Following decades of success in their respective careers, and exciting recent appearances at the Vancouver Folk Festival, Fresh Grass Festival, La Roche Bluegrass Festival (France), Northern California musicians Nell Robinson & Jim Nunally are releasing a new album of original material on February 15, 2019, Steel. The music transports you back to a time when artists freely spoke of their thoughts and beliefs. In a sense, Steel - produced and engineered by John Cuniberti (Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar) - continues the time-honored tradition of musical activism that made such acts as Janis Ian or Peter, Paul and Mary so unforgettable. Whether it be the title cut (an ode to Jim Nunally’s former life as a welder) or “Speed Limit,” a song about the fact that life doesn’t have to end at 40, the Nell & Jim Band own their story by continuing to release original and thought-provoking music.
Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally’s musical partnership began when Jim co-produced an album by Nell in 2010. Subsequently, the two recorded House & Garden (2013) harmonizing “in the vein of the Everly Brothers,” (Billboard). They partnered and toured on the album Rose of No Man’s Land (2014), produced by Joe Henry, featuring Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, John Doe, and author Maxine Hong Kingston. Since then, love has blossomed between the two and they’ve expanded from a duo to a quintet with Jim Kerwin on bass fiddle (Jerry Garcia, Yo-Yo Ma, David Grisman), Alex Aspinall on percussion (Chris O’Connell & the SmartAlecks, Silvestre Martinez), and Rob Reich on accordion, keys (Gaucho, Circus Bella). A live filming and recording of their last album Baby Let’s Take the Long Way Home (2017) - and a film of the Rose of No Man’s Land live show - became PBS Music Gone Public series specials that continue to air on national television.
Having appeared at the Kennedy Center, Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Kate Wolf Music Festival and Strawberry Music Festival, the band continues to tour both nationally and internationally.
“Steel has the fingerprints of our histories, our lives, our artistic friends and band members all over it. Like Steel, we look to age with beauty and strength and originality.”
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“Nell & Jim Band’s Steel delivers sparkling harmonies, clever songwriting, rapturous and rollicking instrumentals, carrying us through the ambiguities and promises of life, love, and hope.”
“A set of songs with presence, enjoyable from beginning to end.”
“There’s an earthiness to these cuts that will almost make you think you are listening to some alternate cuts from a Carter Family session from the 1930s. The writing and the instrumentation will no doubt take you back.”
“The sheer purity of their voices, and stark arrangements of these songs, and the gorgeous lyrics.”
“Fans of Americana and roots music will, naturally, love this release.”
“The term ‘all star band’ has bandied around the mainstream music scene for so long that it virtually has no bounce. However, there are occasions when it isn’t just some public relations puffery designed to shifts a few more units. Instead, it genuinely reflects a rare convergence of enormous talents. The teaming of Jim Nunally with vocalist Nell Robinson deserves top billing on its own.”
“We are playing STEEL, Nell & Jim Band’s new album of mostly original music on WEXT. How do you make a record that marries the old with the new? How do you keep fresh and yet sound like great, old-fashioned music? I don’t know, but if you ask Nell & Jim, you’ll find your answer. We love STEEL.””
“Steel is superb, full of complex colors, intricate textures, and alluring rhythms, along with charming vocals and flawless instrumental performances.”
“Dime In My Pocket” — Nunally’s reedy voice infuses the tune with marvelous textures.”
“Red Clay Creek” rides a smooth folk-country melody that conjures up memories of Joan Baez.”
“Man At The Mill” if luscious twang accompanied by picking guitars and a banjo tickles your fancy.”
One of the best and most captivating tracks is “Meditation Blues,” on which Nunally delivers a stunning a cappella performance.”
“Steel is tantalizingly excellent, delivering delicious down-home country flavors, creamy rhythms, and marvelous melodies.”
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