Dick Weissman Pioneer Nights CD

What does one arrive at by crossing old-time music with Django Reinhardt and jazz-grass? Well, basically a beautifully strange album like Pioneer Nights. Banjoist/12-string guitarist Dick Weissman and violinist/guitarist Gary Keiski team up in various combinations to play 18 originals that, genre-wise, defy category. "Mr. Banjeaurine Man" is a lovely banjo piece that lazily twists and turns toward no particular destination, while "Wolfgang's Banjo" glides along like a lullaby. The opening "Django's Dilemma," featuring banjo and fiddle, is one of the most intriguing, addicting pieces on the album. This is the type of instrumental that Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli would have played had they been born in Appalachia instead of Paris. Although known as a banjo player, Weissman's guitar work is equally impressive. There is a lovely, bossa nova-flavored piece titled "Breeze-il," and a dusty, Far East meets Wild West piece called "Superstition Mountain." His guitar work has an open quality that may remind some of John Fahey or the later work of Leo Kottke, but Weissman's compositions and phrasings are more distinct, more attention-grabbing. Critics often fall back on the old cliché of "this artist isn't as well-known as he should be," mostly due the frustration felt when a wonderful artist isn't given proper recognition. At least one can be thankful that labels like Wind River put artists like Weissman and Keiski in the studio and let their eccentric geniuses run wild. The liner notes by Weissman provide lots of nice tidbits on individual pieces, and on his inspiration for the album. Pioneer Nights is a beautiful album and should be warmly welcomed by everyone who loves original acoustic instrumentals. Don't miss it. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Dick Weissman is a composer and instrumentalist. In this album with fiddler-guitarist Gary Keiski the two explore a variety of instrumental styles and textures. these are newly composed pieces that include a considerable amount of improvisation. Most of the duets include fiddle and banjo, while Alderbrook is a guitar duet. In addition to the duets, there are a number of banjo , guitar and twleve string solos. Delta Daybreak is a slide guitar tune played on the 12 string, and Superstition Mountain is a musical portrait of the Navajo reservation.

Recorded at FTM Studios, Denver, Colorado. Includes liner notes by Dick Weissman.

Recording information: FTM Studios, Denver, CO.

Personnel includes: Dick Weissman (guitar banjo, mandola, piano); Gary Kreiske (guitar, violin).