Another CD we received at IBMA that we haven’t yet mentioned is Now I’m Lonely from Cages Bend. It’s a release well worth your attention, and we had held off posting about it on The Bluegrass Blog until online distribution was in effect.

The band is based in Nashville, and fronted by the husband/wife duo of Sim Daley and Missy Radeke-Daley. Missy handles the fiddle and the bulk of the lead vocals, with Sim on banjo. Missy has been playing bluegrass since she was a child with her family’s band, Misty Ridge.

Oddly enough, many folks in bluegrass and acoustic music know Sim from the mandolin world, as his Daley Mandolins are highly prized, and played by such noted artists as Dan Tyminski and Adam Steffey. He was born and grew up in England, developed a taste for the banjo and bluegrass music while still a youngster, and won the UK’s Edale Bluegrass Festival Banjo Contest in 1994.

They are joined by a trio of hot young pickers: Tony Watt on guitar, Jenni Lyn Gardner on mandolin and Daniel Hardin on bass. All three play brilliantly on the CD, with special emphasis on Watt’s rhythm and lead guitar, and Gardner’s vocals and mandolin work.

Now I’m Lonely was produced by Stephen Mougin, guitarist with Sam Bush, and the band credits him for the polished sound they achieved in the studio. Stephen also engineered and was deeply involved in helping select and arrange the songs for this project. The bulk of the songs are originals written by band members, and they show a dexterity in treating a variety of styles with authority - and passion.

Audio samples are available on the Cages Bend site, and on CD Baby.

Not long ago we brought you a story about Stephen Mougin playing in Slovakia. The tour is done, Stephen is back in the states and on the road with Sam Bush again, but he sent us some reflections on the state of the bluegrass scene in Eastern Europe.

Stephen tells us the concerts, in which he performed with Slovakian pickers, were a blast. He shared some thoughts about the various bands he came in contact with while there.

The band šSidlo played traditionaly oriented songs. They have a GREAT lead singer (apolgies for not remembering or knowing how to spell the names….) and a GREAT tenor vocalist. The young fiddle player is an extremely talented young man and he truly understands the bluegrass genre.

He also told us about a new, up and coming band, Grass Country Drive. (more…)

Stephen Mougin, of the Sam Bush Band, just emailed in to let us know that he is currently visiting Slovakia and doing a number of shows with friends while there.

He played last weekend with the band Fragment. Fragment has toured several times in the US and features Steven’s wife Jana on bass and vocals, along with Petr Brandejs on banjo, Ondra Kozak on fiddle, guitar and vocals, and Henrich Novak on dobro and vocals.

I chopped along on mandolin and added some solos when I thought I knew the tune!! The band sounds great as usual… my only question… where do they keep finding those HOSS guitar players???? There’s got to be something in the water over here! Or is it the beer????

This weekend Stephen will be playing a concert with Henrich on Sunday. The show will focus on Henrich’s resophonic guitar playing with Stephen accompanying him. Material will range from bluegrass to americana, in Slovakia folks! Stephen also suggested that members of the band Grass Country Drive may join them towards the end of the show for a few traditional bluegrass numbers.

His visit will culminate with what he termed an “out and out bluegrass celebration” on November 3, 2007. The concert that evening will feature Sidlo, Grass Country Drive, and Stephen Mougin. Stephen will play guitar and be joined that evening by some native Slovakian pickers, some of whom will be familiar to IBMA 2007 attendies. Milan Benkovic (resophonic guitar) and Michael Barok (mandolin) from the band Meantime will be part of Stephen’s ensemble that evening. Rounding out the sound will be Richard Cifersky on banjo, and Roman Sykora on bass.

Here’s what Stephen has to say about picking with these guys.

I rarely get to front my own band and I’m really having a great time with all of these fine pickers! They truly understand OUR music and try their best to honor it with every note!

Be sure to check out Sam Bush’s tour schedule to find a time when you can hear Stephen back here in the states.