Pharis and Jason Romero - Tell ‘Em You Were Gold

  by Julie Cruickshank

published: 19 / 12 / 2022

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Review

The Smithsonian Institution, the national museum of the United States, supports the work of traditional artists through its non-profit Smithsonian Folkways Recordings music label. Pharis and Jason Romero, who are husband and wife, hail from British Columbia in Canada, and have released on the Smithsonian Folkways label an album of folk and bluegrass songs. Previous recordings have garnered three Juno Awards and seven Canadian Folk Music Awards. The main instrument used on their recordings is the banjo; and not just one but eight different banjos, each with their own different timbre and lovingly named on the sleeve of the CD, ‘Tell ‘em You Were Gold’. We are introduced to banjos Mother, Papillon, Big Blue, Gourdo, Clara, Bella, The Beast and Birdie, with accompanying photographs of these beautiful instruments. Jason builds banjos for his company www.romerobanjos.com, and each song includes sleeve note details of which banjo was played, tunings used and other information. Jason plays the banjo throughout, accompanied by Pharis on guitar and guest musicians for certain tracks. First track ‘Souvenir’ showcases banjo Big Blue, and what a sweet sound it makes, chuckling gently through a song reflecting upon time well spent with another: “You are a setting sun on my landscape, turning gold/And when they ask you if you’ll return you can tell them you’ll come round”. ‘Cold Creek Shout’ featuring banjo Birdie, bubbles like rills tumbling from a creek, and ‘Rolling Mills’ introduces a slower change of tempo, the gorgeous sounding banjo Gourdo doing the honours. Two banjos, Papillon and The Beast, along with a merry fiddle, drive along the jaunty ‘Sour Queen’ followed by banjo Clara on ‘Pale Morning’, a pretty instrumental. ‘Lady on the Green’ is a foot-tapping ensemble piece; the haunting, spare ‘Cannot Change It All’ reflects upon the damage being done to the environment: “Man is best when he does not know the riches at his feet/Then he cannot change it all to what he doesn’t need”. ‘The Dose’ introduces plaintive slide guitar wrapping itself around the exquisite sound of banjo Bella. ‘Five Miles From Town’ uses a slight echo to enhance the hypnotic fingerpicking of banjo Big Blue. This accomplished, compelling album rings and sings with the joy of musicianship, craftsmanship and community. Pharis and Jason Romero have released not only a fine and enjoyable set of songs, but have in ‘Tell ‘em You Were Gold’ written a love letter to that most effervescent-sounding of instruments, the banjo.

Track Listing:-

1 Souvenir
2 Cold Creek Shout
3 Rolling Mills
4 Sour Queen
5 Pale Morning
6 Train on the Island
7 Lady on the Green
8 Cannot Change It All
9 The Dose
10 SS Radiant
11 Been All Around This World
12 Black Guard Mary
13 Going to Town
14 Going Across the Sea
15 Five Miles from Town
16 Old Bill's Tune

Band Links:-

http://www.pharisandjason.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pharisandjaso
https://twitter.com/pharisandjason

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