Tony Furtado first gained notice as a banjo-picking bluegrasser, but it’s been a while since he was that easy to categorize as a musician/songwriter. Nowadays, it’s his virtuoso slide guitar playing that captures the imagination, while his stylistic repertoire seems to be growing in several directions at once. Furtado displays his agile slide touch from track to track, but do make note of his work on “Bottle of Hope” and “The Angry Monk.” He revisits his banjo on the delightful Irish jig “Tinker’s Fancy.” One of the major highlights of the album, “Oh Berta, Berta,” is a Furtado arrangement of a traditional tune, driven by a deep, swamp blues, rhythm, and Furtado’s razor-sharp slide guitar. He sings convincingly on this number and also handles the vocal on a great version of “Staggerlee.” American Gypsy is Furtado’s finest album to date. Racked by At-Source Distribution.—PVV