Style: Jazz and Appalachian pop; compare to Mannheim Steamroller, Chet Atkins, Garrison Keillor
Top tracks: “Wayfaring Stranger,” “Song of the Forest,” “To Him Who Sits on the Throne”
For nearly 20 years, Nashville’s Jon and Ben Burchfield have incorporated guitars, marimbas, Irish whistles, violins, and harmonicas into their music. Here, that mixture is incorporated into a series of classically-inspired jazz reflections, crossed with tips of Appalachian and Renaissance influences. Though this career-spanning retrospective may be a bit sleepy at times, there’s no ignoring the pair’s compelling performances and enviable dexterity. Though strictly an instrumental album, the project has a prayerful demeanor and plenty of praise undertones.
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