Circle D

(IT-039)

Swinging originals with a bluegrass bounce and no square edges from four well-traveled musicians who make their home in New York's Finger Lakes region. Longtime musical cohorts Danny Speer and Dee Specker join forces with Bobby and Doug Henrie on Circle D; Dee's voice effortlessly sketches the smooth musical line on most of these original songs, penned by Danny, who plays finger-style rhythm guitar here (and cello, on one cut). Dee rosins up and adds her fiddle work (deftly, though sparingly) to the album, too, which was recorded at her home studio in Danby, NY.

Augmenting the Speer-Specker trademark sound, Bobby Henrie struts his stuff with his signature, show-off guitar licks and lends a smoky baritone to the group's easy-going, three-part vocal harmonies. Brother Doug Henrie keeps things rolling with his up-tempo, bluegrass-influenced bass lines. These are friends and family playing together, seasoned musicians whose experience pleasantly blends jazz, bluegrass, swing and rockabilly, working here in a mostly acoustic format.

With their intelligent, quirky lyrics, some cuts will make you think of Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks in the good old days. "Happy Landing" has a beautiful bass-Iine bounce and some stand-out flatpicking solos; the inscrutable "Blue Glasses" offers a smooth, languid lounge-Iizard lament; Storm by Storm" has a home-y, folk-y feel; but the standout cut (to my ears, anyway) is "Fountain of Youth," showcasing Dee's vocals at their swinging suggestive best and some fine ensemble work. These guys had fun making the record--and it shows.

Danny and Dee previously released self-produced albums "The Curve" by Danny Speer and Dee Specker,2001, and "Black Hats" by Danny Speer and The Circle D Band,1992.All songs on those are also by Danny Dee,(who is married to John Specker's brother Alex) previously released the self-produced "Swingsation" by Dee Specker,1996, and figured prominently on the Cornerstone(bluegrass quintet) albums "Out Of The Valley" and "Lonely Town" on the Folk Era label in the nineties. Bobby Henrie , the amazing soloist throughout the new album Circle D is best known as the leader of the rockabilly trio Bobby Henrie & The Goners, a Grassroots Festival favorite .Dee and Bobby also play in the current incarnation of Cornerstone. Bobby's older brother Doug Henrie bassist on Circle D has an impressive list of bass fiddle credits including a long-running Woody Guthrie tribute show.

Sample MP3's