Quicksilver Productions

The Picker’s Dilemma (a review)

qseditor — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:29:45 +0000

Casey Jarman of Willamette Week (Portland Oregon Weekly) wrote a fantastic review of Jackstraw’s “Sunday Never Comes.” Thanks Casey, glad you liked it!

Jackstraw “Sunday Never Comes”

Click for larger image

[Bluegrass] Contemporary pickers have a very real dilemma: They can play strictly traditional bluegrass and run the risk of flying completely under the radar, or they can attempt to modernize the form and risk the revulsion of their peers. The ones I’ve never heard of do the former, and the ones I tend to hate to the latter. Then there are great bands like Jackstraw, that write modern songs so well-versed in the classics that they achieve a timeless quality of their own.

Jackstraw’s dual frontmen, Darrin Craig and David Pugh, are able singers and pickers, but more important, they share a clear musician vision on Sunday Never Comes. Jackstraw is classic without feeling precious; highly instrumental but not jammy; funny but never cute. The band can tackle songs of vastly different emotional weights and keep them safely under the same aesthetic roof: “Hurts When I See You” is a haunting, lovely waltz that stands in stark contrast to the title track, which mixes sepia-toned sentimentalism and gallows humor as it trades train-whistle verses and galloping instrumentals.

All of these songs could just as well be traditional numbers – you won’t find songs about Facebook or cell phones in the collection – but one hears Jackstraw’s unique bent throughout the disc. This is decidedly Northwest music – Jackstraw covers the best song from Portland songwriter W.C. Beck’s recent Kansawyer disc, “Poor Man,” and co-penned the cooking instrumental closer “If I Die” with Caleb Klauder – right down to an elusive darkness that surfaces in the voices of Jackstraw’s singers and in the full-bodied Adam Selzer production.

To be clear, there’s nothing particularly new about Jackstraw making a great modern roots record. This one is just particularly great. CASEY JARMAN

Cajun String Bands, The Next Big Thing?

quicksilver — Wed, 25 May 2011 15:10:33 +0000

Click on the album cover to read a killer blog on NPR about the newest project from Quicksilver’s Cavalcade of Stars – featuring members of Foghorn and The Caleb Klauder Country Band. with Cajun Masters Jesse Lege and Joel Savoy . The Cajun Country Revival wowed the crowds at NO JazzFest and sparked a great discussion about the influences of cajun music on country music and vice versa. Let the Revival begin!

Quicksilver’s Cavalcade Snags Two Spots in the Official IBMA Showcase Lineup!

quicksilver — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:29:56 +0000

Check it out folks – both Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen and The Foghorn Trio have been selected to showcase at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass next Fall. Of 81 applicants, 13 were selected, and 2 are from our roster. That makes us proud! Congrats to the other great bands selected. We are looking forward to seeing you all in Nashville at the end of September.

Vote for Quicksilver’s Cavalcade in WNCW’s Top 100 of 2010

quicksilver — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 22:30:56 +0000

Both Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen’s new self titled release and Caleb Klauder’s “Western Country” are on WNCW’s ballot for Top 100 Albums of 2010. You can vote here: http://www.wncw.org/Top100Contest.html

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen is also on Top 50 Best Bluegrass Album Ballot – so don’t forget to vote in both categories!

Other Quicksilver Picks for Top 100 Album’s of 2010 include Will Kimbrough’s “Wings”, Shannon Whitworth’s “Water Bound”, Yvette Landry’s “Should Have Known” and Black Prairie’s “Feast of the Hunter’s Moon”.

Wishing you all happiness and health, and ass kickin’ music in 2011. Cheers!

Caleb Klauder’s “Western Country” makes John Conquests Best O’2010 Top Album List!

quicksilver — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:48:38 +0000

Congratulations Caleb, and thanks to John and all the FAR reporters – we appreciate your support this year! Our friends at Hearth Music also made the list along with new faves Yvette Landry and Zoe Muth. Cheers y’all!

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen Selected for Official Showcase at Folk Alliance International!

quicksilver — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 02:12:44 +0000

After a rousing response at the NE Regional Folk Alliance in November, Dirty Kitchen applied for an official showcase with Folk Alliance International. We are thrilled to announce Dirty Kitchen has been selected! We hope to see you in Memphis… Read the rest

Announcing Two Shows in December at The Corner Store

quicksilver — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 04:09:08 +0000

Come hear some of the greatest in Americana music today at The Corner Store in December.

Sunday, December 5th, Cary Hudson, of Blue Mountain 8pm, $15 donation

“Top 10 Alternative Country Guitarist of all time” Gibson Magazine

“His confidence both as a songwriter and player, radiates from every tune.” Harp Magazine

“a primal power within the stripped-down urgency of the arrangments” - No Depression

Friday, December 10th, Megan McCormick returns to sate the appetites of all her DC fans!! Don’t miss another amazing show from this rising talent! 8pm, $15 donation

“Just 23, the Nashville singer/songwriter sounds as if she’s lived a life and a half on her potent ‘Honest Words’ album.” – USA Today

“A bluesy, lovelorn showcase for singer-songwriter McCormick’s bright alto and growly guitar.” – O, The Oprah Magazine

Review of Black Prairie’s Feast of the Harvest Moon

quicksilver — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:58:30 +0000

Check out this great review of Black Prairie’s Feast of the Harvest Moon. Black Prairie features Jackstraw’s Jon Neufeld on guitar along with more friends of Quicksilver’s Cavalcade. Fiddler Annalisa Tornfelt learned her first guitar chords from Frank Solivan. And Decemberists members Jenny Conlee- Drozos Nate Query were part of Caleb Klauder’s 90s jam band Calobo. Small sweet world indeed. If you haven’t seen Black Prairie yet, be sure to check them out when they are in your town. We saw a kick ass show at the IOTA a couple of weeks ago. And I’m wishing for more , especially featuring Annalisa and Jon on some duets, in the vain of Emmy Lou and Gram. What a Feast!

New Releases from Quicksilver’s Cavalcade continue to Top the Charts!

quicksilver — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:57:38 +0000

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen are at Number One on the Roots Music Reports Bluegrass Chart for the second week in a row! And Caleb Klauder’s “Western Country” is in it’s sixth week in the Top Ten on… Read the rest