Anonymous 4 is quite probably unknown to many bluegrass fans. The reason for the anonymity (sorry, I couldn’t help it) stems from the fact that the group is not bluegrass. It’s composed of four, imagine that, women who normally sing a capella versions of medieval music.

Recently however, the group has released a CD that focuses on American Folk music, spirituals, and hymns. The CD is entitled Gloryland. The ladies made the decision to include some instrumentation on this CD and called on the talents of fiddler (and mandolinist) Darol Anger and guitarist Scott Nygaard. With the accompaniment of these two masterful musicians, the women tackle such songs as Wayfaring Stranger and Just Over In The Gloryland.

Making no attempt to adopt the vocal stylings with which these tunes are normally performed, the ladies come strait at them with a classical approach. The resulting blend of bluegrass instrumentation and classical vocals is quite interesting.

If you’re interested in hearing what this combo sounds like, tomorrow is your chance. The group, accompanied by Nygaard and Anger, will be performing for the American Public Media Thanksgiving Special.

The program will be carried on many public radio stations. You can find a radio station near you on this page.

You can also listen online if you want. I’m not sure if this program, which is currently available, is the same one which will be broadcast tomorrow.

You can also hear clips from the CD at Anonymous4.com and myspace.com/theanonymous4.

Compass Records has launched a YouTube channel to promote the many fine artists who record for the label. They intend to feature music videos, concert footage and even funny moments with Compass artists.

The first video is a live performance from this May’s StringNation festival in Camden, NJ featuring Darol Anger’s Republic Of Strings.

The Compass folks ask that anyone with video that might be suitable for their YouTube channel to please contact them so that it can be included.

Enjoy Republic Of Strings’ version of Duck River Song below.

The latest release from Mike Marshall & Darol Anger, Woodshop, is released today on Adventure Music.

In addition to Anger on violins and Marshall on mandolins and guitar, the new project also features Phil Aaberg on piano, Aaron Johnston on percussion, and the round robin of Todd Phillips, Michael Manring and Todd Sickafoose on bass.

The premise of this recording, the first by this pair since 2002, was to revisit the format from their popular 1985 release, Chiaroscuro. All the music is instrumental, and was written by Anger or Marshall. It is far more structured than their free form duo shows, with multiple overdubs and a focus on sonic purity in their visions for this new music.

We weren’t able to find much info on the Adventure Music, Mike Marshall or Darol Anger sites, but Amazon has a complete set of audio clips with online ordering enabled.

Darol Anger’s second project for Compass Records featuring his Republic Of Strings ensemble has been released. The group includes Anger on violin and Scott Nygaard on guitar, plus a number of exceptional young string musicians and vocalists. Entitled Generation Nation to highlight the multi-generational aspect of the group, the CD offers a mix of musical genres that should appeal to a great many acoustic music listeners.

Anger’s list of credentials includes time with the groundbreaking original David Grisman Quintet and the much-heralded Turtle Island String Quartet, and he is equally well regarded for his work as a string music educator. His discography is singularly impressive, and encompasses a wide variety of styles and formats. Nygaard has been a prominent guitarist for many years, including stints with Tim O’Brien’s O’Boys and Laurie Lewis’ Grant Street. He spent eight years as an editor with Acoustic Guitar magazine, a post he has recently resigned to focus on performance.

The group is completed by two young string phenoms, Rushad Eggleston on cello and Brittany Haas on fiddle (five string). Eggleston, only a few years out of college, and Haas, just starting at Princeton, bring an energy and passion to their music that has been a striking aspect of their short but notable careers. Rushad has the distinction of being the first student to be extended a “full ride” at the Berklee College Of Music, meaning that his full four years of tuition and related expenses were paid by scholarship. He has developed a technique on cello that allows him to move fluidly within a wide range of styles, including classical, jazz, and even bluegrass and old time fiddle music. Haas, like Eggleston, started attracting attention in her early teens, and Anger produced her debut, self-titled solo recording, which also featured her older sister, Natalie, on cello. She has been pointed in describing herself as a “fiddler,” and seems especially keen on old time fiddle music.

Other performers on Generation Nation include Todd Sickafoose on bass, John Pinkham on mandolin, Tristan Clarridge on cello and Tyler Andal on fiddle, with guest vocalists Terry Pinkham, Aoife O”Donovan, Marsha Genensky and Chris Webster.

You can hear audio samples on the Darol Anger web site.

Republic Of Strings is currently on tour, with a number of dates featuring Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek on violin.

Rounder Records is bringing a number of instrumental classics out on CD this fall, starting with the release today of Bela Flecks’ debut solo project from 1980, Crossing The Tracks.

When this album first hit, the groans of anguish from banjo players could be heard all over the world. Those of us active at the time had been hearing about this young banjo phenom up in Boston for as much as two years before this record came out, and it seemed impossible that he could really be as good as the few who had seen him live had reported.

I’ll never forget the “reality check” I got from listening to Crossing The Tracks that first time. Any pretense I had as a young banjo player of “rewriting the book on banjo” were torn to bits by Bela’s obvious mastery of the instrument, not to mention his vision as a soloist and his obvious skill as a composer. Wow.

Of course, those “groans” from banjo players were only metaphorical, and we all recognized that a major voice had emerged on the instrument. His promise seemed limitless, and it has been a pure joy to follow his career since. I might liken it to the way the mandolin world reacted when Chris Thile hit in earnest - a mix of awe and disbelief, with just a touch of embarrassment.

Some of the material from this release had appeared on Fleck collections already, but I urge anyone interested in Bela’s music, or the modern history of the banjo, to get this reissue.

Also due to be reissued on CD this fall on Rounder:

The four CDs highlighted above are described as Online Exclusives, which seems to mean that they will only be available from the Rounder web site.