"At Edwards Barn” is a live recording by a group headed by Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen. The venue is an event centre about two and a half hours north of Los Angeles that holds a couple hundred people. The concert was one of a series of annual benefit performances being held for a church. Firstly, the music is excellent. Chris and Herb have an extensive history of musical collaboration, especially with the very successful Desert Rose Band. Their voices blend effortlessly on the songs that were chosen for the concert. The selection of material includes some bluegrass (Ralph Stanley and the Louvin Brothers), some gospel (Our Saviour’s Hands) and selections from Chris’ time with the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Desert Rose Band, among others. The performance is relaxed without being the least bit sloppy, and all of the musicians are at the top of their game. The ensemble is one of all acoustic instruments, with Bill Bryson on string bass, David Mansfield on fiddle and Larry Park on acoustic guitar. Chris sticks to mandolin and Herb mainly guitar, although he also picks up the banjo. It should be noted that although Chris and Herb are co-listed as the band leaders, this sounds like a real group effort, with attention paid to how the songs are arranged and the vocal harmonies are sung. Looking at the instrumentation, people would assume this is a bluegrass record, but it definitely isn’t. The vibe is much more laid back, with more of a string band feel. This is one of those instances where the right musicians all got together on the right night, and thankfully the decision was made to record an amazing performance. It is a testament to these players that notwithstanding all of the years they have spent in the music business, their love of music and the depth of their talent are really on display here. As I like to say, highly recommended.
