The latest recording by The Ebony Hillbillies, a group that self-identifies as “the premier African-American string band in America,” is defiant on multiple levels. Listeners to 5 Miles from Town may find themselves internally debating matters of authenticity (the musicians use traditional instrumentation such as shaker and washboard, but hail from New York City), as
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“Hog Eyed Man,” the traditional piece that opens the album, is a hoedown-style showcase for Henrique Prince’s violin sawing, which careens wildly from measure to measure but somehow manages not to go completely off the rails. That’s followed by a cover of Willie Dixon’s venerable “Wang Dang Doodle,” which finds singers Prince, Norris Washington Bennett and Gloria Thomas Gassaway combining their voices for maximum joy over a light rhythmic bed laid down by acoustic bassist William “Salty Bill” Salter and percussionists Allanah Salter, Newman Taylor Baker and Ali “A.R.” Rahman, among others. It’s a stylistic combo platter that blends genres in a wholly natural way.
Representing an even cheekier mash-up is a medley of Prince’s “Cream,” dominated by Bennett’s banjo and a vocal that’s pure Appalachia, and “I’m on My Way to Brooklyn,” a cheerful a cappella tribute to the borough. The latter ends unexpectedly with the gunfire introduction to “Another Man Done Gone/Hands Up Don’t Shoot,” a raucous, unnerving tune that tackles officer-involved shootings of African-Americans in a manner that feels both ancient and exceedingly up to date. Of such contradictions are The Ebony Hillbillies made.—Michael Roberts Featured photo by Bill Steber and Pat Casey.