Kansas Acoustic Arts Association

Woodpecker Records
Joyce Andersen - violin, guitar, vocals
Harvey Reid –guitars, mandolins, banjo, autoharp, vocals
with guest appearances

Vocals: It s always a little lame trying to describe music, especially the quality of a human voice. As fools rush in, therefore go I. By way of comparison, Harvey is somewhere between John McCutcheon and Mike Seeger, while Joyce occupies a distinguished position between Alison Krauss and Lucinda Williams. The synergy is like sparks and tinder.

Instrumentals: Wow! Harvey proves his reputation as an instrumentalist extraordinaire. His mandolins have a decidedly Celtic quality. His slide guitar playing is top class. I cannot say enough about Joyce’s fiddle playing. Myself having sawn away at the instrument for seventeen years, Joyce’s fluency and grace, unattainable, almost mystic, held me in thrall. She is known to hold the fiddle down her arm while singing.

Style: As much as I like Traditional, Contemporary Folk, Swing, Bluegrass, or whatever, I really like to see a group that courses the stylistic spectrum with ease and grace. So it is with Harvey and Joyce. Although not heard here, they even do a swing tune they picked up from an old 78.

Among the Selections… Jack of Diamonds: Joyce’s harmonies are imaginative and well-tempered, her fiddle parts combine swelling, swooning, chopping, and old-time riffs with grace and continuity. Church Bells: Joyce’s songwriting is also reminiscent of Lucinda, tempered with modesty and simplicity. The droning, arpeggiated rhythm guitar part speaks to the song’s title, while the song also showcases Harvey’s slide playing. Good Years: Can it be coincidence? Moments after playing the song for the first time on my PC, I received a message from Goodyear tires thanking me for my interest in their products. Really! Keep Your Lamp (Trimmed and Burning): A far cry from the Hot Tuna version I grew up with, this one again features Joyce’s smooth-as-silk vocal and fiddling, which integrate seamlessly and soulfully. Can’t Let Go: Though associated with Lucinda, the song is stylistically transformed by Harvey’s banjo and Joyce’s fiddle. Having been raised on the banjo playing of Pete Seeger and the Kingston Trio, I am partial to the tinkling sound of an open-back, as opposed to the machine-gun fire often heard in bluegrass. Primitives: When you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer. Superstition ain't way too different from modern-day science and medicine. More Precious Than Gold: This was a personal favorite of mine. This is the kind of situational timing that usually only works with one person. If Mike Seeger could play fiddle and autoharp and sing in male and female voices at the same time, here is what you would get. Ode to Bille Joe: I did not think this song could be done so well as to overplay the time-worn grooves of the original. From the start, Joyce and the live audience are lost in the reverie of Harvey’s slide playing. The song is a perfect showcase for Joyce’s vocal.