Well I found a much more flattering review of Arnie Naiman and Chris Coole. Although this is a review of their first CD, I think it is worthwhile posting. To me this is more of what I thought a review was about - to highlight rather than criticize 'knit picky' insignificant things.

Banjo Newsletter: The 5-String Banjo Magazine April 1998 Northern Clawhammer - Arnie Naiman and Chris Coole
by Donald Nitchie

Arnie Naiman and Chris Coole have released "5 Strings Attached With No Backing" on Merriweather Records, which I mentioned last month as especially enjoyable. Arnie and Chris play clawhammer, usually on alternate cuts, along with guitar accompaniment by Kathy Reid, although two tunes are banjo duets. From the first strains of Chris Coole's Winfeild's Fancy, I knew I'd like this record. The tune has an infectiously lilting melodic line that had me hitting the repeat button - and prompted me to call up Arnie and ask for the tab. (Recent polls from Folk DJ list on the internet have placed this CD high on their list, with Winfield's Fancy especially popular on Us radio shows.)

The rest of the record is just as good - a balanced combination of traditional tunes and originals with cleanly played and well-recorded banjo. Arnie's Don Valley Ramble is another mid-tempo gem that mixes tradtional and contemporary (i.e.: melodic) elements. The traditional Elkhorn Ridge features a great duet between Chris's clawhammer and Arnie's finger-picked banjos, with fine vocals. Bloody Red River is a bluesy rendition of a Gerry Milnes tune, while The Blackest Crow is a crooked solo clawhammer piece by Arnie (adapted from Brad Leftwich's version). I especially liked Arnie's Fretless, played on a nylon-string fretless made by Ken Bloom, tuned down low. In fact, I found all the original tunes surprisingly catchy: Trip to Restoule, with its quick chord changes, Sam's Dream, with its graceful pauses, and Mind the Gap, with its descending lullaby-like melody. Other tunes include versions of Country Blues (from Dock Boggs), Sally Ann Johnson, Darlin' Nelly Grey (from Kyle Creed), John Henry and Ducks on the Pond.

I'd say this is a clawhammer recording with enough variety to appeal to banjo lovers of all stripes. Includes banjo tunings and keys.

Arnie Naiman has been playing music in and around Toronto for the past twenty-five years, for ten of which he was a member of the duo The Potato Pancakes. In recent years he plays with Ragged But Right and The Extraordinary Stringband. Arnie has been on the staff of The Woods Music and Dance Camp in Ontario. He occationally plays banjo in the Virginia based stringband Uncle Henry's Favorites, which was a finalist at the Fiddlers Grove string and contest in 1997 and '81, and also at Clifftop in 1994. He plays clawhammer, fiddle and guitar.

Chris Coole is a licensed "Busker" on the streets of Toronto. He's performed at the Mariposa Festival, Eaglewood and The Celtic Continuum, and performs regularly in Toronto. He currently plays guitar and sings in the bluegrass band One Horse Town. He volunteers at Augusta Heritage Center and also teacher banjo in Toronto.