Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe
The title explains exactly what Noam Pikelny does here. He takes Kenny Baker's album of Bill Monroe compositions and moves its leading melodies to the banjo. The sequence stays intact, but the sound changes. The result has enough movement of its own to work even without knowing that history.
Road to Columbus and Brown County Breakdown show Pikelny putting his own stamp on familiar melodies. The playing stays relaxed and precise.
The other musicians make a considerable difference. Stuart Duncan plays fiddle, Ronnie McCoury mandolin, Bryan Sutton guitar and Mike Bub bass. They do more than accompany the banjo, bringing individual voices of their own. Clear production makes those exchanges easy to follow.
Moving fiddle melodies to banjo already changes their sound. Pikelny keeps the outline of a tune without trying to make his instrument imitate every detail of another one. The familiar material gains a different voice, leaving a useful balance between recognition and individual expression throughout the performance.
Lonesome Moonlight Waltz gives Duncan's mournful fiddle room, while Jerusalem Ridge increases the drive. Changes in pace help the band bring out different sides of the same tradition.
Cheyenne begins softly and warmly, with lighter guitar passages opening the sound. Melody still matters more than a technical display.
This is entirely instrumental bluegrass with close attention to tradition. The fresh ideas lie in performance and small changes of perspective. Pikelny understands these melodies well enough to reshape them. His playing and the close band turn the project into a lively record with an especially strong sense of enjoyment. Respect for the earlier music leaves plenty of room for character.
