Old School Freight Train

Old School Freight Train (OSFT) was a Charlottesville, Virginia-based band that combined bluegrass, jazz, Latin, and Celtic sounds to create their music.

Career

The band's eponymous debut album, ''Old School Freight Train'', was met with considerable acclaim. ''Relix'' magazine, included them in their "Artists Too New to Know" series in May 2005. Daniel Gewertz of the ''Boston Herald'' called them: "The most talented young string band in the land."

Mandolin master David Grisman heard their music in the Fall of 2004 and invited them record at his Dawg Studios in Mill Valley, California. He manned the production and recording himself with the help of Dave Dennison. From these sessions came ''Run'', OSFT's second album and their first for Acoustic Disc, Grisman's acclaimed independent label. He says of the experience:

They have backed David Grisman as his band on several tours in 2005 and 2006. They opened for Merle Haggard on May 3, 2006, at the Charlottesville Pavilion. They were co-billed with King Wilkie at the Starr Hill Music Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia November 15, 2006. They played at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on September 23, 2006.

The band's tour schedule has included the Newport Folk Festival, MerleFest, Wintergrass, Strawberry Music Festival, and the Menokin Bluegrass Festival in Warsaw, Virginia. In 2007, they played the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California.

''Six Years'' was released on March 17, 2009. The group has since disbanded.

Reception

Tim Dickinson, National Affairs Correspondent for ''Rolling Stone'', said of the group's sound:

''Relix'' magazine, including OSFT in their "Artists Too New to Know" series in May 2005, described their playing as:

Daniel Gewertz of the ''Boston Herald'' noted:

David Grisman, who recorded their album ''Run'' on his independent label, said:

In his review of ''Six Years'', John Borgmeyer said in the ''C-Ville Weekly'':

Personnel

Old School Freight Train's vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist was Jesse Harper. Pete Frostic played mandolin, Nate Leath played fiddle, Darrell Muller played upright bass, and Nick Falk was the drummer.

Former members have included Ann Marie Calhoun (''née'' Simpson) on the fiddle, and Ben Krakauer on banjo. They went on to play in Walker's Run. Calhoun has also performed with Jethro Tull, Steve Vai, and well as Ringo Starr. She was also the "My GRAMMY Moment 2008" winner on the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards, chosen to perform with the Foo Fighters live.

Discography

Albums

*''Old School Freight Train'' (2002), Courthouse Records – ASIN: B000083GLJ
*''Pickin' On John Mayer: A Bluegrass Tribute'' (2003), Various Artists CMH Records
*''Pickin' On Wilco: Casino Side'' (2004), CMH Records – ASIN: B000294ROE
*''Run'' (2005), Acoustic Disc – ASIN: B00080Z66K
*''Pickin' On Coldplay: A Bluegrass Tribute'' (2005), Various Artists CMH Records – ASIN: B00070Q886
*''Pickin' On John Mayer Vol. 2'' (2005), Various Artists CMH Records
*''Live in Ashland'' (2006) – ASIN: B000WGX6LM
*''Six Years'' (2009) Red Distribution — ASIN: B001QWEE3A

Guest appearances

* Josh Ritter, '' Live at the 9:30 Club'' (April 19, 2008) – "Next to the Last True Romantic"

References

Further reading

*"New Dawgs: Old School Freight Train" by Rudi Greenberg, May 27, 2008, ''Express''
*"Old School Freight Train: Not a 1-way ticket" ''Lancaster New Era'', July 26, 2007

External links

MySpace Page
Old School Freight Train

profile
Old School Freight Train collection
at the Internet Archive's live music archive

{{Authority control

American bluegrass music groups
Musical groups from Virginia
American folk musical groups