PRESS REVIEWS

Roots Run Deep CD Review [+ Show]
Mpls. St. Paul Magazine
Voted Best Local Folk/Roots Album of 2008

Finger-style guitarists Ben Woolman and Dan Schwarz traded in their traditional guitars for an acoustic baritone and lap-steel guitar, and the result was a new kind of acoustic music that seemed to grow organically out of these strangely paired instruments. By turns fiery and meditative, their first album was, we hope, a hint of even greater things to come.

Roots Run Deep CD Review [+ Show]
Minor 7th
Ben Woolman and Dan Schwartz team up for 10 instrumental works...

Ben Woolman and Dan Schwartz team up for 10 instrumental works on this acoustic collection of roots-based pop. Woolman, on acoustic baritone guitar, and Schwartz, on acoustic lap-steel, share songwriting credits on most of the original tracks. Their "First Waltz" shows a pleasant, nostalgic side, while "Blues for Buddy" features a percolating interplay between the two fingerstylists. Their reading of their lone cover, "Red River Valley," adds an evocative depth, breathing new life into this Americana musical icon, with Schwartz's moody lap steel particularly effective. "GLC" finds Woolman working out his baritone to a fine and nasty effect. It's nice to see these two talents of the Twin Cities coming together for such an enjoyable project. © Fred Kraus

New Roots Duo Concert Preview [+ Show]
Free Press - Viroqua, WI
It must have been a happy day for them when these fellows hit on calling their odd-ball, upbeat fingerpicking music “new roots.”...

It must have been a happy day for them when these fellows hit on calling their odd-ball, upbeat fingerpicking music “new roots.” It’s a name that fits the collaboration between Ben Woolman and Dan Schwartz. They’ve got a style all their own (that’s the new part), in part because of their instrumentation—Woolman plays acoustic baritone guitar and Schwartz lap steel. But they’ve also got a happy vibe and more than a hint of jazz influence that sets them apart. The roots part is a little harder to pin down. Could be their obvious care for and infectious curiosity about their instruments.

Six-String Paddle [+ Show]
Downtown Edition - Milwaukee, WI
"The sheer power of American finger-style guitar proves that a) Jimmy Page and all those characters...

"The sheer power of American finger-style guitar proves that a) Jimmy Page and all those characters may as well make their axe collections into rec room lamps, and b) at the hands of guys like Ben Woolman and Dan Schwartz and Michael Hedges and Billy McLaughlin there is life in that six-string paddle after all."

Ben Woolman CD Review [+ Show]
Bridge Guitar Reviews
"Woolman excels when he plays solo on his captivating, intimate...

"Woolman excels when he plays solo on his captivating, intimate and melancholic compositions. The album, Wisdom / Delusion, reflects a master of finger-style playing."

Ben Woolman Performance Quote [+ Show]
Mike Linderman, Songbird Cafe, Custer, SD
"Besides the obvious attention to craft evident in his playing skills...

"Besides the obvious attention to craft evident in his playing skills Ben considers what he does an art form, and it shows. Regardless of the style of music, he manages to put his own personal stamp on it. That he's a sincerely pleasant and positive young man with a ready smile doesn't hurt any either. As a concert venue we appreciate that the audience enjoyed the person as well as the performance. A pleasure to work with and we’re hopeful to get him back."

Dan Schwartz Performance Review [+ Show]
The Reporter - Spokane, WA
"Dan Schwartz is a very gifted young man. His music, inspired through life...

"Dan Schwartz is a very gifted young man. His music, inspired through life experiences, seemed to have great bonding elements with the crowd. The way he played the acoustic guitar was just amazing - full of talent and soul. His overall performance was superb."

Dan Schwartz CD Review  [+ Show]
Jim Walsh - Pioneer Press - St Paul, MN
"Schwartz's sophomore CD is an all-over-the-map exploration of funk, jazz and acoustic...

"Schwartz's sophomore CD is an all-over-the-map exploration of funk, jazz and acoustic music that should sing live. The new CD shows off his versatility, placing the Minneapolis finger-style guitarist square in the spotlight.”