By David Malachowski

A CD of songs related to the Hudson River is not that unusual these days, but one of this depth and grace is always welcome. Betty and the Baby Boomers — Betty Boomer, Jean Valla McAvoy, Paul Rubeo and Steve Stanne — sing and play old-school folk like it was brand spanking new.

Starting fittingly with “Down By the River” (no, not Neil Young classic) a single voice sings unaccompanied, until other voices join in, but never any instruments — and none are needed for this starkly beautiful beginning.

The sparkling “Sail Away Ladies” follows, a tale of the Tappan Zee, where acoustic guitars fiddles and dobros all mix. A lush, luxurious sound emerges here, and that is carried through the rest of the record.

Highpoints are the timeless “The Poughkeepsie Whaler,” haunting “Back Bay,” joyously ragtime “River Rag,” powerful “Go To The Water” and our neighbor Jay Ungar’s gorgeous “Ashokan Farewell.”

This is a work filled with glorious voices and an important theme; the life and health of our dear, beloved Hudson River. As they sing in “Sailing Up My Dirty Stream,” “sailing up my dirty stream/still I love it, and I’ll keep the dream/that someday though maybe not this year/my Hudson river will once again run clear.”

Amen to that.

David Malachowski is a guitarist, producer and freelance journalist living in Woodstock.