There's a lot of great, interesting music being made locally that isn't quite folk music: folk-rock, or alt-country, or folk with jazz leanings, and so on.

The Jay Stielstra Trio's new CD, "Don't Let Me Down Easy," is pure folk music, with no apologies. It's almost surprising to hear a new release with such an old-fashioned sort of sound — paradoxically, it stands out because it's so traditional.

That's not meant as a criticism. The spare instrumentation of this CD — gentle guitar strumming, occasionally spiced up with mandolin or dobro — perfectly suits the material, drawn from Stielstra's large catalog.

A resident of western Washtenaw County, Stielstra has been writing and singing his songs, many of which celebrate various aspects of Michigan, for several decades now. Many have been featured in musical plays, with "North Country Opera" and "Tittabawasee Jane" maybe the best known.

From left, Judy Banker, John Sayler and Jay Stielstra.

Last year Stielstra formed his trio, rounded out by singer-instrumentalists Judy Banker and John Sayler. It was a good move, especially for purposes of the new album; in particular, Banker's pure tones provide a nice counterpoint to Stielstra's weathered voice.

The songs chosen for the CD cover a lot of ground: broken romance, addressed in "Don't Let Me Down Easy," which also features one of the album's most memorable melodies; the past ("There Was a Time"); and life in Michigan, showcased in "Tittabawassee Jane" and "Manistee River Waltz." The closer, "It's a Wonder," charmingly marvels at pretty much the entire world.

There's humor here, too: "The Same Folks We Hated in High School" notes wryly how some things never change, and "Leave the Bottle" — a direction aimed at a waiter — needs no further explanation.

It's nice to run across such pure, direct folk music written and performed with the care exhibited here. This album is an important contribution to Stielstra's considerable legacy.

The Jay Stielstra Trio celebrate the release of "Don't Let Me Down Easy" with an appearance at 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, at Old Town Tavern, 122 W. Liberty St. There is no cover charge. The CD is available at Wazoo Records, 336 1/2 (upstairs) S. State St., and at shows.

Bob Needham is director of entertainment content for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at bobneedham@annarbor.com or 734-623-2541, and follow him on Twitter @bobneedham.