Be Still Moses | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 6, 2020 | |||
Studio | Echo Mountain Recordings | |||
Genre | Americana, Bluegrass, Country | |||
Length | 48:01 | |||
Label | Yep Roc | |||
Producer | Michael Selverne | |||
Steep Canyon Rangers chronology | ||||
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Be Still Moses is the 12th studio album by American bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers. The North Carolina label, Yep Roc Records, released the album digitally on March 6, 2020, then on CD and LP on April 10, 2020. The album was made in collaboration with the Asheville Symphony. The album's title track, "Be Still Moses," features the Philadelphia R&B/Soul group Boyz II Men. Be Still Moses reached #1 on Billboard's Bluegrass Chart, [1] #2 on the Classical Crossover Chart, [2] and #8 on the Americana/Folk Chart. [3]
Be Still Moses is a compilation of re-recordings and re-imaginings of some of Steep Canyon Rangers' most popular songs. The idea for Be Still Moses began as a conversation between Asheville music producer, Michael Selverne, Jessica Tomasin of Echo Mountain Recordings, and David Whitehill, the executive producer of the Asheville Symphony. The three wanted to celebrate Asheville's diverse music community, while breaking down the barrier between the orchestra and Asheville's roots-music scene. In 2015, the three identified local bands to make a compilation album, and among these bands was Steep Canyon Rangers.
While working on a project for Shannon Whitworth, wife of Steep Canyon Rangers' Woody Platt, Selverne got to know Platt, Mike Ashworth, and Barrett Smith. According to Selverne, "All together I had become a huge fan of the Rangers as humans and friends and then I became a huge fan of their work. Usually, it’s the other way around."
After becoming friends, Selverne decided to approach Steep Canyon Rangers to make an album in collaboration with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. In 2016, he approached the band at Mountain Song Festival in Brevard, North Carolina. The two groups made the deal the following summer.
On January 8, 2018, the first day of tracking began at Echo Mountain Recordings in Asheville. After a day of successfully recording three tracks, Michael Selverne was taken to the hospital having suffered a grand mal seizure. Selverne's recovery delayed the recording process another 9 months. The Boyz II Men vocal tracks for "Be Still Moses" were recorded separately.
The single, "Be Still Moses," was released on August 27, 2019 as a precursor to the album. On October 6, 2019, Steep Canyon Rangers joined Boyz II Men for a live performance of "Be Still Moses" at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center. The performance was backed by 12 members of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Michael Bearden. [4]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
PopMatters | [5] |
Americana UK | [6] |
On March 6, 2020 PopMatters' Rich Wilhelm said, "Be Still Moses, the new album by Steep Canyon Rangers and the Asheville Symphony, is a unique example of a band moving forward with a creative challenge, even as they look back on their collected body of work." The album was given a 7 out of 10 score. [7]
Paul Kerr, writer for Americana UK, began his review of Be Still Moses with, "‘Be Still Moses’ is a bit of a curate’s egg, partly bad, partly good, although, to be fair, none of it is really bad, just slightly over-egged." Kerr gave Be Still Moses a 6 out of 10 score. [8]
Rolling Stone's Jon Freeman says of Be Still Moses that, "Steep Canyon Rangers find an unlikely, but welcome, group of collaborators in the hit Nineties R&B group Boyz II Men, who add their voices to a newly released version of “Be Still Moses.” The gospel tune, originally recorded by Steep Canyon Rangers and released on the 2007 album Lovin’ Pretty Women, is the first for SCR under a new agreement with Yep Roc records." [9]
Gary Graff began his article for Billboard with, "Steep Canyon Rangers and Boyz II Men might seem like strange musical bedfellows on paper, but they work well together on a remake of SCR's 'Be Still Moses.' The song, which premieres exclusively on Billboard below today (Aug. 27), is featured on the bluegrass band's upcoming orchestral album." [10]
Chris Parton begins his article for Sounds Like Nashville with, "It’s fairly common to hear country mixed with R&B nowadays, but how about bluegrass and R&B … plus an orchestral symphony? That’s the fascinating idea behind the Steep Canyon Rangers new collaboration with Boyz II Men — and the Asheville Symphony — on “Be Still Moses.” [11]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Easy to Love" | Graham Sharp | 5:42 |
2. | "Radio" | Graham Sharp | 3:50 |
3. | "Be Still Moses feat. Boyz II Men and Asheville Symphony" | Graham Sharp | 3:06 |
4. | "Call the Captain" | Graham Sharp | 5:44 |
5. | "Let Me Out of This Town" | Philip Barker, Charles Humphrey | 3:44 |
6. | "Blow Me Away" | Graham Sharp | 4:35 |
7. | "Between Midnight and the Dawn" | Graham Sharp, John Sherrill | 4:37 |
8. | "Las Vegas" | Graham Sharp | 4:21 |
9. | "Farmers and Pharaohs" | Graham Sharp, Sarah Siskind | 4:07 |
10. | "The Mountain's Gonna Sing" | Graham Sharp | 3:50 |
11. | "Auden's Train" | Steve Martin, Nicky Sanders | 5:23 |
Total length: | 48:01 |
Adapted from the album's liner notes. [12]
Steep Canyon Rangers
Violin | Viola | Cello | Bass | Flute | Oboe | Clarinet | Bassoon | Horn | Trumpet | Trombone | Tuba | Timpani | Percussion |
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Jason Posnock, Concertmaster | Kara F. Poorbaugh, Principal | J. Franklin Keel IV, Acting Principal | Lee Morris Metcalfe, Principal | Lissie J. Shanahan, Principal | Alicia Chapman, Principal | Harry "Chip" Hill, Principal | Michael J. Burns, Principal | Jeffrey B. Whaley, Principal | T. Mark Clodfelter, Principal | James Sparrow, Principal | Bethany Wiese, Principal | Todd D. Mueller, Principal | Mario A. Gaetano, Principal |
Mariya Potapova, Acting Associate Concertmaster | Regina Mashburn Heath | Kathleen Foster | Leonard Lopatin | Cara Mia Jenkins | Karen Farah Hill | Amber F. Spuller | Michael L. Brubaker | Brian J. Garland | Michael Hosford | ||||
Kathryn B. Gardner, Principal Second Violin | Jason McCoy | Paul S. Ghosthorse | Dilshad B. Posnock | Travis A. Bennett | Fletcher Peacock | ||||||||
Debra L. Anthony, Associate Principal Second Violin | |||||||||||||
Teresa M. Curran | |||||||||||||
Lori G. Hammel | |||||||||||||
Dorothy L. Knowles | |||||||||||||
Ginger Kowal | |||||||||||||
Inez Hullinger Redman | |||||||||||||
Paul E. Stroebel |
Boyz II Men
Production All tracks produced by Michael Selverne for Welcome to Mars. "Be Still Moses" produced by Michael Selverne, Wanya Morris, Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Joe Mulvihill.
Recorded and Mixed at Echo Mountain Recording, Asheville, NC.
The 37th Annual Grammy Awards were presented on March 1, 1995, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Bruce Springsteen was the night's biggest winner with 4 awards, including Song of the Year while opening the show with his Grammy nominated hit.
The 38th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the main recipient, being awarded four trophies, including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men opened the show with their Record of the Year nominated "One Sweet Day".
The 35th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 24, 1993 and recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. The nominations were announced on January 7, 1993. The evening's host was the American stand-up comedian Garry Shandling, who hosted the ceremony for the third time. The CBS network broadcast the show live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California.
The 34th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1992, recognizing accomplishments by musicians from the previous year (1991). Natalie Cole won the most awards (three), including Album of the Year. Paul Simon opened the show.
Catherine Tift Merritt is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has released seven studio albums, two for Lost Highway Records, two for Fantasy Records, and three for Yep Roc Records.
The Biscuit Burners are a bluegrass and Americana band from Weaverville, North Carolina ; they are on hiatus as of 2009.
Yep Roc Records is an American independent record label based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, and owned by Redeye Distribution. Since 1997, the label has released albums from North Carolina and international artists, including Nick Lowe, Paul Weller, Mandolin Orange, Steep Canyon Rangers, Jim Lauderdale, Dave Alvin, Tift Merritt, Chuck Prophet, Robyn Hitchcock, Alejandro Escovedo, Aoife O'Donovan, Chatham County Line, Los Straitjackets, Amy Helm, Gang of Four, The Apples in Stereo, and Ian McLagan.
This is the discography of R&B and pop vocal group Boyz II Men. Boyz II Men have sold 25 million albums in the United States alone.
Aoife O'Donovan is an American singer and Grammy award-winning songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer for the string band Crooked Still and she also co-founded the Grammy Award-winning female folk trio I'm with Her. She has released three critically acclaimed studio albums: Fossils (2013), In the Magic Hour (2016), and Age of Apathy, as well as multiple noteworthy live recordings and EPs, including Blue Light (2010), Peachstone (2012), Man in a Neon Coat: Live From Cambridge (2016), In the Magic Hour: Solo Sessions (2019), and Bull Frog's Croon (2020). She also spent a decade contributing to the radio variety shows Live from Here and A Prairie Home Companion. Her first professional engagement was singing lead for the folk group The Wayfaring Strangers.
Steep Canyon Rangers is an American bluegrass band based in Asheville and Brevard, North Carolina. Though formed in 2000, the band has become widely known since 2009 for collaborating with actor/banjoist Steve Martin. In 2013, the Steep Canyon Rangers' solo album Nobody Knows You won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. The previous year, their 2012 collaboration with Steve Martin, Rare Bird Alert, was nominated for the same award. Steep Canyon Rangers have recorded 9 solo albums plus two collaborative albums with Steve Martin. SCR performed as a quintet for nearly a decade before intermittent touring began as a sextet with Steve Martin; the band still performs in both configurations. In May 2013, Steve Martin and SCR began performing with Edie Brickell after she and Martin co-wrote and recorded Love Has Come for You.
Rare Bird Alert is a 2011 bluegrass album by Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, featuring guest appearances by Paul McCartney and The Chicks. This is Martin's second consecutive musical album, and comprises 13 songs. His first all-music album was 2009's The Crow: New Songs for the 5-String Banjo. Rare Bird Alert was first released on March 15, 2011. The album was nominated for a Grammy on November 30, 2011. "King Tut" is a new bluegrass arrangement of a song that was a Billboard top 20 hit for Martin in 1978.
Nobody Knows You is a studio album by Steep Canyon Rangers released in 2012 through Rounder Records. In January 2013, the record won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album which was presented to Steep Canyon Rangers as artists and co-producers of the album alongside Gary Paczosa. The album peaked at #2 on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums chart.
Love Has Come for You is a 2013 bluegrass music CD featuring a collaboration of 13 original songs composed by Steve Martin (music) and Edie Brickell. The album cover art is a painting entitled "After Dinner Drinks" (2008) by Martin Mull; the original work is in Steve Martin's personal art collection.
Produced by Peter Asher, the album features musical appearances by bassist Esperanza Spalding, fiddlers Nicky Sanders and Sara Watkins, and guitarist Waddy Wachtel. Backing vocals and instrumental accompaniment were also performed by all contemporaneous members of the band Steep Canyon Rangers who would tour extensively with Martin and Brickell following the record release.
Jonah Tolchin is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and New Jersey native. He performed at the Newport Folk Festival in 2012. Tolchin released his first full-length album, Criminal Man, independently in 2012. He is currently signed to Yep Roc Records through which he has released two albums.
Nicky Sanders is a Grammy Award-winning, American fiddle player specializing in Bluegrass music. He is best known for his work with the band Steep Canyon Rangers along with banjo player and comedian Steve Martin. Raised in San Francisco, he began studying classical violin at age of five. At 17, he became concertmaster of the Young People's Symphony Orchestra in Berkeley, California. Later he would graduate Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts earning a BA in Music with a major in performance (violin). Other studies while at Berklee included 20th-century classical music composition and Film Scoring.
Watchhouse is an Americana/folk duo based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group was formed in 2009 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and consists of songwriter Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, who are married to each other. Watchhouse has produced six albums of Marlin's original works of American roots music. In the last three years, the group has toured throughout the U.S and Europe, including appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Rooster Walk, and MerleFest and the Omagh Bluegrass Festival. Watchhouse was the featured artist on CBS This Morning 's Saturday Morning Sessions on December 7, 2019.
Randy Kohrs is an American multi-instrumentalist best known for his resonator guitar prowess, but he plays 13 instruments. He is also a Grammy-winning producer and recording engineer.
Radio is the ninth solo album by Steep Canyon Rangers, their eleventh overall. It was released on August 28, 2015. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart on 18 September 2015 and spent a total of 41 weeks on that chart. The title song was nominated for Song of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2016.
Arm in Arm is the 13th studio album by American bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers. It was released on October 16, 2020 through Yep Roc Records. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart, and spent 16 consecutive weeks on the chart. Arm in Arm also reached No. 4 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart, No. 10 on the Current Country Albums chart, and No. 24 on the Record Label Independent Albums chart.
North Carolina Songbook is the 11th album from American bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers. The album was released on Yep Roc Records on November 29, 2019, for Record Store Day/Black Friday. The digital and wide releases for North Carolina Songbook came on April 10, 2020. album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums Chart. It also reached #9 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart, #22 on the Current Country Albums chart, #29 on the Record Label Independent Albums chart, and #119 on the Top Current Albums chart. North Carolina Songbook was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album in March 2021.