Shrumatica Guitar Guide

Why Left Handed Guitars?

We all know that there are less left handed people than right handed people in the world.

Analysts calculate that 1 in 10 human beings are left-handed.

This means the total amount of left handers living in the world is over 600 million.

According to Scientific estimates, there will be a billion left-handed people living on planet Earth by 2020.

Another interesting fact is that the number of left handed people born in 2005 were double those born in 1990.

So while the left handed population appears to be multiplying, there is a contrast of trend happening in another area: availability of left handed musical instruments, specifically left handed guitars.

This is not a new situation however, but it is has changed for the worse in the 2000′s.

Left Hand guitars have always been in short supply, but to be fair, many major manufacturers have tried to accommodate left handed players by providing at least a basic range of lefty guitars. Probably if there had never been a Kurt Cobain, or a Paul McCartney or a Jimi Hendrix, or an Elliot Easton, everyone today would be playing right handed guitar regardless of what hand they used to write with!

What is alarming is this. A recent survey of left-handed school children concerning left handed guitars showed a staggering group view that playing left handed guitar was “too hard” or “not worth the trouble” and hence out of defeat, the majority of these children felt obliged to deny any natural inclination they have toward playing left-handed guitar and instead become good little robots and learn to play guitar right handed, like “everyone else.”

I suspect that these survey results probably do not differ from survey results that might have been obtained in the 1990s, or 1970s or 1960s.

Strangely, the 1980′s was the only era when there appeared to be a “better selection” of left handed guitars than prior and recent times.

Left Handed guitarists wanting left-handed guitars and left handed bass guitars that are otherwise not available in left hand by original manufacturers do have a new choice: Gaskell Guitars, the only left handed guitar manufacturer in the world that makes left handed guitars and basses in the models that are not available in left hand elsewhere.

Left handed guitarists – you need to support those who support you. And those people are not the big money-motivated guitar brands that don’t bother to make left handed guitars anymore or never did. Turn your back on those people.

About the Author

Gaskell Guitars is a guitar manufacturer in Australia that makes left handed guitars and left-handed basses only. ( http://www.gaskellguitars.com )

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Brand New $11.18 After a six-year break, Gary Stewart returned to recording for the Hightone label in Oakland, CA. Other than rocking a bit harder — courtesy of guitar players Dale Sellers on lead and Allman Brother Warren Haynes on slide — Stewart is not a shadow of his former self, but himself, period: namely, a bad-assed honky tonk singer/songwriter who delivers drinking songs better than anyone except Merle Haggard. And like the days of yore when albums like Out of Hand, Your Place or Mine, and Gary were released on RCA, Brand New is a collection of bar-slammin’ good-time rowdy honky tonk songs and broken, screwed-up love songs seen from the bottom of a glass. “Brand New Whiskey” feels like a Stewart rewrite of Guy Clark’s “Take Me to a Barroom,” and is every bit as good; “I Owe It All to My Heart” is a sad country song in the best sense of the word. “Lucretia” is a rocker with echoes of Derek & the Dominos’ “Layla,” done pub-style. Haynes is especially effective with his deliberate guitar histrionics. “Rainin’ Rainin’ Rainin’” is classic Gary Stewart, high, lonesome, the morning after, and recounting the tragedy to whoever will listen accompanied by a barroom piano and cut-time rhythm. “Looking for Some Brand New Stuff” and “Son of a Honky Tonk Woman” come out of the Jerry Lee Lewis fake book, with all the passion, psychosis, and dark piano-pumping fury. Ah, the classic country music; “I Get Drunk” is a track George Jones would have been proud to record first, but Stewart’s delivery is actually more believable. The set ends with “Murdered By Love,” a romper-stomper blues jam with Haynes and Sellers tearing each other up and Stewart singing his ass off. Sending the listener into an oblivion of drink, lost love, and regret — all recipes for a good night of wild partying you’ll regret the next day. A fine return. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi Performers: Buddy Cannon – Vocals (Background); Carla Hunter – Vocals (Background); Ken Bell – Guitar (Rhythm); Kenny Bell – Guitar (Rhythm); Dale Dellers – Guitar (Electric); Dale Sellers – Guitar (Electric); David Briggs – Piano; Jerry Kroon – Drums; Larry Paxton – Bass;

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Brand New Me $11.98 2010 release from the Austin legend. Cory Morrow has been a consistent fixture on the Texas Country scene – establishing himself as a pioneer of the growth of the Lone Star State’s brand of Country music in the past decade. In the last decade Cory Morrow has sold over 200,000 albums, and has entertained audiences across the United States. Brand New Me was produced by Lloyd Maines, and recorded at Cedar Creek Studios in Austin. Its sound is anchored by the solid musicianship of Cory’s band – drummer Clint Litton, bassist Steve Cargill, keyboardist Jeff Bryant, and legendary lead guitarist John Carroll. Maines (steel guitar) and Brendon Anthony (fiddle) also added their own musical styling to the album. Performers: Drew Womack – Vocal Harmony; Kyle Park – Vocal Harmony; Lloyd Maines – Hi String Guitar (Acoustic), Cowbell, Guitar (Rhythm); Tonya Cargill – Vocal Harmony; Waylon Payne – Vocal Harmony; Brendon Anthony – Mandola, Fiddle, Mandolin; Clint Litton – Drums, Percussion; Jeff Bryant – Keyboards, Piano; John Carroll – Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric); Rodney Pyeatt – Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar (Electric); Steve Cargill – Guitar (Bass)

Brand New Year $10.38 The ’90s turned out to be a little tough for the Bottle Rockets. Upon the release of its eponymous debut in 1993, the Missouri quartet was almost universally hailed as one of the leaders of the post-Uncle Tupelo Americana movement, but the band lost momentum when trying to make it in the big leagues. It wasn’t for lack of trying. They labored over their official Atlantic debut, 24 Hours a Day, but when they were touring the album, the label pulled their support, leaving them to flounder. The Rockets regrouped and released a collection of outtakes, Leftovers, the following year, as they decided what to do next. Wisely, they seized an opportunity for a fresh start, which is what Brand New Year, their first studio album for Doolittle Records, is. They’ve decided to emphasize their roots as a bar band, cutting away their country tendencies and playing up their fondness for ’70s hard rock. The twist is, Rockets leader Brian Henneman tries to inject some intelligence and self-aware humor into the lyrics. At times, it works, but it’s just as frequently awkward or self-conscious, especially since it seems that the words have taken precedence over hooks or melodies. Even so, there’s a sense of songwriterly craft, if not actual songs, that is welcome, and it’s made all the more engaging by the earthy performances by what is, after all, a really good bar band. There’s no question that Brand New Year is a proudly Luddite record, celebrating the virtues of loud guitars and living without computers (see “Helpless,” as in “how come I don’t feel helpless”), which naturally makes it feel like an album out of time, but that is its redeeming virtue — it might not have the hooks of a classic rock album, but it’s a good, solid slice of organic hard rock. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi Performers: Eric Ambel – Dulcitone, Wah Wah Guitar, Shaker, Slide Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Vocals, Guitar (Baritone), Guitar, Organ; Brian Henneman – Guitar (12 String), Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic); Jim Duffy – Organ; Mark Ortmann – Tambourine, Drums; Mary Lee – Vocals; Paul Ebersold – Organ; Robert Kearns – Fretless Bass, Mandolin, Bass, Vocals; Tom Parr – Spoken Word, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar

Barley: Corn Brand Originals $12.78 Barley–Corn Brand Originals serve up genial if uninspired Americana sounds on their eponymously-titled debut LP. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi Performers: Andrew Kastner – Horn; Bill Bergman – Horn, Saxophone, Keyboards; Jimmy Powers – Harmonica; John Paruolo – Horn; Les Lovitt – Horn; Greg Beck – Guitar; Gregg Arreguin – Guitar; Mark Warner – Guitar

The Classical Guitar $35.15 We proudly present the fifth edition of Maurice J. Summerfield’s highly acclaimed ultimate reference book on the classical guitar. This brand new book features all the original biographical entries updated with new photographs where applicable, plus 100 n

Brand New Strings $10.38 It should come as no surprise to fans of Ricky Skaggs that the level of musicianship within his band Kentucky Thunder is superb. Even at their worst, they skim the surface of maximum quality, but what is so exciting about Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder is their ability to balance on the frayed edges of classic and progressive bluegrass. Brand New Strings shows this off very well, forsaking neither, and is an excellent example of a group whose members are both technically fantastic and capable of emotionally exploiting their talents, a rare commodity in modern bluegrass. The first of Skaggs’ four songwriting contributions, the instrumental “I Corinthians 1:18,” is a perfect example of the more forward-thinking side of the group, while the title track is where the group completely cuts loose with ridiculously amazing picking and fiddling. Skaggs even broke the traditional bluegrass barrier by employing accordionist Tim Laure on “Love Does It Every Time,” a nice melodic country-folk tune, if a little heavy-handed lyrically. Ultimately, Brand New Strings is an excellent outing for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, and shows the band pulling bluegrass another small step further from its shelter into adventure. ~ Gregory McIntosh, Rovi Performers: Ricky Skaggs – Papoose, Hi String Guitar (Acoustic), Claw Hammer Banjo, Gut String Guitar, Vocal Harmony, Harmony Vocals, Mandolin, Guitar; Andy Leftwich – Mandolin; Cody Kilby – Guitar (Rhythm), Banjo, Guitar; Darrin Vincent – Vocal Harmony, Harmony Vocals; Jeff Taylor – Accordion; Jim Mills – Banjo; Keith Sewell – Vocal Harmony, Harmony Vocals; Molly Skaggs – Dulcimer;

Brand New Dance $12.79 In 1990, Emmylou Harris’ run of superb mid-’70s albums was over, and she hadn’t yet assembled the Nash Ramblers, the acoustic band that gave her music a heady kick-start prior to her first striking collaboration with Daniel Lanois, Wrecking Ball. As a result, Brand New Dance captures Harris at the end of one cycle and just before the start of another, and the material and production suggest Harris was ready for some changes. Emmylou Harris probably couldn’t make a truly bad album if she tried, and as always, she’s in lovely voice on Brand New Dance, but she doesn’t always sound especially engaged with the material, most of which falls into the “good-but-not-great” category (notable exceptions — a strong cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Tougher Than the Rest” and the title cut). In addition, producer Allen Reynolds puts a shade too much pop-friendly gloss on the arrangements and mix for several of these tunes, and despite the presence of a truly impressive team of accompanists, this album never quite catches fire as in Harris’ best work. Brand New Dance is a strong and professional piece of work, but Harris’ next few albums would remind fans she was capable of a lot more than that. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi Performers: Jo-El Sonnier – French Accordian, Triangle; Davy Spillane – Uillean Pipes, Whistle (Human); Liam O’Flynn – Whistle (Human), Uillean Pipes; Richard Bennett – 6-String Bass, Tambourine, Mandolin, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Bass; Barry Tashian – Vocal Harmony, Harmony Vocals; Carl Gorodetzky – Strings; Cindy Reynolds Wyatt – Harp; Claire Lynch – Vocal Harmony,

Stealing the Devil’s Guitar $15.31 The undisputed ‘King of the New York City Blues’ returns with an electrifying selection of hard-charging, guitar driven anthems. Popa’s signature brand of progressive, lyrically incisive blues rocks like there’s no tomorrow. ‘Stealing The Devil’s Guitar

A Brand You Can Trust $13.58 Never let it be said that Everlast doesn’t know how to keep folks guessing. First, he started out as a solo rapper with his debut album, Forever Everlasting. Then, he became a much bigger name in hip-hop after forming House of Pain with Danny Boy and DJ Lethal in 1992. And after House of Pain’s breakup, Everlast resumed his solo career with 1998′s introspective Whitey Ford Sings the Blues, an exceptional album that found him both singing and rapping and exploring everything from folk-rock to Memphis soul to metal (as a singer, Everlast sounds a bit like Gil Scott-Heron). More solo albums followed, none of which were strictly hip-hop. That brings us to La Coka Nostra, a hardcore rap group that reunites Everlast with Danny Boy and Lethal, and also includes Slaine (of Boston’s Special Teamz) and Ill Bill (of Non Phixion fame). Unfortunately, there have been many examples of all-star groups failing to live up to their hype, but La Coka Nostra excel on A Brand You Can Trust. It stands to reason that an outfit that includes all three of House of Pain’s ex-members would have a strong House of Pain influence, although this 2009 release isn’t an exact replica of that popular ’90s group. Actually, the approach on A Brand You Can Trust is probably best described as House of Pain by way of Cypress Hill, with a rock influence at times and occasional hints of Everlast’s post-Pain solo output — and one of the appealing things about this CD is the way it has both a sociopolitical conscience and a sense of raucous fun. House of Pain’s boisterous, in-your-face attitude (as well as their cleverness) is alive and well throughout this album, but some discussion of social and/or political issues finds its way to “Nuclear Medicinemen,” “The Stain,” “Soldier’s Story,” and a few other tracks. A Brand You Can Trust doesn’t have as consistently serious and contemplative a tone as Everlast’s eclectic solo efforts of the late ’90s and 2000s — overall, this album is more concerned with having some raucous fun than it is with trying to save the world — although that sociopolitical element is still an attractive side dish. No one who has spent a lot of time listening to House of Pain or Cypress Hill will find A Brand You Can Trust to be groundbreaking, but this is an exciting listen nonetheless. A Brand You Can Trust is one all-star album that doesn’t disappoint. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi Performers: DJ Lethal – Scratching; Baby Jesus – Guitar (Bass); Erik “Baby Jesus” Coomes – Guitar (Bass); Russell Ali – Guitar

Brand New Beginning $15.98 Performers: Jack Quest – Keyboards; Lenny Rankins – Bass, Keyboards, Guitar

Brand New Age $15.56 For their second album, Brand New Age, the U.K. Subs built on the frenzied, melodic assault of their debut by developing their songwriting skills. Brand New Age contains tracks that are more ambitious than those on the debut, with more variety and lyrical depth. Rather than the amusing teen angst rants of the debut, this album shows the Subs embracing a more political point of view. “Warhead” is a seething diatribe on nuclear war, delivered with the venom and ferocity such a topic deserves. “Organised Crime” rants about government oppression, and “Brand New Age” delivers a less than optimistic slant on the forthcoming privacy intrusions of the 1980s. There’s no shortage of droll humor, though, with the hilarious “Teenage” and “Emotional Blackmail,” the closest the Subs have come to a song about relationships. Musically, the band have grown as well. “Warhead” has a more complex song structure than anything they did before, and “You Can’t Take It Anymore” proves the band doesn’t have to rely on simple velocity to get their point across. Far from falling prey to the sophomore slump, the U.K. Subs came of age on this album and proved they were one of the best, most promising acts of their era. ~ Victor W. Valdivia, Rovi Performers: Charlie Harper – Harmonica, Vocals; Nicky Garratt – Guitar; Paul Slack – Bass; Pete Davies – Drums; Steve Slack – Bass

Guitar Pitch Pipe Tuner $6.99 Features:Brand new and unused Small and compact of this Guitar Pitch Tuner No batteries neededGuitar Tuner with 6 tones – one for each string: E, A, D, G, B, EThis Guitar Accessory helps your ear become more accustomed to the noteThis Pipe Tuner Guitar suitable for acoustic and electric guitarists

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Brand New Blues $12.78 The youngest Neville Brother he may be, but Cyril Neville’s accomplishments are as impressive as those of his older siblings. He played with his brother Aaron in various soul and funk outfits before joining the Meters full-time in the early ’70s, and was one of the prime movers in getting his brothers together as the Neville Brothers. His discography is just as eclectic as the rest of the family’s; he’s played percussion and keyboards on records by Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Edie Brickell, Willie Nelson, Los Hombres Calientes, and dozens of others. On Brand New Blues, his fourth solo outing, he teams up with Brooklyn, NY based producer and multi-instrumentalist Brian J., leader of the Pimps of Joytime, a band that is as indebted to the groove as Cyriland his brothers are. With members of his extended family along, Cyril lays down ten tracks that prove his New Orleans soul is intact, even though he’s lived in Austin since escaping the devastation of Katrina. In fact, the aftermath of the hurricane creeps into most of the original tunes here. On the title track, Neville lays down some Al Green-style Memphis fonk to implicitly address the “brand new blues” that the hurricane delivered. Brian J.’s nasty guitar complements Neville’s growling vocal. “Cheatin’ and Lyin’” is a spooky, swampy meditation on the indifference of the powers that be, from the “White House on down” as Neville sings. The song closes with a gospel-infused chant to the freedom the city still searches for. “Mean Boss Blues” features Tab Benoit’s gritty guitar, an angry vocal from Neville, and darkly humorous lyrics that portray the aftermath of the storm through the eyes of a man trying his best to make ends meet in a town with no jobs, electricity, or decent housing. Benoit lays down an raw, aggressive solo befitting the situation. But all is not lost. “Shake Your Gumbo” pays tribute to the city’s resilience with a percussion-heavy track that simmers like the thick, hearty dish of its title. Neville also tackles a few tasty covers: “I Found Joy,” the album opener, is a N’awlins revamp of a Jimmy Reed tune delivered as a jubilant strut. “Blue, Blue Water,” another Reed number, is given a stark reading, with just Neville’s vocals, Johnny Sansone’s harp, and Andy Cotton’s bass. Brook Benton’s “I’ll Take Care of You” has an old-time ’50s R&B flavor, with Art Neville on B-3, some shimmering fills from Brian J.’s guitar, and a melisma-drenched vocal from Cyril. The album closes with an extended version of Bob Marley’s “Slave Driver” with brother Art on organ. It’s cut as a slow blues, not a reggae tune, and explicitly addresses both the historical pains of slavery and the modern-day dilemma of post-Katrina New Orleans. Cyril writes new lyrics that indict the powers that be for their callous disregard of the city’s African American population. ~ j. poet, Rovi Performers: Waylon Thibodeaux – Was

Brand New Eyes $15.18 With 2007′s Riot!, Paramore proved that pop hooks and a killer set of pipes can still vault a band to platinum status, economic downturn be damned. Success comes with a price, though, and Paramore struggled as media outlets reserved most of their coverage for Hayley Williams, deemed by many to be the group’s leader. Rather than calling it quits, the musicians sought therapy in the studio, where tales of self-doubt and frustration were captured on tape by mega-producer Rob Cavallo. The anthemic, celebratory songs that made Riot! so appealing were largely absent, but the band found a new way to rock during those sessions, prizing catharsis and nuanced arrangements above the hooks of albums past. Released in late 2009, Brand New Eyes presents Paramore as a stronger, leaner, and altogether more consistent band. “Careful” and “Ignorance” are two of the group’s most aggressive tunes to date, and the rest of the disc follows suit, with the guitar interplay of Josh Farro and Taylor York (who makes his studio debut here, having joined the lineup after Riot! was recorded) receiving much of the spotlight. Drummer Zac Farro anchors the band with a flurry of snare hits and cymbal crashes, but the true MVP is none other than Ms. Williams, who sings with all the gusto of an angsty, 21st century Ann Wilson. She’s fun, fiery, and altogether fantastic, a pint-sized powerhouse who attacks everyone from holier-than-thou naysayers (“Playing God”) to egocentric space cadets (“Brick by Boring Brick”). Williams also tones down the sonic assault whenever it’s appropriate, offering a beautifully understated vocal during the album’s centerpiece ballad, “The Only Exception,” and championing the band’s longevity during songs like “Where the Lines Overlap” and “Looking Up.” “God knows the world doesn’t need another band,” she sings during the latter track, “but what a waste it would have been…I can’t believe we almost hung it up. We’re just getting started.” Riot! explored similar thoughts with its closing track, “Born for This,” but “Looking Up” is made all the more convincing by the band’s recent turmoil. Accordingly, Brand New Eyes is the band’s most credible album to date, a blend of melody and muscle that packs a punch in spite of its tumultuous origin. ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi Performers: Hayley Williams – Vocals; Jamie Muhoberac – Keyboards, Organ; Josh Farro – Guitar; Taylor York – Guitar; Zac Farro – Drums

Macrocosm: Introducing…Brand X $10.39 This 13-track budget-priced compilation of Brand X’s 1977-1980 period is a decent appetite whetter, featuring four tracks from Moroccan Roll, two from Livestock, “Black Moon” from Masques (there should have been more from this album), three from Product, two from Unorthodox Behaviour, and one from Do They Hurt? Fans gain nothing by having this, except another sexually suggestive sleeve image by Hipnosis. But then, this isn’t for fans; it is an introduction to the band for the uninitiated — but who is gonna even care at this stage of the game if you don’t already know? Brand X was a studio band comprised of John Goodsall, Percy Jones, Robin Lumley, Morris Pert, and, for the most part, Phil Collins. They played killer, exotic jazz-rock that had soul as well as chops and could be tremendously funky when they wanted to be, as “Hate Zone” from Moroccan Roll attests. Thankfully, whoever compiled this (uncredited) was certain to include tracks like “Nuclear Burn,” the live version of “Euthanasia Waltz,” “Macrocosm,” and all of the best. But, focusing as it does on five albums, the selection, while more than adequately representative, feels skimpy, and that’s perhaps because Brand X was an album-oriented band, each one having a little different pace and a little different texture, with emphasis on certain aspects of the band’s multi-layered approach to playing and recording. There are decent if workmanlike liner notes here, and the sonics are well-done in remastered form. So if jazz-rock is your thing and you’ve been living under a rock and happen to be looking for something you’ve never heard from the mid- to late ’70s, this is for you. ~ Thom Jurek, Rovi Performers: Peter Manning Robinson – Keyboard Accordian; John Giblin – Bass; John Goodsall – Guitar; Mike Clarke – Drums; Morris Pert – Percussion; Percy Jones – Bass; Phil Collins – Sitar, Vocals, Drums; Robin Lumley – Keyboards

BLUES BAND: ITCHY FEET/BRAND LOYALTY $18.67 2 LPs on 1 CD: ITCHY FEET (1981)/BRAND LOYALTY (1982).The Blues Band: Dave Kelly (vocals, slide guitar); Paul Jones (vocals, harmonica); Tom McGuinness (guitar, background vocals); Gary Fletcher (bass, background vocals); Hughie Flint, Rob Townsend (drums).

Lucky Brand Women’s Silvertone Dangle Charm Watch $88 What a charmer. Part charm bracelet, part watch, this silvertone jewelry piece is decorated with a VW Beetle, flower, guitar, peace sign, and watch charm for an ultra-cool take on your typical timepiece. From Lucky Brand.

Brand New Knife [Europe] $11.19 English language version of 1996 album with 13 tracks. MCA. Performers: Atsuko Yamano – Drums, Percussion, Vocals; Michie Nakatani – Bass, Vocals; Naoko Yamano – Mellotron, Guitar, Vocals

Electric Guitar Tuner Tuning Key 002 $5.99 Description:Brand New and absolute high quality guaranteed Electric Guitar Tuner!This Guitar Tuning Key made of stainless steel, for guitar tuningSize of this Guitar Tuner:approx.40x38mmColor: silverWeight: 36g

Brand New by Tomorrow $10.38 Money Mark was due for a vocal album after the instrumental Change Is Coming, and he was long due for any kind of release, considering it had been five and a half years since that record. So, praise is due to Jack Johnson for green-lighting the recording of Brand New by Tomorrow on his Brushfire label after he heard some early demos. (The two share a friend and producer in Mario Caldato, Jr.) Although Johnson and Money Mark don’t seem to have much in common on the surface, their laid-back approach to the music of the ’70s is similar — be it singer/songwriter pop or funk — and their one collaboration here, “Pick Up the Pieces,” is a happy marriage. (Fortunately, Johnson’s help is limited to the songwriting.) Elsewhere, Mark is just as spot-on with his songwriting and his gadgety one-man-band playing, although the vocals take more of the limelight than on past records. (Apparently, the drums on the early demos were a little harder before Caldato produced a mix that had, as Mark put it, “more wrist and less forearm.”) He’s only improved as a vocalist, often double-tracking his vocals for ghostly harmony, and keeping his instrumental prowess to just a few tricks per song. Mark described this as a post-9/11 record (Change Is Coming was released in early September 2001), and there are elements of sadness or melancholia to songs like “Everyday I Die a Little,” “Summer Blue,” and “Color of Your Blues,” but Mark’s laid-back stride keeps the affair surprisingly buoyant. ~ John Bush, Rovi Performers: Carol Kaye – Bass (Electric); G. Love – Harmonica; Ryan Feves – Bass (Upright); Seth “Slim” Zwerling – French Horn; Danny Frankel – Drums; Jim Keltner – Drums; Pedro Yanowitz – Drums; Woody Jackson – Lap Steel Guitar, Guitar

The Brand New Heavies $8.47 Many of the artists who were part of Britain’s soul scene of the late ’80s/early ’90s, including Soul II Soul, Lisa Stansfield, and Caron Wheeler, took a high-tech, neo-soul approach, combining ’70s-influenced R&B and disco with elements of hip-hop. The equally impressive Brand New Heavies, however, used technology sparingly, stressed the use of real instruments, and were unapologetically retro and ’70s-sounding through and through. Drawing on such influences as the Average White Band and Tower of Power, the Heavies triumph by sticking with the classic R&B approach they clearly love the most. The band has a jewel of a singer in N’Dea Davenport, who is characteristically expressive on “Dream Come True” and “Stay This Way.” Real horns — not synthesizers made to sound like horns — enrich those gems as well as the sweaty vocal funk of “People Get Ready” and “Put the Funk Back in It” and the jazz-influenced instrumental “BNH.” While this fine album enjoyed cult hit status, it was sadly ignored by American urban contemporary radio. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi Performers: Ikebod Smoinei – Pipe; Andrew Levy – Guitar (Bass), Keyboards, Bass; Andy Bush – Trumpet; Brian Archer – Trombone; Ceri Evans – Keyboards; Jan Kincaid – Keyboards, Drums, Percussion; Jim Wellman – Sax (Soprano), Keyboards, Sax (Tenor); Joan Walker – Sax (Baritone); John Wilmott – Sax (Tenor);

Brand $19.8 ‘Brand’ is the dub version of Keith Hudson’s excellent 1978 ‘Rasta Communication’ album. On the dub side it’s a more than worthy follow-up to his classic 1974 ‘Pick A Dub’ set, considered one of (if not the) greatest dub LPs ever made. ‘Brand’ has a cri

Brand New Can $14.38 Violinist Darol Anger and mandolinist/guitarist Mike Marshall are mainstays of the “new acoustic music” genre associated with players such as David Grisman and Béla Fleck. Joined on this record by bassist Derek Jones and drummer Aaron Johnston, Anger and Marshall serve up ten original compositions that bristle with technical complexity and stylistic diversity. Any devotee of rhythmically involved, high-energy fusion music will warm to the Anger/Marshall Band’s sound, but the average listener might find some of their work inaccessible, especially pieces like “Zakir” and “Emu’s Blues.” On the other hand, “Our Life” and “Brooksboro Terrace” are a bit banal.Bridging the worlds of jazz and funk, hot bluegrass, Celtic and Arabic folk, and Americana, the group still manages to forge a coherent identity, primarily by infusing every track with exceptional musicianship. Anger’s “Around Here” stands out as one of the best tracks, as does Marshall’s “Goodnight Manatee,” which finds Derek Jones playing a low-pitched guitar called the celloguitar. “Tuesdays at 7:30,” this time with Marshall on celloguitar, features the album’s most ambitious, jazz-inflected harmonies. Marshall also does some fiery flatpicking on “The Fall,” and his mandolin solo on the first track, “Coal Burnin’ Grease Fire,” is an album highlight. Guest artist Alison Brown contributes excellent banjo playing to the opener as well, and John R. Burr plays Hammond B-3 organ on seven of the songs. There’s also a nifty hidden track at the very end of the program. ~ David R. Adler, Rovi Performers: Derek Jones – Fretless Bass; Mike Marshall – Strings, Mandolin, Fiddle, Guitar; Aaron Johnson – Kazoo, Recorder, Percussion, Drums; Darol Anger – Violin