Free Country (2000)

About this title: Free Country is an album of warm and bluegrassy jazz interpretations of standards like "How Great Thou Art," "Go Down, Moses," "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain," "Oh Susannah," and more. Led by drummer Phil Haynes, cellist Hank Roberts, bassist Drew Gress, and steel guitarist Jim Yanda breathe fresh life into these old familiars. Their acoustic, instrumental reinventions are filtered through the players' adventurous jazz and improvisational backgrounds as well as through their obvious love of the folk song. Free Country is filled with interesting and imaginative solos (including Roberts ... read more

Tracks:

1. How Great Thou Art [Traditional]
2. Oh, Susannah [Foster/McGuinn]
3. Rosin the Beau [Bok]
4. Danny Boy [Weatherly]
5. Beautiful Dreamer [Foster]
6. Hard Times (Come Again No More) [Foster]
7. My Old Kentucky Home, Goodnight [Foster]
8. I Dream of Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair [Foster]
9. Go Down Moses [Traditional]
10. Old Joe Clark [Traditional]
11. She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain [Traditional]
12. Shenandoah [Traditional]
13. Mairi's Wedding [Traditional]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.