Banjorama

Woody Simmons | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 26, 2001)
• Original Release Date: August 9, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deep River
• ASIN: B00004W1NK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #392,112 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Raga Rama

2. Banjo Raga

3. Firefly

4. Ashtavakra's Tune

5. Door to the Infinite

6. Cowboy Raga

7. Sally Walks the Dog

8. Suite for Wings

9. Trolley Car

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Incredible Gift, August 20, 2001

By 

Paula Barnett (Perth, Western Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Banjorama (Audio CD)

This album sends the listener to another world, a very pleasant world rich with colorful tones and facinating sounds. I've never thought that listening to a banjo being played as a "soothing" experience before, until I indulged carefully in several of the cuts on this album. Definitely a CD one would push the "Continuous Play" button for on the CD player. Some of the banjo styles might be considered American style, and a couple of the pieces are Middle-Eastern or Indian sounding, with a droning effect. You can put this CD on and wander away in your mind. One gets the feeling that this artist was in a very inspired state when writing each song. Banjorama is very enjoyable to listen to and well done. A must-buy for your collection.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars banjorama reaches far, August 19, 2001

By 

Anne Irving (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Banjorama (Audio CD)

This collection of banjo music created by Woody Simmons is a great mix of traditional and experiemntal works. "Trolley Car" is solid bluegrass. "Sally Walks the Dog" is at a more meditative pace, while "Ashtavakra's Tune" slowly builds in tempo like a runaway train. "Suite for Wings" and "Banjo Raga," two compositions which established Woody's banjo virtuosity on earlier recordings, are also included. "Firefly" is more sweeping, with electronic keyboards layering in sound. The biggest draw for me on this CD is "Raga Rama." Woody's banjo goes to Bombay, as she adds in tablas percussion and the continuous tones of a tamboura. Fusion is tricky, finding the musical space where two cultures meet while respecting the integrity of both. Woody's exploration works. Woody plays banjo, guitar, mandolin, and keyboards, with help from sax player Sapphron Obois, bassist Joy Julks, Brian McGlaughlin on tablas and Shambavi Newman on tamboura.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Variety is the spice of life, August 19, 2001

By 

Suhasini Mudloff "Suhasini" (Emeryville, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Banjorama (Audio CD)

If you thought banjo music was just too off the beaten path for you, think again. This album was written up in Variety a few years ago as one of the 12 best of it's type of all time. The banjo sounds a little like a classic Indian sarod and complexities of the melodies are fabulous. For me I love it when I can feel the musician has become one with the music and the technical expertise becomes a vehicle for true musical expression. How great to have this masterpiece available on CD! Thanks Woody.