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Comment by Ron Kodish on May 4, 2009 at 7:51pm

The Summer Reign Trio - Opening "An Evening of Bluegrass", at Millbrook Playhouse, Saturday, May 9th.

Laura Orshaw, the leader of this central PA group, has been performing on stage since she was a young girl. Now 20, she is a veteran performer, who is well known in bluegrass circles as one of the most gifted musicians and vocalists on the east coast. Reading about her does not do her justice, to truly appreciate Laura Orshaw you want to see and hear her live.

Having played in numerous groups, this iteration of Laura Orshaw is a trio, and right away it can be seen that the group doesn't need any more added. Cory Kodish holds down the groove, with a competent, well timed and very nicely controlled guitar. He has a great technique and a clear understanding of his place, so a sound man can trust giving him the volume on the mic and letting him control his use of it. He has the ability to bounce back and forth between flatpicking a solo and an alternating bass chord foundation to the songs without varying volumes or rhythms.

George Wood modestly shows off his banjo skills and makes it look like anyone could play a very difficult instrument. He's one of those banjo players whose fingers hide behind his hand, so a thousand notes come out and it hardly looks like he's moving.

Laura Orshaw provides the melody with her seemingly effortless voice and fiddle. As talented as Laura is with her fiddle, her vocals come straight out of the hills of Old Time Appalachia, with her voice and fiddle competing to see which is better. There's a natural confidence and a willingness to travel some distance between notes that makes it distinctly old time without sounding like an impersonation.

The Summer Reign Trio's song selections are somehow familiar, but unique at the same time. They have a knack for picking the less common "standards", giving the listener a clear sense of something fresh and unique about this band that they like very much.