Alison Krauss

[Simon Weil]

I did a search here on Alison Krauss a couple of days ago and I couldn't find any substantive posts. So...Alison Krauss?

My basic interest is that absolutely staggeringly beautiful voice. But I suppose I also like her darkness - And sense of humour. There's a live recording where she makes a joke about her inability to sing "up" songs. Sandy Denny was an earlier vocalist whose dark perspective spoke to me.

[mjzee]

I'd recommend the duet album with Robert Plant, the Live double-album with Union Station, and New Favorite.  Yes, just a beautiful voice.  You probably can't go wrong with the greatest hits album, either.

[BFrank]

Her bassist brother Viktor has 2 fantastic solo albums out: "Far From Enough" and "II". They're largely instrumental and very diverse in a "Bill Frisell" sort of way. Lots of guests on those albums too, including Frisell, Lyle Lovett, Jerry Douglas and others.

Speaking of Robt Plant, he does an interesting cover of "Big Log" on the first album.

Edited September 22, 2015 by BFrank

[A Lark Ascending]

Wonderful singer. Tends towards the more sentimental on her solo albums; but on the Union Station albums I feel the balance is just right. 

[Simon Weil]

I think both the live double and New Favourite are really good  - just at the moment I'm playing New Favourite every day. There is (or was) a DVD of the  concert on the live double, which has more songs plus interviews. I'm not really keen on the Robert Plant duet, though apparently it brought a lot of new people to the music. I actually came to her via the "Oh Brother, where art thou" soundtrack and it wasn't even her song that got me. It was "Man of Constant Sorrow" sung by Dan Tyminski. After that I heard her stuff.

So I agree with Bev that Union Station is a well-balanced outfit - with not just her vocals, but many other quality elements. I'm actually quite a fan of her solo outings and, contrary to received wisdom, enjoy a lot of her song choices. In fact "That kind of love" qualifies as one of my all-time favourites.

I am aware of Viktor Krauss from a couple of records he did with Bill Frisell. He really adds a lot to those - with quite a characteristic, I'd say unique, style. Very dark also. I'll have to check out the solo records.

[Scott Dolan]

Wonderful singer. Tends towards the more sentimental on her solo albums; but on the Union Station albums I feel the balance is just right. 

This.

Couldn't have said it better myself. 

One of the sweetest voices I've ever heard. 

[Scott Dolan]

One of my favorites from them. No vocals, but shows what an amazing band Union Station is. 

And speaking of sexiest album covers...

 

[Mark Stryker]

On a personal note: I remember Alison when she was a gifted 12/13-year old bluegrass fiddle champion in Champaign-Urbana. I was at the University of Illinois and I remember her hanging around the jazz club/restaurant where we all played and hung out. She was friends with yet another fiddle champ from Urbana named Andrea Zonn who was just a couple of years older (and the daughter of contemporary composer Paul Zonn) and I recall these two really nice kids trying to look and act older than they were. The original bassist and composer in Union Station, John Pennell. had been through the music school at U of I and I remember when the band got going and heard some of the very first gigs. On a related note, Viktor, who was in high school, was just learning to play bass and couldn't really play jazz -- I remember him being a kind of bassist of last resort. Obviously, he grew up. I have an early Union Station LP that Alison signed for me. She wrote: "It ain't jazz, but it ain't bad!"  

Edited September 22, 2015 by Mark Stryker

[Tom in RI]

Thanks for that remembrance Mark. If this board had a like button on posts I would push it.

[CJ Shearn]

My mom enjoys some of her stuff, her voice is angelic.  There's an album my mom plays on Rhapsody, sounds like there is a bit too much auto tune on her and the male vocalist, but her tone is so pure.  I don't recall the album tho, it's fairly recent.

[jlhoots]

Try Sarah Jarosz!!

[A Lark Ascending]

Simon,

Can't recall where you are based...thought it might be London. If so or somewhere that way keep an eye out for a band called The Long Hill Ramblers from Brighton. They are British, playing a bluegrassy/old time style. Now that can often be a recipe for OK. But a couple of things make this lot special. The fiddle player, Ben Paley is the son Tom Paley, of one of the founders of the New Lost City Ramblers who were a big influence in the American folk revival of the late 50s/early 60s. He moved to Britain in the 60s and is still recording today. Ben just seems to have this music in his bones.

The other remarkable feature is singer Laura Hockenhull. I think she's originally from a folk music family up in Yorkshire but is the partner of one of the current generation on The Copper Family and so is firmly ensconced in the folk/roots scene around Brighton. There are no American accents or mannerisms in her singing - she just sings this very American music in her natural voice. What brought her to mind was your mention of Sandy Denny - like Denny she has a beautiful way with grace notes. Doesn't seem to tour much and has no solo record I'm aware of - I suspect being a young mother might explain that - but she has one of the most arresting voices I've heard in a while. I saw the Ramblers at the Sidmouth Festival last year and was so bewitched I went back again two days later. They seem to play London every once in a while.

Their album is excellent and sits nicely alongside Alison Krauss; less glossy but equally as pleasureable.

 

 

Would go down well at the upcoming Tory Party Conference! 

Edited September 23, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[Simon Weil]

Hi Bev,

Yeah, I'm in London. They do seem to play here once in while, so maybe...

I checked out the video (plus a couple of others). Her vocal style there seems to be more fourth instrument rather than vocalist per se. It's recessed - and I'm sure deliberately. I quite like that, but it brings her closer in her singing to what Alison Krauss is doing with her violin in Union Station rather than her voice. Like part of the group rather than stand-out vocalist reaching for the Heavens.

 

[Edit: It occurred to me that picture of a pig might not prove entirely popular with the Tories.]

 

Edited September 23, 2015 by Simon Weil

[mr jazz]

The surround mix of New Favorite is a favorite.