Thanks to MJ Turner of the Oregon Bluegrass Association and bassist for Portland's Barnyard Ruckus for this special guest review of Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen!

Frank Solivan's Dirty Kitchen

by MJ Turner

I first met the members of Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen at the Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley, CA in June of 2010. This was one happening week. The best part about it, at least for me, is that CBA (California Bluegrass Association) hosts a camp 3 days before the festival and the headliners teach the classes, camp with, jam with and hang out with the campers. This particular year as you might guess, Frank and his boys were headliners. By the end of camp, classes, staff/band performances and lots of all night jamming with them, it was abundantly clear that we were being taught by and playing with an immensely talented emerging bluegrass group.

If you have ever had the privilege of seeing Frank live, you have seen that he thoroughly throws all his heart, soul and passion into every song. Now, if you ever have the good fortune of being invited to a personal house concert, where Frank and the boys cook you dinner, schmooze with you while cooking, and then give you an “in your face” concert, do whatever it takes to get there! Frank is known for his gourmet cooking and seems to love preparing as much as performing. I have heard several people ask him if he leaves the kitchens at these house concerts really dirty and is that where he came up with the name. He just looks up and grins saying, naw, I just love getting down and dirty in the kitchen!

The band’s newest member, Dan Booth was my bass workshop instructor last year at camp. He is incredibly talented on several instruments and has a wicked lonesome voice. Dan is an asset to any band in every way; Frank, you got lucky dude! He is also a great teacher that has taught and encouraged me tremendously. His mentoring and support helped me get started in writing a dozen songs this year and helped me to be a valuable member in a really good bluegrass band. If you ever get a chance to take a bass workshop with him, don’t pass it up. The band’s “flat picker” extraordinaire is Lincoln Meyers. Mike Munford, holy smoking moly on the banjo, is just plain awesome.

O.K. So I was asked to actually write a bit about the DK CD. I have literally played mine to death, yet it still lives! As a matter of fact, last year driving to Wintergrass from Vancouver, a blizzard set in and it was a white out for over two hours. I saw 5 wrecks in 5 minutes in Chehalis alone. I happened to be listening to my DK CD when the storm hit. It ended up playing over and over cause I was so freaked out by the weather I was afraid to take my hands off the wheel. I guess it was an omen, cause that night quite unexpectedly, Frank showed up in the OBA (Oregon Bluegrass Association) suite. He had flown in to surprise his father Frank Sr. (a really sweet guy that has mentored and supported many children for years, heading up the “Kids on Bluegrass” in CA.) We all had a great time jamming with him throughout the weekend. The whole CD is a driving force that grabs your bluegrass soul from the first song to the last.

Don’t miss the opportunity to pick up this great CD at the festival and say hello and get to know these guys. This newly planted Pacific NW bluegrass gal is excited to have Dirty Kitchen here in our neck of the woods and proud to call them my friends.

Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen: Tarred & Feathered 

 
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen: Paul and Silas

In honor of the upcoming Seattle Folk Festival, we'll be profiling artists on the Hearth Music blog. These profiles will be a great way to get to know the artists and to listen to and discover their music.

Seattle Folk Festival

December 9-11, 2011

Columbia City Theater, Town Hall Seattle, and more!

www.seattlefolkfestival.com

Featuring Bryan John Appleby, Riley Baugus & Kirk Sutphin, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, Anna & Elizabeth, Laura Love & Orville Johnson, Kevin Murphy of the Moondoggies, Sons of Warren Oates, Youth Rescue Mission, Pharis & Jason Romero, Jackstraw, The Tallboys, Northern Departure, Brother Bear, Sean Flinn & The Royal We, The Canote Brothers, Ben Fisher, Goldfinch, Annie Ford & Gregory Paul, Alina Hardin