The Bluegrass Review

Series produced by Philip Nusbaum

Series image
Image by: Shutterstock 

Bluegrass music's authoritative radio home.

The Bluegrass Review is a weekly 1-hour show which presents bluegrass music in a lively and informative format. Produced in two segments approximately 30 minutes apiece, each complete show is programmed in thematic bursts. For example the sample show #321 includes songs about hard work, guitarists who emphasize the bass end of the guitar's range in their soloing, and an interview with nationally-recognized autoharp player, Karen Mueller. The program includes frequent interviews and produced segments on topics that parallel concerns and interests of Bluegrass musicians and fans.

(PRX Feature Series image from Shutterstock.)


Additional Files

361 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: jazz88 logo 2022, Credit: Tim Nyberg (Octane Creative)
Turn Turn Turn is Barb Brynstad, Savannah Smith and Adam Levy. The trio’s new CD is called New Rays From An Old Sun, and showcases solo and 3-part ...

  • Added: Jan 13, 2023
  • Length: 08:00
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Early on the show we present a Gem of Bluegrass concerned with some of the musical sounds heard on records. Some seem like fads, but others display...

Bought by KVNF and WTIP


  • Added: Jan 06, 2018
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
After playing some recent bluegrass, we present one of this show’s musical interviews. We talk to Rebekah Long about her musical career, and what s...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer and WTIP


  • Added: Dec 26, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
On today's show, we focus on the bluegrass highlights of the previous year. Some developments could have been expected, yet some were surprising.

Bought by KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Dec 18, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 1
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
It’s Christmas on the Bluegrass Review. Bluegrass Artists share some of their thoughts at Christmas.

Bought by KVNF, KRPS, RadioFreePalmer, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, and WTIP


  • Added: Jan 10, 2018
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
After some new bluegrass to open the show, we play a couple of songs that reference “folks.” In bluegrass songs, “folks” are not exactly the same a...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Dec 06, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
After opening with recent Thomm Jutz work, we play a couple of songs that express singers’ differing relationships with home. The song Head Over He...

Bought by WTIP and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 25, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
We take care of a truck-connected overflow of songs, then consider the mood of bluegrass lonesome during the Gem of Bluegrass. We have a musical co...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 25, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Bluegrass songs frequently depict people on the bottoms of things, so we open with a couple of songs that mention just that. On the Gem of Bluegras...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 09, 2017
  • Length: 58:04
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
At the beginning of today’s show, we present songs of dangerous occupations, the type that are unlawful, too. Then, or Gem of Bluegrass revisits th...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, KSRQ, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Nov 09, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Realizing that there are a few more “sunny side” side songs to play, we do this that towards the beginning of the show. On our Gem of Bluegrass, we...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Oct 30, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Today’s Gem of Bluegrass focuses on the evolution of bluegrass banjo playing. Later on the show, we talk to Josh Krohn, singer, player and songwrit...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Oct 15, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The show opens with a pair of almost identical titles. Then it is on to the Gem of Bluegrass where we present the evolution of the song “There is a...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Oct 10, 2017
  • Length: 58:01
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Towards the beginning of the show, we present a couple of broken hearted melodies; one recent and the other from 1-20 years ago. On the Gem of Blue...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Oct 03, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
You might know that there is a lot of misery in personal relationships depicted in bluegrass songs. But that is not so in the Rebekah long and Donn...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, WTIP, and KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio


  • Added: Sep 24, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
After a couple of pieces of new Bluegrass, we play some recent pieces that could be considered pessimistic or optimistic. Then, the Gem of Bluegras...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, and WTIP


  • Added: Sep 20, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
Some say that every person alive has demons. The Grascals has a new song which tackles the subject head on. We follow that up with two songs where ...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, and WTIP


  • Added: Sep 12, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Phil Nusbaum w/2013 Zeitfunk, Credit: Karen Van Norman
The broadcast opens with recent songs of trains. Then, on the Gem of Bluegrass, we consider songs about truckers and cowboys. Some say that trucker...

Bought by RadioFreePalmer, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, and WTIP


  • Added: Sep 09, 2017
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 3

  • Added: Sep 05, 2017
  • Length: 39:46
Piece image
fund raising edition

  • Added: Sep 05, 2017
  • Length: 38:22