Customer Reviews

Natasha's waltz

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I first encountered Norman Blake on John Hartford's 1971 landmark album AEREO-PLAIN. Since then I have become a life-long fan of his hybrid blend of folk, jazz, blues, old timey and bluegrass acoustic music. Norman is a gifted multi-insturmenalist who, along with his wife Nancy, play guitar, cello, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, mando-cello and accordian. They are joined by James Bryan (fiddle), Carl Jones (guitar, mandolin, mandola, banjo), Larry Sledge (mando-cello), Peter Ostroushko (mandolin, fiddle and guitar) and Charlie Collins (guitar, fiddle on tracks 13, 14, 16 and 18-21).

NATASHA'S WALTZ actually draws from three of Blake's out-of-print albums from the late Seventies and early Eighties for the Rounder label. Tracks 1-12 (all instrumentals) are from 1982's ORIGINAL UNDERGROUND MUSIC FROM THE MYSTERIOUS SOUTH. Tracks 15 and 17 are from 1979's THE RISING FAWN STRING ENSEMBLE. [Blake took the name from his home of Rising Fawn, Georgia.] The rest of the tracks are from the 1981 release FULL MOON ON THE FARM and includes the album's only vocal on the waltz-time "Diamonds in the Rough."

My only complaint is that the accompanying 4-page booklet is too skimpy. It doesn't even include songwriting credits, but even the original songs sound like they could have been written a hundred years ago. Blake and his wife, along with a group of like-minded musicians, are gifted instrumentalists who perform with a spirit that is both powerful and enchanting. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Ever since its release, this has been on of my favorite albums. Not traditional bluegrass, I always think it has a "gypsy" feel to it. Mostly intrumental, there is great use and interplay of guitar, mandolin/mandola, and violin/viola. If you want to branch out past the cookie cutter "man with a guitar" folk, try this lovely album. I think you will be glad you did - I recommend "Natasha's Waltz" absolutely without reservation.

The first 12 songs on this disc were orginally released as ORIGINAL MUSIC FROM THE MYSTERIOUS SOUTH and credited to The Rising Fawn String Ensemble. Wonderful, wonderful stuff. Virtually impossible to categorize. If you're a fan of bluegrass, "newgrass" or virtually any acoustic-oriented music, you owe it to yourself to check this out. You'll be humming these tunes long after the CD has left the player. No vocals. An overlooked gem.

As has been said, the first twelve tracks are from the album "Original Underground Music from the Mysterious South". I have had that album for years and I think it's Blake's best. No vocals, just amazing musicality and brilliant compositions. The recording is also one of the finest. Much better than Full Moon on the Farm, Fields of November or The Norman and Nancy Blake CD (which is sonically horrendous). While most of the tracks on this CD are excellent, it's the first twelve that make this a must-buy for any Blake (or acoustic / folk / bluegrass) fan. The tunes are hauntingly gorgeous and the playing is supurb. The track Third Street Gypsy Rag has a passage in it that is so 'Bach-like' that it elevates the track to being near magical.

Funny enough, while the title track of this CD is technically wonderful, it's also my least favorite (of the first twelve). If it were my CD, I'd have named it New Brick Road. The opening track which rolls and moves brilliantly. Nancy's cello playing has a remarcable 'vocal' quality that works so well with these tracks by grounding them and producing a sonority that rounds out the glorious sound.

Absolute highest recommendations. Enjoy!!