MohaviSoul:Encore
Dwight Worden, April 2025
MohaviSoul is out with its seventh bluegrass album, titled Encore. The recording is well done, showing off the skills of band members Randy Hanson on vocals and mandolin, Mark Miller on guitar and vocals, Dan Sankey on fiddle and vocals, Jason Weiss on banjo and vocals, and Ben Bostic on upright bass. It presents a nice mix of tunes and story songs, and even a Rolling Stone’s song that listeners will find pleasing.
The record’s strong suit includes the lead singing of Mark Miller, which grabs the listener right out of the box on “Shine Like Stars,” accompanied by strong instrumentation and fine banjo by Jason Weiss. You will also hear the lead singing of band leader Randy Hanson on several of these tunes, with carefully done accompanying harmony vocals.
The recording is well-structured, nicely performed, well-recorded, and carefully mixed and mastered. The fiddle and banjo do a nice dance throughout, trading licks and soloing. The bass is solid as is the rhythm guitar playing and mandolin. But, with only one short guitar solo, it might have been nice to hear more guitar solo for a bit of variety. There is one waltz-time tune and one 6/8 tune that bring some different color to the project to break up the standard bluegrass tempos and rhythms that help to keep the project interesting.
Listeners who are already MohaviSoul fans or who appreciation bluegrass music will enjoy this new album.
Self-titled: MohaviSoul
Lee Zimmerman, February 24, 2025
It’s clear while listening to certain bands that they’re certainly adept at what they’re doing. However when musicians also make it clear that they’re actually having fun, and exercising their prolific prowess at the same time, the experience becomes all the more memorable.
That’s part of the allure that MohaviSoul brings to the table. Their new, self-titled album — which the band heralds as a change in their trajectory — is flush with attitude and engagement. Granted, much of that exuberance has to do with an allegiance to form. Bluegrass is, in itself, an irresistibly effusive genre, and it’s indicative of Mohavisoul’s ties to tradition that their delivery stays true to those timeless trappings. Yet more than that, certain songs — a cover of the 1920s-era classic, Prisoner’s Song, the easy lope of Full Circle, and the turbulent tale imagined in Old River Knows in particular — are so unabashedly effusive it’s almost as if the band simply disregards any preconceived boundaries in favor of making enthusiasm their real priority.
After all, how many outfits would find themselves inspired to pen an ode to a canine companion (Dog in the Middle) and not turn it into a tearjerker in the process? Or point out the need to plot one’s forward motion based on common sense alone (Hurry Up and Wait, Get Lucky Again)? Even when they take a momentary respite, as per the gentle waltz that defines their take on Fastball’s pop hit, The Way, they do so by incorporating a supple sway and a mandolin solo to liken it to an old-time serenade. Their cover of the SteelDrivers’ To Be Here Again shows both sentiment and sensitivity, as does their compelling version of the Dillard & Clark classic, With Care From Someone.
The band, made up of Randy Hanson (mandolin, vocals), Mark Miller ( guitar, vocals), Jason Weiss (banjo, vocals), Daniel Sankey (fiddle, vocals), and Ben Bostwick (bass), doesn’t always focus on irony and anticipation, but when they do, they do so in a way that’s both subtle and serendipitous. A decided departure from Mohavisoul’s five previous albums, this particular effort allows for a subtle change in tone. Here again, their allegiance to certain archival origins is evident throughout, as borne out by the aforementioned Prisoner’s Song and the compelling closing track, Live and Let Live, a song that earned immortality once it was covered by Wiley Walker and Gene Sullivan in 1941, and Rose Maddox, Bill Monroe, and the Del McCoury Band later on..
With this eponymous effort, Mohavisoul can claim to have upped their game. As a result, it bodes well for all that will follow.
This San Diego band takes its name from the Mojave Desert in California combined with their brand of bluegrass “soul.” Members are Randy Hanson (mandolin), Mark Miller (guitar), Orion Boucher (bass), and Jason Weiss (banjo). Guests artists include John Mailander (fiddle), and Will Jaffe (resonator guitar).
Songwriting is split between Miller and Hanson who also share the lead vocals. Lots of good songs here including “Gettie Up,” “On My Way,” “Stay Tuned,” “Until I Go,” “Dirty Shame,” and “Dozen Roses.” Other songs include “Lay Your Needle Down,” “Drinker’s Lament,” “Ferguson Fight,” “Contrary Lovers,” and the title-cut “Hometown Blues.” Instrumentally, the band is quite good, as demonstrated in many of the arrangements with strong banjo and fiddle performances. The vocals are out front from both Miller and Hanson with harmony blends from Boucher and Weiss. This is fairly nice outing for the group. (www.mohavisoul.com)
San Diego based MohaviSoul has released their 3rd album called “Hometown Blues” on Mannequin Vanity Records. Randy Hanson and Mark Miller are established bluegrass writers and have combined their efforts to come up with one of the best contemporary bluegrass albums.
Band Members include Mark Miller (guitar, vocals,) Randy Hanson (Mandolin, Vocals), Orion Boucher (Bass, Vocals), Jason Weiss (banjo, Vocals) and features by John Mailander(Fiddle), and Will Jaffe (Dobro). The band is able to blend all types of bluegrass, that include traditional, newgrass and original material. It is bluegrass from the soul and harkens back to the origins of bluegrass music blended explicitly with a contemporary sound. Their Outstanding playing on all tracks tell they love what they do.” On My Way” best exemplifies each player solo instrumentation and ability to blend their unique sound. The song “Until I Go” energizes those listening to want to get up and dance till the morning light. It is a great blend of roots and newgrass. If You get a chance
to see them in concert do so. You will not be disappointed. They make you feel right at home.
MohaviSoul takes its name from the Mohave desert of California and in the five years of its existence, they’ve developed their own blend of bluegrass soul. The band consists of the songwriters Mark Miller on guitar and vocals, Randy Hanson on mandolin and vocals and Jason Weiss on banjo and vocals, Orion Boucher on bass and vocals, Dan Sankey on violin and vocals, and will Jaffe on dobro. Also appearing is guest John Mailander on fiddle. The songs have an instrumental tower of power with banjo and fiddle in the forefront. “Gettie Up” is a tribute to early pioneers and their fortitude to get going and succeed. “Hometown Blues” opens with a flurry of banjo notes as the singer looks back: “home is deep in my heart,” “On My Way” is another return to home song, and “Contrary Lovers” offers some insights into the lyrics in opposition: “you do when you don’t.” The nostalgic “Lay Your Needle Down” references the old fashioned record player and the yesterdays when you made pictures inside your head. One song stands out as a contemporary commentary: “Ferguson Fight.” The song focuses on the riots over the police shootings and advises the people to “take on the fight, but don’t you go and steal the night.” MohaviSoul has strong potential, but needs more vocal and tempo variety.