2018 Berkeley Old Time Music Convention

Berkeley Old Time Music Convention 2018
Self release
Reviewed by:Kim Walter, Nov 2019

Conceived of by a group of people who wanted to retain the good music and interplay they'd witnessed at Southern fiddle-banjo contests, but without the competition and corruption extant there. It’s by the musical community for the musical community and of the musical community, and it’s a crazy good time! The history of the convention is full of hilarious anecdotes, starting with the fact that the very first BOTMC (in 1968) was called the 34th annual convention and the prevailing rule is to break the rules. The give out prizes: notably, once rutabagas were the first and second prize (and then they were thrown at the audience). 2018’s convention was called the 15th annual, but honestly, I’m not sure what that means. Most of the artists have two songs, and every single song on here is a valued part of the old timey movement. IGNORE THE CD JACKET FOR SONGS. They got it wrong. My faves were: 6, 9, 10, 12, and 19****

2:02 Med - instrumental waltz, Karen Celia Heil
3:01 med - old timey jig, Karen Celia Heil
2:54 med - Paper Wings: very vintage vocals
2:21 med - instrumental, Paper Wings
1:28 med/fast - Hook N Line, lo fi sound
2:06 slow/med -Dom Flemons, work song
2:42 med - Dom Flemons, amblin country blues
2:50 med - Bryant & Brown, lo fi old timey tune
2:24 med - Bryant & Brown, instrumental
2:32 med - Sausage Grinders, half instrumental, fab trills
2:27 med - Sausage Grinder, emotional highlands tune, inst
4:39 slow - Alice Gerrard, vintage vocals
2:46 med - Alice Gerrard/Chris Brashear, listenable tune
1:44 med - Alice Gerrard/Chris Brashear, instrumental
2:50 med - Down Hill Strugglers, FUN song
2:43 med - Down Hill Strugglers, happy sounding jig
3:01 med -Jewels of the San Joaquin, short and sweet instrumental
1:39 med -Jewels of the San Joaquin, even shorter and still sweet
1:44 slow -Marley’s Ghost, BEST SONG ON CD, fun, funny, profound
3:01 med - Marley’s Ghost, vintage country rock sound
2:14 med - Skillet Licorice, fiddlin bonanza, instrumental