Reviews
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
Tony Pires/Tone Gard – Last night we got the full dose of Frank& DK. I was lucky enough to be on the contact list that announced that Roger and Rosemary Siminoff were graciously opening their house to have a house concert with FS&DK. Not only did the $20 a head get you in to a wonderful intimate setting with great acoustics, Frank made dinner for everybody! What a deal. He even brought dessert around personally, and did the dishes, what a guy . My thought was I had no idea how this thing going to go, but I wanted to see first hand what all the talk was about, as I’d heard so much about them. Frank is one of the first prodigy’s I got to see grow up before my eyes. He was just a youngin’ when I started playing mandolin and going to the local bluegrass association jams in Modesto CA in the middle/late 80′s. About the time he was a teenager was when I moved further south and lost contact. I’d hear periodic updates of him going to Alaska to school, other little snipits, then the Navy band, Country Current. But I never got to see any of these steps in his evolution. Armed only with a couple of u2oob vid’s I’d seen, we showed up at the Siminoff’s. After the great dinner that Frank made of what he called “one pot wonder” of ginger chicken over white rice, we retired to the living room and the boys got down to biz. I can’t give you a blow by blow of the setlist like some can, I can only comment on how inspiring the whole show was. I was transported like I’ve not been in a while. There were very few covers, almost all of what they did was originals. But even though I’d never heard them before, each well crafted song or tune was immediately accessible. The arrangements were impeccable, and as varied as the material. Some standouts for me were his song Selfish Tears, and another one about a homeless veteran, from his POV. Hot pickin’ fer sure, but, in the pocket so to speak. The guys were obviously enjoying themselves and the crowd of 50 were right there in the palms of their hands through the whole loooong set. A couple of times Frank broke out the fiddle, and that brought back memories. As that’s where he really shined when I was around him in Modesto. Great songs, arranged, and delivered with expertise and passion, what else could you ask for? I’m a believer now as I got the full experience of what these guys can do. If you like your Bluegrass a little eclectic, with ventures down the tributaries that feed the soul of Bluegrass, do check out Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen. I think they just might feed that spot you didn’t know was hungry.
BLUEGRASS BLOG by David Morris (March 9, 2011) – Monday [March 7th] was Frank Solivan’s 34th birthday, but the crowd who spent it with him in a Rockville, MD, church hall got the present – two and a half hours of pickin’ and singin’ by an all-star lineup usually only seen in Nashville. The Institute of Musical Traditions show was a homecoming of sorts for Solivan, who settled in the Washington, D.C., area after stint in the Navy, but has been on a national tour in support of his new CD, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen. Frank and the band – Mike Munford on banjo, Lincoln Meyers on guitar, Stefan Custodi on bass and Frank swapping between the mandolin and fiddle – are fine pickers and singers on their own. But on this night, the friends who joined him added an extra dimension that a couple hundred ticket buyers won’t soon forget… READ THE REST ON THE BLUEGRASS BLOG HERE
DISTRICT NOISE by Juli Thanki (March 2, 2011)- Area bluegrass musician Frank Solivan and his band Dirty Kitchen had a wildly successful 2010 with the release of their self-titled album. They’ve never actually had a CD release show, but better late than never: on March 7 (Solivan’s birthday), they’ll be playing one up in Rockville as part of IMT’s weekly concert series. If you haven’t been to one of the band’s house concerts—which include a Solivan-made meal—now’s a perfect time to see what all the fuss is about. Read the whole interview HERE
NO DEPRESSION by Devon Leger (February 21, 2011) - I know Frank Solivan’s music well, since Hearth Music worked a publicity campaign for his new album. His beautifully polished bluegrass music is played with technical precision and virtuosity. His music is quite stunning and I was looking forward to seeing him play in person. But his performance with Dirty Kitchen took me completely by surprise with its raw energy. He played like a man possessed, shredding his mandolin runs and blazing through red-hot fiddle solos. I tweeted at the time that Frank and Dirty Kitchen should be giving a workshops on performing as a band. They were impossibly tight together, and could turn on a dime. They matched Frank’s lead perfectly and played just as hard as he did. It was a remarkable acoustic performance, made all the more intimate by the small hotel room that was Trade Root Music’s private showcase space. There’s a red-hot core of barely tamed wildness in the heart of bluegrass music, something we tend to forget in this day-and-age of overly sanitized and “safe” bluegrass bands. Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen helped me remember why I love bluegrass: the pure adrenaline of lightning-fast picking and wickedly complex arrangements. Alan Lomax famously called bluegrass “folk music on overdrive” and after Frank Solivan’s performance, I’d have to whole-heartedly agree. Read the rest of the review here.
VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE (December 2010 issue) - Contemporary bluegrass comes in many varieties – neo-trad bands such as Del McCoury or Open Road, Nash-Vegas acts such as Rhonda Vincent or The Grascals, “newgrass” bands such as John Cowan and Sam Bush, Jam/rock/bluegrass bands like Drew Emmitt/Nershi or the Avett Brothers, and grass /jazz groups including David Grisman’s Quintet, Crooked Still, and Psychograss.Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen don’t fit into those categories; rather, they combine the energy of a hardcore traditional band with a more modern and contemporary folk-influenced sound. Guitarist Lincoln Meyers and banjo player Mike Munford have clean lyrical styles that augment Solivan’s incisive mandolin. Many of the tunes, such as “Together We’ll Fly,” feature three-part instrumental breaks that require absolute precision and melodic efficacy. On the instrumental “Line Drive,” Solivan, Munford, and Meyers each take multiple solos, and every solo is a little gem. Unlike young players who try to dazzle with tirades of triplets, the members of Dirty Kitchen contribute clean, melodic lines instead of a flurry of notes. Dirty Kitchen’s vocals and harmonies are nearly as impressive as their instrumental chops. While not quite as drop-dead perfect as, say, Doyle Lawson’s Quicksilver or the original Country Gentlemen, Dirty Kitchen’s singing is clearly not subservient to their picking. With seven originals among the 12 songs here, Solivan unveils his other skill – songwriting. “Tarred and Feathered,” with its combination of blue, modal, and purposeful rhythm, makes for an instant classic. On “Same Old Love” (which he co-wrote with Charles Tyson Smith) they’ve successfully combined equal parts country toe-stepper and folkie ballad. – SS
Herald-Dispatch.com – Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen — Self-titled: This is a great period in time for bluegrass music with a wide array of top-notch bands making good music from coast to coast. One example of this is Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen out of Virginia who have produced a wonderful debut album of contemporary bluegrass music. With a bright sound and strong instrumentation, many influences are brought together here with a cohesive groove flowing throughout. Guests on the CD include Rob Ickes, John Cowan, Moondi Kline and Megan McCormick.
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen have certainly ranked among the “buzz” bluegrass bands of 2010. Fittingly, their eponymous CD presents a razor sharp, confident quartet influenced by a broad range of the last four decades of bluegrass music development… Read the rest here – Bluegrass Unlimited
With so many ‘new’ bluegrass acts comprised of shuffled decks drawn out of other bands, it is refreshing to find a solid release from a combo consisting of a quartet of pickers not well known outside their respective hometowns or instrumental specialties. Solivan’s the name on the sleeve, so it is his clear-eyed vocal that takes center stage on a set of songs that eschew traditional favorites for new originals from the band members and their close friends. Instrumentally, Mike Mumford shines throughout on banjo, and guitarist Lincoln Meyers’ melodic lines bridge the verses on songs such as the tender Hello Friend in a way that adds to the emotions expressed in the lyrics. Just because Solivan doesn’t tap into the standards of his chosen genre doesn’t mean he won’t accept some outside ideas, however. Together We’ll Fly is a Solivan tune that sounds like a ’70s country tune set to bluegrass, while July You’re a Woman actually is a classic country-folk song from John Stewart that the band “Bluegrassed all over,” according to the liner notes. Solivan is obviously influenced by the more contemporary bluegrass of groups such as Blue Highway or Kenny & Amanda Smith, but he’s also enough of a student of traditional fare to include a powerful a capella rendition of the Stanley Brothers gospel classic Paul and Silas. It is Solivan’s own songs that steal the show here, however, with Tarred and Feathered sounding every bit like a classic you’ve just not heard before and the homelessness studyLeft Out in the Cold as good a topical song as any this side of Chris Jones. Solivan may not be the most well-known singer/mandolin player in bluegrass, and his band may not have instant name recognition on the festival circuit, but this latest album is proof that one doesn’t have to pack the lineup with ringers to produce a winning team. Country Standard Time Kevin Oliver
You know you’ve got something going for you when the dobro master nonpareil Rob Ickes ordains you “the best new bluegrass band.” Guess what? The estimable Mr. Ickes may have understated the case, if the level of playing, writing and singing on Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen’s self-titled debut is any indication. (Modesto, CA, native Solivan, who previously worked with the U.S. Navy’s highly regarded Country Current country/bluegrass band, had two solo albums to his credit before forming Dirty Kitchen.) Cue up the hard charging album opener,”Driftin’ Apart”–an incisive account of a couple coming undone from a thousand little wounds over the years and now paying the price “for lustful pleasures”–and once past the ferocity of the playing–an energizing wash of sound with the banjo, fiddle and mandolin all jumping in and out of the soundscape for pointed solos and engaging each other as well in spirited dialogue–the literacy of the lyrics begins sinking in, and you get jazzed all over again. Solivan doesn’t go for easy rhymes or conventional scenarios of love and loss; rather, in the details he suggests more complex and layered levels of insight, acknowledging the mystery of romantic bondings and the awful hurt of uncouplings, while also addressing topical issues along the way, in language both direct and poetic…I would say “remember the name–Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen,” except that anyone who hears even a bit of this music will never forget its point of origin. Talk about a band coming out of nowhere and bound for greater glory, this is it. Read Review In Full —Out Of The Box, Bound For Glory – By David McGee – Bluegrass Special
There may not be a lot of exciting things going on in the mainstream world right now, however there is a lot of exciting music still out there to be discovered. When you start digging down deep you will find that the bluegrass and Americana genres have some very exciting music within’ them to be heard. Frank Solivan & the Dirty Kitchen is a group that needs to be heard and fits the mold of both genres bouncing between its edges with relative ease as they present their acoustic based bluegrass music on their latest effort. The combination of talented musicianship is evident the moment that you hit play as they showcase their incredible instrumentation as well as the way they utilize their outstanding vocals. This same trend propels you through the remainder of the album. Throughout the album the music drives the way that good bluegrass based music should and the vocals do the rest making this a welcome addition to any fan of this style. From all aspects of this album from Solivan’s mandolin playing to his writing on 5 of the tracks, he encompasses everything that a good album should be on this one. A must have for you bluegrass fans out there as this is a band that you will need to keep an eye on as perhaps the next big thing of bluegrass. —Today’s Country Magazine
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen (Fiddlemon Music) “Ten Indie Albums Worth a Listen” Here’s an exciting bluegrass entry heavy on original tunes and crisp, clean production. Following a path that found him in the U.S. Navy’s country band and teaching music lessons in Alaska, Solivan leads this ensemble with exceptional mandolin picking, engaging vocals and the strongest set of bluegrass originals I’ve heard in a long time. If I booked festivals, I’d put these guys onstage every afternoon. Key tracks: “Driftin’ Apart,” “The Note That Said Goodbye,” “Together We’ll Fly” —CMT.com
I’ve been a fan of Frank Solivan II since I first heard him perform with the United States Navy band, Country Current. Frank has since left the Navy and formed his own band bearing his name, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen. Today marks the release of the band’s self-titled debut album. Frank has previously released two solo CDs, but this is the first band recording to be released… Tarred and Feathered is sure to be favorite. From special guest John Cowan’s tenor vocals, to Lincoln Meyer’s driving rhythm guitar, this song is one of those medium tempo tunes that just throbs with bluegrass attitude. Read the rest…—The Bluegrass Blog
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen I received the new recording and all I can say is WOW! You guys have cut an awesome album. The material is fresh with great arrangements, the singing is first class, and the picking is SO strong and complimentary of each song. I’ll run out of adjectives to describe how good it really is! Suffice it to say, GET IT!! You will be supremely satisfied. —Adam Steffey
Wow… incredible music by a great combination of players. These guys have the whole package – they can sing, play and write extremely well! This is the best new bluegrass band… —Rob Ickes 11 time IBMA Dobro Player of the Year
Buddy, it’s flat-out awesome! —Kyle Cantrell Sirius XM Radio
Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen could easily be described as a group of super pickers. But that would only be half the story because the vocals easily match the instrumental work. The result is a powerful collection of hard-driving, contemporary acoustic music… —Katy Daley WAMU’s Bluegrass Country
Reviews of Selfish Tears
Interesting, innovative, traditionally contemporary bluegrass! Great listening! —Rhonda Vincent
I remember seeing Frank Solivan II at a late-night showcase at IBMA’s big World of Bluegrass blowout a few years back. Even though I had heard him before and even jammed with him, his performance was one of the true eye openers for me that weekend. Great mandolin playing and singing. —Tim Stafford
Really shines… clean and powerful… Talent like this was made to stick around. —Tim Stafford
I’ve seen Frank perform… he’s just as competent ‘live’ as he is on this recording! GREAT JOB FRANK!! —Russell Moore
I first met Frank in Anchorage, where I considered him to be ‘The King’ of Alaskan Bluegrass. He has now moved to Virginia where Ralph Stanley surely rules, but as you will hear with this CD – Frank Solivan is staking claim to his own territory in this big world of Bluegrass music. —Todd Phillips
Frank Solivan is hot, hot, hot. He has a gorgeous voice, solid instrumental chops and writes great songs. Most importantly he connects emotionally. Selfish Tears is yet another leap for a major talent. —Kathy Chiavola
I received the new recording and all I can say is WOW! You guys have cut an awesome album. The material is fresh with great arrangements, the singing is first class, and the picking is SO strong and complimentary of each song. I’ll run out of adjectives to describe how good it really is! Suffice it to say, GET IT!! You will be supremely satisfied. —Adam Steffey, Multi-Grammy winner and award winning mandolinist
Maybe you missed, as I did, hearing Frank Solivan II’s first album. That’s not surprising. Most self released productions rarely receive wide exposure. Here, though, is a second chance—his second album, also non-label. Don’t miss it. Solivan is a major talent. He is one of those guys, I’ve read and been told, who plays every instrument and plays them at an extremely advanced level. He also sings incredibly well, with a clear tone, smooth and slightly tenorish. Moreover, he writes great songs in the grand bluegrass traditions of lost love (“Please Don’t Go” and “Love In My Heart”), love in danger of being lost (“If I’m Lyin’ I’m Dyin’”), passion leading to tragedy (“Cryin’ Here Today”), memories (“Selfish Tears”), etc. “Please Don’t Go” and “Selfish Tears” have a strong contemporary feel (“Please Don’t Go” bordering on modern country and including tasteful drumming). The other tunes work the traditional form, as do two of the three covers, “I’ll Go Stepping Too,” and Ginger Boatwright’s “Somebody’s Missing You.” Mandolin seems to be Solivan’s primary instrument. He does play the fiddle throughout, and a bit of guitar, but the mandolin is the most prominent and certainly at the core of his original instrumentals (“Screened In” and “Scorchin’ The Gravy”) and the sparkling mandolins only duet with Jesse Cobb, “Henry’s Blanket.” All three showcase his clear tone, dexterity, and excellent notespacing, but also his creativity and willingness to stretch beyond the usual patterns. Those same qualities grace his performance in total, as well as those of his guests, resonator guitarist Rob Ickes, banjoist Mike Munford, guitarist John Miller, and bassist Stefan Custodi. Munford’s work, in particular, should be a revelation to those who haven’t heard him and a verification to those who have; a player’s player, he deserves wider recognition. So that’s two guys who should be better known—Munford and, of course, the leader of this date, Frank Solivan II. Don’t miss this second chance. —Bluegrass Unlimited
I belong to the generation of Frank’s father. That simply means I have been a fan of bluegrass for more than 40 years! There’s nothing particularly special about that, but it does put me into a position to recognize world class talent when I hear it! This is definitely the case with “Selfish Tears”. It would be relatively simple to describe this project using standard marketing jargon and cliché terms of praise, but Frank’s creativity and unparalleled artistry seem to begin where those descriptions leave off. The CD cover shows Frank in front of a glacier in Alaska. The music of “Selfish Tears” conveys certain powerful glacier-like qualities. Glaciology is an interdisciplinary earth science that integrates geophysics, geology, physical geography, geomorphology, climatology, meteorology, hydrology, biology, and ecology. The impact of glaciers on humans adds the fields of Human geography and anthropology. An unstoppable force, the glacier exists on many levels, as does the powerful musicianship and genuine personality of the artist himself. The Lord has gifted Frank Solivan II with the kind of vocal clarity and power most singers pray for. Not to mention his instrumental virtuosity. I am so grateful that Frank has chosen to share his gifts with us! This project is just full of great surprises. Each time you listen, you hear yet another nuance or coolness factor. The mandolin duet is particularly sweet. Track 6 “Please Don’t Go” is a crossover hit if I have ever heard one. “Kiss my lips and hold me tight”… Oh yeah! That’s what I am talkin’ bout Baybay! Frank honors us all by including a very special guest solo artist, his mother Lorene Solivan, on track 9. There is an extra surprise when you come to the end of the CD…. Well, you’ll just have to have a listen and buy a copy to discover that one! Which, by the way you can do right now by visiting his website. George Ireton, California Bluegrass Association
“Selfish Tears” is the follow-up to Frank Solivan II’s 2002 album entitled “I am a Rambler.” It’s a fitting exclamatory statement that continues to build the strong reputation of this talented young man with considerable strength and charisma. Frank’s own notes about the songs on “Selfish Tears,” the majority from his pen, refer to such things as “classic bluegrass feel” and “vintage bluegrass vibe.” Tim Stafford’s liner notes refer to one of Frank’s trademarks as “hardcore bluegrass groove.” I give him accolades for composing and presenting new material that captures the forceful feeling and passion of traditional bluegrass music. Playing mandolin, fiddle and guitar, the native of Modesto, Ca. demonstrates string fluency and interpretive twists that only the most consummate multi-instrumentalists can claim to have. His powerful lead (and harmony) vocals impart an intensity that is remarkable. He displays virtuoso musicianship on his three instruments, and he even surprises us with a bonus Dawg-like track 12 (running over 9 minutes) of solo baritone ukulele that evolves into shades of “Summertime.” There are plenty of unexpected and astonishing delights on this album – the fiery mandolin duet (with Jesse Cobb) in “Henry’s Blanket” and Frank’s mother Lorene singing “Once in a Very Blue Moon.” Leon Alexander adds percussion to the mix on the acoustic country offering “Please Don’t Go.” Other stellar musicians from the bluegrass elite include Mike Munford (banjo), Rob Ickes (dobro), Stefan Custodi (bass), and John Miller (guitar, harmony vocals). Frank and his music are very hip, and this member of the U.S. Navy’s Country Current group (since 2003) is one of the most happening bluegrassers today. —Joe Ross
Frank Solivan II is one of those home-grown bluegrassers that has been nurtured in California. His father Frank I has been one of the prime promoters of youth in bluegrass, and Frank II literally grew up playing bluegrass in hometown Modesto and on the stage at Grass Valley. He is part of the prestigious U.S. Navy Band, Country Current, and this second solo album really gives Frank a chance to highlight his singing and song writing. Frank’s nine original tunes include four world-class instrumentals with intriguing melodies, variegated rhythms and playful interchanges between mandolin, banjo, guitar, fiddle and dobro. The untitled last cut on the album features baritone uke and has some Dawgesque meanderings blending into a tasty Gershwin “Summertime.” His “Scorchin’ The Gravy” has Frank’s crisp mandolin leads balanced by Rob Ickes’ fine dobro work and Mike Munford’s banjo. “Love In My Heart” is one of Frank’s original songs, and it follows the bluegrass groove with hard-driving banjo, dobro, and fiddle joined by Stefan Custodi on bass and John Miller on guitar. “Cryin’ Here Today” is one of those “gotcha” ironic songs and “If I’m Lyin, I’m Dyin’” is another Frank original that blends a contemporary sensibility with traditional instrumental chops. The pace slows down for the lovely love song, “Please Don’t Go,” and the title cut, “Selfish Tears.” With so much musical talent on display, it’s hard to believe that Frank also delights in photography and cooking – the food photos on his web site are delicious! —B. Hough, California Bluegrass Association
I Am a Rambler
I loved ‘I Am A Rambler.’ A+ Cool stuff. —Mike Marshall
…a man who plays with passion and sings with authority; who gives all he has to his audience and then goes beyond performance to win hearts and fans… A new musical force to be reckoned with… This album is wonderful! —Ginger Boatwright (The first lady of bluegrass)
This is Frank’s first release and judging from the quality of the music in this project, it won’t be the last. He wrote all but three of the 13 songs on this CD, and there’re every bit as nice as the instrumental and vocal work. All in all, it’s a worthy album deserving plenty of airtime on KVMR —Dennis Brunnenmeyer (KVMR DJ)
Frank Solivan II follows a muse that has taken him from California to Alaska to Virginia. With great originality and power, he has unique flair and plenty of zeal in his music that will enthuse bluegrass fans. While incorporating some elements of other genres (new acoustic, Dawg, swing, folk), Frank’s approach is hardly unorthodox. He merely gives us a kaleidoscope of clarion sounds that push a few envelopes while keeping a foot firmly grounded in bluegrass territory. “Grandma’s Blues” is certainly an exercise that yields bountiful rewards on its own merits, and I’m sure that Father of Bluegrass Bill Monroe would’ve been proud of Frank for this hustling 1-4-1-5 romp. While Kate Wolf passed away in 1986 (at age 44), her wish was for her songs to continue being released and played. Frank covers one of her greatest folk-flavored hits, “Across the Great Divide.” But he never strays too far from bluegrass – and his snappy closers, “All My Ramblin’ Days Are Though” and “Salad Bowl” are full of the energy and velocity that characterize so much of the genre. While certainly a showcase for Frank’s singularly impressive talents, “I am a Rambler” also includes some veteran session musicians who are given plenty of opportunity to shine – Rob Ickes, David Grier, Byron House, Mark Winchester, Shad Cobb, Richard Bailey, J.D. Blair, Kathy Chiavola, and Billy Davis. Examining each song for its needed instrumentation and arrangement, Frank is not shy about incorporating some clawhammer banjo or percussion if he feels it is called for. That’s why this maverick has some pioneer spirit in his blood. If you have adventurous bluegrass tastes and enjoy technically impressive numbers, “I am a Rambler” is clearly a cut above the rest. —Joe Ross