Bean Blossom

Amazon.com
Recorded in June 1973 at the seventh annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in Indiana, Bean Blossom not only showcases Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, but also his most-famous disciples. Jim & Jesse, Jimmy Martin, and Lester Flatt, a solo act since 1969, each deliver high-quality, hard-driving traditional bluegrass before they all return to the stage for the grand finale. Although each artist is worthy of greater exploration, this zesty set serves as a useful introduction to each one's particular stylistic traits: Monroe's prototypical high, lonesome wail; Jim & Jesse's seamless brother harmonies; Martin's aggressive vocals and urgent rhythms; and Flatt's mellow, conversational phrasing. --Marc Greilsamer

Tracks:

Intro/Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)
Intro/You Won't Be Satisfied That Way
Uncle Pen
Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Intro/Ole Slew-Foot
Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes
Intro/Please Be My Love
I Wish You Knew
Intro/Love, Please Come Home
Train '45'
Bonny
When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again
Intro/Hit Parade Of Love
Mary Ann
Sunny Side Of The Mountain
Free Born Man
Tennessee
Intro/Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Feudin' Banjos
Ballad Of Jed Clampett
Intro/Roll On Buddy
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
Orange Blossom Special
Fiddler Roll Call/Down Yonder
Soldier's Joy
Grey Eagle
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Amazon.com

Recorded in June 1973 at the seventh annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in Indiana, Bean Blossom not only showcases Monroe's Blue Grass Boys, but also his most-famous disciples. Jim & Jesse, Jimmy Martin, and Lester Flatt, a solo act since 1969, each deliver high-quality, hard-driving traditional bluegrass before they all return to the stage for the grand finale. Although each artist is worthy of greater exploration, this zesty set serves as a useful introduction to each one's particular stylistic traits: Monroe's prototypical high, lonesome wail; Jim & Jesse's seamless brother harmonies; Martin's aggressive vocals and urgent rhythms; and Flatt's mellow, conversational phrasing. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Check itunes.......2006-12-11

I have nothing to add about this CD, a great introduction to bluegrass. However, before you spend $50.00 to buy a used copy, you should check out itunes, where you can get it for $11.99.

One of the True Bluegrass Classics.......2006-09-24

This is one of the great bluegrass albums of all time. Wonderful sense of excitement and incredible music from the top bluegrass bands at their peak. It's live performance, so there are some funny moments, but this is one terrific CD. Belongs in any bluegrass collection.

Great Album!.......2003-11-17

It's difficult for me to pick a CD where I like every track, but this album comes very close. This is my favorite bluegrass CD. It features Bill Monroe (Father of Bluegrass), Jim and Jesse, Jimmy Martin (King of Bluegrass), Lester Flatt, James Monroe and more. It is a non-stop great live album. Highly recommended!!

It's not perfect, but you're not either.......2001-11-02

At times exhilarating, at times frustrating, this recording of the huge Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival from 1973 must have been like a hayseed Woodstock. Huge acts, including Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass, Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys, James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers, and literally a dozen fiddlers all showed up, in fine form, playing and singing what have become bluegrass classics like Uncle Pen, the Sunny Side of the Mountain, Free Born Man, the Ballad of Jed Clampett, Ole Slew Foot, and about 20 more. Hampered (like every festival I've ever attended) by poor sound quality at times, the recording preserves all the onstage banter, the introductions, and the glitches along with the amazing musicianship and tight, 'high lonesome' harmonies. The closest thing to attending a bluegrass festival with an all-star cast short of buying a ticket and going - although you're too late for Bill Monroe, who's now singing tenor harmony with Elvis.

Some excelent stuff but also some James Monroe.......2001-04-13

Here's an album that's a great snapshot of festivals in the days when when you could see Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Jimmy Martin and Jim and Jesse all at the same place! The bluegrass boys sound great with Kenny Baker on fiddle and Bill at the helm. Jim and Jesse harmonies are so perfect. Listening to "Ole Slew-Foot" really puts me at a Bluegrass Festival. Bluegrass is such a wonderful music live and this album really captures some of that feel. Jimmy Martin is so full of life when he sings, and of course Lester Flatt's voice is warm and round and their bands are in top form as well. One of the greatest songs for me on this album is "I wonder where you are tonight" with Bill Monroe and Jim and Jesse. Also the stage banter is great to listen to. The bad? Well, James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers sound like they just got hit by a truck and are trying to play anyway. I don't know, maybe just compared to the giants they are playing with they seem lesser. James does sing a nice duet with his dad later on, though. The kind of funny thing that is, if not good, is interesting is the last couple of tracks which are fiddle tunes played by 12 fiddlers. Twelve great fiddlers, but together it's a bit much. I imagine it was something to see live, but on record it makes you realize why most bands don't have twelve fiddlers. But it's historic, not? Also the cover art really freaks me out, I'm not quite sure what the artist was thinking. So all in all, there are great moments on this album from a classic period of bluegrass history. Great music and great fun that really starts to give a feel of why Bluegrass is so great live.

Average customer rating:

At Bean Blossom 25th Anniversary
Various
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000RDHM9W

Product Description

Recorded in 2000, CD contains songs by Ralph Stanley, JD Crowe, Jimmy Martin and many others.

Music Album:

Music Album