JACK ROSE WITH D. CHARLES SPEER & THE HELIX | RAGGED AND RIGHT
The prolific guitarist Jack Rose (Pelt), whose tribute album Honest Strings I recently reviewed, collaborated with many musicians and groups over the years. Ragged and Right – a nod to Waylon Jennings’ Somewhere Between Ragged and Right – is a posthumously released four-song country-rock EP of Rose’s collaboration with the band D. Charles Speer & The Helix. While it is tempting to focus on Rose’s contribution to this EP due to his recent passing, Ragged and Right is a perfect example of how truly collaborative Rose was, with equal and stellar contributions from his partners D. Charles Speer & The Helix, whose members also are in the No-Neck Blues Band, Coach Fingers, and Sunburned Hand of Man. Ragged and Right plays along Jennings’ brand of contemporary honky-tonk on both covers (Link Wray’s take on “In the Pines”) and originals. Recorded live in 08, this EP is a good, fun, foot-stomping, bourbon-swilling, raucous time. – Written by JFelton
posted by JFelton, July 20, 2010
HONEST STRINGS: A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND WORK OF JACK ROSE
Philadelphia based acoustic guitar prodigy Jack Rose (formerly of noise/drone band Pelt) died suddenly of a heart attack last year at the age of 38. Honest Strings: A Tribute to the Life and Work of Jack Rose is an exceptional collection of 41 tracks from friends and artists inspired by Rose, including MV/EE, Six Organs of Admittance, Byron Coley, the Black Twig Pickers, D. Charles Speer, Steve Gunn, Loren Connors, No Neck Blues Band, Hush Arbors, Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars), and Stuart Leslie Braithwaite (Mogwai). Honest Strings is a celebration of his life and music, utilizing rock, country, improvisation, drone and spoken-word to commemorate him. Rose, whose compositions were mostly for 6-string guitar, 12-string guitar, and Weissenborn-style lap steel, was himself inspired by primitive guitarist John Fahey, Charley Patton, Robbie Basho, and later, Link Wray. Available online only, the entire set costs $15, with all of the purchase price donated to Rose’s estate. – Written by JFelton
posted by JFelton, July 7, 2010
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