Meeting Up with Aspen Run

Lucketts, Virginia - 8 October 2011: Two very different bands shared the stage at the Lucketts Elementary School tonight. The Old School House is still under renovation so performances are scheduled at the Elementary school next door until further notice. The "Old School House" has a certain charm and is known as a famous bluegrass venue, but oddly the performances sound a lot better in the temporary space and there is more room for seating and better parking. The one thing that drove me nuts about the old stage is missing - the bright red stage lights. Why they've never gotten rid of them or at least changed the Gels is beyond me - but that has nothing to do with the continual good entertainment that is offered up every Saturday night while the bluegrass season is in full-bore. 2011/2012 promises to be a good one, while up in Brunswick, Maryland the Brunswick Roundhouse Concert Promotions people (Darren Beachley and Team) are lining up a whizz-bang list of top bluegrass talent. We'll be burning a lot of petrol up and down Route 15 in the coming weeks.

The Timmons Family came on first followed by Aspen Run Band. It was unfortunate for the Timmons Family that their set was marred by frequent sound check interruptions. The sound people struggled to fine-tune a new sound system, and it was hard to concentrate on the performance itself. The band also called for frequent checks which caused even more interruptions. It was all just too bad for everyone concerned. In the end, everything was just louder than it should have been. Aspen Run had a luckier time of it, came on hell-bent-for-leather, and let's have a good time. Most of the exuberence is provided by Steve Unkart on guitar and vocals, but teamwork prevails among an unusual family of musicians from Westminster, Maryland.

According to the story found on the band's website, Herb Martin Jr. (the father) introduced his three sons to bluegrass just five years ago, each picked an instrument they wanted to play and then started practicing. It's a great story, call it an urban legend or a folk-tale, call it what you will, it doesn't really matter when the band is experienced in performance for the first time. This style of bluegrass transports you back to bluegrass and hillbilly roots - a lot of Jimmy Martin and Stanley Brothers and it's done with total unpretention. The sound and style you've heard a million times, but the Martin Family is going for their own brand of authenticity. Steve Unkart and Herb Martin, III (the oldest son) have the lion's share of the vocal work. They're a great combo. Aaron Martin on stand-up bass and Clayton Martin on mandolin are the other sons, and Dad stands in on some of the stuff. On this night he mainly stood in the background with a big, proud, fatherly grin on his face as his progeny won over the audience. Guy Herbert deserves attention also (banjo) not only for his excellent banjo-work but also as a mentor to everyone in the group, and someone who's put together a fine CD of their work in the recording studio. How can you come up with a version of "Mule Skinner Blues" that isn't over-worn or hackneyed?

The "only-been-playing-five-years" story is a good one. What matters is where this band is headed in the next 10 years. These guys are talented and very entertaining and play a lot in our own local environs. Their latest CD is Aspen Run Wanted and if you like your bluegrass very old, unpretentious, served up like a piece of raw meat on a broken china plate, then order your own copy soon. I can't believe these kids are so young!

www.aspenrunbluegrass.com