Album Review: Jackson Earles, The Bee House
New Jackson Earles EP - The Bee House
Here’s an album many of us in the Colorado bluegrass scene have been waiting for literally for years. Jackson Earles has been a part of the local musical community for most of his life. I can recall playing gigs with Jackson seven or eight years ago and considering that he’s getting ready to head off to college next year you have some idea of how young he was when he first started picking.
“The Bee House” is a new EP from Jackson Earles and he is joined by a fantastic group of musicians who will be no strangers - Dominick Leslie, Eric Thorin, Sam Leslie with a bit of banjo support from James Armington. The recording is produced by Sally Van Meter and together this talented crew has produced a recording that perfectly captures the Colorado scene - rooted in tradition and growing wild.
The tunes, mostly composed by Earles, display a strong grasp on the traditions of modern acoustic music, one track “Prairie Dawg” with its alternate spelling makes it clear who the mentors might be if the music itself wasn’t enough.
With such talented pickers on board it might be tempting to spend most of the time with high speed riffs and shredding. I’m pleased to note that the musicians all work in service of the melody. There are times when listening to instrumental acoustic music where I’m mostly impressed by the skill of the players but couldn’t really remember a melody. This recording happily combines both skilled playing and memorable melodies. While the title track “The Bee House” definitely expands the melodic scope of a fiddle tune, it sounds completely at home along side “Last Chance” the lone traditional track on the album.
When I hear that combination of adventurous spirit and respect for tradition I know the artist has done their homework. Jackson Earles has done the homework and some extra credit work too. It’s appropriate that this EP arrives as he graduates from school as the recording is a perfect picture of what he’s learned and where he’s likely to go next.