There’s a new band, led by guitarist Lee Kotick, making waves on the bluegrass scene. Born in raised in New York, Lee Kotick moved to Florida in 1970, became hooked on bluegrass, and played with  bands like Centerville Express, Canopy Roads, Bottom Dollar Boys,  Max Tillman and the Bluegrass Boys, and Larry Rice Band. Upon retiring from a successful career in exceptional student education, Kotick turned to freelance writing, performing, and producing bluegrass music fundraisers in the Tallahassee, Fl. Area. He also found time to put together a new band, record some solid albums, and get his band signed by the Mountain Fever record label.  Kotick’s first album project Cigars and Guitars is available as a digital release. Now, Lee Kotick and friends' sophomore effort is being released under their new band name, The Sharp Flatpickers. The group also includes Gaven Largent (Dobro), Bryan McDowell (fiddle), Geoff Saunders (bass), Jake Stargel (guitar), Cory Walker (banjo), and Jarrod Walker (mandolin). Sundrops on the Water – Reflections also features guest appearances by Claire Lynch (vocals), Ronnie Bowman (vocals), Mallory Eagle (vocals), Forrest O'Conner (vocals), Kate Lee O'Conner (vocals, twin fiddle), and Mark Schatz (bass).

The album has a very nice sonic quality and offers plenty of hot picking. That helped it climb as high as #3 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Bluegrass Album Chart. The band doesn’t take too many risks with oft-played material like Red Haired Boy, Arkansas Traveler, Blackberry Blossom, Fisher’s Hornpipe/Whiskey Before Breakfast and John Hardy.   “Cattle in the Cane” and “Molly Bloom” begin to show more innovative arrangement and presentation. The band has eclectic tastes, and I enjoyed their branching into Dawg music with cohesive up-tempo renditions of David Grisman’s “16-16” and “E.M.D. (Eat My Dust”). Stellar guest vocalists impart plenty of soulful emotion to Clair Lynch’s “Goodbye Again,” Wyatt Rice’s “Keep the Lamp on Sadie,” and Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia.” It’s always nice to hear a new band’s original material, and Lee Kotick impressionistic “Sundrops on the Water” and evocative “Cold Call Blues” certainly don’t disappoint. The Sharp Flatpickers may still be finding their identity and have great potential. With a little more definition and development of their own sound, they’ll build a legion of fans with eclectic tastes.   (Joe Ross, Roots Music Report)