Customer Reviews

Camptown

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What can I say about Joe. This master percussionist, mandolinist extraordinaire never ceases to amaze. This is my pick-me-up while I'm on the road album, better n' a cup-a-joe when I'm pounding the keyboard. The last time he played here in town he dragged a plastic garbage can out of the restaurant kitchen and played that!!! (See Kitchen Jam - described in the liner notes)
A protege and band member of David Grisman, he's a staple of the northern California music circuit. Not a weak track on the disc, it had my 70-year old dad keeping time. Get it!

Craven sure caught his magical energy on this one... the supporting players are just that brilliantly supporting. I put this CD on when I'm hosting a slumber party for my nine year old niece, (cha cha with cola & marshmellows) or a lively dinner party for friends and mid afternoon it's a sure fire way to kick my day up a notch! Better than a candy bar! This is definitely my favorite instrumental album right now.

This is one of the best instrumental albums I have ever heard. For me, many instrumental albums have a bunch of tracks that run together. This one is really interesting, each track a unique world/fusion take on a traditional fiddle tune, not a weak one on there. Makes me happy every time I put it on. I especially like#11, The Fez of Abu, and #12, Old Joe's Delhi, with all all the Indian instrumentation.

A masterpiece. A must have for fans of Grappelli, Ponty and any jazz lover with an exploratory bent. Using Traditional Irish and the latin-jazz nexus as dual foundations, Joe takes us on a global tour. It has several 'cookin' jazz elements, lots of Latin, and what can only be described as Hot Club/Hoe-down/techno. All of it executed to perfection.

After reading the book, it seems that Joe is also the prince of dub. Rather than detract, the dub seems to me to be essential to the execution and therefore a critical element of the style. Performance purists should give it a try.

I don't dance, but I get happy feet when I listen to this.