Bluegrass?

Peter Rowan
The Good 'ol boys
Old and in the Way
Earl Scrubb & Flatt(? spelling - memory failing here)
and Bill Munroe of course

The 'Rough Guide to Bluegrass' and the soundtrack to 'O Brother' are also worth picking up as are the Garcia/Grisman collaborations

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."

Gillian Welch,

I'm playing her DVD and I just love it!

I'm a big fan of bluegrass, but in particular, "modern" bluegrass (some call it "newgrass") like Alison Krauss/Union Station, Jerry Douglas, and Nickel Creek.

Just saw a broadcast of Austin City Limits with Nickel Creek paired with mountain music master Ralph Stanley ... it was heaven. Nickel Creek is awesome in the true, non-au courant sense ... I was in awe. Supreme musicality married to supreme virtuosity, both in singing and playing, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of the genre. They played a rousing version of The Beatles' Taxman, complete with the opening of George Harrison's quirky guitar solo played note-perfect on mandolin and then taking off into the stratosphere.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

As Jez mentioned this soundtrack has some nice music. It's also available on vinyl.






A DVD called 'Down from the Mountain' has interviews with the performers who made the music for the soundtrack followed by a concert performance. Very nice, I'm really liking DVD.

Thanks Sean - I just couldn't remember the names ...Scrubbs

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."

I bough Alison Krauss New Favourites on the strength of this forum-not regretted it at all.

If you want something related try Heartland- An Appalachian Anthology. A 'classical music' album I guess, Yo Yo Ma Joshua Bell, Mark O'Connor and others. The playing is of a high standard.

Bruce

Wolf,
may I suggest you have a listen to anything from Iris Dement .

I am lucky enough to have seen both her and Alison Krause + Union station Live (not on same bill) and if you like Alison's work then I think you will the work of Iris.

Is the music Bluegrass?, not too sure but I rate it and I think it is well worth a listen.

Roy T

Like Fred, I'm a big fan of Alison Krauss, Union Station, Jerry Douglas et al. Indeed I've been harping on about them to anyone who'll listen for the past year.

For some specific suggestions try Jerry Douglas "Lookout For Hope" and "Slide Rule", The Stevens Sisters "Little By Little" and Dan Tyminski "Carry Me Across The Mountain".

I can also recommend Chris Thiles' solo albums: "Leading Off", "Stealing Second" and "Not All Who Wander Are Lost".

Dave

Hi t..hair,

Love alison krauss, but check out the 'Be Good Tanyas; Threee women harmonising playing banjoes + great natural recording!!

Mad Boy Matt

quote:

---

One of the joys of the "TW Riders" evenings is David introducing us to this music. He recommended the Roots Music - An American Journeywhich has been on my player non stop since it arrived on Monday.

---

I'm delighted you're enjoying it,Tom. It's a cracking collection.

I went to see Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, who feature on Roots Music, at the Arches in Glasgow last Friday. Terrific gig and great venue too. I'll bring along their latest this evening.

Dave

Wolf

I've been thinking about starting a Bluegrass thread but you beat me to it!
I'm a fairly recent convert to Bluegrass and have been on a CD buying spree recently. The CD I bought first was 'The Rough Guide to Bluegrass'. Nothing I've bought since has given me quite as much pleasure, all the tracks are expertly chosen and it really is fantastic introduction to the genre.

You could also check out the following:

Ralph Stanley's latest solo album - all great but the opening track - sung without any instuments - is spine tingling.

Ralph Stanley - Saturday Night/Sunday Morning

The Country Gentlemen - 25 years and 'On the Road With'
Great 'old timey' Bluegrass

Bluegrass 96
If you like your grass hard and fast check out this; awesome banjo playing.

Nickel Creek
Beautiful, technically brilliant playing, although I personally find them a little naive in the lyrics department.

Gillian Welch - Time the Revalator Extraordinary, don't hesitate, just get it!

Earl Scruggs - 'Rockin Across the Country'
One of my favourite albums, full stop. Not available on CD, but well worth tracking down on vinyl. Some of the best tracks are however available on his 'Artists Choice' CD.

Bela Fleck - Drive/Natural Bridge
Really pushes the boundaries of what's possible in Bluegrass. Drive is more 'traditional'. Natural Bridge is more experimental and nearer to modern classical music!

Ricky Scaggs - Bluegrass Rules!
This guy was contractually banned from playing Bluegrass by his country music record label for years. This is the first album he made after his contract ran out. You can really feel his utter joy in every track - marvellous stuff.

There are also some good compilations on the Rounder Records and Smithsonian labels.

enjoy!

Nick

Hi, I agree Gillian Welch and her partner David Rawlings are wonderful traditional musicians. But I have seen them here in Nashville a couple of times and have their recordings. I can tell y'all that they are certainly not bluegrass; they are, rather, sensational players of what is becoming known as "Americana." For Bluegrass I can strongly recommend Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. She will blow you away.

You beat me to it

quote:

---

Originally posted by Sean2:
I never realised bluegrass was still such a living thing, I'll certainly check out some of these 'newgrass' albums, but for now I'll stick on a bit of Flatt and Scruggs to get me going...

---

Some others:

• Jim & Jesse McReynolds
• Jimmy Martin
• The Stanley Bro.s' (Ralph Stanley)

Some of the more recent names can include:

• Ricky Scaggs
• Kentucky Thunder
• Del McCrory

Full disclosure: these are names given to me by my dad, who grew up with all this and I believe knows it pretty darned well.

Side note - check out KPFA on Sundays, or KVMR on most days for some more of this.

Cheers

Keith.

If you're looking to dip your toe in the bluegrass waters, anything and everything by Hot Rize, the premiere group of the 80s, is a great place to start. Great musicianship, great vocals, and not particularly high, lonesome or twangy, which can be off-putting to some. The earlier stuff had more energy, and the later stuff is a little smoother and very well recorded.
They would come out at intermission as Red Knuckles and His Trailblazers, dressed in goofy hats and sunglasses, and do great western swing.
The David Grisman Rounder Album, an all-star recording from the 70s, is essential. Superb musicians and vocals, low twang factor

Wow I actually started a meaningful list.

I have the O Brother and watched the Down from the Mountian video on TV. Love the work. New grass, old grass, doesn't matter to me I just like music in the folk tradition. I also have a local on the west coast Laurie Lewis plays a mean fiddle and writes her own material.I also think dylan's Latest, Love and Theft is one of his best with great roots/roadhouse music to his lyrics.

Thanks guys

I notice that no one has mentioned the Dave Grisman/Jerry Garcia albums of new grass. I am currently enthralled with them. Excellent recordings and very nice acoustic work. Anything on Grisman's label, (forgot the name) is probably worth looking at.
Tim E. - Seattle

quote:

---

I notice that no one has mentioned the Dave Grisman/Jerry Garcia albums

---

and from the second post in this thread...

quote:

---

are also worth picking up as are the Garcia/Grisman collaborations

---

http://www.dawgnet.com/

"All systems are perfectly designed to get the results they get."