Mandolinist/Singer Nate Lee Releases Wings of a Jetliner Today! Featuring Members of Becky Buller Band

Mandolinist/Singer Nate Lee Releases Wings of a Jetliner
Out Now → https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/natelee/wings-of-a-jetliner

Produced by Professor Dan Boner at ETSU Recording Lab in Johnson City, TN

The Album Features Todd Phillips, Wyatt Rice, Ned Luberecki,
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Thomas Cassell, Daniel Salyer,
and the Becky Buller Band!

LIVESTREAM TODAY (Fri 6/12) at 6pm CT/ 7pm ET
Nate Lee with Professor Dan
Hear the new tunes and more about the process of making the album!
A special guest or two may join in…
Tune in via their facebook pages

www.facebook.com/LikeNateLeeLLC   |  www.facebook.com/ETSUProfessorDan 

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Kind Words about Wings of Jetliner

“This is bluegrass as free-ranging and masterful as any you’d be hearing at our currently silent festivals… Lee has a gift for themes, the strong melodic hooks that give a tune its architecture and its roadmap for improvisation.”
—WMOT, Craig Havighurst

“All of the cuts are stellar. Nate really brings his vocals to a level impossible to imagine… A gorgeous tune on the album is ‘Serenity.’”
—Steve Martin’s Unreal Bluegrass
Tune in Sunday 6/14 to Steve Martin’s Unreal Bluegrass for an interview with Nate Lee
7-10pm ET on WSDL 90.7FM Delmarva Public Radio www.unrealbluegrass.com

“Even while bluegrasser and multi-instrumentalist Nate Lee puts the main focus on the powerhouse instrumentalists… the lyrics and masterful chordal harmonies of ‘Love Medicine’ — a song about addiction and tough situations — shine through.”
–The Bluegrass Situation

“The album showcases a brilliant collection of players… A singer of nuance and an exceptional instrumentalist, this is a worthy testament to Lee stepping further into the spotlight, providing an unreserved lift to the spirit in these troublesome days.”
—Listening Through The Lens (Australia), Rob Dickens

“The qualities which make Hold On [Sam Bush and David Grisman’s 2003 duo album] such a compelling listen — deep musicality, honking groove, smart pacing, a balance of melody and flash — are indeed found throughout Jetliner”
—Mandolin Cafe, Michael Eck

“…an outstanding picker and songwriter of considerable worth. He wrote the five instrumental tracks on the record and knows a good song prospect when he sees one… he’s set to be one of tomorrow’s masters”
—Flying Shoes Review (UK), Maurice Hope

“[‘Comealong Brown Dog’] is one of the catchiest tunes on the album. Built on a simple melody, it could be mistaken for a classic old time tune. A beginning mandolin player might pick up the melodic line easily and then spend years mastering Nate’s nuances.”
—Music City Music Magazine, Nancy Posey

“Fingers were clearly flying when mandolinist Nate Lee—who additionally plays fiddle and banjo on a few of the tracks—made this upbeat album of traditional- and modern-sounding bluegrass.”
—The Morton Report, Blog Critics, Americana Highways, Jeff Burger

“Beautiful, clean bluegrass, played with world class musicians (Wyatt Rice and Todd Phillips join Lee). Nate Lee plays crisp mandolin and has a pleasing voice. There are songs that remind me of David Grisman’s ‘dawg music’… Excellent sound production on this album.”
—Americana Music Show, Bill Rutsch

“Nate’s voice simply warms your heart (like James Taylor) with the gentle folk ballad ‘Somewhere Far Away,’ before quickening the pace with the exciting bluegrass strumming of ‘All Along.’”
—JP’s Music Blog, Jim Pasinski

“This is an excellent, quite musical recording by a very talented player and singer, with great songs and solid instrumentals, all of them beautifully arranged.”
—Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association, Peach Hampton

“Overall, this album is an ample example of Lee’s range and what he can do… Indeed, Lee works hard to put his tuneful trademark on every note he plays. The surprises are welcome and even the expected inclusions do not disappoint.”
—HVY.com, Will Phoenix

“The disc features a combination of covers and original instrumental tunes… Bluegrass music for me has always seemed to have an inherent power to raise our spirits and push away the darker elements of reality, and we could all use some of that right now.”
—Michael’s Music Log, Michael Doherty

“Uplifting at the right time!” —MisterG, greenarrowradio (Madison, WI)

NASHVILLE, TN — Nate Lee is an International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award-winning instrumentalist and renowned teacher of private lessons and music camps. The overlapping landscapes of folk, bluegrass, old-time, and new acoustic music offer a wide field to hoe and singer/mandolinist Nate ably covers every bit of that ground. Tuneful lopes, the muscular bounce of ‘grass, the sparkling charm of Grisman-Rice inspired dawg music, and more are all in his comfort zone and he moves between them with uncommon ease. Nate is known as the kind of musician who is able to put his own stamp on whatever he plays and his forthcoming album, Wings of a Jetliner, brings that home and out on June 12, 2020 on his own Adverb Records.

Nate is known as a member of award-winning bluegrass group, the Becky Buller Band, which he joined in 2017. For this project Nate assembled an inspired collection of iconic players, modern masters, and rising stars—including bandmates from Becky Buller Band: Becky Buller herself, banjoist Ned Luberecki, bassist Daniel Hardin, and the album’s producer and engineer Dan Boner. Also joining in on guitar is original member of the Tony Rice Unit and flatpicking legend, Wyatt Rice,  icon of acoustic music and sideman to the stars, living-legend bassist Todd Phillips, and rising star Bronwyn Keith-Hynes (Mile Twelve) on fiddle. Bluegrass singer and songwriter Daniel Salyer joins in on harmony vocals on a few songs and Thomas Cassell (Circus No. 9) serves as Nate’s duet partner on the Grisman-inspired two-mandolin instrumental “Serenity.” 

Renaissance man, Professor Dan Boner, came on board early as producer and engineer and primarily tracked the album at the ETSU Recording Lab. Professor Dan says, “Wings of a Jetliner mirrors all that I have observed in Nate’s persona. He is an objective seeker, lifelong learner, patient teacher, and a quick-witted responder to happenstances.”

Nate composed all five instrumental numbers on Wings of a Jetliner: The lead-off track and bluegrass ripper, “Wonderbat,” the light-hearted jazzy “Quick Select,” the lovely and spare “Comealong Brown Dog,” and the spiraling “Rook Roller.”

Listeners will find equally satisfying variety in the carefully chosen vocal numbers, penned by an eclectic assortment of accomplished songwriters, on Wings of a Jetliner. All here to delight are hard-driving bluegrass songs (“Tobacco” – Daniel Salyer), western swing (“The More I Pour” – Tim Stafford & Mark Bumgarner), nuanced tales (“Miner’s Grave” – Ashleigh Caudill, “Somewhere Far Away” – Bradford Lee Folk & Nicholas Ian Woods ), the waltzy “Sweet Allis Chalmers” (Bill Caswell) and the new-grassy sounds of “Love Medicine” (Chris Sanders), as well as a cover of 90’s rock icons The Offspring’s “All Along” (Bryan Holland).

Nate Lee’s Wings of a Jetliner is an album of significant range and each track breathes with life. This release is a new high-water mark for Nate. Ned Luberecki says, “Wings of a Jetliner is your first class window seat on an exciting musical journey with Captain Nate Lee at the helm. So put on your noise cancelling headphones, recline the seat and enjoy your flight!”

Nate Lee: Wings of a Jetliner Track Listing and Credits

1. Wonderbat 1:54
2. Tobacco 3:21
3. Quick Select 3:05
4. Somewhere Far Away 3:27
5. Serenity 3:45
6. All Along 2:20
7. Comealong Brown Dog 4:10
8. Miner’s Grave 2:55
9. Rook Roller 3:39
10. The More I Pour 2:54
11. Sweet Allis Chalmers 3:45
12. Love Medicine 3:57

www.thenatelee.com
www.facebook.com/LikeNateLeeLLC
www.twitter.com/NateLeeLLC
www.instagram.com/nateleellc
www.PlayNately.com (teaching information)

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Nate Lee To Release New Album 6/12 ‘Wings of a Jetliner’ w/ Members of Becky Buller Band

Nate Lee Independently Releases Wings of a Jetliner June 12, 2020

Featuring Members of Becky Buller Band
Produced by Dan Boner at ETSU Recording Lab in Johnson City, TN

Watch Nate Lee Perform Solo on Americana Highways Livestream
on FaceBook Wed 4/22 at 7:45pm ET 

NASHVILLE, TN — Nate Lee is an International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award-winning instrumentalist and renowned teacher of private lessons and music camps. The overlapping landscapes of folk, bluegrass, old-time, and new acoustic music offer a wide field to hoe and singer/mandolinist Nate ably covers every bit of that ground. Tuneful lopes, the muscular bounce of ‘grass, the sparkling charm of Grisman-Rice inspired dawg music, and more are all in his comfort zone and he moves between them with uncommon ease. Nate is known as the kind of musician who is able to put his own stamp on whatever he plays and his forthcoming album, Wings of a Jetliner, brings that home and is set for independent release June 12 on his own Adverb Records.

Nate is known as a member of award-winning bluegrass group, the Becky Buller Band, which he joined in 2017 and he quickly became a fan-favorite. For this project Nate assembled an inspired collection of iconic players, modern masters, and rising stars—including his bandmates from Becky Buller Band.

Two-time GRAMMY winning songwriter, eight-time International Bluegrass Music Association award winner, and leader of the band that bears her name, Becky Buller contributes her fiddle and vocal chops to four of the songs on Wings of a Jetliner and says, “Nate is an incredible musician and human being. This project really shows the world the depth of his abilities, both as a picker and a singer. I’m so honored to be along for the fun!” 

Nate Lee. Photo by Scott Simontacchi

A Texas native residing in Nashville, Nate first came on the bluegrass scene playing fiddle with legendary banjo player and teacher, Alan Munde, in the Alan Munde Gazette, and later on fiddle and mandolin with the Jim Hurst Trio. He has also played with The Hard Road Trio and continues to record with the band. When he’s not playing, Nate is heavily involved in the work of the International Bluegrass Music Association and is also a renowned teacher helping bluegrass musicians and the bluegrass community to develop and grow. Wings of a Jetliner finds Nate stepping forward as a leader in a new way, setting a higher bar for himself and bringing his singing and playing to the forefront.

Renaissance man, Professor Dan Boner, came on board early as producer and engineer. When not playing alongside Nate in the Becky Buller Band, Dan directs the bluegrass, old-time, and country music program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City, Tennessee. Nate credits Dan with fostering an environment and process that pulled the best from every musician involved in creating Wings of a Jetliner, a freedom that is apparent on each song, primarily tracked at the ETSU Recording Lab.

Professor Dan says, “Wings of a Jetliner mirrors all that I have observed in Nate’s persona. He is an objective seeker, lifelong learner, patient teacher, and a quick-witted responder to happenstances. He is as nimble on the fretboard as he is at racking up airline points. His smooth bow arm reflects his own pursuit of balance. Life is navigated best with a calculated efficiency of motion, energy, and time.”

“Great soundscapes resonate with listeners in the same internal places as the sound-makers,” Dan continues. “Nate so thoughtfully recruited this group of like-minded artists to create a most fascinating listening experience.”

The musicians that joined Nate for this project would make anyone’s all-star ballot and many annual awards lists. Appearing on all but two tracks, 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year and host of “Derailed” on SiriusXM, Ned Luberecki pulls double-duty on the five-string banjo in Nate’s studio band and as a member of the Becky Buller Band. Joining Nate and Ned in the studio band on guitar is original member of the Tony Rice Unit and flatpicking legend, Wyatt Rice, and icon of acoustic music and sideman to the stars, living-legend Todd Phillips plays upright bass. Rounding out the studio band, rising star Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, founding member of IBMA Momentum award-winners Mile Twelve, handles fiddle duties on eight tracks.

Guesting in, we find bass monster Daniel “The Hulk” Hardin laying down the groove on a few and Dan Boner steps out from behind the glass to provide guitar and harmony vocals as well as fiddle on a track. Bluegrass singer and songwriter Daniel Salyer joins in on harmony vocals on a few songs. Three songs call on the talents of Buller Band members (Buller, Boner, Luberecki, and Hardin) exclusively: “Tobacco, “All Along,” and “Comealong Brown Dog.”

2016 winner of the prestigious Rockygrass mandolin competition (and founding member of the genre-bending group Circus No. 9), Thomas Cassell, serves as Nate’s duet partner on the Grisman-inspired two-mandolin feature “Serenity” a song (named for the spaceship in the sci-fi television show Firefly) which grew from a harmonic reworking of a traditional Irish tune that pays tribute in melody to the great David “Dawg” Grisman, mandolin innovator and father of the dawg style of jazz-bluegrass fusion. The whole band shines here, especially Nate, who plays both fiddle and mandolin.

Nate’s wide-ranging taste, not to mention his deep well of musical tools, give a lot for fans to enjoy in the striking variety of instrumentals on Wings of a Jetliner. Nate composed all five instrumental numbers on Wings of a Jetliner, and the quality of instrument and operator shine on each one. Mandolin players in particular will find much to love. Nate takes full advantage of his axe’s tone, monster chop, and uncommon sustain— which he says has had a significant impact on his playing—to great effect. 

The lead-off track, “Wonderbat,” is a bluegrass ripper named after his trusty mandolin, which Nate, a die-hard fan of The Simpsons, named after the baseball bat that Homer used in an episode. “Quick Select” is a light-hearted jazzy piece with a playful bounce that was inspired by his favorite video game, Ratchet & Clank. Nate is joined by Buller and Hardin on “Comealong Brown Dog,” a patient, lovely, and spare instrumental lope inspired by Nate’s dog, Cashew, which uses the “three T’s” of taste, timing, and tone. “Rook Roller” is a spiraling bluegrass number that comes from Nate’s favorite finishing move in chess and it’s traditional flavor belies the twists and turns of a decidedly modern tune.

Listeners will find equally satisfying variety in the carefully chosen vocal numbers, penned by an eclectic assortment of accomplished songwriters, on Wings of a Jetliner. Hard-driving bluegrass songs, western swing, and more, are all here to delight. The same taste and mastery that make each of Nate’s tunes stand out make every song shimmer on it’s own.

A powerful and driving tale of resistance, at great personal risk, in the face of exploitation, “Tobacco,” written by Dan Salyer, and performed with The Becky Buller Band supporting, draws from the history of western Kentucky and Tennessee to tell a story about the Black Patch Tobacco Wars of the early 20th century.

The darkly tender and nuanced “Somewhere Far Away,” written by Nick Woods and Bradford Lee Folk, has a special resonance for Nate and the title of the album, Wings of a Jetliner, comes from a line in this song, ‘I like the lights on the wings of a jetliner as they blink out, and they cut through the cloud cover.’ I really love to watch planes, especially takeoff and final approach before landing. My back porch is a front row seat for final approach at the BNA airport.” 

Some listeners will recognize “All Along” from 90’s rock icons, The Offspring, delivered here with all the raw urgency of the original, by Nate and the rest of the Becky Buller Band. Nate says, “The drive they created between the bass/kick drum and the snare is just like a fast bluegrass groove. ‘All Along’ has always been one of my favorites; the lyrics are pretty lonesome and look like a bluegrass song on paper.”

Nate’s clawhammer banjo propels the atmospheric canter of “Miner’s Grave,” written by Ashleigh Caudill, is a dark and rich tale of a moonshiner’s tragic life drips with mood, and holds a bit of sonic experimentation. “The More I Pour,” penned by Tim Stafford and Mark Bumgarner, began life as a honky-tonk song, but Nate pulled from his experience and transformed it into a dancehall-ready charmer. “In days past, I was a fiddler in a Western Swing band and I’ve always loved triple fiddle and swing chord changes which are present here”

Written by Bill Caswell and made famous by bluegrass legends, Country Gazette, which included the equally legendary Alan Munde on banjo, “Sweet Allis Chalmers” is a favorite song of Nate’s, and was the first thing recorded for Wings of a Jetliner.  “Love Medicine” closes out Wings of a Jetliner on a contemporary-feeling note. The song was written by Chris Sanders, Nate’s former bandmate in the Hard Road Trio, and looks at addiction in tough-but-tender terms. The influence of the Red Hot Chili Peppers peeks through consistently and gives the song a uniqueness. The arrangement gives each player a closing opportunity to shine, and they all do.

Nate Lee’s Wings of a Jetliner is an album of significant range and each track breathes with life. This release is a new high-water mark for Nate. It’s sure to make a lot of new fans for a fast-rising talent. Ned Luberecki says, “Wings of a Jetliner is your first class window seat on an exciting musical journey with Captain Nate Lee at the helm. So put on your noise cancelling headphones, recline the seat and enjoy your flight! Earn double miles if you buy one for a friend!”

Nate Lee: Wings of a Jetliner Track Listing and Credits

1. Wonderbat 1:54
2. Tobacco 3:21
3. Quick Select 3:05
4. Somewhere Far Away 3:27
5. Serenity 3:45
6. All Along 2:20
7. Comealong Brown Dog 4:10
8. Miner’s Grave 2:55
9. Rook Roller 3:39
10. The More I Pour 2:54
11. Sweet Allis Chalmers 3:45
12. Love Medicine 3:57

 

Nate Lee – mandolin (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,12), lead vocals (2,4,6,8,10,11,12), fiddle (5,10), banjos (8)
Todd Phillips – bass (1,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,12)
Wyatt Rice – guitar (1,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,12)
Bronwyn Keith-Hynes – fiddle (1,3,4,8,9,10,11,12)
Ned Luberecki – banjo (1,2,3,4,5,6,9,10,11,12)

Becky Buller – fiddle (2,6,7), harmony vocals (2,6,11)
Daniel Hardin – bass (2,6,7), harmony vocals (6)
Dan Boner – guitar (2,6), fiddle (10), harmony vocals (10,11)
Thomas Cassell – mandolin (5)
Daniel Salyer – harmony vocals (8,10,12)

Songwriting Credits:
Nate Lee (Human Adverb Music, BMI) – 1,3,5,7 ,9
Daniel Salyer (Pay Low Music, BMI) – 2
Bradford Lee Folk & Nicholas Ian Woods (Folk/Woods, BMI) – 4
Bryan Holland (Round Hill Works, BMI) – 6
Ashleigh Caudill (Ashleigh Deanna Caudill Music, SESAC) – 8
Tim Stafford & Mark Bumgarner (Daniel House Music, BMI/Two Chairs Music, BMI) – 10
Bill Caswell (Farmhand Music, BMI) – 11
Chris Sanders (Desert Night Music, BMI) – 12

Produced by Professor Dan Boner at ETSU Recording Lab
© 2020 Adverb Records, a division of Nate Lee, LLC

www.thenatelee.com
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Banjo Maestro Ned Luberecki’s ‘Take Five’ OUT TODAY w/ Guests Dale Ann Bradley, Becky Buller, and more

Banjo Maestro Ned Luberecki’s Take Five OUT TODAY, March 31, 2017

Featuring Guest Musicians:
Dale Ann Bradley, Becky Buller, Amanda Smith, Missy Raines, Mike Compton, David Grier, Jeremy Garrett, Shad Cobb, Stephen Mougin, and Chris Jones & The Night Drivers

Buy it on iTunes, Amazon, cdbaby or directly from Ned at www.nedski.com/take-five

 Ned Luberecki’s new album, Take Five, is independently released TODAY, March 31, 2017. A master of his instrument and adept in multiple styles Ned recorded at The Rec Room, Ben Surratt’s studio in East Nashville this self produced, the 14-track album is a mix of originals and covers and clocks in at just under 45 minutes.

Take Five is a reflection of Ned’s musical diversity, presenting fiddle and banjo tunes, instrumentals, and traditional bluegrass interspersed with jazz standards, classic Buck Owens, and even the theme to Star Trek. Many of Ned’s musical friends from all walks of bluegrass make appearances, making Take Five a sort of retrospective, reminding us that however we know Ned Luberecki – sideman, teacher, on-air radio personality – that he is respected as both a traditional and progressive player with a style perfectly his own – a harlequin combination of the diverse artists, musicians, and genres he’s ingested.

Take Five is stacked with a remarkable lineup of guest musicians including Missy Raines and the New Hip, Jeremy Garrett of The Infamous Stringdusters, Becky Buller, The Helen Highwater Stringband (Mike Compton, David Grier, Missy Raines, and Shad Cobb), Chris Jones and The Night Drivers, Dale Ann Bradley, and Amanda Smith. Also appearing on the album, Stephen Mougin, guitarist of Sam Bush Band and the other half of Nedski & Mojo, calls it “a sonic glimpse inside the mind of Nedski [that] showcases Ned’s brilliant banjo skills in a diverse range of material, from old-time to bluegrass to jazz and beyond. Way beyond!”

What Folks are Saying about Take Five

“An absolutely joyous, riveting, beautifully syncopated example of the beauty of the banjo.  From the traditional to the unexpected, the banjo sings.” —Steve Martin (Actor, banjo player)

“Taken as a whole, Take Five demonstrates Luberecki’s mastery of the five-string. From the opening notes of his own tune, Night Driver to the familiar phrasings of Thelonious Monk’s Blue Monk, Luberecki is making a strong case for IBMA banjo player of the year.” —Bluegrass Today, David Morris   

“Journeying across times and genres on this disc, Luberecki’s impeccable playing, adventurous spirit and irrepressible good humor shine throughout.” —International Bluegrass (IBMA Magazine)

“Ned Luberecki is a true ‘master of the five’! This solo recording is a testimony to the incredible breadth of his playing, which I have always admired.”  —Greg Cahill (Special Consensus, former IBMA Chairman)

“His playing oozes with personality and character, and this record perfectly encapsulates that. It’s 100% Ned, and I, for one, am not afraid! Ned’s tunes are a joy to hear and his playing is better than ever.” —Noam Pikelny

“If you were introducing someone to the beauty and versatility of the banjo using 2017 releases, there’s only one choice that can accomplish that goal perfectly, Ned Luberecki’s Take Five. From bluegrass to jazz and from progressive to old-time, this album shows what the banjo is capable of. And just as importantly, it shows that tradition and a fresh energetic approach are still an easy pairing in the bluegrass world.” —Lonesome Banjo Chronicles, Brian Swenk

“‘Adams County Breakdown’ is a rollicking freight train from the other end of the spectrum, a triumph of the five-string banjo that cements Luberecki as a world-class musician.” –Grateful Web, Emerson Kerwin

“… the cover artwork for this CD reminds me of the artwork for Time Out, the 1959 Dave Brubeck Quartet album to feature ‘Take Five.’ I could listen to this track for hours, just as I could spend hours listening to Dave Brubeck’s rendition (and have done, actually).” —Michael Doherty

“… the interplay between the fiddle and banjo is hypnotic (See ‘Cleveland Park’). Finally, and most importantly, the album is as varied as possible.” —Wine Compass, Todd Godbout

“Bluegrass, on it’s own, is a fun genre of folk music to get into, but with the humor and other genre infusions Luberecki brings here, it wouldn’t surprise at all if he made a few more fans along the way.” —NYS Music, Rob Creenan

“The backing musicians, compositions, and production are all at the highest levels here and Ned has done himself proud with this widely varied and irresistible project.” —Tony Trischka

“With skill, tone, and taste he comfortably transverses styles of bluegrass, jazz, celtic and more making this a seamless and satisfying set of music.” —Missy Raines (7 Time IBMA Bass Player of the Year, Missy Raines & The New Hip)

“… a full course five-string feast, with savory bluegrass, tasty fiddle tunes, tangy jazz and more. It’s all presented with sumptuous tone, timing that’s just right and a dash of Ned’s irrepressible humor. This is state-of-the-art five-string banjo, cooked up with virtuosity and creativity,” —Bill Evans (banjo player, banjo instructor, and author)

“Ned Luberecki is surely among the most talented and creative artists we have in bluegrass music. It doesn’t matter if he is driving the banjo right through the Becky Buller Band, sharing clever stories from the stage, or hosting one of his programs on SiriusXM’s Bluegrass Junction, Ned’s wit and wisdom always shine through… ” —Bluegrass Today, John Lawless

Listen to Bluegrass Today “Night Driver” at Bluegrass Today → www.bluegrasstoday.com/nightdriver-from-ned-luberecki

Listen to  “Higher Ground” at The Bluegrass Situation →  www.thebluegrasssituation.com/read/listen-ned-luberecki-higher-ground

For more information, please visit www.nedski.com, www.facebook.com/MoreBanjo, Twitter: @NedLuberecki, and Instagram: nedluberecki

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Banjo Maestro Ned Luberecki Releases ‘Take Five’ on 3/31 w/ Guests Dale Ann Bradley, Becky Buller, Raines, Garrett, Compton, Grier and more

Banjo Maestro Ned Luberecki Set To Release Take Five on March 31. 2017

Featuring Guest Musicians:
Dale Ann Bradley, Becky Buller, Amanda Smith, Missy Raines, Mike Compton, David Grier, Jeremy Garrett, Shad Cobb, Stephen Mougin, and Chris Jones & The Night Drivers

Nashville, TN —  Described by Steve Martin as “an absolutely joyous, riveting, beautifully syncopated example of the beauty of the banjo,” Ned Luberecki’s new album, Take Five, demonstrates he is a master of his instrument, adept in multiple styles. Recorded at The Rec Room, Ben Surratt’s studio in East Nashville, Take Five will be independently released on March 31, 2017. Self produced, the 14-track album is a mix of originals and covers and clocks in at just under 45 minutes.

“With Take Five, Ned Luberecki offers a full course five-string feast, with savory bluegrass, tasty fiddle tunes, tangy jazz and more. It’s all presented with sumptuous tone, timing that’s just right and a dash of Ned’s irrepressible humor. This is state-of-the-art five-string banjo, cooked up with virtuosity and creativity,” says banjo player, banjo instructor, and author Bill Evans.

Ned Luberecki.  Photo by Shelly Swanger

As banjo player for the award winning Becky Buller Band; one half of the duo Nedski & Mojo, and host of Sirius XM Bluegrass Junction’s Derailed and More Banjo Sunday, Ned is known not only for his banjo prowess, but for his wit and humor. Respected as both a traditional and progressive player, Ned toured extensively in the United States and Europe as a member of Chris Jones and The Night Drivers for over a decade before joining the Becky Buller Band. He’s also been a member of Paul Adkins and the Borderline Band, the Rarely Herd, and Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, and has appeared with such artists as Jim Lauderdale, Tony Trischka, and Ray Stevens.

Take Five is stacked with a remarkable lineup of guest musicians including Missy Raines and the New Hip, Jeremy Garrett of The Infamous Stringdusters, Becky Buller, The Helen Highwater Stringband (Mike Compton, David Grier, Missy Raines, and Shad Cobb), Chris Jones and The Night Drivers, Dale Ann Bradley, and Amanda Smith. Also appearing on the album, Stephen Mougin, guitarist of Sam Bush Band and the other half of Nedski & Mojo, calls it “a sonic glimpse inside the mind of Nedski.” He goes on, “It showcases Ned’s brilliant banjo skills in a diverse range of material, from old-time to bluegrass to jazz and beyond. Way beyond!”

Tony Trischka weighs in on the album, “At one point, the Siriusly radio-ready voice of Ned envelops us as we prepare to go where no man has gone before. If you love Ned’s ‘Cabin of Death’ – and who doesn’t –  you’re sure to embrace the traditional banjo/fiddle duet on the iconic Star Trek theme. At other times, his rocket–jockey, warp-speed, banjoistic chops propel ‘Adams County Breakdown’ and his own ‘Night Driver’ with impeccable timing. My personal favorite is ‘Cleveland Park”, less of a barn burner, but possessed of a gentle, Celtic beauty. There are several stops for jazzy sojourns as Ned and company employ bluegrass instruments to bring a fresh and welcome outlook to Jobim, Monk and Brubeck. Speaking of 5/4 time, Ned gives ‘Take 5’ a run for it’s money with his ear-worm catchy ‘Earl’s Court’.”

When not performing and broadcasting, Ned gladly shares his methods with banjo students around the world, having taught at Nashcamp, Munich Banjo Camp, Camp Bluegrass, Sore Fingers (UK), Kaufman Kamp, Midwest Banjo Camp and more. Additionally, he is the author of Alfred Music Publishing’s Complete Banjo Method.

Ned’s interest in the banjo was spurred at the age of thirteen. He asked for a banjo for Christmas, and when one of his other Christmas gifts was a couple of Steve Martin comedy albums, Ned found himself paying more attention to Steve’s banjo playing than to the comedy. The classic Foggy Mountain Banjo was his first foray into the iconic Scruggs style, and while he loved the classic sounds of Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, and Sonny Osborne, somewhere along the way he discovered Tony Trischka, who would become one of his “all-time favorite musicians ever. Bar none.” This discovery—the progressive style of banjo—led Ned to delve into music from Trischka, Alan Munde, Bela Fleck, and their contemporaries. Sam Bush and New Grass Revival were his version of Lennon and the Beatles: transformative and eye opening.

Artists and bands outside of bluegrass influenced his developing musical voice as well. He carries on the banjo tradition of emulating and mimicking guitar licks in his own way, borrowing vocabulary from his favorite players Eddie Van Halen and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Avant-garde bluegrass artists David Grisman and Tony Rice introduced him to jazz greats such as Oscar Peterson and Dave Brubeck. With such a varied musical taste and background, it’s no surprise most fans and banjo aficionados would tell you Ned’s style is perfectly his own – a harlequin combination of the diverse artists, musicians, and genres he’s ingested.

Take Five is a reflection of Ned’s musical diversity, presenting fiddle and banjo tunes, instrumentals, and traditional bluegrass interspersed with jazz standards, classic Buck Owens, and even the theme to Star Trek. Many of Ned’s musical friends from all walks of bluegrass make appearances, making Take Five a sort of retrospective and reminding us that however we know Ned Luberecki – sideman, teacher, on-air radio personality – it all springs from his first love, the banjo.

For more information, please visit www.nedski.com, www.facebook.com/MoreBanjo, Twitter: @NedLuberecki, and Instagram: nedluberecki

Take Five Track Listing & Credits
1. Night Driver             2:29 (Ned Luberecki)
2. Higher Ground         2:46 (Kelley Jones Luberecki & Dale Ann Bradley)
3. Cleveland Park         2:36 P.D.
4. Adams County Breakdown     3:03 (Tom Adams)
5. We’ll Put Out The Fire     2:35 (Jon Weisberger & Vida Wakeman)
6. B-Flat Medley         3:38 (Done Gone, P.D., New Camptown Races – Frank Wakefield)
7. Fiddlin’ Dan             4:10 P.D.
8. Take Five                   3:32 (Paul Desmond)
9. Girl From Ipanema         3:22 (Antônio Carlos Jobim)
10. Earl’s Court             3:38 (Ned Luberecki)
11. Blue Monk             4:00 (Thelonius Monk)
12. Kitchen Squirrel Medley     2:09 P.D. (Kitchen Girl – Squirrel Hunters)
13. Buck Owens Medley*    3:38 (Buck Owens & Don Rich, Buck Owens)
14. Where No Man Has Gone Before (Star Trek Theme) 1:27 (Alexander Courage)

*(Before You Go, Let The World Keep On Turnin’)

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