Lotus Wight is well known to followers of the incredible traditional old time ragtime band, Sheesham, Lotus & Son, an act that need to be seen to be believed (who dress and play like they were from 70 or more years ago). Claw-hammer banjo playing vocalist, folklorist, poet, fiddler, jaw-harp and contrabass harmoniphonium player Wight is especially steeped in the history of the banjo. Some of which can be found in the way of a poem published inside the CD cover, and with his work crossing the Carolinas, West Virginia, Kentucky, the Mississippi Valley and New England eastern seaboard great variation is to be sampled across the 13-tracks. Recorded and mixed in Chelsea, Quebec Wight’s playing is, as one would expect, exemplary, and with his throwing in the likes of Josh Thomas’ intriguing blues piece “Roustabout”; one where he assists his vocals on Kalimba. It breaks ups a succession of banjo instrumentals, albeit he doesn’t do it more often where it might have been to his and the listener’s benefit.
Highlights include an extended version of “Cumberland Gap”, the wonderful “Black-Eyed Suzie” and the sublime “Skillet” (where he sings in a superb old time mountain styled folk blues voice) and “Ducks on the Millpond” as more than one other tune happily come to mind. And, yes Wight plays all the instruments, and on more occasions than not in an inventive and thoroughly entertaining fashion, he really is the man!
Maurice Hope