VARIOUS ARTISTS `AUTUMN LEAVES' (Bear Family)
Bear Family are taking a chance on their loyal listeners broadness of musical mind with this quirky series of seasonal compilatiOns. True there's a lot of something for everyone on here but when you consider the tracks date from 1930 —1962 there is broad musical spectrum encompassed. Whoever complied it did a magnificent job because listen to the album as a whole then it really does work. That's quite a feat when you consider Eddie Cochran's 'Cotton Picker' and Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs `Shuckin' The Corn' are compilation mates with Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe wondering `What Happened To The Mill?' and Don Duke's cover of 'Wild Wind'. It's an ambient musical adventure which will introduce you to music you are never likely to hear otherwise and well worth the dip in unless you really are blinkered musically, in which case it won't be for you.
Simon Nott
