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A Marvelous Introduction to the Bear Family

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 10/11/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is not a retrospective of the highly respected German-based Bear Family label. Rather it's a celebration of 25 years. Many of these 27 tracks were recorded exclusively for this release.The album opens and closes with a couple of ragtime instrumentals from Ian Whitcomb (on accordian!): "March of the Bear Family" and "The Bumbling Bear," both written by Whitcomb with no trace of the man who hit the Top Ten in 1965 with "You Turn Me On." [Note: All songs contain the word "bear" or "bare" in the case of Jon Emery's "Bare My Soul."]Most of the tunes are in a country/rockabilly mode: Paul Marshall's "Bear Valley Jail," Ray Campi's "Bear Skin Rug," Wanda Jackson & Ted Herold's take on the Elvis chestnut "Teddy Bear" and more.But there is some variation on the theme. The Majestics offer the blues-based (think Los Lobos) "El Oso Negro (The Black Bear)." The Casey Sisters serve up the boogie-woogie/Western swing "Grizzly Bear Stomp." Big Jay McNeely wails on his sax on the instrumental "Big Bear Blues." Sixty-six year old Henry Hill does a terrific Merle Travis-style guitar instrumental "Bear Emotions." And Skip Heller's Hot Six perform the hot jazz number "Trapeze Over an Open Bear Trap."You can't beat the price. [I got mine free.] And there's lots of terrific music here to enjoy over and over again. For about the cost of a value meal at McDonald's, you get over 70 minutes of wonderful Bear Family music. If, like me, this is your first exposure to the Bear Family catalog, I guaranteee you won't be disappointed. RECOMMENDED"