Swing Guitars Music

Handmade 3 is one of those albums that you listen to from start to finish. I don't think there's a song on here that doesn't make you shiver. Though I couldn't pick a favorite, Back almost always brings a tear to my eye. This is the kind of CD that's great for traveling. It makes you feel like your in good company, driving down the road with the likes of Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. If your a fan of The Dead, folk music or even classical, I would really recommend giving this disk a listen.

Eddie Lang was the first great jazz guitarist; Django Reinhardt followed Lang.

Look for Eddie Lang on Bessie Smith 1928-1929: some of his best tracks!!
Also on Joe Venuti 1926-1928.

Some have suggested that Woody Allen's film "Sweet and Lowdown" starring Sean Penn was inspired by the legend of Eddie Lang.

Songs Include :

"Chain Gang Blues"
"Four Hands Are Better Than Two"
"Add A Little Wiggle"
"Paducah"
"I'm Coming Virginia"
"Deep Minor Rhythm Stomp"
"Hawaiian Capers"
"Brown Baby"
"I've Got The World On A String"
"Kingfish Blues"
"Honeysuckle Rose"
"S'Wonderful"
"White Heat"
"Baton Rouge Rag"
"Poll Tax"
"Limehouse Blues"
"Love Me Or Leave Me"
"Wholly Cats"
"Palm Springs Jump"
"If Dreams Come True"
"I'm So Glad"
"I Never Knew"
"Move"
"Herb's Here"
"Doin' The Thing"
"Jitterbug Waltz"
"The Dance Of Maya"

Songs Include :

"Chain Gang Blues"
"Four Hands Are Better Than Two"
"Add A Little Wiggle"
"Paducah"
"I'm Coming Virginia"
"Deep Minor Rhythm Stomp"
"Hawaiian Capers"
"Brown Baby"
"I've Got The World On A String"
"Kingfish Blues"
"Honeysuckle Rose"
"S'Wonderful"
"White Heat"
"Baton Rouge Rag"
"Poll Tax"
"Limehouse Blues"
"Love Me Or Leave Me"
"Wholly Cats"
"Palm Springs Jump"
"If Dreams Come True"
"I'm So Glad"
"I Never Knew"
"Move"
"Herb's Here"
"Doin' The Thing"
"Jitterbug Waltz"
"The Dance Of Maya"

Songs Include :

"Chain Gang Blues"
"Four Hands Are Better Than Two"
"Add A Little Wiggle"
"Paducah"
"I'm Coming Virginia"
"Deep Minor Rhythm Stomp"
"Hawaiian Capers"
"Brown Baby"
"I've Got The World On A String"
"Kingfish Blues"
"Honeysuckle Rose"
"S'Wonderful"
"White Heat"
"Baton Rouge Rag"
"Poll Tax"
"Limehouse Blues"
"Love Me Or Leave Me"
"Wholly Cats"
"Palm Springs Jump"
"If Dreams Come True"
"I'm So Glad"
"I Never Knew"
"Move"
"Herb's Here"
"Doin' The Thing"
"Jitterbug Waltz"
"The Dance Of Maya"

[1] Our Love Is Here to Stay
[2] One Note Samba
[3] Gentle Rain
[4] You Don't Know Me
[5] Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
[6] Route 66
[7] Scotch and Soda
[8] Hallelujah I Just Love Her So
[9] Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying
[10] Centerpiece
[11] Good Morning Heartache
[12] Song for My Father
[13] Do Nothing 'til You Hear from Me
[14] Mama Just Wants to Barrelhouse All Night Long

Acoustic Blend is just that. A mixture of styles, tempos and colors, the CD exudes fun and diversity. Mark and Judy have put their love of their instruments onto this disk. I can't help but smile whenever I listen to it - which is very often. I've seen them in concert and the excitement they generate in a live venue is effectively transfered to this recording. This is a must have.

 
Judy and Mark, along with other musicians, play like a family, they really enjoy playing together. The selection is superb, they play from traditional irish music to samba and jazz.

Some of the arrangements have a delicate balance between nylon string guitar and a mandolim / solo nylon string guitar. Some others have an additional charming double bass played by Genevieve Rose, a rich percussion / drums work performed by Gene Bozzi a very melodic flute line played by Anne Lemke and another double bass played by Dan Hocott.

I have some favorite tracks, but I usually listen to the CD from beginning to end! They play music from many different countries with a profound respect for their original conceptions. At the same time, they add their own personal touch and style.

Absolutely recommended.
 

This is a wonderful CD, it is both relaxing and exhilerating to listen to, a true "acoustic blend." Their musicianship is unparalleled and the selections are varied and interesting and blend well together. It is a real audio treat!

As an enthusiast of Western Swing and a disc jockey who has programmed Western Swing for 24 years on Atlanta FM radio, I looked forward eagerly to hearing "Adventures In Country Swing" and playing it for my listeners. The reviews were so positive and glowing that I thought I'd just take the plunge- after all I know the Light Crust Doughboy's work from the 1940's (nice stuff!) and I dug the Ventures from way,way back.
I'm sad to say that this CD is as low on energy as any I've heard in recent memory. Nokie Edwards is relegated to acoustic guitar for the most part and Tom Brumley is primarily restrained by the anemic rhythm section. Bland electric keyboards shackle any enthusiasm the music might generate and the arrangements are weak........... what a huge disappointment. This could have been a sparkling, energetic romp but for the most part is a real slog. Do the other reviewers even know what exciting Western Swing is? I wonder..

They say that there are only a few things folks will fight over: music, politics, religion and the opposite sex. That might explain why there are such strong opinions about masterworks such as this, and why legends like The Light Crust Doughboys and Nokie Edwards and The Ventures evoke such strong reactions. Make no mistake about it, this is one outstanding music project in the traditional country and in the Ventures mold. As a Tennessean once said: "Why with this album you can enjoy both of the world's greatest music styles: country AND western!" Seriously though, this project has got it all, if you like twanging, Nokie Edwards/Ventures guitar tones combined with rich, Americana and folk roots music. I heard this was the first of the famous Grammy-Winning Doughboys-Nokie sessions, and it's more reverent than some of their later offerings due to its inclusion of some of the most beautiful of all the country ballads. There's something for everybody on this collection, but if your tastes tend toward the wilder and more rocking, seek out at any price the ultra-rare and collectible Nokie-Doughboys TWANGING GUITARS AND SOULFUL VOICES, CHRISTMAS IN GUITARLAND, BEST OF NOKIE ROOTS VOL. 1 & 2. On all these releases, Nokie and The Light Crust Doughboys are so hot, they're cool. And it's the same with this tremendous release, it's just that this CD edges more toward countrypolitan while sprinkling in the Texas-style jazz banjo to give this album a real folk flavor. A best-in-the-west, 5-star listening experience, expertly produced and recorded, with special appeal for classic country and instrumental fans.

I was hoping for western swing with a little more surf twang in the leads than the Bob Wills variety, what I got was what it would sound like if a Monkees cover band did these tunes and dropped out the vocals. Overproduced, overbearing country-type elevator music. As each track started I kept reaching to turn down the volume a little more ...and Beer Barrel Polka wherein someone is banging against a mic does not help the mix. Lesson learned.

This is the first instrumental album I turn to for car and home listening. It's an essential album for guitar fans and for country music fans and students. It's unlike Nokie's later albums with The Doughboys which are more pop-oriented and Ventures'-style. This masterpiece, however, is much rawer and roots-oriented, and it sizzles from song-to-song with funky feel. Just wait until you hear "The Orange Blossom Special" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds". I heard Nokie with The Doughboys in concert in Mesquite, Texas, and it was the best variety show and musical festival I've ever attended. The electricity between the musicians and in the auditorium was atomic-powered.
This Nokie-Light Crust Doughboys series including CHRISTMAS albums, country-folk albums and pop albums is one of the greatest series of albums in instrumental music history.

Wonder why the Ventures were the largest selling instrutmental recording group of all time. Two words come to mind, Nokie Edwards!
If you haven't followed Nokie's career then this CD will probably be a revelation. Guitar playing doesn't get much better than this.

Those guitar mags that feature the same no talent rock guitarists that all play variations on the same 6 riffs & these cats call themselves guitarists, let alone muscians. PLEASE!!! Buy this country western theme CD & listen to a true guitarists guitarist & a true musicians musician. Ladies & gentleman presenting NOKIE EDWARDS!!!

My kids love to get up and dance around when this CD is on. I have had this CD for several years. I bought it after seeing Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer live. They are terrific!