Andrea Zonn - John Cutliffe reviews her beautiful new album Love Goes On
Andrea Zonn is not a name you might recognize immediately and yet fans of any good country music will have heard her play. She has been a member of Vince Gill's band for many years after arriving in Nashville at the age of 16. She has also worked with Lyle Lovett, Trisha Yearwood, George Jones and Alison Krauss. She was already a firm friend of Alison's having found a common bond at the many fiddle festivals they both attended since they were both kids.

Andrea's musical roots are not pure bluegrass or country though. She began in the formal world of classical violin but at 10 discovered bluegrass music and the fiddling freedom and fun it offered. These days Andrea's style is all her own whether it is with Vince or playing more traditional bluegrass, jazz or even Celtic music with another long time musical partner Alison Brown. I saw Andrea play with both recently at Merlefest and she easily moved from one style to another making the fiddle sing at every turn along the way. I also saw her watch the other bands from the side of the stage and it was obvious she was drinking in all the music she could.

So it is no surprise that her new CD, Love Goes On is such a great album. Andrea draws on so many of her influences and invites many of her friends in the business to help her craft a CD filled with great songs but just as importantly filled with the music that Andrea has always wanted to record. Such is her standing among the music city community that the CD credits read like the Nashville phonebook. Alison Krauss is on the album of course but it also has Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Jerry Douglas, Darrell Scott, Alison Brown, Jon Randall Stewart, Tim O'Brien and Andrea's little brother Brian on bass.

The songs are hand picked from some of the finest writers in the business kicking off with the fine Heads Up For the Wrecking Ball by Beth Nielsen Chapman. She also tackles songs by Karla Bonoff, Neil Finn, Leslie Satcher and Paul Brady and I am sure makes all of them glad they are songwriters. Her version of Paul Brady's Love Goes On in particular is hauntingly beautiful and sublimely produced.

Those production credits go to Andrea herself as if she didn't have enough to do playing fiddles, violas, chin cellos as well as singing all the songs and many of the backing vocals herself. She is aided well though with the musicians on every track though from Jerry Douglas' genius lap steel to Alison Krauss's angelic backing vocals on Stained Glass Love. For me the one sending a shiver down my spine right now though is Galilee Road.

This is a truly lovely album. If you are a fan of Eddi Reader, Shawn Colvin, Maura O'Connell or any of those wonderful female singers who can make good songs even better, then you will love this. It is laid back and lively all in one, melancholy at times and full of joy on the next beat. It is as good a CD for a long road trip as it is for an evening in front of the fire with a good book (or with that special someone in your arms).

Andrea can be heard live on stage in the coming months with everyone from Alison Brown to James Taylor so if you want to catch her on stage then check out her website at http://www.andreazonn.com

ove Goes On is released on Compass Records.