go to www.manhattanvalleyramblers.com to learn more.
Let me add one more personal note here. John and Bill are two very kind, friendly and personable fellows. Get out to see them and you’ll see very quickly that these are genuine musicians, dedicated to their art and constantly working to improve their already formidable skills.
The two set program leaned heavily on songs of earlier eras. We heard covers of the Stanley Brothers, Louvin Brothers and, impressively, the Everly Brothers. There were fiddle tunes bowed with what seemed like wild abandon. And that only shows how skilled the fiddler really is. I won’t do a song by song review but here are a few titles that stood out for one reason or another. “Turkey Buzzard” “Wild Hog In the Woods” “Big Tiger Special” “Single-Footing Horse” and “Three Thin Dimes” all showcased Mr. Christophersen’s inspired fiddling. The vocal work on “Down, Down, Down” “Summertime is Past and Gone” “Devoted” “Making Believe” and a particularly fine rendition of “Childish Love” exemplified the deep feelings so evident in Bluegrass music. All of the songs selected display the respect and affection that this duo has for all the compositions.
Now back to the first rhetorical question that I posed. A small venue like the Orchard House Café provides an intimate and friendly atmosphere that is so difficult to duplicate in larger concert settings. Here the musicians can look into the eyes of the audience and gauge how the songs are being accepted or rejected. They can change their set list to alter the mood and they can engage in friendly banter with their listeners, and between themselves, which can also get folks loosened up or ready to appreciate a serious point about the origin or story behind a song. It’s a great way to hear music and the Manhattan Valley Ramblers maximized their setting.
The duo has a fine CD of their music available. The title is “Ballads and Barnburners” and I believe if you check out their website you can obtain this item. John and Bill each have their own CD’s from a few years back and they’re also very good. Go to www.manhattanvalleyramblers.com to learn more.
Let me add one more personal note here. John and Bill are two very kind, friendly and personable fellows. Get out to see them and you’ll see very quickly that these are genuine musicians, dedicated to their art and constantly working to improve their already formidable skills.
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