Tag: Albert Newberry

American Pirates debut album an American musical journey through 20th century

March 5, 2026 Zach Cooley No Comments

The debut album from Indiana-based folk rock band American Pirates could not be a more eclectic blend of nearly every genre imaginable. From the bluegrass medleys of “Big Rock Candy Mountain” to the beloved gospel standard “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” What a Friend is an album that can appeal to almost any musical taste. With artwork by Aaron Marshall and a story-like arc reminiscent of a progressive rock concept album, the 19-track record seamlessly blends classical, rock, jazz, gospel, folk, bluegrass, and country into one cohesive listening experience. Featuring piano virtuoso and Bland County native Albert Newberry, the group showcases extraordinary individual talent while maintaining a tight, unified sound. The opening prelude, a shape note hymn, “Conflict,” fuses vaudeville-era jazz a cappella four-part hymn singing, immediately signaling that this project will defy easy categorization. The sacred harp hymn weaves it way through the entire album, its tune serving as the backdrop for the acapella “Amazing Grace.” The Bob Dylan reminiscent “As It Is” delivers a hauntingly beautiful vocal and guitar from its composer Judah Allen, with Newberry providing understated yet powerful piano accompaniment. The Texas swing rendition of “Bye Bye Blackbird” is a pleasure from start to finish. “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” a song that can sometimes feel overdone, becomes not only palatable but thoroughly enjoyable in the hands of American Pirates, thanks to vivid storytelling from lead vocalist Aaron Jones at the outset and lively early jazz textures throughout. A modern take on the Carter Family’s “Sweet Fern” features delightful accordion from Jones and harmonica runs from Ray Major. An Appalachian folk rendition of “Mack the Knife,” blended with Dixieland jazz, stands out as both musically adventurous and theatrically compelling. The speaking and singing voices of both Jones and Allen transforms each note into not just an enjoyable listening experience, but a riveting storytelling moment. With all the sophistication found in modern music across genres, American Pirates retain the essential storytelling spirit of Appalachian ballads while incorporating some of the most refined and diverse sounds from around the world. Written and sung by Eli Sparks, “Slow It Down” carries a joyful, driving groove and offers a simple yet eloquent message about appreciating life’s small moments. Influences ranging from Blues Traveler to the horn-driven bands of the 1970s are evident here, making it a personal highlight. The gospel standard that gives the album its title, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” begins with a quiet, heavenly piano introduction from Newberry before building into a New Orleans jazz tempo and settling into a smooth classical-jazz fusion. “Intermezzo” opens with lighthearted band chatter before shifting into a dark, film noir-style narration layered with ghostly textures, all created by Aaron Jones with some sound design elements by Aaron Marshall and Liam Byrne. The piece culminates in a madrigal-inspired blend of classical and progressive rock elements. The aching lyrics of “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” are delivered in a vaudeville-style jazz arrangement, complete with a stirring horn section and gritty, heartfelt vocals by Jones. The waltz, “Little Orphan Annie,” may be the most haunting track on the record, featuring riveting violin by Justus Morgan, trombone by horn virtuoso Joshua Joy, and piano and award-worthy vocal performances by Jones. The brief 30-second coda of “Conflict II” transitions into the country-tinged love ballad “Consequence,” which echoes influences from Coldplay and Bruce Hornsby. Originally a Bach violin sonata, “Siciliano” is a classical gem showcasing Newberry and Jones’s dually refined touches at the piano with Marshall’s sound design electronics, and “Reverse Rag No. 3” continues that tradition of musical elegance, complete with hammering ivories and electrifying precision alongside a driving rhythm section and bold horns including the saxophone of My’Keal Bush. Though written by Jones, “Little Lamb” is a beautifully tranquil piano instrumental performed by Newberry. A moving a cappella rendition of “Amazing Grace,” followed by coffeehouse-style jazz riffs, further demonstrates the band’s remarkable versatility. The soulful, funky groove of “Sweet Joy,” written and sung by Jones, provides another highlight before the album concludes with a fitting reprisal of “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” Allen and Joy split drumming duties while Alex Kumar occasionally joined in on guitar and ukulele. Sparks plays bass guitar and tuba. Joy also played a Renaissance and Baroque-era brass instrument that serves as the direct predecessor to the modern trombone called the sackbut and added his banjo skills in the mix. In an era when much of mainstream music feels driven by spectacle rather than substance, it is astonishing that this independent octet is not front and center. What a Friend is worthy of every accolade the industry has to offer. It would be a shame for such a masterful debut to go unnoticed by mass audiences. For those in this region, there is an added point of pride: one of our own, Albert Newberry, is part of this exceptionally gifted group of musicians. These gentlemen are not confined to one—or even a handful—of genres. They can play and sing virtually anything, blending it all into one cohesive, deeply enjoyable sound that is simply and purely good music. What A Friend was produced by Andy Beargie and Max Riggle of Echo Park Studios in Bloomington, Indiana. Visit www.ampirates.com to learn how to get your copy of this must-have album today.

Strictly Observing

Bland natives bring eclectic sounds to holiday show

December 23, 2025December 23, 2025 Zach Cooley No Comments

Best friends and musicians extraordinaire Albert Newberry and Casey Lewis performed an eclectic holiday concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Wytheville on Saturday afternoon, December 20, blending jazz, country, bluegrass, gospel, and classical traditions into more than an hour of genre-defying Christmas music. The concert opened with one of my favorite Christmas carols, “Sleigh Ride,” delivered instrumentally in an unprecedented fusion of Newberry’s jazz piano brilliance and Lewis’s country-inflected guitar work. The result immediately set the tone for an afternoon that felt both reverent and joyfully adventurous. “This is a very special church for me,” Newberry told the audience in his introduction. “We filmed a series of videos with PBS Appalachia here.” One of those films went on to win a regional Emmy Award. Lewis was also featured in a separate PBS Appalachia series filmed at the Willowbrook Jackson Homestead Museum. “Silent Night” followed, with Lewis’s warm country vocals leading the way. A jazz-inspired instrumental of “My Favorite Things” proved to be an afternoon highlight before the duo leaned fully into bluegrass with the hymn “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem,” once again featuring Lewis on vocals. “Joy to the World” came next in a truly one-of-a-kind arrangement. “I was in a band when I lived in Indiana called The American Pirates,” Newberry explained. “The leader of the band, Aaron Jones, composed his own original arrangement to the song.” The duo then performed that version for the Wytheville audience, showcasing Lewis’s vocals once more. A particularly inventive rendition of “Carol of the Bells” followed, with the first verse performed at a standard tempo, the second at double speed, and the third slowed dramatically. The shifting tempos created a riveting interpretation of an already complex holiday piece. “This was originally a Ukrainian song,” Newberry noted. “Then it became very popular worldwide.” The 26-year-old Newberry—whose career bridges the worlds of international Russian culture and Appalachian roots—has come a long way from Bland County. A graduate of Indiana University and the Mannes School of Music in New York City, where he is now based and works as a teacher, accompanist, and gigging musician, he remains deeply loyal to his hometown. On December 20 alone, Newberry and Lewis performed two shows in Wytheville and spent much of their holiday break appearing at venues across Southwest Virginia, including the Millwald Theatre’s Ghost Light Bourbon Bar, the Draper Mercantile, and several local churches. Newberry’s natural musical ability was further showcased when he invited his father, Randy Newberry, to join him on stage. Randy demonstrated remarkable skill on the harmonica during instrumental performances of Ray Charles’s “Georgia on My Mind” and the jazz standard “Moondance.” Father and son, joined by Lewis, then delivered a deeply moving blues rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Next, well-known Bland County musician Buddy Taylor took the stage to sing lead vocals on Elvis Presley’s holiday standard “Blue Christmas,” followed by the hymn “Without Him.” The stage returned once more to Newberry and Lewis for a hauntingly beautiful version of “What Child Is This,” seamlessly blending classical, jazz, and country influences. Lewis followed with spirited vocals on “Go Tell It on the Mountain” before performing his original gospel composition, “I’m Coming Home”. That number was preceded by the Russian standard “Dark Eyes,” which Newberry performed in honor of his Russian heritage. “I’m half Russian,” he told the audience, “and this is a song you could hear playing in any bar in Russia. It’s also become very popular here in the United States.” Throughout the afternoon, I couldn’t help but notice how Newberry’s vigorous piano playing recalls the spirit of Vince Guaraldi. It felt especially fitting, then, that he closed the set with the classic “Linus and Lucy,” first featured in A Charlie Brown Christmas. It was the perfect ending to an extraordinary performance. There is no doubt that Casey Lewis possesses formidable talent, effortlessly translating his country and bluegrass roots into jazz and blues territory. A 28-year-old husband and father of two with another child on the way, the native Bland Countian works as a machinist at Pascor Atlantic Corporation. Prior to the pandemic, he completed a national tour with acclaimed bluegrass act Cane Mill Road. Yet it was Newberry who left me truly awestruck. The way he snarls his nose as he bears down on the piano—attacking the keys with the ferocity of Jerry Lee Lewis and the refinement of Elgar—makes it clear there is no genre beyond his reach. To witness such world-class musicianship from a Southwest Virginia native now commanding stages in New York and beyond is nothing short of remarkable. His success is well deserved, and we are fortunate that he remains loyal to his hometown, returning often to share his gifts. I know I am better for having finally experienced one of his performances.

Strictly Observing