Texas Fiddle Collection
This wonderful record serves as both a stunning example of Gimble's awesome technique and also as a summary of the rich, vibrant history of Texas fiddling. The 28 songs are divided into three categories: contest fiddling in solo and duet form; small-group string-band arrangements that resemble the acts of the early 20th century; and big-band Western swing popularized by Texans such as Bob Wills and Milton Brown. Gimble is equally adept at all styles, and he receives sympathetic support from legendary musicians such as rhythm guitarist Eldon Shamblin (like Gimble a veteran of Wills's Texas Playboys), bassist Jim Boyd (a Light Crust Doughboy), and fiddler Cliff Bruner (once one of Brown's Musical Brownies). The songs range from turn-of-the-century square dances to traditional waltzes to the songbooks of Wills and Brown. The music is ebullient, the players are magnificent, and the varied arrangements keep things interesting.--Marc Greilsamer