Catherine “BB” Bowness is a name that listeners of progressive bluegrass should be familiar with. Over a decade ago, the New Zealand native moved to the United States to delve deeper into her passion for the five string banjo. She would eventually become a founding member of the award winning Mile Twelve, where she would gain notice for her instrumental creativity. Bowness’ debut solo effort, Goodtime Revival is a collection of original songs and interpretations of material within the traditional canon.
The opening track, La Sciatica, is one of BB’s original compositions. It’s an excellent example of her contemporary, vibrant approach to the banjo. Bowness is backed throughout this recording by Alex Rubin on guitar, Ethan Setiawan on mandolin, Myles Sloniker on bass, and Avery Merritt on fiddle. Other instrumentals like Nelson Creek and The Turquoise Englishman provide great evidence for BB’s boundless creativity. These pieces in particular should prove inspirational for any aspiring musician wanting to create outside the box.
Train On The Island is a tune most commonly associated with old time music. Played as an up tempo bluegrass piece, BB puts her own great spin on this song with her smooth lead vocals, which pair well with Rubin’s harmony vocals.
Can I Go Home With You by Caleb Klauder is another fabulous example of Bowness’ vocal strength. With a swing jazz melody, this song is a perfect fit for BB’s approach to singing.
The final two tracks, I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome and Huckleberry Hornpipe, are two well-loved chestnuts within the bluegrass world. The former which has been recorded by legions of artists, is given new life with BB’s commanding vocal delivery, alongside truly standout instrumental performances from everyone involved. The latter written by the late great Byron Berline, is interpreted here as a fiddle and banjo duet with Bowness and Darol Anger. While this performance stays fairly faithful to Berline’s original rendition, neither musician is afraid to take their own creative liberties with this piece, making for a really fun listen.
Goodtime Revival places BB Bowness in the forefront with her first rate instrumentalism, exceptional creativity, and spirited vocals. This album paints a clear picture of her ability to unite ideas from both the traditional and progressive realms.
