Gary Puckett provided the CD reviewed in this post, all opinions are those of Jessie Rayot.
Last week I received a package from my cousin, Gary Puckett; it was his new CD, Grandfather Mountain. Time and geography have distanced Gary and I, and we were thankfully reconnected recently through Facebook. When I was a teenager, I knew Gary was a skilled guitar player, he was one of my brother’s teachers. I eventually learned he was also a phenomenal banjo player. I only recently learned that he composes music as well!
When I discovered Gary had a CD of banjo music he had written and produced himself, I was super excited to listen. I had to find just the right time. Yesterday morning I was feeling a bit off, and it seemed like a good time for some good music, so I popped in the CD, grabbed my knitting, and relaxed.
The music did help me relax, and cheer up as well. The songs are well written, and each one is it’s own entity, they are not a bunch of variations on just a few ideas as seems to happen so often in today’s music. Of course, this is not pop music, it is instrumental banjo music with various other strings in accompaniment. All the music is inspired by Gary’s time in Appalachia.
As I knit along, I realized this was really great music for knitting, and I’m sure it will go into my regular rotation of music I listen to while working. There is a nice varity of emotions through the CD. Isles of Appalachia made me think of a nice romantic dinner with some wine and candles. Not that I remember what that’s like without kids at the table…
As any banjo music CD needs, there is a chicken song: Home of Happy Chickens. It’s just what you would expect, a wonderful upbeat song full of quick picking and sure to make you smile! The title song has some spectacular violin, both written and played with extreme talent.
I was very pleased with this CD. It’s sure to be listened to quite a bit. At one point while listening, I made myself some tea and just leaned back and sipped my Earl Grey. So great music for creating and for relaxing! Except that chicken song, no relaxing to the chicken song. 😉
You can visit Gary at his site and buy his CD HERE.
You can also get the download of the CD from CDBaby HERE.
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Nice review Jess, I will have to listen to it myself.