Reviews for "Charm City Junction"
"Together they create an energetic amalgam that demonstrates their pure love of all these venerable musical idioms, but with a twist likely to satisfy anyone who appreciates traditional string music, expertly played...Charm City Junction is a marvelous recording from an exciting new band. Don’t let this one slip by you." - Bluegrass Today - FULL REVIEW HERE
"Baltimore-based roots group Charm City Junction puts a new spin on old-timey music, carrying the torch of fast-picking bluegrass and toe-tapping Celtic music. Featuring fiddle, clawhammer banjo, the button accordion and upright bass, this quartet isn’t afraid to take roots music to new places — but always with an eye on tradition." - Washington Post
"The group has an accomplished sound that's well beyond the players' years. At times, the songs are pure backwoods Americana, straight-up Appalachian mountain music, or the kind of boot-scootin' stomp heard at a country dance. At others, they're old-timey and Irish, evoking the plucky ditties of a cozy pub or some seaside ballad from the shores of Galway Bay." - Baltimore Magazine - FULL REVIEW HERE
“Some musical locations are so fertile that, like in a garden where varietals are planted side by side, cross pollination results in a hybrid displaying the best characteristics of each genome. That is exactly what this band is – a hybrid…this quartet easily glides through a rare Bill Monroe tune, “Frog on a Lily Pad,” and old time and Celtic tunes, paying due respect to each style but never compromising the high level of musicianship that marks their standard.” – Fiddler Magazine
"It's a great example of the band's ability to weave their instrumentation around a melody with unique effect. Charm City Junction has an exciting approach to Old-Time melodies that will gain them a devoted and enthusiastic following." - California Bluegrass Breakdown
“Charm City Junction” is a refreshing, smartly done album. These kinds of projects don’t always work, but there’s a novelty to the mixing of styles here that is compelling and successful. It helps that the band’s members all play at a high level, but it’s easy to hear how each one is not just listening to the others’ music but listening through their own boundaries into the stylistic traditions of the others. This is what I think has illuminated the path to the fertile creative ground the group’s found here. If you love Irish music and have any interest at all in the sounds of bluegrass or old time music, you will definitely want to check this out, it’s a roots collaboration done right." - Irish Echo - FULL REVIEW HERE
"Musicianship and expertise with all four players, great stage presence, and Youth! The Mainstay in Rock Hall recently hosted Charm City Junction for a concert which produced a standing ovation. We advise booking them now before the word spreads and the cost escalates!"
- Tom McHugh, Director, The Mainstay in Rock Hall."The Home of Musical Magic"
"I really like their slightly unusual instrumentation, and the repertoire and arrangements are great, not to mention the stellar musicianship. The CD is wonderful too. It sounds just like them playing live. My new favourite band!" - John Reischman
"Carrying on the torch of interesting, rootsy music." - SiriusXM
"Together they create an energetic amalgam that demonstrates their pure love of all these venerable musical idioms, but with a twist likely to satisfy anyone who appreciates traditional string music, expertly played...Charm City Junction is a marvelous recording from an exciting new band. Don’t let this one slip by you." - Bluegrass Today - FULL REVIEW HERE
"Baltimore-based roots group Charm City Junction puts a new spin on old-timey music, carrying the torch of fast-picking bluegrass and toe-tapping Celtic music. Featuring fiddle, clawhammer banjo, the button accordion and upright bass, this quartet isn’t afraid to take roots music to new places — but always with an eye on tradition." - Washington Post
"The group has an accomplished sound that's well beyond the players' years. At times, the songs are pure backwoods Americana, straight-up Appalachian mountain music, or the kind of boot-scootin' stomp heard at a country dance. At others, they're old-timey and Irish, evoking the plucky ditties of a cozy pub or some seaside ballad from the shores of Galway Bay." - Baltimore Magazine - FULL REVIEW HERE
“Some musical locations are so fertile that, like in a garden where varietals are planted side by side, cross pollination results in a hybrid displaying the best characteristics of each genome. That is exactly what this band is – a hybrid…this quartet easily glides through a rare Bill Monroe tune, “Frog on a Lily Pad,” and old time and Celtic tunes, paying due respect to each style but never compromising the high level of musicianship that marks their standard.” – Fiddler Magazine
"It's a great example of the band's ability to weave their instrumentation around a melody with unique effect. Charm City Junction has an exciting approach to Old-Time melodies that will gain them a devoted and enthusiastic following." - California Bluegrass Breakdown
“Charm City Junction” is a refreshing, smartly done album. These kinds of projects don’t always work, but there’s a novelty to the mixing of styles here that is compelling and successful. It helps that the band’s members all play at a high level, but it’s easy to hear how each one is not just listening to the others’ music but listening through their own boundaries into the stylistic traditions of the others. This is what I think has illuminated the path to the fertile creative ground the group’s found here. If you love Irish music and have any interest at all in the sounds of bluegrass or old time music, you will definitely want to check this out, it’s a roots collaboration done right." - Irish Echo - FULL REVIEW HERE
"Musicianship and expertise with all four players, great stage presence, and Youth! The Mainstay in Rock Hall recently hosted Charm City Junction for a concert which produced a standing ovation. We advise booking them now before the word spreads and the cost escalates!"
- Tom McHugh, Director, The Mainstay in Rock Hall."The Home of Musical Magic"
"I really like their slightly unusual instrumentation, and the repertoire and arrangements are great, not to mention the stellar musicianship. The CD is wonderful too. It sounds just like them playing live. My new favourite band!" - John Reischman
"Carrying on the torch of interesting, rootsy music." - SiriusXM
Audio/Video News
Interview by Steve Martin of "Unreal Music" featuring Patrick McAvinue: LISTEN HERE
Full Concert at the Kennedy Center 11/25/15: WATCH HERE
Interview and Performance for Bristol Radio at IBMA 2015:
Interview by Steve Martin of "Unreal Music" featuring Patrick McAvinue: LISTEN HERE
Full Concert at the Kennedy Center 11/25/15: WATCH HERE
Interview and Performance for Bristol Radio at IBMA 2015:
Interview and Performance on "Detour" 89.7 WTMD - March 2015:
Bluegrass Today Feature - February 2015
"Musicianship and expertise with all four players, great stage presence, and Youth! The Mainstay in Rock Hall, with 800 concerts under its belt, recently hosted Charm City Junction for a concert which produced a standing ovation. We advise booking them now before the word spreads and the cost escalates!" - Tom McHugh, Director, The Mainstay in Rock Hall, MD
"Musicianship and expertise with all four players, great stage presence, and Youth! The Mainstay in Rock Hall, with 800 concerts under its belt, recently hosted Charm City Junction for a concert which produced a standing ovation. We advise booking them now before the word spreads and the cost escalates!" - Tom McHugh, Director, The Mainstay in Rock Hall, MD
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