Mel Bay Publications has released a new book/CD package from Tony Trischka, called Master Collection of Fiddle Tunes for Banjo.

Dozens of tunes most commonly played on the fiddle are arranged for 3 finger banjo, encompassing music from the American and British Isles fiddle traditions. Bluegrass, Celtic and old time tunes are included, presented in tablature, and played on the two accompanying audio CDs.

Trischka is well known for his many recordings of banjo music, but perhaps less so as an outstanding instructor of the instrument. He has authored a number of popular banjo books and DVDs, targeted at banjo players and students from rank beginners to serious practitioners.

This new Mel Bay title contains pieces that will be comfortable for new pickers, and others that would challenge long-time players.

Master Collection of Fiddle Tunes for Banjo should be available now wherever banjo instructional books are sold. The book runs 256 pages (spiral bound) and sells for $34.95.

Rounder Records subtitles banjo man Tony Trischka’s newly-reissued 1985 album Hill Country as The Tony Trischka Bluegrass Album.

That reference doesn’t seem especially startling to modern eyes, following Tony’s success in 2007 with his Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular project, but when Hill Country was initially released on LP in ‘85, it smacked of heresy.

Tony explains why…

“After spending ten years putting out primarily progressive, left of center albums for Rounder, I decided I wanted to do a project that reflected my deep love for traditional bluegrass. I contacted the label and they were all for it.

My goal was to compose all of the music, in various categories……..blues tune, Scruggs/Keith tuner tune, gospel song, Stanleyesque tune, etc. I succeeded in doing that, and added in a traditional fiddle tune, to have a duet.”

In the mid-1980s, the sort of experimental string music we hear regularly now was far more controversial, and for many bluegrass purists the mere notion of one of “those pickers” crossing over to the traditional realm was beyond the pale. Artists like David Grisman, whose own variant on traditional string music was emerging at the time, had gone the opposite way – working initially in bluegrass and moving into what would soon be labeled as Dawg Music after doing his time as a grasser.

Trischka had not only started and stayed in the progressive camp until this time, but his music was more challenging harmonically to the ears of bluegrass fans of that day.

To further break the mold, Tony selected a different set of musicians for these sessions. Up to this point, he had primarily recorded with fellow string music progressives from the northeastern US like Russ Barenberg, Andy Statman, John Miller, Matt Glazer and Evan Stover.

“The majority of the tunes for Hill Country were recorded with the Nashville A team….Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Bela Fleck, Mark O’Connor, with Mark Hembree (Monroe’s bassist around that time) and Sonny Osborne twinning with me on a tune we co-wrote. Two other sessions featured the Johnson Mountain Boys and Del McCoury. (more…)

Rounder will be reissuing Tony Trischka’s terrific 1985 banjo album, Hill Country as a remastered CD on October 21.

Tony is viewed as a mainstream guy these days, thanks in no small part to his blockbuster Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular project which hit in early 2007. In the mid-1980s, however, he was noted mostly for his daring, adventurous original banjo music – which was highly experimental and often eschewed by bluegrass purists.

When Hill Country was initially released as an LP, both sides of that argument were left scratching their heads as the music was decidedly bluegrass, both in composition and instrumentation. Tony had chosen both The Johnson Mountain Boys and The Del McCoury Band as his primary rhythm sections, with guest performances from Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Mark O’Connor and B?©la Fleck.

The tunes still showcased Trischka’s quirky compositional sense, and he seemed energized by the musicians with him in the studio. He had expressed to me at the time how much he had enjoyed the sessions, and the time he spent writing and arranging the material.

This is lively and exciting music, showcasing a number of today’s most notable bluegrass artists before they reached such lofty status as they enjoy now. By all means, make a point to pick this up when it hits in October.

A bonus track is also included, with extensive new liner notes.

Tony Trischka will be appearing tomorrow on the popular, syndicated morning talk show, Live with Regis and Kelly. Tony is only two weeks away from the release of his latest CD, Territory, and it is safe to presume that he will perform something from this new project on Live.

The show airs in most markets at 9:00 a.m. local time, and a searchable listing of show times can be found on the Regis and Kelly web site.

We had a chance to discuss Territory with Tony recently, and he shared a few details about the new CD, due 3/25 from Smithsonian Folkways.

“Territory is a departure for me in that most of it is not full band. I do a little clawhammer, turn of the century and bluegrass – it’s a pretty wide range. There are 12 solo tunes on the album…mostly original tunes.”

The CD features 21 tracks, including a few with the twin banjo theme of Tony’s prior release, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, which was released last year on Rounder.

“The move to Smithsonian is just this ‘one-off.’ I’m still with Rounder and have a new project planned with them after Territory comes out. When Territory was first set in motion I was doing a lot of solo gigs and wanted to have something updated (Solo Banjo Works with Bela being over 10 years old at the time). That was the immediate impetus for this project.

There are five songs we recorded for the Double Banjo project that we decided weren’t bluegrass enough. (more…)