ELMORE-Saving American Music (Magazine) January/February 2006
Nathan James & Ben Hernandez
Make A Change Sometime
(Pacific Blues)

Anyone who has been fortunate enough to sit on a porch or a parlor and hear really, really good musicians strummin', grinnin' and pickin' for themselves will recognized this sound. A quick look at the liner-note credits says a lot about the music found on this interesting CD: harmonica, whoops, foot percussion, washtub bass, fiddle, spoons, clapping, kazoo, and several kinds of guitar (twelve-string, electric baritone, resonator, flattop, etc.) are some of the instruments. Listen up, this ain't no Rolling Stones' blues. Underproduced and largely acoustic, James and Hernandez take a walk through early American music (they call it "old timey music"), including country blues, jug band, gospel and string band. Sixteen cuts and about 13 different styles, all held together with the same thread--spare music, honest lyrics, and excellent musicianship.

Nathan James traveled and recorded with James Harman, who is heard on a number of tracks (some of which he penned), on both vocals and harmonica. Sara Watkins, of Nickel Creek, lends a fiddle and Gene Taylor from the Fabulous Thunderbirds sits in on piano, providing interest without clutter.

"Hard Time Here," a jug band romp, "Please Baby," a mournful Mississippi Sheiks tune, "Europe Blues," one of Hernandez's own, "Rub-A-Dub," a perky jug band talker, and Nathan James' "The Well" are my favorites, but there's so much diversity here that it's a little like saying, "That's my favorite color, you should like it too."

This CD isn't for everyone, but if you buy into it, as I did, this disc proves again that fine music doesn't need bells and whistles...maybe just a kazoo and a couple of spoons.

----Suzanne Cadgene