Yo-Yo Ma / Edgar Meyer / Mark O´ Connor - Appalachian Journey (2000)

Appalachian Journey is the second album from the string trio of bassist and composer Edgar Meyer, fiddler and composer Mark O'Connor, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. James Taylor and Alison Krauss join the trio individually on two Stephen Foster songs arranged for the trio. Sony Classical released the disc in 2000.

 The follow-up album to the highly successful Appalachia Waltz collaboration, Appalachian Journey continues the combination of classical music with Appalachian, bluegrass, and American roots music in general. Yo-Yo Ma, alongside violinist Mark O'Connor and bass player Edgar Meyer, runs through a number of original compositions fusing the traditions, as well as a few old standards from the genre repertoire. As stated by the artists, Appalachia Waltz explored the combination of the three artists' sounds put together, while Journey expands upon this theme, exploring the sound of the three artists as a singular group. Joining with the trio are James Taylor on a pair of works (on both guitar and vocals) and Alison Krauss on fiddle and vocals. The vocalists are added specifically on a pair of old Stephen Foster works, the songs themselves thematically bridging the gap between the classical and folk realms. The tone can change easily from cheerful jigging to outright nostalgic, depending largely on who's doing the soloing at any given time. There's an embracing down-home atmosphere set up by the artists, using warm tones and motives throughout the album. At the same time, the trio displays some remarkable virtuosity (as would be expected from this group), burning through some fiery sets of triplets on otherwise slow instruments (the cello and bass, specifically), but keeping up with the violin while avoiding the easily hit distortion sounds that usually come from high speed, low frequency playing. Reels fit easily with waltzes here, and also with traditional songs with virtuosic passages from original compositions. The old and the older are easily made compatible here largely on the strength of the performers involved. It's a worthwhile album for listeners curious about the newer directions being taken in the classical realm.

1. "1B" (Edgar Meyer)
2. "Misty Moonlight Waltz" (Mark O'Connor)
3. "Hard Times Come Again No More" (Stephen Foster - arr:James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, Meyer, O'Connor)
4. "Indecision" (Meyer)
5. "Limerock" (Traditional - arr:O'Connor, Meyer)
6. "Benjamin" (Taylor)
7. "Fisher's Hornpipe" (Traditional - arr:O'Connor)
8. "Duet for Cello and Bass" (Meyer)
9. "Emily's Reel" (O'Connor - arr:Meyer)
10. "Cloverfoot Reel" (Meyer)
11. "Poem for Carlita" (O'Connor)
12. "Caprice for Three" (O'Connor)
13. "Second Time Around" (Meyer)
14. "Slumber my Darling" (Stephen Foster - arr:Meyer)
15. "Vistas" (O'Connor)

Personnel

• Mark O'Connor, violin
• Yo-Yo Ma, cello
• Edgar Meyer, bass
• James Taylor, vocals on "Hard Times Come Again No More", guitar on "Benjamin"
• Alison Krauss, violin on "Fisher's Hornpipe", vocals on "Slumber My Darling"
• Producer - Steven Epstein 

Notes

Released: 2000
Recorded:  July, September 1999
Genre:  Classical, bluegrass
Length: 70:38

Label - Sony Classical Records