The Other Side of the Air

Canadian Jayme Stone can count his banjo playing as being just the beginning of a host of achievements on this deft yet delicate album of landscape-inspired tunes. On ‘Sing it Right’, performed by a small orchestra, the banjo sits back and lets the other instruments play out, only appearing between horns and strings to remind us that there’s so much more to the banjo than just bluegrass.

‘This Country is My Home’ is a challenging banjo concerto, while ‘Tennessee Waltz’ is the only Appalachia-inspired tune, in which uplifting banjo and woodwind twirl upon a gorgeous layer of bass and rhythms. On ‘Soundiata’, a reworking of an ancient Malian griot song, Stone reminds us how close to modern jazz the rhythms and melodies of Mande music can be. This is careful, considered, honest music created with skill and generosity to the other instruments, and, in the end, to the listener. Stone is a banjo player, yes, but this album proves that he is also a brilliant composer with so much to say.