George Graham's Best of 1996 albums list.
Part 3 -- July-September 1996

This is a the list of albums featured during the multi-part Best of 1996 series presented during the last two weeks of the year on Mixed Bag, heard on WVIA-FM. These albums were selected by series host George Graham from the over The lists are arranged chronologically by month of release. The asterisk (*) indicated an recording featured on the Mixed Bag Weekly Album Review (Wednesdays at 9:00 PM). (#) indicates an instrumental album in the Mixed Bag list

Best of 1996, Part 1: January-March
Best of 1996, Part 2: April-June
Best of 1996, Part 4: October-December

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July
Ellis Paul A Carnival of Voices Philo 1191 Fine New England folkie in new set
Scott Hygaard Dreamer's Waltz + Rounder 0397 New Acoustic/bluegrass guitar virtuoso
* The Foremen What's Left? Reprise 46246 Great political satire for 96 election & beyond
The Persuasions Sincerely Bullseye Blues 9576 Veteran acapella doo-dop band in fine form
Nomos I Won't Be Afraid Anymore Green Linnet 3112 Excellent Celtic
Samite Silina Muasngo Xenophile 4047 Beautiful African acoustic music
Julie Moffitt Labyrinth Mad Hatter Fine Harrisburg-area singer-songwriter
Savourna Stevenson, June Tabor, Danny Thompson Singing the Storm Cooking Vinyl 102 Superb blend of brooding English folk w/ harp
Akiko Yano Piano Nightly Nonesuch 79416 Fascinating, appealing Japanese pianist-singer
The Aqua Velvets Nomad # Milan 35765 Great twangy guitar instrumentals
The House Band Rockall Green Linnet 1174 More fine Celtic
Linda Thompson Dreams Fly Away Ryko 1379 Compilation of music from outstanding English folkie
Norma Waterson Norma Waterson Ryko Venerable English folksinger with impressive guest list
The Quinns Normal Guy + Hazbro-Twins Scranton area band in appealing folk-rock
The Chris London Band The Chris London Band independent Good Scranton-area blues
Craig Thatcher Band Because of You + CTB Great, classy laid-back blues from Allentown area
Magic Dick & Jay Geils Little Car Blues Rounder 3141 J. Geils founders do mix of acoustic & electric
Lois Brownsey The Truth about the Blues + Sprinkle Superb blues from a woman's point of view
Tracy Nelson Move On Rounder 3143 Mother Earth voice from 60s in strong bluesy set
Orleans Ride Dinosaur 620184506 Survivors of 70s band reunite with trademark sound
Earth to Bob Toll Roads and Detours + Rite Off 1125 Excellent articulate roots-rock from Harrisburg
William Clarke The Hard Way Alligator 4842 Strong, swingy blues from harmonica man who died in 1996
Altan Blackwater Virgin 41381 Veteran Celtic band does not disappoint
Marshall Crenshaw Miracle of Science Razor & Tie 2823 Melodic jangly-guitar pop songster keeps up the great work
* John Gorka Between Five and Seven High Street 10351 Gorka writes such great songs, it's scary. Add his fine voice, and it's one of 1996's best
Paul Kelly Live at the Continental and the Esplanande Vanguard 79493 Nice folky-rocky live set by Aussie Messengers founder
Isoe Manhattan Lullaby Qwijibo 5340 Very nice folk-rock featuring songs of Kate Evans
Rusty Zinn Sittin' and Waitin' Black Top 1134 Nice swingy blues
The Bluegrass Album Band Bluegrass Instrumentals Vol. 6 # Rounder 0330 All-star bluegrass virtuoso group does mostly trad. material
Kenny Young and the Eggplants Even One is Quite a Few Coney Island 143 Sometimes sophomorically humorous acoustic-alt.-rock but usually a lot of fun

August
Deanna Kirk Mariana Trench Blackbird/Elektra 61955 Interesting, moody singer-songwriter
Peter, Paul & Mary Lifelines Live Warner Bros. 46298 Folk institution in live set from PBS-TV with many guests
Ralph Walker Waiting for You + Casita 1900241 Fine solo acoustic guitar
Sergio Mendes Oceano Verve Forecast 314532441 60s Brazilian pioneer continues his contemporary S. American sound
Rasputina Thanks for the Ether Columbia 67504 All-cello all-female rock band in dark, often gothic songs
Salamader Crossing Passion Train Signature Sound 1234 Fine contemporary bluegrass from Boston
Sloan Wainwright Sloan Wainwright Waterbug 23 Loudon's sister in a nice folky set
Iain Matthews God Looked Down Watermelon 1055 Matthews Southern Comfort founder in worthwhile bunch of songs from Austin
Arto Lindsay The Subtle Body Bar/None 078 Alt. rock pioneer does traditional Brazilan
Jazz Jamaica Skaravan + Hannibal 1307 Fine ska versions of mostly jazz standards
* Folk Scat Folk Scat Nomad 50310 Acapella group from Sofia combines Bulgarian folk & jazz scat singing. Wonderfully refreshing
* Holly Palmer Holly Palmer Reprise 46281 Interesting, multi-faceted singer-songwriter
Ellen Rigas God's Country perSephone 456022 Fine acoustic singer-songwriter sings about Potter County, PA
various The Crime Scene Capitol 836129 Fun compilation of old instrumental themes from TV & movie crime films
Ocean Color Scene Moseley Shoals MCA 11479 Clever young Brit-pop neo-Mod band
Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens Stoki Stoki Shanachie 64068 "Lion of Soweto" (heard on Paul Simon's Graceland) in infectious S. African music
Sibeba Hijas del Sol Intuition 3178 Fascinating African/Spanish mix by two women
Eric Johnson Venus Isle Capitol 898331 Austin guitar sensation in remarkable set from art rock to Stevie-Ray blues
C.J. Chenier The Big Squeeze Alligator 4844 Zydeco nonpariel
Susan Graham White Not Afraid to Fly Blix Street 10029 Fine singer-songwriter, protege of Tom Paxton
Bridget Ball & Christopher Shaw Songs from the Big Front Porch Twining Tree 9611 Fine, mostly traditional folk

September
James Cotton Deep in the Blues Verve 314529849 Interesting combination of low-down blues harmonica with mostly jazzy players
* Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan Double Vision Flying Fish 656 Fun, often humorous acoustic blues
various A World Out of Time, Vol 3 Shanachie 64069 Great anthology of music from Madagascar
Béla Fleck & the Flecktones Live Art Warner Bros. 46247 2 CD set of remarkable music by banjo eclecticist, includes several guests
The Jazz Mandolin Project The Jazz Mandolin Project + Accurate 5020 Electric mandolin jazz-rock fusion
Mango Jam Flux Shanachie 5710 Great, tasteful, rootsy rock with tight vocal harmonies, infectious songs
Heidi Berry Miracle 4AD 46020 Nice New Agey vocal
Tarika Sammy Beneath Southern Skies Shanachie 64067 Enjoyable, appealing music from Madagascar
* Suzanne Vega Nine Objects of Desire A&M 314540583 Interesting, multifaceted set from acclaimed New Folkie
Maria Muldaur Fanning the Flames Telarc 83394 Nice New Orelans influenced blues-rock from 70s veteran
Francine Reed Can't Make It on My Own Ichiban 24486 Big-voiced blues singer in superb R&B set
Bossa Nova Beatniks Heart to Beat + Perigree 2453 Fun mix of quirky songs, acoustic guitars & bongo drums
Little Georgie and the Shuffling Hungarians Live from Styleen's Queen Bee 96662 Strong set from big "R&B Revue" band
Irving Burgie Island in the Sun Angel 52222 Author of Belafonte classic "Day-O" does his own songs
Steve Forbert Rocking Horse Head Paladin 24663 70s folk-rocker back with nice new set, insightful lyrics
Kate & Anna McGarrigle Matapedia Hannibal 1394 Fine new CD by veteran Canadian folkie siblings
* The Puddle Jumpers Out of the Shadows Golden Goose 126570645 Art rock plus folk & Celtic. Dubbed "progressive folk" it's one of 1996's best debuts
Talitha MacKenzie Spiorod Shanachie 78003 Scottish Gaelic + hip-hop + Eastern European in fascinating blend from Mouth Music founder
Greg Brown Further In Red House 88 Basso folkie in fine new collection of songs
Wasis Diop No Sant Triloka 697124108 Great multi-faceted African pop.
Carrie Newcomer My Father's Only Child Philo 1203 Yet another outstanding folk-influenced singer-songwriter
BR5-49 BR5-49 Arista 18818 Young band doing great rockabilly & honky-tonk
Billy Bragg William Blake Elektra 61935 Articulate Brit. protest-singer in nice set
Michael Hill's Blues Mob Have Mercy! Alligator 4845 Great electric blues from Brooklyn
Still Small Voice Whisper + Still Small Voice Nice New Age with Native American flute, guitar, piano
Lara & Reyes Exotico + Higher Octave 7094 Another nice flamenco-influenced set from San Antonio gtr duo
Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor Appalachia Waltz + Sony 68450 Classical-folk fusion
Shawn Colvin A Few Small Repairs Columbia 67119 Nice set from one of the bright lights on singer-songwriter secen
Randy Baldwin Trial By Fire Feel Good 1001 Enjoyable rootsy rock, with hints of Grateful Dead


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Best of 1996, Part 1: January-March
Best of 1996, Part 2: April-June
Best of 1996, Part 4: October-December
The 1996 Graham Awards
Index of Weekly Album Reviews

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This page last updated August 03, 2014