Autumn in Augusta, Songs My Mother Would Like

Today here in the States it is Martin Luther King Day. To honor and remember the Reverend with some rooted music today seemed appropriate. Just such a recording happens to be awaiting my attention and so we are all set. This is an EP of vocalist Lucy Smith with her piano trio: Michael Caskey, drums, Marcin Fahmy, piano and organ, and Junius Paul, acoustic bass.

The group is named Autumn in Augusta and the volume is entitled Songs My Mama Would Like (LMS 1263). This is a well-chosen program of classics like "Wayfaring Stranger", "House of the Rising Sun", an arrangement of the "Song of Joy" from Beethoven's 9th--"Joyful, Joyful", "How Can I Keep From Singing?" by Robert Wadsworth Lowry, and Leroy Carr's "How Long, How Long Blues".

Ms. Smith has soul and finesse and the trio gives her the right setting for her heartfelt set. She can belt it out and she does.

Enough said.