by Gary Chapin
Free Country is a Phil Haynes (drums) project, with Drew Gress (bass), Jim Yanda (guitar), and Hank Roberts (cello). They’ve been doing their thing for a few years with four recordings preceding this one. According to Haynes in the notes, it seemed to them that the Free Country Project had run its course, but history and the present moment sometimes make demands of us and the quartet felt the calling to regather.
The Americana subset of what once used to be called the downtown set (Bill Frisell is the most prominent example) is a peculiar thing, but one of my favorite side quests. Free Country is a through-a-glass-darkly version of an old-timey string band (new-timey?), except with unconventional arrangements of Americana and out/jazz soloing throughout.
It’s no surprise that the playing throughout is extraordinary. These are seriously accomplished musicians, and Robert’s elastic vocals serve the project excellently. What is surprising is the repertoire, what the band thinks of as Americana. Yes, there are the usual (and beloved) suspects (dressed unusually) like “She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain’,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “Simple Gifts.” But also included are Motown (”RESPECT” and “What’s Going On?”), spirituals (“Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho”), and a Beatles song (Americana?). It’s a cool repertoire which, along with the originals, gives what-ya-know vs. what-ya-don’t-know an appealing tension.
It’s not an explicit protest album, but it also is. Context is everything. Repertoire means something. Along with the new recordings, they threw in especially relevant tracks from earlier recordings making a 26 track behemoth that is all weird, spark, and joy.
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