WTJU Best of 2018: Pete
By Folk Department
Pete hosts Sunset Road, heard each Friday afternoon from 4-6 (eastern).
ARTIST/ALBUM/LABEL
Hawktail /Unless/ Padiddle
My best cd pick of 2018 with Brittany Haas, Paul Kowert, Jordan Tice & Dominick Leslie
Usher’s Island/Usher’s Island/Compass
With an Irish supergroup, comprised of Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Paddy Glackin , Mike McGoldrick and John Doyle you can’t really go wrong
Mile Twelve/Onwards/Compass
IBMA moment award winners in multiple categories. The next generation of bluegrass is in very capable hands.
Richie And Rosie /Nowhere In Time/ Richie And Rosie
The Horseflies’ Richie Stears joins old time fiddler Rosie Newton for original and traditional fiddle/banjo duets
WOR /SSSHT/Appel
Flemish instrumental music from the 1700s updated for modern ears. Different, and worth a listen.
Vivian Leva /Time Is Everything/Free Dirt
Rockbridge County native’s debut recording making waves, with shades of old-time & country.
Sam Reider /Too Hot To Sleep/ Sam Reider
Sam’s accordion fronts his crack band of Brooklyn instrumentalists on this contender for my ‘best of the year’ cd
The Moose Whisperers /The Moose Whisperers/ Moose Whisperers
Pick-up band forms to compete in the Appalachian String Band Festival traditional band competition, wins the competition & then records this great old time cd.
Sunniva Brynnel & Timo Alakotila Duo /Sunniva Brynnel & Timo Alakotila Duo/ Sunniva Brynnel & Timo Alakotila
Gorgeous piano/accordion duets from Swedish/finnish duo
The Fretless/Live From The Art Farm/ The Fretless Ace
Canadian string quartet brings their arranging chops to a set of Irish music, Gorgeous stuff.
Ry Cooder /The Prodigal Son/ Perro Verde
Ry Cooder, still firing on all cylinders.
The Andrew Collins Trio /Tongue, Groove/ The Andrew Collins Trio
Canadian mandolin master with two great cds, one of songs, the other, instrumentals.
Kittel & Co./Whorls/Compass
Stunning fiddle-centric album of original & complex compositions
The Slocan Ramblers /Queen City Jubilee/ SloMusic
Toronto’s bluegrass ambassadors with another stunning release
We Banjo 3/ Haven/ We Banjo 3
Ireland’s foremost ‘celtic-grass’ band break the mold again.
Victor Furtado /Dellorto Island/ Patuxent
Clawhammer banjo whiz with another release, & he’s not even 20 yet. He calls his music ‘Psycho-claw’ music.
Punch Brothers /All Ashore/ Nonesuch
Fronted by mando-genius Chris Thile, the Punch Brothers continue to astound.
Mike Marshall & Caterina Lichtenberg /Third Journey/Adventure Music
New acoustic music veteran and classical mandolinist virtuoso partners explore their musical passions together.
John Doyle, John McCusker & Mike McGoldrick /The Wishing Tree/ Under One Sky Records
Three powerhouse celtic musicians join up for a tour de force of mostly instrumentals
Che Apalache /Latin Grass/ Che Apalache
One American, two Argentinians & one Mexican mix bluegrass & music from their own various cultures
David Benedict /The Golden Angle/ David Benedict
IBMA mandolin momentum award winner with an album of original mandolin compositions.
Stephane Wrembel /Stephane Wrembel Live In India/ Water is Life
4 CD set by master guitarist & band live in India
Jarlath Henderson /Hearts Broken, Heads Turned/ Bellows music
All Ireland Uillean pipes champion with a modern take on traditional Irish songs
Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert /The Ledges/ Dead Reckoning
Godfather of Americana meets next generation old-time fiddle master(mistress?) in a set of original songs
