David Grisman's musical interests have been so varied that he is impossible to categorize stylistically, one of the reasons he has long described his playing everywhere as "Dawg Music." This is a bit of an unusual outing, as it consists of a trio with bluegrass/folk guitarist/vocalist
Jim Hurst,
Grisman (mostly on mandolin), and his son Samson on bass.
Hurst has previously covered Roger Rasnake's "Cold Hard Business" and this version features his strong vocal and potent solos all around. The deliberate Latin-flavored "Vaya con Dios" was a hit for
Les Paul & Mary Ford and also covered by
Mel Tormé,
Nat King Cole, and numerous vocalists, though the trio tackles it as an intimate instrumental. "Sally Ann" is a decades-old traditional favorite of bluegrass pickers; the trio's interpretation seems effortless and Samson Grisman does a splendid job playing with the two veterans.
Hurst and
Grisman share the vocals in the traditional sorrowful country ballad "Mary of the Wild Moor," while Samson take the lead vocal in a potent version of the late
John Hartford's "I Wish We Had Our Time Again."
Stephen Foster's "Beautiful Dreamer" is one of his best-loved songs;
Grisman's shimmering mandolin lead stands out in this performance. The rest of the CD is equally strong, and the only shortcoming of the album is the omission of composer credits, as both musicians and fans may want to seek out earlier recordings of tunes unfamiliar to them for comparison. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden