Crooked Still

I have some bluegrass to get out of my system. A few of my coming posts will lean toward the bluegrass / traditional side as I showcase some cool artists I’ve come across. First off is Crooked Still.

For those who had the pleasure of seeing Bruce’s Seeger Sessions tour, you undoubtedly noticed the banjo player with the bushy ‘do. His name is Greg Listz (Dr. Gregory Liszt actually, he has a Ph.D. in Biology from M.I.T.), and his full time gig is banjo man for Boston bluegrass outfit Crooked Still. Joining Greg are sweet singin’ Aoife O’Donovan (it’s pronounced “EEf-uh”), Rushad Eggleston on cello, and Corey DiMario on bass.

One of the free mp3’s offered on their web site is this forlorn bluegrass ballad. I like the dynamic of the instruments. The cello and banjo trading off riffs is a cool touch. And Aofie’s soft & sweet vocals add a lot to the tune as well. As you’ll hear, there’s some serious folkybluegrass goin’ down in Beantown. If you like what you hear, pick up one of their CD’s.

Crooked Still: Look on and Cry (mp3) – from their debut CD, ‘Hop High’. You can check it out here.

• Their new CD, ‘Shaken by a Low Sound’ will be released August 22nd on Signature Sounds, You can buy an advance copy here.
• Crooked Still’s Official Site | MySpace Site