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During the artillery barrage that preceded the infantry assault, Longstreet began to agonize over an assault that was going to cost dearly. He attempted to pass the responsibility for launching Pickett's division to his artillery chief, Col. When the time came to actually order Pickett forward, Longstreet could only nod in assent, unable to verbalize the order.
The assault, known as Pickett's Charge , suffered the heavy casualties that Longstreet anticipated. It was the decisive point in the Confederate loss at Gettysburg and Lee ordered a retreat back to Virginia the following day.
Criticism of Longstreet after the war was based not only on his reputed conduct at the Battle of Gettysburg and support for Reconstruction, but also intemperate remarks he made about Robert E. For example, in his memoirs, he commented:. That he [Lee] was excited and off his balance was evident on the afternoon of the 1st, and he labored under that oppression until enough blood was shed to appease him. For years after the war Longstreet's reputation suffered and was blamed for the failed attack even though Lee ordered the advance after Longstreet's repeated advice to cancel the attack.
In mid-August , Longstreet resumed his attempts to be transferred to the Western Theater. He wrote a private letter to Secretary of War James Seddon , requesting that he be transferred to serve under his old friend Gen. He followed this up in conversations with his congressional ally, Senator Louis Wigfall , who had long considered Longstreet a suitable replacement for Braxton Bragg.
Bragg's record was unsuccessful and who was unpopular with his men and officers. Since Bragg's army was under increasing pressure from Rosecrans outside of Chattanooga , Lee and President Davis agreed to the request on September 5. The First Corps veterans began to arrive in the early stages of the Battle of Chickamauga on September Bragg had already begun an unsuccessful attempt to interpose his army between Rosecrans and Chattanooga before the arrival of Longstreet's corps.
One of Longstreet's own divisions under Hood successfully resisted a strong Union counterattack from Jefferson C. Davis 's division of the XX Corps. He and his staff spent considerable time riding looking for them. They accidentally came across a federal picket line and were nearly captured. Leonidas Polk commanded the Right. On September 20, Longstreet lined up eight brigades in a deep column against a narrow front, an attack very similar to future German tank tactics in World War II.
However, confusion and mishandled orders caused Polk's attack to be delayed, and Longstreet's advance did not begin until just after 11 after hearing gunfire from his left. Longstreet took additional advantage of the confusion to increase his chances of success. The organization of the attack was well suited to the terrain and would have penetrated the Union line regardless. Hindman 's division forward, the Union right collapsed. Thomas managed to rally the retreating units and solidify a defensive position on Snodgrass Hill.
He held that position against repeated afternoon attacks by Longstreet, who was not adequately supported by the Confederate right wing. Once night fell, the battle was over, and Thomas was able to extricate the units under his control to Chattanooga. Bragg's failure to coordinate the right wing and cavalry to further envelop Thomas prevented a total rout of the Union Army.
He had dismissed a proposal from Longstreet that he do so, citing a lack of transportation and calling the plan a "visionary scheme. Not long after the Confederates entered Tennessee following their victory at Chickamauga, Longstreet clashed with Bragg and became leader of the group of senior commanders of the army who conspired to have him removed. Bragg's subordinates had long been dissatisfied with his leadership and abrasive personality; the arrival of Longstreet the senior lieutenant general in the Army and his officers, added credibility to the earlier claims, and was a catalyst toward action.
Longstreet wrote to Seddon, "I am convinced that nothing but the hand of God can save us or help us as long as we have our present commander. What followed was one of the most bizarre scenes of the war, with Bragg sitting red faced as a procession of his commanders condemned him. Longstreet stated that Bragg "was incompetent to manage an army or put men into a fight" and that he "knew nothing of the business. Bragg retained his position, relieving or reassigning the generals who had testified against him, and retaliated against Longstreet by reducing his command to only those units that he brought with him from Virginia.
Despite the dysfunctional command climate under Bragg, and the lack of support from the War Department and President Davis concerning Bragg's removal, Longstreet did the best he could to continue to seek options in the Chattanooga Campaign. He knew this Union reaction was underway, and that the nearest railhead was Bridgeport, Alabama , where portions of two Union corps would soon arrive.
After sending his artillery commander, Porter Alexander, to reconnoiter the Union-occupied town, he devised a plan to shift most of the Army of Tennessee away from the siege, setting up logistical support in Rome, Georgia , to go after Bridgeport to take the railhead, possibly catching Maj. Joseph Hooker and arriving Union troops from the Eastern Theater in a disadvantageous position. The plan was well received and approved by President Davis, [] but it was disapproved by Bragg, who objected to the significant logistical challenges it posed.
Longstreet accepted Bragg's arguments [] and agreed to a plan in which he and his men were dispatched to East Tennessee to deal with an advance by the Union Army of the Ohio , commanded by Maj. Longstreet was selected for this assignment partially due to enmity on Bragg's part, but also because the War Department intended for Longstreet's men to return to Lee's army and this movement was in that direction. Longstreet was criticized for the slow pace of his advance toward Knoxville in November and some of his troops began using the nickname "Peter the Slow" to describe him.
This was due both to the poor performance of Brigadier General Evander M. Law , who exposed his brigade to the enemy and thus ruined what was supposed to be a surprise attack, and Burnside's skillful retreat. The Confederates also dealt with muddy roads and a shortage of good supplies. The Battle of Fort Sanders failed to bring a Confederate breakthrough. He demurred and began to move back to Virginia, soon pursued by Maj. William Tecumseh Sherman in early December.
The armies went into winter quarters and the First Corps rejoined the Army of Northern Virginia in the spring. The only real effect of the minor campaign was to deprive Bragg of troops he sorely needed in Chattanooga. Longstreet's second independent command after Suffolk was a failure and his self-confidence was damaged.
He reacted to the failure of the campaign by blaming others, as he had done at Seven Pines. He relieved Lafayette McLaws from command and requested the court martial of Brig. He also submitted a letter of resignation to Adjutant General Samuel Cooper on December 30, , but his request to be relieved was denied. His corps suffered through a severe winter in Eastern Tennessee with inadequate shelter and provisions. Anderson's, Bryan's, Benning's, and Crews' cavalry brigade.
They are all alike in excessive need of shoes, clothing of all kinds, and blankets. All that you can send will be thankfully received. He called for an offensive through Tennessee into Kentucky in which his command would be bolstered by P. Beauregard and 20, men. Although he had the concurrence of Gen. Lee, Longstreet was unable to convince President Davis or his newly appointed military advisor, Braxton Bragg.
Finding out that his old friend Ulysses Grant was in command of the Union Army, he told his fellow officers that "he will fight us every day and every hour until the end of the war. Once again he developed innovative tactics to deal with difficult terrain, ordering the advance of six brigades by heavy skirmish lines, which allowed his men to deliver a continuous fire into the enemy, while proving to be elusive targets themselves. Hancock , said to Longstreet of this flanking maneuver: Longstreet was wounded during the assault—accidentally shot by his own men only about 4 miles 6.
A bullet passed through his shoulder, severing nerves, and tearing a gash in his throat. General Micah Jenkins , who was riding with Longstreet, was also shot and died from his wounds. The momentum of the attack subsided. As he was taken from the field, Longstreet urged Lee to press the attack. Instead, Lee delayed further movement until units could be realigned, giving the Union defenders adequate time to reorganize. The subsequent attack was a failure. Longstreet missed the rest of the spring and summer campaign, where Lee sorely missed his skill in handling the army.
He had taught himself to write with his left hand; by periodically pulling on his arm, as advised by doctors, he was able to regain use of his right hand in later years. The most significant was that of Sorrel, Longstreet's Chief of Staff, to brigade command. He was replaced by Major Osmun Latrobe.
Hill on April 2. Longstreet advised him of his belief that Grant would treat them fairly. As Lee rode toward Appomattox Court House on April 9, Longstreet said that if Grant gave too strong demands, he ought to "break off the interview and tell General Grant to do his worst. After the war, Longstreet and his family settled in New Orleans , a location popular with a number of former Confederate generals. He entered into a cotton brokerage partnership there and also became the president of the newly created and prominent insurance company.
He actively sought the presidency of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad but was unsuccessful, and also failed in an attempt to get investors for a proposed railroad from New Orleans around the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Mexico south across the Rio Grande river and American-Mexican border to Monterrey , Mexico. In , he was named president of the newly organized New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad.
Johnson refused, however, telling Longstreet in a meeting: Davis, General Lee, and yourself. You have given the Union cause too much trouble.
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Longstreet was one of several Confederate generals, including James L. Alcorn and William Mahone , to join or ally with the nationally dominant Republican Party during the Reconstruction era. He endorsed Grant for president in the election of , attended his inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D. For these acts he lost favor with many white Southerners. His old friend Harvey Hill wrote to a newspaper: During protests of election irregularities in , referred to as the Battle of Liberty Place , an armed force of 8, members of the anti-Reconstructionist White League advanced on the State House in New Orleans , which was the capitol of Louisiana at the time, after Republican William Pitt Kellogg was declared the winner of a close and heavily disputed gubernatorial election.
Longstreet commanded a force of 3, Metropolitan Police, city policemen, and African-American militia troops, armed with two Gatling guns and a battery of artillery. He rode to meet the protesters but was pulled from his horse, shot by a spent bullet, and taken prisoner. The White League charged, causing many of Longstreet's men to flee or surrender. There were casualties of 38 killed and 79 wounded. Federal troops were sent by President Grant and required to restore order.
Longstreet's use of armed black troops during the disturbances increased the denunciations by anti-Reconstructionist and former Southern Confederates. In , the Longstreet family left New Orleans with concerns over health and safety, returning to Gainesville, Georgia. By this time Louise had given birth to ten children, five of whom lived to adulthood. He applied for various jobs through the Rutherford B. Hayes administration and was briefly considered for Secretary of the Navy.
He served briefly as deputy collector of internal revenue and as postmaster of Gainesville. In March , on one of his frequent return trips to New Orleans on business, Longstreet converted to Catholicism and was a devout believer until his death. Ryan , author of The Conquered Banner , who assured Longstreet that he would be welcomed with "open arms" if he decided to come into the Church. Longstreet served as a U. Although Longstreet's children reacted poorly to the marriage, Helen became a devoted wife and avid supporter of his legacy after his death.
She outlived him by 58 years, dying in After Louise's death, and after bearing criticism of his war record from other Confederates for decades, Longstreet refuted most of their arguments in his memoirs entitled From Manassas to Appomattox , a labor of five years that was published in His final years were marked by poor health and partial deafness. In he suffered from severe rheumatism and was unable to stand for more than a few minutes at a time.
His weight diminished from to pounds by January Cancer developed in his right eye, and in December he had X-ray therapy in Chicago to treat it. At his funeral, Mass was said by Bishop Benjamin J. He outlived most of his detractors, and was one of only a few general officers from the Civil War to live into the 20th century. Authors espousing the Lost Cause attacked Longstreet's war career for many years after his death.
Modern authors trace that criticism to Longstreet's acceptance of the defeat and accommodations both with the Republican party and freed blacks. The attacks formally began on January 19, , the anniversary of Lee's birth and less than two years after Lee died. Jubal Early , in a speech at Washington College , exonerated Lee for the defeat at Gettysburg and falsely accused Longstreet of having attacked late on the second day and of being responsible for the debacle on the third. The following year, William N.
Pendleton , Lee's artillery chief, claimed in the same venue that Longstreet disobeyed an explicit order to attack at sunrise on July 2.
Both allegations were fabrications; [] however, Longstreet failed to challenge them publicly until The delay damaged his reputation, as the Lost Cause mythology had now taken hold. Longstreet's former subordinate Col. Mosby defended his commander, and other former Confederates who joined the Republican Party were subjected to similar criticism, including Gen.
William Mahone and Robert W. Gallagher notes that Freeman comes to different conclusions in his later three-volume set, Lee's Lieutenants: He should have obeyed orders, but the order should not have been given. The Civil Rights Movement of the s somewhat helped restore Longstreet's reputation. In the book was adapted into a film, Gettysburg , with Tom Berenger portraying Longstreet. He is depicted very favorably in both, significantly improving his standing in popular imagination. Wert published a new Longstreet biography, labeling his subject "the finest corps commander in the Army of Northern Virginia; in fact, he was arguably the best corps commander in the conflict on either side.
DiNardo wrote, "Even Longstreet's most virulent critics have conceded that he put together the best staff employed by any commander, and that his de facto chief of staff , Lieutenant Colonel G. Moxley Sorrel , was the best staff officer in the Confederacy. Longstreet is remembered through numerous places that bear his name in and around Gainesville, Georgia , including Longstreet Bridge, a portion of U. In , one of the last monuments erected at Gettysburg National Military Park was dedicated as a belated tribute to Longstreet, an equestrian statue by sculptor Gary Casteel.
He is shown riding on a depiction of his favorite horse, Hero, at ground level in a grove of trees in Pitzer Woods, unlike most generals, who are elevated on tall bases overlooking the battlefield. The Longstreet Society is an organization and museum in Gainesville, dedicated to the celebration and study of his life and career. Longstreet's Billet is the house in Russellville, Tennessee that was occupied by Longstreet in the winter of —64, has been converted into The Longstreet Museum , which is open to the public. He is also featured in Shaara's son Jeff Shaara 's novel Gods and Generals , a prequel to his father's novel.
In the film Gods and Generals , he is portrayed by Bruce Boxleitner and given a minor role. Longstreet is a character in a number of prominent alternate history novels: In addition, Turtledove's War Between the Provinces trilogy , which reimagines the Civil War in a magecraft high fantasy setting, casts Longstreet as the prominent character "Earl James of Broadpath. Longstreet appears as a character in Row After Row, a full length one act play by American playwright, Jessica Dickey. The action of the play takes place one evening after a Gettysburg re-enactment. One re-enactor, Cal, plays Longstreet in the battle.
In parts of the play, the action moves to the moments leading up to Pickett's Charge. The play ends with a tormented Longstreet addressing the future, as he wonders if we will ever form a "more perfect union. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 7 July Retrieved 7 May Basic Books, , p. Phillips gives no details of the plot or names other participants. None of the other references to this article mention this incident.
See Wert pp. Retrieved September 20, The American Catholic almanac: Stimpson, Emily, First paperback ed. James Longstreet and the Exercise of Command in the U. The New York Times. Secondary sources [ edit ] Callihan, David L. A Study in Command. God and General Longstreet: The Lost Cause and the Southern Mind. Louisiana State University Press, The Battle of Chickamauga. University of Illinois Press. Heidler and Jeanne T. Civil War High Commands.
A Study in Personality and Generalship. Freeman, Douglas Southall Lee and His Generals in War and Memory. Louisiana State University Press. A Killer Angels Companion.
Hattaway, Herman, and Archer Jones. How the North Won: A Military History of the Civil War. University of Illinois Press, Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas. The Confederacy's Most Modern General. Winter War on the Rappahannock. The Battle of the Wilderness May 5—6, Poole, John Randolph Sawyer House Publishing, The Generals of Gettysburg: Ritter and Jon L. Medical Histories of Confederate Generals. Kent State University Press. Primary sources [ edit ] Alexander, Edward P.
Fighting for the Confederacy: University of North Carolina Press. Helen Dortch Longstreet Lee and Longstreet at High Tide: Gettysburg in the Light of the Official Records. Longstreet, James []. From Manassas to Appomattox: Memoirs of the Civil War in America. First published in by J. Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer. Combatants Theaters Campaigns Battles States. Army Navy Marine Corps. Chronology of military events in the American Civil War. Smith Stuart Taylor Wheeler. Reconstruction amendments 13th Amendment 14th Amendment 15th Amendment.
Taney Monument Robert E. Confederate Memorial Day Ladies' memorial associations U. Presidential Election of War Democrats. Stuart Thomas Trimble J. Engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug achieves a depth and clarity that qualifies him as the fifth band member. On the inventively conceived Roads and Codes , he made great use of his highly skilled band of improvisers by writing to their strengths—a lesson gleaned from his mentor Maria Schneider. The program—an arty mix of pieces by Neil Young, Igor Stravinsky, Charles Ives and his own harmonically pleasing compositions—covers a lot of ground, and does it all well.
Intense and soulful, the band grooves hard and takes the kind of unexpected turns one might expect when Eskelin and Cline are onboard. As I wrote in a four-star DownBeat review: Posted by James Hale at 7: Monday, October 28, Lou Reed, Posted by James Hale at Monday, October 21, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Posted by James Hale at 4: Nineteen seventy-two was a great year for live albums by three of the most musical rock bands of the time. Recorded at New York City's. Posted by James Hale at 8: Tuesday, October 08, Examining Jazz and Community. The great pianist Cedar Walton died today at the age of One of the last remaining members of the generation of musicians who developed the genre known as hard bop—soulful music that used the harmonic advancements of bop as well as strong melodic sensibilities—Walton never seemed to get his due, despite recording with John Coltrane he was part of the legendary Giant Steps date, although not included on the original album Art Blakey and his own band, Eastern Rebellion.
But the musicians knew how good he was. Along with Tommy Flanagan who was included on Giant Steps and Hank Jones, Walton was a pianist who covered the full tradition of jazz and made it all his own sound. Posted by James Hale at 3: Thursday, July 18, Peter Appleyard, A couple of years ago, vibraphonist Peter Appleyard released an album of terrific material he recorded with an all-star group in At the time, I interviewed him at length, and put together the following overview of his career. Like many English-born men of his time, he was a complete gentleman, but he told hilarious stories, including a great one about spending the night—listening to records, and nothing more he assured me—with Ava Gardner.
His late night caused him to be late for a rehearsal with Benny Goodman the next day. It was the one-and-only time that Goodman shot him the infamous ray that so many Goodman sidemen talk about, but it was because the bandleader didn't believe that all they did was spin records. Peter Appleyard, you will be missed. He acquired a full set of vibes and spent every spare minute of his 18 months in Bermuda practising.
In , Appleyard emigrated to Canada, arriving in Toronto at a tremendously opportune time: After a year out of music—awaiting the issuance of a union card—Appleyard plunged back in, attending jam sessions at the Baldwin Club, gigs at the Colonial Tavern and listening parties where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Duke Ellington and Clark Terry. A regular job with American expatriate pianist Calvin Jackson brought television exposure and a high-profile gig at the Park Plaza Hotel. After splitting with Jackson in , Appleyard started his own band and entered a busy period of commercial work, expanding his arsenal to include tympani and appearing frequently on television and radio across Canada.
In , his career took another dramatic turn.
Although Longstreet's motivations have long been clouded by the vitriol of the Lost Cause partisans see Legacy , many historians agree that Longstreet did not aggressively pursue Lee's orders to launch an attack as early as possible. Longstreet was wounded during the assault—accidentally shot by his own men only about 4 miles 6. John Pope in command. Sawyer House Publishing, The delay damaged his reputation, as the Lost Cause mythology had now taken hold. He obeyed, but when he met the brigade of Brigadier General Milledge Bonham , Bonham, who outranked Longstreet, ordered him to retreat. He performed scouting missions and also served as major and paymaster for the 8th Infantry from July
Looking back, Appleyard mused: The music keeps me going. I would still travel miles to play. It doesn't get much better than catching two of my favourite young musicians in one of my favourite venues, especially when a cold rain is tumbling down outside. If there's justice in the jazz world, pianist Marianne Trudel should be on the edge of a breakout. She brought her new trio—Trifolia—to the National Arts Centre's Fourth Stage on Friday evening, and delivered a highly charged performance that featured a handful of new pieces by herself and bassist Etienne Lafrance.
It's music filled with interesting textures, largely due to percussionist Patrick Graham's distinctive set-up, which includes everything from plastic wind whistles to bowls of water. The bass percussion is delivered by a combination of hand drums and cajon, so it's a light, fluid sound that's constantly shifting. Trudel joked that Graham was known as the "Paganini of the tambourine," better that than the "Pavarotti of the tambourine," suggested my buddy Peter Bunnett from the audience but his dexterity with the instrument is serious stuff.
More texture is added by Trudel's use of a small accordion, which she introduced with a touching story about finding it in her grandfather's basement. The band is finishing an extensive tour of Canada in mid-July. One can only hope that it finds a broader audience, too, because it is playing exceptional music that deserves to be widely heard. Another young woman whose early I've followed with interest is guitarist Mary Halvorson. Friday's performance with drummer Tomas Fujiwara's Hook-Up found her deep into a Sonny Sharrock mode, adding harsh, variegated bursts of feedback—along with her trademark octave bends and aggressive chording—to the band's strident sound.
With trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson and tenor saxophonist Brian Settles up front, and the formidable Michael Formanek on bass, the quintet painted with bursts of sonic energy, Fujiwara displaying both power and grace. Posted by James Hale at 9: In many bands—especially during festival season, when travel woes are at their worst—musicians can be seen going about their work all but unaware of what their bandmates are doing.
Some veterans seem to be particularly isolated. Twice during Wednesday evening's concert inside the National Arts Centre's Studio, year-old pianist Steve Kuhn thanked the capacity audience for supporting "this music we have devoted our lives to. It's not unusual for Baron to have a smile on his face during a show, but he, Swallow and Kuhn continuously shared laughs and looks of appreciation at what the others were doing.
The sound he achieves continues to be one of the most beautiful in jazz. Aside from Henry Mancini's "Slow Hot Wind" also known as "Lujon" a slow, sensuous "Stella By Starlight" and an opening standard, the trio's program was divided between compositions by Swallow and Kuhn, including the bassist's gorgeous tune "Eiderdown.
In Canada, the myth about top-rank musicians has long been that, once they relocate to Toronto, they become part of a homogenous whole, playing and recording music that all sounds the same. Both Murley and Vivian moved to Toronto from Atlantic Canada Murley from Nova Scotia, Vivian from Newfoundland and Labrador , and while they assimilated themselves into a group of musicians who have dominated jazz in Canada over the past 30 years, their Celtic roots are often on display.
Murley's septet is strong at every position, particularly piano, with David Braid finding distinctive voicings and soloing beautifully. Vincent—could recall a show being interrupted for 20 minutes to allow a lightning storm to abate. But, then, how many other festivals feature a headliner singer Kellylee Evans who was recently struck by lightning while standing in her kitchen?
The memory of the stage collapse at Ottawa's Bluesfest during a Cheap Trick concert was also fresh in everyone's memory. The break didn't do anything to lessen the impact of what had gone before—more than 60 minutes of tightly arranged, hard rocking fun from the former Talking Heads frontman and year-old Annie Clark, the compellingly oddball guitarist and singer from Oklahoma. Backed—and sometimes surrounded—by a New Orleans-style horn section, Byrne and Clark performed a strong mixture of songs from their joint album Love This Giant and other pieces, like Clark's "Cruel.
What should've been an over-the-top encore a much anticipated Talking Heads party song; in this instance "Burning Down The House" was somewhat anti-climactic. When the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival announced its lineup in late winter I dubbed it the Year of the Voice because of the number of highly distinctive singers who were featured: Co-leading the quartet Boi Akih with guitarist Niels Brouwer, she covers a wide range, from soulful crooning on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" to hyper-glottal wordless improvisation.
Even better, her rich vocals are mirrored by the expressive playing of trombonist Wolter Wierbos, who delivered some memorable work on two Jimi Hendrix compositions: If he did, then kudos for a canny booking decision; if not, then it was one of those lucky accidents that sometimes push festivals to a higher level. As it turns out, Reed's quartet—featuring the powerhouse bassist Jason Roebke and simpatico saxophonists Greg Ward and Tim Haldeman—has spent considerable time in Amsterdam, and recorded a forthcoming album with some of the leading Dutch improvisers, including Wierbos. The trombonist joined the band for a pair of pieces that illustrated his mastery of plunger mute, and his presence added a new dimension to a band whose incessant road work has made them a ferocious unit with unerring instincts for blending their voices.
The tent was not the most favourable setting for her gentle voice ironic, since the last time she performed in Ottawa—with the band Crooked Still—she, along with guitarist Richard Thompson, had been drowned out by Dweezil Zappa's over-amped tribute to his father but her band was loud enough to cut through the incessant chatter of those reliving the night's Willie Nelson concert even if the lyrics of her new batch of songs were mostly lost in the din. Posted by James Hale at 5: Wednesday, June 19, My Day Plan: As summer officially begins, I'll be settling in for 10 days of music at my hometown jazz festival, the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival.
This time of year often finds me heading off to other festivals on assignment, but sticking close to home I'll be making my own choices about what to see and hear. Here's where you'll find me: In those years, Rebennack's band featured some of the young heavyweights of the Southern rock scene, and they did a great job at stirring up a stew of spacey sounds on songs like "I Walk On Gilded Splinters. But, like many other musicians his age, Rebennack has cleaned up and rejuvenated himself, and he's sounding better than he has in years.
In part, this was because New Yorkers can't stand to be behind the curve, and they wanted to see if someone based in Chicago was as good as his advance rep. The other part was just how good Reed's rep is, and the fact that his band includes other promising young players. Reed is one of those drummers who break the stereotype; not only leading a band, but writing compelling compositions that reflect the music's heritage and help move it ahead. Aoife O'Donovan — Those who follow American roots music—particularly the strands that lean toward bluegrass and Celtic heritage—already knew about the power and suppleness of Aoife O'Donovan's gorgeous voice before she was selected by trumpeter Dave Douglas to join his band for his album of traditional hymns.
I've since watched her perform her own music via NPR's video stream , and I'm looking forward to hearing more of her captivating material. O'Donovan has a deep well to draw on she studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and represents a broad cross-section of American music.