the aluminum wonder

floral by-catch

Sequatchie Valley (2012)

“Each tune is like the tip of an iceberg; they’re seemingly short vignettes of Tennessee rural life that actually reflect years of friendships, community life, and good times spent with neighbors. . . . Joseph’s a marvelous fiddler, able to snake his way around the twisted winding rhythms of Southern old-time music with such ease that you find yourself following his path with ease while listening. And he’s a beautiful singer.” Devon Leger, No Depression

Coming from Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau with a handful of beautiful and driving pieces pulled from the old time fiddle and banjo traditions of the region, Joseph Decosimo and the Bucking Mules deliver a fine and thoughtful sampling of the region's traditional music. From solo fiddle and banjo pieces, to singing duets, to fiddle and banjo duets, to raging stringband tunes, the album roots itself in the musical traditions of Decosimo's native Cumberland Plateau, while also pulling from the sounds and repertoires of East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. Much of the music was learned in the living rooms of the region's older fiddlers and banjo players. The rest has been learned from 78s, lo-fi field recordings, and LPs of the region's traditional musicians. All of it has been ably interpreted by some of the finest contemporary old time musicians—folks who manage to balance their love for the tradition with their own creativity, creating a rich new sound steeped in the tradition. Recorded live in one room with no overdubs, this album has the grit of Cumberland Plateau sandstone and the magic of old time music played in real time.