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Peter Ostroushko has built a reputation as a solid player and composer, which Coming Down From Red Lodge only further solidifies. This particular collection is the result of a return to "A Prairie Home Companion". In the liner notes he explains, "I decided to challenge myself every week and compose new music for every broadcast." Not too many would be up for that task. The tunes are decidedly traditional sounding, with some Celtic and classical flourishes. The ensemble behind Ostroushko is amazing and includes Greg Leisz, Dan Newton and Rich Dworsky, among others. "New Smyrna Serenade" is a wonderful mandolin ballad in whose klines you hear the sun setting. "Teelin Bay Waltz" has a lonesome feel that is very reminiscent of Jay Unger's "An Ashkoran farewell". Speaking of... "East Texas Waltz" is the companion to Unger's "West Texas Waltz". The timing for listening to "President George W. Bush's Hornpipe" may not be the best, but Ostroushko wrote it in 2002 as "comic relief". The bari sax is a wonderful touch. The blues of "Topanga Canyon Strut" and "Cawsh Dollar Blues" is... it's tempting to extol the merits of each piece. These are ten well-crafted tunes that stand with the best of "contemporary traditional" music. Linda Dailey Paulson (Ventura CA) |
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Dirty
Linen, Aug-Sep 2003