Review

Normally Dick Kimmel's recordings focus on his mandolin playing, so this album, a claw hammer banjo showcase, comes as something of a surprise. And a pleasant one it is, too; Kimmel's banjo technique is casually virtuosic, maybe not as creative as Ken Perlman's but a bit less self-conscious and more fun than Bob Carlin's. Not only does he make quick, pleasant work of standard fiddle tunes like "Little Betty Brown" and "West Fork Gals," but he also negotiates some tricky hornpipe rhythms very nicely and even makes "Blue Ribbon Waltz" work as a claw hammer tune, which you might not have thought possible. The instrumentals are what work best here -- not because he's a bad singer (he isn't), but because the songs he pick run to tired material like "Turkey in the Straw" and "Waterbound." Also, he's not a great singer. But this album is a solid winner overall.