Customer Reviews

Backwaters

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
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This is one of my favorite Tony Rice albums. The song COMMON GROUND is one of the main songs I point "new" people to when they are curious and want to hear what Tony means by the term "spacegrass". It's not just Tony that makes this album great though. Bassist Todd Phillips is one of the best players in this genre and the thick, woody tone of his bass is captured in full force on this recording. And check out the Civil War feel on the song BACKWATERS when Todd bows his bass!

I've heard several guitarist-centered bands play MY FAVORITE THINGS and for my tastes, this is the definitive recorded "guitar version" of this song. MY FAVORITE THINGS belongs to Coltrane and Rice, although a few others try it.

OH! And since people reading this may not be too familiar with it, this is one of Tony's all instrumental albums.

Backwaters is and album that I have owned for years! Anyone who would like to experience what true acoustic music should be would do well to purchase this CD. Tony Rice continually delivers the three key elements to great guitar playing: TONE, TASTE, and TIMING. A great album for aspiring acoustic musicians.

This is a fantastic album of great acoustic music, played fabulously well by awesome players. Tony Rice especially, plays some exquisite, exciting guitar lines throughout this record. His playing is powerful, clean, and crystal clear. You can feel his love of this music, and he absolutely tears it up.

Is there anything less than pure gold here? Well, it's only 35 minutes long - a bit on the short side. Musically my only complaint would be against the rhythm accompaniment, which on a few ocassions gets a little bit repetitive. After the same chord progression has gone around for about the 10th time, I tend to really miss the subtlety that a jazz musician would bring to the proceedings. The chords and bass-lines seem to be banged out in the same fashion over and over again in a few spots.

But this is only a slight disappointment. It's not as if there's no subtlety at all here; there's plenty. And anyway, this complaint is outweighed by the fine, fine playing of Tony Rice, and by that of his terrific band-mates Richard Greene and Fred Carpenter on violin, and John Reischman on mandolin. You must check out the terrific tunes and the great playing on this wonderful album!

Refined playing, excellent adaptations of standards, and engaging original tunes. This album really shows the potential that Dawg music has as an art form. I never get tired of listening to this. This is one disc that I would choose in my top ten "desert island" discs. You must buy this disc.

This album has the ability to take the listener to another place, and is some of the best of jazz I have heard.

An amazing mix of jazz and bluegrass, the artists have wonderful precision and depth, making this not only a musical and spiritual landmark, but a technical feat.

Definately well worth the money; no music lover should be without it.

In this CD jazz is very prevalent, but it with a very obvious bluegrass backround. With this, the music has a certain air to it that makes it what it what Tony Rice calls "spacegrass". One of my favorite CD's. I am very stunned by Rice's musical ability and openness.

You'll love this CD. I bought it on a whim based on a great review, and it's the best move I've ever made. Go for it!

This CD doesn't need another review. I just wanted to say I got to see the Tony Rice Unit at the Elizabeth Moose a number of times in the early 90s, and Tony was very nice. I always talked to him and to his brother Wyatt during the break and after the show. He showed me his famous guitar (from Clarence White) and we talked about the guy that works on it for him. Also talked about the Tony Rice model that Wyatt played. The Moose was a great place with a relaxed atmosphere, so maybe that had something to do with it. That early 90s version of the Tony Rice Unit with the Simkins brothers and Jimmy Gaudreau was amazing. And they were all nice guys.

I can't add much to what's been written already. Excellent playing. Acoustic spacegrass jazz? Just exquisite music. Add this, "The Telluride Sessions" and "Skip Hop and Wobble" to your acoustic music collection.
Timeless.

Tony Rice is a big headed jerk. I've met him a few times and that's my impression. However, having said that I must say that to me, his work is extremely compelling. Listen, there's a hundred and one talentless clowns in pop rock and country who have made millions and I guess if I were Tony RIce I'd be rather bitter too.He's just never really gotten the accolades and MONEY he deserves. His body of work is excellent and this effort in particular still moves and excites me years after I first heard it.He is with no doubt one of the great guitar players of this century. Worth your $.