Review: The Family Album
By The Wright Family

If you're in the mood to warp back to a great live performance of traditional music, this CD is for you. But there's an aspect to this CD that's something more than that. This CD feels like is was done in one take, on a night when all the musicians were "firing on all cylinders."

No, it's more than that. This reminds me of a spontaneous live performance that just happened among a motley collection of individually talented musicians that managed to harness a special synergy. It conjures up images of a group sitting around pleasing fire in a rustic setting just having a good time playing.

But this is no motley collection of musicians. This is the The Wright Family (Jerry, Margaret, Hollis and Lloyd) of Bellaire Texas, with a little help from their friends (Ken Ryan on bass and Bill Thurman on fiddle). And, I definitely think they had a lot of fun making this album. That comes through loud and clear!

I claim to be no expert in music of any type. I just love it. Especially fun music, which describes just about every track on this CD. My reaction to The Family Album was:

(1) Listen - try pitifully to be somewhat critical - read the CD jacket. By the time the CD is done my pulse had quickened.

(2) Listen again - toes tapping, dancing with my 4-year-old on several songs (Mississippi Sawyer, Seneca Square Dance). Who am I kidding? We danced the whole thing! (She's got a LOT of energy).

(3) Forget just listening. I grabbed my dulcimer and joined in where I could for the third listening. There are many songs most will know. You can join in too!

Favorite song...oh boy. Do I only get one? I liked the Wright Family's Mississippi Sawyer, Squirrel Heads in Gravy (what a great title!), Wildflowers, Gum Tree Canoe and most all the others.

I wasn't fond of Cluck Ol' Hen, but I've never heard a version of this song I like. Just my affliction. It does showcase Margaret's indisputable vocal talent, however.

Margaret sings on about half of the tracks and does a great job! Her voice seems made for this style of music. The instruments are superb. There are no "average" players in this band. Lots of dulcimers, pickin' stick, banjo, fiddle, bass...nothing lacking for aficionados of folk music.

The Wright are leading the way in this genre. This album hammers that point home.

Superb job, Wright Family!

Don't take my word for all this. Read some more reviews at: http://www.geocities.com/pickinwright/recordings.htm
Debbie Porter writes a much better review than I do.

Visit Jerry's East Texas Dulcimers website at: http://www.geocities.com/pickinwright/. There's a lot of good info and articles there. Well worth some time to browse.

Recommendation: Get this CD today! It's a serious value based on it's quality. It's also a value in that it contains 20 tracks and is only $17 with shipping.

More information:

Getting your hands on it: contact pickin@aol.com

Mail check or money order to: Jerry Wright 4328 Effie Bellaire, TX 77401

Song List:

Happy Land	Bonaparte Crossing the Alps	Storms are on the Ocean
Handsome Molly	Ragtime Annie	Squirrel Heads in Gravy
Rosin the Bow	Liza Jane, She Died on the Train	Gum Tree Canoe
Mississippi Sawyer	Sourwood Mountain	Yellow Rose of Texas
Old Joe Clark/June Apple/Clinch Mountain Backstep	Sail Away Ladies	John Stinson's No. 2
Seneca Square Dance	Wildflowers	Fisher's Hornpipe
Cucharan's Cross	Cluck Old Hen