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Warren Haynes: Ashes & Dust Deluxe Edition & Bonus CD

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It's a left-handed compliment of no small proprtion to state guitarist/composers Warren Haynes' Ashes & Dust (Concord Records, 2015) album only scratches the surface of his recent solo endeavors in the studio and on the stage. Certainly, the erstwhile Allman Brother and titular leader of Gov't Mule has done more than his share of musical exploration during the course of his career, yet he's never delved into the acoustic-based likes of his self-produced record with Railroad Earth This nouveau bluegrass/folk music is immediately recognizable as Haynes' own in part because over the course of time he and Railroad Earth have thoroughly bonded, so much so the musicians are now integrated as a single septet when they collaborate. This unity furthers the continuity of Ashes & Dust's with this man's previous work a seamless quality exemplified as much by bonus material released in conjunction with the album as the officially album itself. The triple-fold deluxe package contrasts the deliberately (and rightly) generic white paper sleeve of the pre-order CD, its multiple mirrored images reflecting the additional perspective(s) offered by this content and, in turn, making Warren Haynes' most cogent statement to date about his eclectic influences.

Ashes & Dust Deluxe Edition Warren Haynes featuring Railroad Earth
Ashes & Dust Deluxe Edition
Concord Records
2015

Supplemented with additional tracks on a two-CD edition, yet another compact disc, featuring demos for the album proper, not surprisingly, feature Haynes alone on acoustic guitar, not really a rare enterprise for him (he opened shows with RRE in this format), but it does remind of the delicacy with which he can play and sing. Just as importantly, these cuts, "New Year's Eve," in particular, illustrate how his man's generous approach to creative partnership helped make Ashes & Dust such a creative success. Almost deafening in its quietude, particularly after Haynes' knowing introduction to its compositional genesis, the fifth cut on the second CD in the 'Deluxe' set is another solo performance, live from Gov't Mule's 2008 New Year's run at the Angel Orensanz Foundation in New York (the year the Beacon Theatre was being restored) and it serves as a deft segue to the disc available as a bonus for pre-ordering Ashes & Dust upon the initial announcement of its release.

Ashes & Dust Pre-Order Bonus CD Warren Haynes featuring Railroad Earth
Ashes & Dust Pre-Order Bonus CD
Concord Records
2015

Available only (sic) as a bonus upon initial pre-orders of the album, this extra CD features previously unreleased collaborations of Haynes & Railroad Earth that reaffirm the wisdom of their continuing work together in the studio and on the concert stage and, as perhaps more significant in the long-term, quite likely the genesis of their collaboration in toto. All five cuts on this relative rarity come from an October 2012 performance at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York and, with its impeccable sound quality and healthy running time at close to forty-five minutes, it transcends its concept as a value-add item (or, perhaps more accurately, redefines it) and, in fact, is sequenced like a well-wrought set-list for a live performance. "Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House," a song co-written by Haynes and made a #1 hit by Garth Brooks, allows the musicians to warm up and lock in, even as Robert Johnson's "Come On In My Kitchen" furthers the unit's decompression at the conclusion after some intense focus on Haynes' originals. Personal and poignant, "Glory Road" appears on Ashes &Dust,in a slightly more formal than this while "Patchwork Quilt," Haynes' homage to Jerry Garcia, serves as segue to a sensitive cover of the heartrending "China Doll," an exquisitely wrought collaboration between the late titular leader of the Grateful Dead with long-time lyricist, Robert Hunter. Expertly sequenced as it is, this is a collection of performances worth their own release, albeit on a wider scale.

Tracks and Personnel

Ashes & Dust Deluxe Edition CD 2

Tracks:Company Man; New Year's Eve; Glory Road; Wanderlust; Hallelujah Boulevard.

Personnel: Warren Haynes: acoustic guitar, vocals.

Ashes & Dust Deluxe Edition Pre-Order Bonus

Tracks: Two Of A Kind, Workin' On A Full House; Glory Road; Patchwork Quilt; China Doll; Come On in My Kitchen.

Personnel: Warren Haynes: vocals; acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Railroad Earth-Tim Carbone: fiddle; John Skehan: mandolin, bouzouki, piano; Andrew Altman: upright bass, electric bass; Andy Goessling acoustic guitar, National steel guitar, banjo, clarinet; Carey Harmon: drums.

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