The Ruta Beggars

There’s something soothing about a wholesome country band and The Ruta Beggars certainly scratch that itch. Ever-Changing is a warm, bubbly and certainly “ever-changing” record that offers a classic country and folk essence. “Papa’s Got Ahold of the Wine” is full of beautiful vocal harmonies, twangy acoustic guitar and even some spectacularly beautiful violin flourishes. There’s something so bare-bones and yet so musically dense about this opening track. That sentiment applies to the entire album but The Ruta Beggars never get stuck in a rut.

“Red Carpet” makes the eclectic capabilities of this band abundantly clear. It’s a slightly slower and more somber track and it demonstrates that The Ruta Beggars knows how to compose and perform a pretty ballad, as well as a lively country belter. Again, the vocal harmonies are stunning on this tune. I was particularly mesmerized by the quickly-strummed guitar and banjo passages. That, coupled with a transfixing melody, is what makes this such a wonderful song.

“Ever-Changing Love” picks up the pace, offering some of the most mins-blowing guitar passages on the album. When acoustic guitar and banjo can sizzle just as ferociously as electric guitar in a rock anthem, that really is saying something about the sheer talent of a musical group. And the violin is also bewilderingly fast-paced on this track. I don’t know quite how they manage it, but these musicians are breathtakingly-skilled speed demons.

My favorite ballad on the entire release might be “Hold Me Close.” It’s a beautiful melody, made all the more powerful by the wonderful vocal duets between the male and female vocalists. But this band doesn’t just offer fantastic songwriting. They’re not content with simply churning out a beautiful melody. They also have to showcase their fantastic instrumental abilities. The violin solo on this track is another epic display of talent. The guitar-work, additionally, is sublime; I’m not somebody who really listens to country music, but The Ruta Beggars is a collective that would certainly give me cause to dip my toe farther into this genre.

Ever-Changing is an impressive album. There’s no reason to mince words. This is a group of ultra-talented people. Some musicians are skilled instrumentalists, and some musicians are skilled songwriters. The Ruta Beggars is full of musicians who cover both bases. This album is definitely worth your time. - Bored City

Sofía Chiarandini (fiddle), Micah Nicol (guitar), Noah Harrington (bass), Ariel Wyner (mandolin), Trevin Nelson (banjo) and Justin Moses (dobro) are The Ruta Beggars. The band initially formed in college and quickly became friends. They started to play music together and would soon be playing shows.

They have performed alongside Tony Trischka, opened for Lyle Lovett and headlined the stages of the largest bluegrass festivals in New England and beyond. On top of that they are also the winners of the Thomas Point Band competition of 2019, and were commissioned alongside the Steep Canyon Rangers to perform a Bluegrass Concerto at Freshgrass. Suffice it to say the band got to work and has had a good amount of success early on in their careers.

On their album Ever-Changing the band showcases some of their talent. They state “A typical theme of bluegrass music is the exploration of dark stories underpinned by peppy music.” The band showcases this on a couple of songs including “Papa’s Got Ahold of the Wine” which contains lyrics like “Don’t you know I’ve had the blues since your mama died / So let your daddy have some fun, cause Papa’s got a hold of the wine.”

They also tell complex love stories on songs like “Hold Me Close” and “The Way That You Loved Me.” It was evident to me that the group are storytellers. I found the lyrics well crafted and was able to find a narrative on each of the songs. Take for instance the hook on “Hold Me Close”. The vocalist sings “Hold me closer now, Just one more minute of your love It’s colder here somehow, for I should have kept you by my side I hope someday when we’re old and tired, we’ll meet again and pray Just hold me closer now”


So how does the music sound? The Ruta Beggars is a grade A bluegrass band. There’s a number of vocalists here and I enjoyed all of them. The thing that really separates them however are the vocal harmonies. There’s a blend of male and female voices which when combined sound inviting and warm.

It’s only that however, it’s the fact of how strategically placed the harmonies. There are added when needed to add some additional weight to the music.

As far as the instrumentation goes I was impressed from both a technical and creative perspective. The songs consist of organic instrumentation which often sounds like you’re hanging out in the same room as the band. There are some songs like “Ever-Changing Love” where you can’t help but appreciate how fast and accurate they can play. That being said, they have a dynamic presence. There are times where they lean into a slower timing where the warmth and emotion of the song boils over.

Furthermore, the album has a nice flow to it. It’s an album where you can just sit back and enjoy or easily dance to with someone. Take this one from me. You will not want to miss what they can do.

Heather Savage - Top Buzz Magazine

The Ruta Beggars composed of Micah Nicol (guitar), Sofia Chiarandini (fiddle), Ariel Wyner (mandolin), Trevin Nelson (banjo) and Noah Harrington (bass) is a bluegrass band currently based in Boston, MA. They have been featured on the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Showcase, Steve Martin’s Unreal Bluegrass, Brian O'Donovan's A Celtic Sojourn and the main stages of Joe Val, Grey Fox, Thomas Point, and Ossipee Bluegrass Festivals. The band also recently released an eight-song EP entitled Ever-Changing.

The band mentions their music is “traditional bluegrass and early swing to create a timeless act filled with intricate vocal harmonies, fiery instrumentals and plenty of fun. They start the album with “Papa’s Got Ahold of the Wine” and the band's talent is evident right off the bat. The song is as warm and inviting as sunshine. All the instrumentation is very organic and clean. There’s plenty of space to hear the vocals very clearly. This is a joyous and fun song to get things going.

The settle into a back and forth sway on “Red Carpet” which is a heartfelt song. There’s a low level sense of melancholy but also of gratitude. The vocal harmonies were exceptional and the instrumentation comes in when needed.

“Ever-Changing Love (feat. Justin Moses)” has some fast moving banjo playing and is a very dance worthy song. The song makes for one heck of knee slapping go time. The band is very much in the pocket and they nail the performances.

“Hold Me Close” is a song about heartbreak and a highlight to my ears. This song contained some of the most memorable vocal melodies. I also loved the instrumental breakdown around the two-and-a-half minute mark.

“Pass You By” was another highlight. The vocals were again memorable upon first listen and just another display of the band working as a cohesive single unit. They wisely slow things down with the lush and emotive “The Way That You Loved Me” while “Yodelin’ Yasmin” is a playful and jazzy sign with a lot of swing. The end with a nostalgic and reflective song called “I’ll Never Forget.”

​The band is full of very talented musicians and this album was very strong from beginning to end. Fans of bluegrass as well as like-minded genres should love this. Take a listen. - Pitch Perfect

Brought together at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the American Roots Program by their passion for bluegrass, The Ruta Beggars infuse traditional bluegrass and early swing to create a timeless act filled with intricate yet smooth vocal harmonies, fiery instrumentals, and plenty of fun. They have been praised for their creative yet tasteful arrangements and charming performances. The group became quick friends.

URL: https://www.therutabeggars.com/

They spend time jamming and busking together as well as time under the direction of Berklee faculty (Dave Hollander, Matt Glaser, Darol Angor, Tony Trischka, et al) as a bluegrass band. In the last five years as a touring group, they’ve released two recorded projects full of original material (The Ruta Beggars’ Ever-Changing) and an album of novel arrangements of traditional songs (Folk Tales) with plans for another original album recorded later this year. The band has performed alongside Tony Trischka, as an opener for Lyle Lovett, and headlined the stages of the largest bluegrass festivals in New England and beyond (as far as Dallas, TX, IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, Northern Lights Festival in Big River, Saskatchewan). They also are the winners of the Thomas Point Band competition of 2019, and were commissioned alongside the Steep Canyon Rangers to perform a Bluegrass Concerto at FreshGrass music festival in North Adams, MA.

The Ruta Beggars is a bluegrass band that primarily appeals to those gathered around the fence demarcating traditionalists and progressive bluegrass fans. In addition to a strong core of hard-driving and tasteful replications of a bluegrass performance, they incorporate fiery instrumentals and sweet harmony that supports heartfelt compositions. You’ll hear influences as well as outright depictions of swing music, especially in their vocal arrangements. Ever-Changing is an album that speaks of evolution and adaptation.

Whether it’s to do with the changing nature of a love relationship, as it is in the album’s title track, or adapting to a loss as in “Red Carpet” or “The Way That You Loved Me.” The album was produced by Justin Moses & The Ruta Beggars. Recorded and mixed by Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound Studios; Boston, MA. Mastered by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering; Boulder, CO. The group is made up of: Sofía Chiarandini (fiddle), Micah Nicol (guitar), Noah Harrington (bass), Ariel Wyner (mandolin), Trevin Nelson (banjo), and Justin Moses (dobro). - The Hollywood Digest