| | DGBX: The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience CD David Grisman Discography of CDs
 (1 Customer Review)
David Grisman's first love was bluegrass, and though most of his recordings have fallen into his nebulous jazz-leaning "Dawg music" non-category, Grisman has on occasion returned to bluegrass, always with exceptional results. His long-running David Grisman Quintet were still going strong when the mandolinist put together a working band called the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, featuring Keith Little on banjo, guitar, and vocals; Chad Manning on fiddle; Jim Nunally on guitar and vocals; and Grisman's son, Samson Grisman, on standup bass. This is no progressive "newgrass" album. DGBX is the real deal, bluegrass as Bill Monroe intended it: standard instrumentation and song structures, high harmonies, breakneck breakdowns, etc. The material is largely borrowed, from such unimpeachable sources as members of the Carter Family and the Stanley Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, and the great Charlie Poole, as well as that old favorite, "Traditional." A Grisman-penned instrumental , cleverly titled "Dawggy Mt. Breakdown," allows for some hot showcasing, but then so does the entire album: these guys are all pros, and when one of them slides into a solo, it's never less than impressive. Another Grisman original, "Old and in the Way," was originally performed by the short-lived '70s band of the same name, of which Grisman was a member and which also included the late Jerry Garcia on banjo, Vassar Clements on fiddle, and John Kahn on bass, as well as the still-kickin' Peter Rowan on guitar. Nothing much about the song has changed, except the folks playing it. That's the idea here: to stick with the basics. There's nothing tricky about DGBX -- this is unadulterated bluegrass, played and sung to perfection. ~ Jeff Tamarkin
Personnel: David Grisman (vocals, mandolin); Keith Little (vocals, guitar, banjo); Jim Nunally (vocals, guitar); Chad Manning (fiddle); Samson Grisman (bass instrument).
DGBX: The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience Music DGBX: The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience Songs | 1. | I'm Rollin' On |
| 2. | Baby Blue Eyes |
| 3. | Engine 143 |
| 4. | Baltimore Fire, The |
| 5. | Rubens Train |
| 6. | Dream of the Miner's Child |
| 7. | Dawggy Mt. Breakdown |
| 8. | Rock Hearts |
| 9. | Say Won't You Be Mine |
| 10. | You'll Be a Lost Ball |
| 11. | Down the Road |
| 12. | Old and in the Way |
| 13. | Are You Afraid to Die? |
| 14. | There Ain't Nobody Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone |
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DGBX: The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience Music Review Average Rating: (3 out of 5 stars)  ... and 1/2 ... Skilled mechanics tap the roots of bluegrass
Playing Time – 53:15 -- Originally from Hackensack, N.Y., David Grisman love for bluegrass music is long-lived. He began his professional career in bluegrass in the mid-1960s with Red Allen and the Kentuckians, Even Dozen Jug Band, and New York Ramblers. In 1967, he moved west to California to pursue endeavors that would build his reputation for multi-genre mandolin virtuosity. It’s heartwarming to see Dawg revisiting his musical roots with covers from the likes of Jim Eanes, A.P. Carter, Charlie Poole, Bill Otis, Carter Stanley, Jimmy Martin, and Flatt & Scruggs. Grisman penned “Dawggy Mt. Breakdown” and “Old and in the Way.” The former, of course, is used as the theme on NPR’s popular Car Talk show with the Tappet Brothers. The latter brings back a nostalgic remembrance of the ground-breaking 1974 album by the same name.
Joined by his son Samson on bass, the band is rounded out with some other stellar San Francisco Bay area musicians -- Jim Nunally (guitar, vocals), Keith Little (banjo, vocals), and Chad Manning (fiddle). Besides abundant session work, these guys have former experience with such well-known acts as Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton, Country Gentlemen, and John Reischman & the Jaybirds. I think the group would be an entertaining addition to the lineup at regional bluegrass festivals. This is an enjoyable and solidly-staged disc, but it seems to be lacking a little punch, stronger vocal presence, and better overall mix (especially for the vocal blends on choruses) that would elevate their music into the truly awe-inspiring category that will give you goosebumps. Their strength is their heartfelt dedication to traditional bluegrass, but perhaps they should look for new contemporary material to create their own sound. You’ve got to especially appreciate their snappy and high-geared instrumental work. Bill Monroe once said that bluegrass is like putting a motor together. The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience proves themselves as skilled mechanics who know what it takes to compatibly interpret and tap the roots of the genre. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)
Submitted by Joe Ross (Roseburg, OR.)
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