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Rock and Reprise |
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Charlottesville When this article was conceived, it was as nothing more than a short piece on Danny Schmidt, a finger point to a worthy musician. Danny evidently saw a chance to put the spotlight on Charlottesville, his musical home as he is wont to say, and lobbied until we agreed. The thing is, the Charlottesville we expected, a scene encompassing a population of 40,000+, is actually much larger and more involved than we imagined. To do it justice, we have left the article open-ended, which it will be for some time, to allow us time and energy to cover all that C-ville, as they call it, has to offer, and it is plenty. The central piece, that of Charlottesville itself, will be posted last, if not close to last, as every day uncovers more important information or another worthy musician without which that piece would be incomplete. To compensate, we shall offer the 'satellite' pieces as they are written--- reviews and short bios of venues and musicians and all the things that make Charlottesville a truly remarkable place. Just click on the links below and see why C-ville is an undiscovered mecca of music. As stated before, Danny Schmidt is the main reason for this look under Charlottesville's hood. His positive attitude and gratitude toward the town is not your typical Hollywood tribute, but heartfelt and downright inspiring. While Danny is getting ready to release a new album on Red House Records, our first connection was through his excellent Little Grey Sheep album. Joia Wood is also working an a new album and none too soon. Her first, Live from the Gravity Lounge, reviewed here, contains her unique voice and a handful of real surprises. One can only imagine what comes next. Carleigh Nesbit may be the new kid on the block, and keep in mind that she is at this point only seventeen, but her first album places her on a par with many of the established artists in the area. Flower To the Bee is music way beyond her years. Way. When Jan Smith entered Charlottesville, she brought with her a soft, textured voice and music to match. Her 29 Dances album, released in 2006, makes us think a visit to the recording studio is long overdue. Whereas Adrienne Young has played around the Charlottesville area on occasion, it has only been recently that she settled there. She has been playing with a new lineup they call The Old Faithful, which includes Oliver Crain, Andy Thacker and Charlie Rose. More than likely, they are killer, but then so was Adrienne in the days of Little Sadie. Her The Art of Virtue album, recorded with Little Sadie, stands as a classic and is worth a listen and a half. Having Will Kimbrough on board probably also helped. A bit. I think. More will be added as the energy permits and the information flows. Maybe one day, this whole encyclopedic effort will stand on its own and will serve Charlottesville well enough. Until then, check these people out and support them and the others willing to share the music.
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