CLIFF WAGNER & THE OLD #7: My Native Land

Cliff Wagner & The Old #7

My Native Land

© 2007 Cliff Wagner (634479662553)

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High lonesome, honky tonkin' bluegrass with a modern spin. Cliff wagner makes his own style of alt. bluegrass.

notes

The working title was Cliff Wagner and The California All Stars. California stars such as former Lost Highway member Eric Uglum, Laurel Canyon Rambler Bill Bryson, Three Fox Drive fiddler Megan Lynch, and Chris Stuart of Chris Stuart and Back Country who contributed the song Old #7 And Me , all contribute to this great recording. The title track , My Native Land, was inspired by a privately published memoir of a family friend. The memoir details the life of a World War One pilot stationed in the Azores and his day to day experiences. Cliff Wagner brings the song to life then goes on to write an album full of Alt. Bluegrass tunes that are filled with Honky Tonk, Blues, and Roots influences all played by some of Southern Cali’s most talented players.

Award winning banjo player Cliff Wagner was raised in Greenwood, Mississippi, home of blues legend Robert Johnson. He gained national exposure as one of 12 bands out of 6000 applicants on Next Great American Band Show on FOX television October – November 2007 , produced by Freemantle Entertainment , producers of American Idol.

His first instrument was his grandmother's banjo-uke at 7 years old. He started playing 5-string banjo at 11, and also picked up guitar . He played with his father, who played stand-up bass, in a local bluegrass band in Mississippi until he moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. While in Boston he played traditional music in Harvard Square and the subway for a living with partner Nathan Phillips. He and the band moved to NYC. There he started playing banjo in local bluegrass heroes Drinkin' and Cheatin' with mandolinist Bob Grant, formerly of the Bad Livers, now with Tim Graves and Cherokee. He moved to California seven years ago and started his own band. Cliff has also played on several CHM recordings as well as with members of Lost Highway, The Witcher Brothers, and Bluegrass Etc. In addition Cliff has contributed on many New York and Los Angeles Alt. Country recording sessions and independent film scores as well as commercial soundtrack recordings for Mini Cooper and The Sports Network.

Cliff plays banjo and fiddle and sings lead for Cliff Wagner & The Old #7, and writes all of their original material.
http://www.oldnumber7.net

reviews

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  • couldn't get enough
    author: Calvin Richards

    Had to order this one. Sat here and listened to the old #7 byte for over an hour! just listened to it over, and over, (whiskey in hand) can't wait to get the CD!

  • My Native Land
    author: Ray Paseur

    I saw them on the Great American Band and loved their stage presence and pure ability to entertain! Their sound is fantastic! I have purchased all three of their albums! The sound is on par with Crazy Horse! I hope you all enjoy as much as I have!

  • My Native Land
    author: Bridgette McMahon

    Saw this band on Tv for the Great American Band and got the CD. I was not disappointed. Great grass!

  • MY NATIVE LAND
    author: Laurel Soto

    CASE CAME GLUED TOGETHER.. NEVER SAW THAT B4 WITH ANY CD I HAVE BOUGHT. HAD TO DISTROY IT TO GET INSIDE. MUSIC WAS VERY ENJOYABLE.. THING IS WOULD LOVE ANOTHER CASE TO PUT FRONT AND BACK COVERS IN RIGHT NOW I HAVE ELASTIC BAND AROUND THE WHOLE THING

  • My native land
    author: Dan Gott

    Saw this group on the new battle of the bands or whatever it's called, on TV and had to order the CD right then. Got it, love it and will buy more. The sound quality was not what I expected so maybe you can work on that.

  • Quirky alt-grass presents a large amount of original material from an eclectic a
    author: Joe Ross

    Playing Time – 46:26 -- Billed as “alt-grass,” I was hoping that “My Native Land” would offer something new and refreshing from an eclectic adventurist from Mississippi who attended Boston’s Berklee College of Music, picked with “Drinkin’ and Cheatin’” in New York City, and then moved to California seven years ago. Cliff Wagner’s gritty edge lacks the vocal finesse to elevate the mostly average original material. Redeeming moments are when Cliff’s banjo takes us on some wild thrilling rides like his instrumental “Soppin’ the Jack,” and he imparts some bluesy exuberance to “Old Fire” with frailed banjo. We also hear his fiddle playing on two tracks, although Megan Lynch is the project’s primary fiddler. Guests assisting include Eric Uglum, Bill Bryson, Mike Witcher, Devit Feely, Andrew Paddock Jesse Harris, Ross Landry and others. An odd but hypnotic selection at track ten is “The Ghetto by the Sea” with Christina Ortega’ silky lead vocals accompanied by guitar, accordion, guitarron and banjo. The five-string’s flavoring has a hard time fitting comfortably into this kind of border music, and Dan Joeright’s drums in the following cut (“We’ll Get By”) as well as “Old Fire”questions just what direction Wagner’s taking with his music. He enjoys stylistic departure and doesn’t wish to be constrained by any genre-specific sideboards. To that effect, eleven of the songs are Wagner originals, and you may find yourself relating to the sentiments and grooves of some. On the plus side are the smoldering swagger of Jimmy Martin’s “Lost Ball in the High Weeds,” bright lyricism of Chris Stuart’s drinking song “Old #7 & Me,” and soulful duo rendition of Pee Wee King & Red Stewart’s “Thy Burdens are Greater than Mine.” Closing the album with the title track, “My Native Land” was inspired by a poem written by Walter Poague, a Marine Corps pilot during World War I. Cliff’s verses relate the pilot’s tragic fate in the Azores, while an excerpt from Poague’s poem became the chorus -- “My native land / what does that mean to me / not power most of all / not even liberty / it’s the land that I call my home.” Cliff Wagner’s quirky alt-grass may not be elegant or ornate, but there are times when his forlorn backwoods drawl and solid banjo-playing embody drive and force. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)

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