The Original 
"Red Clay Ramblers, Chuckin' the Frizz -- Any true Ramblers fan knows that this all-too-rare release marks the band's finest hour on record, a well-produced live recording of the rollicking 1979 lineup performing at the old, tinier Cat's Cradle. This is a superior string band at the height of its powers, spinning out traditionals and originals with inspired, infectious fervor."And they had some fine things to say about the O'Blurs. We're quoting here from "The past: blues, bluegrass and power pop" by Brian Millikin.
"In the late '60s and early '70s, there was an area revival in old-time music, which brought fiddling and bluegrass traditions down from the Appalachian mountains. The Hollow Rock String Band formed at the Hollow Rock store between Durham and Chapel Hill; the Fuzzy Mountain String Band followed shortly thereafter. In 1972, banjo master Tommy Thompson and two others (Jim Watson and Bill Hicks) formed the Red Clay Ramblers, a legendary string band that mixed traditional and contemporary compositions for heel-stomping, toe-tapping national success (they even took their show to Broadway). Still around in various incarnations, individual members of the "Blurs," (a fan nickname for the Ramblers) have gone on to dozens of side projects and, in the process, have created a fearsome and thriving scene in and of themselves."
When asked to name a favorite Red Clay Ramblers album, fans of the long-running North Carolina string band inevitably seem to pick this live album, recorded over three days in a home away from home, Chapel Hill's Cat's Cradle club. This was back in the days when this club was a small, intimate listening room with an adjoining, glassed-in bar and not the bowling-alley size venue it eventually evolved into. It is pretty easy to see why this record would be a favorite. It captures what is without question the best lineup of this group, and this is not to disparage other members nor to question why talents such as Bill Hicks and Mike Craver would have moved on to solo careers eventually. Having them all together here in such a happy live setting is a real treat. Yet this isn't simply the equal of any cassette machine that might have gotten
clicked
on during any Red Clay Ramblers gig during this period. This is a superbly
produced set with a superior recorded sound, fully capturing the rich overtones
in the blend of stringed instruments and piano. Craver has never sounded
better, and neither has Tommy Thompson, whose voice and banjo playing are
adept and gorgeous. His ballad "Hot Buttered Rum" is wonderful, and this
moving performance is one of the Red Clay Ramblers' best recorded moments.
There is plenty of their snappy traditional string band material, tempos
brisk and unfaltering -- there is no weak link in this band messing up
the tempos in a live setting. There are also some complicated originals
that really demonstrate the versatility of the players, as well as suggesting
a rehearsal schedule stained in blood and sweat. To play Craver's song
"Thoroughly African Man" with all its twists and turns live and have it
come out with so few glitcheroonies is quite an accomplishment. That said,
it must be admitted that there are listeners who don't really like this
side of the band's material, despite the fact that its roots in old-time
music forms are just as valid. Nonetheless, it might be an acquired taste.
This is not the case for "Aragon Mill," a tremendously powerful protest
songs by Charlotte's Sy Kahn, representing another superb choice in material,
or a Bill Boyd cover that swings like crazy. Yes, this is the ultimate
Red Clay Ramblers souvenir, the cover art featuring two examples of the
photographic medium's ability to completely capture the personality of
an entire band, frozen in time and attitude. (The cover shots mentioned
are the two pics above on this page.)Frizz
Facts:
Frizz in the making: Bill Hicks handwritten production notes for Chuckin' the Frizz |
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March 3, 2007