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CD's

Some Sunny Day

Redheaded Stepchild Some Sunny Day "Some Sunny Day" Released in 2005. Contains the songs: Suwannee River Blues, Some Other Ocean, No Tombstone, Andi's Blues, Run, Billy, Run, Hungry Mother, Morning Blues, Later that Morning, Some Sunny Day, Big Jed's Dream, Owed to Johnny Cash, Headin' Homeward.

Features Kathryn Koch; vocals, harmonica, saxophone, mandolin, bass and percussion. David Nanni; guitars and banjo. All songs written by Koch/Nanni.

Review:

SevenDaysVT.Com 
Redheaded Stepchild ~ Some Sunny Day
By: Dan Bolles

I’ve always found the hobo lifestyle to be romantically appealing. Often — especially when I’m stressed out with the day-to-day hassles of modern living — I have half a mind to stuff my earthly belongings into a handkerchief on a stick and spend my days riding the rails, playing a beat-up harmonica. Fortunately, I have half a mind to do a lot of things that never materialize, so the likelihood of finding me crossing the country in a boxcar is pretty much nil. However, I can usually achieve a similar level of Zen-like tranquility through music, and Some Sunny Day by Buffalo’s acoustic-blues duo Redheaded Stepchild is the next best thing to shedding your possessions and becoming a transient vagrant. And I mean that in the best way possible.

Centered around Kathryn Koch’s exceptionally expressive vocal performances, Redheaded Stepchild deliver rootsy original blues that often effortlessly channel the early masters like Blind Blake and Son House. The band also manages to maintain a contemporary feel that should appeal to purists and casual fans alike. The opening tune, “Suwannee River Blues,” is a rollicking number with an intensity bordering on punk-rock.

 

 

Folks 'round Here 

Redheaded Stepchild folks 'round here "folks 'round here" Released in 2003. Contains the songs: One Day Before I Die, Hold that Tiger, East Jackson Blues, GiGi, Poor Ellen, *Rabbit in a Log, Under the Moon, *Ruben's Train, Coal Miner's Dream, Lilybugs, Blue Yodel, Folks 'round Here, Old Marge.

Features Kathryn Koch; vocals, harmonica, saxophone. David Nanni; guitars, mandolin. Billy Constable; banjo. Kevin Schramm; accordion, dobro. Rebecca Mercurio; bass. Ted Chubbuck; drums. All songs written by Koch/Nanni except *traditional.

Review:

Indie-Music.Com 
Redheaded Stepchild ~ Folks Round Here
Topic: Indie-Music.com Reviews
By Les Reynolds

New York is perhaps the most musically diverse place on the planet. Buffalo isn't the first city you'd expect to base a band that calls itself a rhythm and bluegrass group. But, here it is, in all it's twangy, traditional and banjo-pickin' glory -- Redheaded Stepchild's fourth CD "Folks Round Here."

This group is led by Kathryn Koch (pronounced 'cook') with her powerful, sweet yet husky voice and her bluesy harmonica. For yet another odd twist, she plays alto saxophone as well. She's joined by others who make this group a tight-fitting agent of synergy and artistic creativity. David Nanni lends his expertise on guitars, mandolin and vocals. Theodore Chubbuck Jr is the percussionist/(brushes-only) drummer. On bass is band photographer Rebecca Mercurio and most notable guest artists are Billy Constable on banjo and Kevin Schramm on Dobro.

The opening tune "One Day Before I Die" makes it sound like bluegrass was born with this Buffalo band -- no offense to the late great Bill Monroe of Rosine, Ky. This up-tempo song features Billy's three-finger style banjo and Kat's big, bluegrassy voice.

"East Jackson Blues" (CD's best) is another up-tempo tune in the style of the old "train" songs. David plays a mean acoustic slide guitar and Kat's harmonica puffs and wails while her voice gets really growly in spots. With Rebecca's perfect bass beat, they make the train run. (And, while it might SEEM outta place, the alto sax solo is really cool!)

Time Will Tell

 

Redheaded Stepchild Time Will Tell "Time Will Tell" from 2000. Contains the songs; Ten Cent Dress, No Sleep, Any Old Way, Rainy Tuesday, Daughter's Lament, Worth Dying For, On the Wire, The War, Straight, North Country Wind, Honey's Blues, Time Will Tell.

Features Kathryn Koch; vocals, harmonica, saxophone. David Nanni; guitars. John Bruckman; piano, clarinet. Ted Lambert; banjo, fiddle. Chris Peacock; bass. Ted Chubbuck; drums. Danny Lynn Wilson; guitar. All songs written by Koch/Nanni.

Review:

Hickory Focus- Hickory, NC  
Here's a treat for any fan of Americana, blues, and just plain ole great music. Buffalo, NY natives Redheaded Stepchild's debut release, "Time Will Tell", is sure to be a treasured addition to any music lover's library. The album is, at once supremely powerful and delicately classy, a combination that is terribly difficult for any group to achieve.
As with their live shows, Kathryn Koch delivers vocals that are stunning. Perhaps one of the most engaging vocalists in the Americana tradition, Kathryn managed to capture a great deal of the energy and raw power of her vocals, a hallmark of Redheaded Stepchild live shows, on this release. Koch is also able to sink deep into jazzy blues and deliver silky vocals. Just another example of the diversity that makes this band work. Oh, and did I mention her tremendous ability on the sax and her wonderful harp playing?
The rest of the band is comprised of musicians of equal ability and stunning diversity. David Nanni is a terrific guitarist in both the blues and bluegrass traditions and a wonderfully talented songwriter who had a tremendous musical vocabulary. Filling out the quartet are Rebecca Mercurio on upright bass and Ted Chubbuck on drums. The Stepchild rhythm section is wonderfully tight and drive each tune with precision.
Now let me get back to the CD. It's one of those releases where you can't pick any one track as "the big one" or pigeon hole the entire thing into a specific genre. Each track is very unique and demonstrates the abilities and strengths within the group. The single greatest attribute I can narrow down is that "Time Will Tell" captures a good bit of the energy of their live shows and that is impressive enough. There's nothing like high-octane bluegrass!
We'll leave things here...once you've seen this band live you'll know more than I can possibly explain here.

 


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