1.

James Nash

Show review from THE WASHINGTON POST, Sep 12, 2002

"The musical maelstrom known as the Waybacks blew into Iota from San Francisco Tuesday night, sending up such a startling tornado of aggressively performed, high-spirited melodies as to remove all air from the room. Their inspirational combination of bluegrass, traditional country and various European influences -- not to mention their recklessly brazen breakneck pace -- exposed the band as virtuosos sharing a singular mind-set."

"The fury began at the outset, with the Waybacks leaping into the instrumental 'Turkish Stalemate' at full gallop, a tune that combines Greek bouzouki tones -- played on dueling mandolins -- with Celtic melodies. Another instrumental, 'Brundlefly,' exploded into a bluesy jam that smashed rock improvisations into a bluegrass setting. A cover of Riders in the Sky's 'Compadres in the Old Sierra Madre,' sung only partly in the traditional 'high lonesome' pitch, morphed into an outrageous take on Texas swing and was highlighted by blistering solos by each player."

"The band members share the load equally, an exciting and rare thing to hear. Chojo Jacques set the pace with airtight mandolin solos; percussionist Chuck Hamilton was effectively understated and yet vital to the mix; electric double-bassist Joe Kyle Jr. bowed and plucked intricate jazz beats; and vocalist Stevie Coyle, whose guitar rhythms are the melodic bedrock, used his sardonic wit to affirm the band's overall sophistication".

"But James Nash is the real discovery. Several of his instrumental solos were gasp-inducing, particularly during the extended jam on the traditional tune 'Cluck Old Hen,' in which he flat-picked his guitar at the velocity of a banjo. While he clearly was enjoying himself, he never made it look hard. In fact, the band never broke a sweat."

- Buzz McClain
THE WASHINGTON POST

from BILLBOARD MAGAZINE

"The Waybacks are a West Coast acoustic quintent that blends ample humor and freewheelin' spirit with fine musical chops and keen melodic instincts on this primarily instrumental project."

"Spritely mandolins and ominous baselines kick things off on the shuffling acoustic instrumental 'Turkish Stalemate,' then 'Down From Iona,' powered by lightning-fingered guitar work, comes off like a cross between Pure Prairie League and Flatt & Scruggs. 'Brundlefly' and the trippy 'Temporary Cheese' are more atmospheric, jazzy works, while the fiddle-laced 'Bright Place' and bluesy 'Police Dog Blues' are more light-hearted, rural honk in style."

"Elsewhere, an effective take on Floyd Cramer's 'Last Date' comes off like backwoods lounge, and more steady bass and deft mandolin give 'Gulshion Island' a big, anthemic feel. These guys can play like bandits."

- Ray Waddell
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE

from FREIGHT TRAIN BOOGIE.COM

"With this, their sophomore effort, the Waybacks confirm that they are one of the most exciting, inventive and fun acoustic bands on the planet!  Mixing interesting instrumentals, played with taste and hot licks, and effective folky vocals, these guys are a bit like what would happen if New Grass Revival played Chinese fire drill with the Austin Lounge Lizards. It's no wonder that these bay area favorites are catching fire across the country: they are stellar instrumentalists adept in multiple musical genre's (folk, swing, bluegrass, Celtic) who have taken the acoustic string band to a whole new level."

"Much of the CD is original material, and the writing is consistently good, but even the covers are rendered in such a way so as to make them sound new. Throughout the entire CD I had the distinct impression these guys were having a ball in the studio. That kind of infectious fun is present on every cut. Acoustic mayhem rules!"

- Kevin Russell
FREIGHT TRAIN BOOGIE.COM

from the ALL MUSIC GUIDE

"Judging by the instrumentation, you'd probably say the Waybacks were a bluegrass group; how else could you describe a band with two mandolin players? And so they are, but these guys have a lot of records besides Bill Monroe's in their collections, if their second album, Burger After Church, is any indication.

There are tunes that come across as traditional bluegrass instrumentals, notably the opener, 'Turkish Stalemate' (which might be subtitled 'Dueling Mandos'), and 'Gulshion Island,' but even these have other elements. The rest are even more eclectic: 'Brundlefly' boasts jazzy solos, 'Bright Place,' with its prominent fiddle playing, is a country raver, Floyd Cramer's 'Last Date' is turned into a lengthy ballad statement sans piano, 'Prairie Doggin'' and 'The Return' both have Celtic influences, Blind Blake's 'Police Dog Blues' is country blues with a few twists, 'Saltflat Rhapsody' has some wonderful fingerpicking, and 'Temporary Cheese' contains a passage that might have come from one of the Grateful Dead's 'space' excursions."

"So, what do you call all that? Progressive bluegrass? Newgrass? The Waybacks delight in mixing things up, and they are the kind of musician's musicians who devote a portion of their short CD booklet to a list of the instruments they use ('Michael Coulon's '30s-era Kalamazoo L-30 guitar was played by James on track 7'). The resulting music stays fresh as the band takes it to one style after another, playing each one well."

- William Ruhlmann
ALL MUSIC GUIDE

from VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE

"I will never claim to be an expert in bluegrass. I enjoy it, but I'm not as up on its history as I am on rock, jazz and blues."

"That said, I like this disc. It's not stright bluegrass. There's bluegrass, along with swing, country, jazz and even some experiental rock. About half the tunes are instrumental. For guitarists, the playing of Stevie Coyle and James Nash would be your biggest draw. Whether flatpicking at a hectic pace ('Down From Iona'), or soloing beautifully on a very cool version of Floyd Karmer's 'Last Date,' these guys can bring it."

"Mandolin feaks will love Nash and Wayne Jacques playing on cuts like 'Turkish Stalemate' and 'Gulshion Island.' Jacques also shines on fiddle on several tunes. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention bassist Joe Kyle Jr., who holds down the fort on pretty much every tune, but also solos wonderfully on a couple of cuts."

"Guitar fanatics will drool at the instruments used; a 1928 Gibson L-5, a '39 Martin D-18, an 1896 Martin 2-27, and many more too numerous to mention."

"If you're an acoustic music fan, this one's for you. An excellent band, doing inspired covers and top-notch originals."

- John Heidt
VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE

from THE RAPID RIVER MONTHLY, NC

"While much of what currently passes for acoustic swing seems best suited as background music for independent film, the Waybacks, who wowed audiences with their blistering performance at this year's Merlefest, are the happy exception to the rule. Their sound, which derives as much from be-bop as it does bluegrass, bounces joyfully from pillar to post, gathering no moss and leaving few musical stones unturned. Be it the energetic charm of their skilled reworking of the Floyd Cramer classic 'Last Dance' or the buoyant flirtation of 'Saltflat Rhapsody,' the songs emerge with a life all their own. While the harmonies are uniformly delightful it is the feverish instrumentals, expertly arranged and impeccably performed that lie at the heart and soul of this impressive disc."

- James Cassara
RAPID RIVER MONTHLY, NC

from KDHX-FM, St. Louis, MO

"After DEVOLVER and its accompanying recommendation to music stores (File under 'Acoustic Mayhem'), I wondered what to expect next from The Waybacks. The aptly named BURGER AFTER CHURCH satisfies ... well ... like having a burger after church. There's something sinfully self-indulgent about sinking your teeth into a quarter-pounder with all the trimmings, especially if said burger follows close on the heels of a Sunday morning sermon extolling the virtues of moderation. There is a joyful, liberating spirit to the music made by these Waybacks. Their melodies are fluid, perfectly realized, and well executed."

"I don't know much, but I can tell you things of which I'm pretty sure. (1) The music of The Waybacks isn't bluegrass, not by a long stretch. (2) That doesn't matter, because it's some damn fine music that will appeal to people who enjoy the interplay of mandolin, guitar, fiddle, bass, and some very tasteful percussion."

"Plus, you gotta love a band that lists the instruments they play on each track. Not just 'mandolin' or 'guitar,' but '1928 Gibson L-5 guitar.' Waybacks, gearheads'll love ya for it."

"The Waybacks, despite what their name might suggest, are leading the way in the evolution of 'pickin' music.'"

- Keith Dudding
KDHX-FM, St. Louis, MO

from BLUEGRASS AMERICANA.COM

"Duly impressed after catching their act at Merlefest, we recommend you give this group a listen! Blending everything from folk, cowboy jazz, bluegrass, old-time, Tin Pan Alley, swing, country, western to Celtic along with lots of eclectic original tunes, they have created a really great entertaining musical package filled with magical picking and wonderful vocals. From San Francisco, they have appeared at many major music festivals and have now produced their second album -- 'Burger After Church.' Our sampling will give you a feel for the excitement they create wherever they go -- 'Turkish Stalemate', 'Bright Place' and 'Saltflat Rhapsody'.

BLUEGRASS AMERICANA.COM

from FOLKSCENE

"Hey You All: Thanks for another fantastic, incredible CD!"

- Howard & Roz Larman
FOLKSCENE radio show

from MINOR7TH.COM

"Like butter melting on a steaming ear of sweet corn, The Waybacks glide smoothly from one musical genre to the next, whether it's bluegrass, Texas swing, newgrass, country or Irish folk. Their infectious upbeat toe-tapper, 'Bright Place,' recalls the effortless rhythms of Tony Rice. 'The Return' could have made the soundtrack to Mel Gibson's 'Braveheart.' And Blind Blake's 'Police Dog Blues' probably never sounded more comfortable. But the quintet's finest moment on this 11-track collection may be their gorgeous interpretation of Floyd Cramer's 'Last Date.' Cramer was a session pianist who honed his 'Nashville Sound' in the late '50s. His crossover hit, which made it to No. 2 in 1960, is here revived with a whole new heart. The Waybacks also demonstrate their affection vintage instruments (and list where they can be heard), including an 1896 Martin 2-27, a 1928 Gibon L-5, a 1939 Martin D-18, a 1914 Gibson 'A' style mandolin and a late 19th-century Berlin-made Strad copy fiddle. Quite a few songs left in those instruments, apparently. 'Burger After Church' emerges as truly friendly music, and I'd be lacking as a host if I failed to offer proper introductions of these personable gents: James Nash on guitar, mandolin and vocals; Wayne Jacques on fiddle; mandolin and vocals, Stevie Coyle on guitars and vocals; Joe Kyle Jr. on bass; Chuck Hamilton on drums. The acoustic roots music of these talented fellows should keep you as content as a hound with a bone under a shade tree."

- Fred Kraus
MINOR7TH.COM