This is classic David Bromberg that brought back great memories for me because my bluegrass band at the time (High Mountain Ramblers) had to open once for David's band at a large park (Champoeg) near Portland, Or. about 1978. We had fun and did pretty well for a young bluegrass group! All of the material on this album was recorded during the 1978-79 timeframe. Of the cover are David's two dogs, Bertha D. Blues and Bessie Mae Moocho (they'd been "lead and rhythm puppy" on his previous "How Late'll Ya Play 'Til?" LP for the Fantasy label base din Berkeley, Ca.) 

Tracks #1-12 were released on the "My Own House" LP (Fantasy 9572), and tracks #13-18 were on his "You Should See the rest of the Band" (Fantasy 9590) LP. The first 12 tracks have David (guitar, fiddle, vox), George Kindler (fiddle, mandolin), and Dick Fegy (mandolin, fiddle, banjo). Nice sparer, acoustic sound on a variety of traditional tunes, Blind Blake's "Early This Morning" and "Chump Man Blues," old-timey "Kitchen Girl," bluegrassy "Roanoke," Celtic "Sheebeg and Sheemore," and original "Lower left hand Corner of the Night." And of course, one of David's trademark songs, "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down." 

Tracks 13-18 incorporates acoustic & electric instruments (courtesy of David, Dick and George), along with horns (Peter Ecklund), trombone (Curtis Linberg), sax/flute/clarinet/pennywhistle (John Firmin), accordion/organ (Garth Hudson), Hugh McDonald (bass), Lance Dickerson (drums). Nice rendition of Bill Bill Broonzy's "Key to the Highway." A couple grooving originals too with "Helpless Blues" and "Sharon" and "Solid Gone." The 10+ minute version of "Sharon" didn't do a whole lot for me. All the material was remastered for CD in 1999 by Kirk Felton. The fiddle tune medleys are always fun, and fortunately they move through them at a fast clip to give us tracks not lasting more than 5-6 minutes each. Otherwise, I might've felt like I was fireside at a bluegrass festival about 2 A.M. with all the fiddlers running on auto pilot. 

I've always enjoyed David's eclectic and talented approach to music, as well as his ability as a showman and entertainer. His solo, small group and 'big band' music from the late-70s was exhilarating. When David performed solo, he billed himself as Le Grand Fromage (Big Cheese). His band toured heavily at the time. Interesting that about this time, Pollstar listed Bromberg as the No. 1 club act, and James Brown was No. 2. George Kindler died in a motorcycle accident before the second album on this CD ever came out originally. 

Songs on the 1 hour and 18 minute project include: Medley My Own House:(My Own House (Me Ain Hoose)/Hangman's Reel); Medley Don't Let Your Deal Go Down (Don't Let Your Deal Go Down/Roanoke/Possum Up a Gum Stump/Mississippi Sawyer); Early This Morning, Sheebeg and Sheemore, Cocaine Blues, To Know Her Is to Love Her, Georgia on My Mind, Chump Man Blues, Kitchen Girl, Spanish Johnny, Black and Tan, Lower Left Hand Corner of the Night, Key to the Highway, Helpless Blues, Sharon, As the Years Go Passing By, Solid Gone, Medley Yankee's Revenge: (Leather Britches/The Red-Haired Boy/Teetotaler's Reel/The Wind That Shakes the Barley/Drowsy Maggie)

After a long hiatus, it's also great to hear that David is out touring again either solo, with a band, or backing up the Angel Band (that includes his wife Nancy Josephson). Also, back in early 2007, David's first studio recording in 17 years (w/ 16 songs from various genres) entitled "Try Me One More Time" was released through Appleseed Recordings. That project features David and his guitar recorded live. (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)