Customer Reviews

The Bluegrass Compact Disc, V. 2

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What began in 1981 as a one-off collaboration among some of the bluegrass world's hottest pickers eventually expanded to six volumes. Between The Bluegrass Compact Disc Vol. 1 & 2, you have nearly the complete first four volumes.

While the equally excellent Vol. 1 had some contemporary numbers (The Flying Burrito Brothers "Devil In Disguise," Jim Croce's "Age"), Vol. 2 is strictly traditional bluegrass. Bill Monroe songs include "Toy Heart," "Molly & Tenbrooks" and "Letter From My Darlin'." Then there are the covers of Flatt and Scruggs' "Your Love Is Like a Flower," "So Happy I'll Be" and "Down the Road." (Altogether, these three wrote fifteen of the twenty-one tracks.) Other featured songwriters include Jimmy Martin and Bobby Osborne.

Bluegrass playing does not get any better than this. Tony Rice is one of the best voices in bluegrass music and he is a superb flatpick guitar player. J.D. Crowe ranks up there with Earl Scruggs as a master banjo picker. There is no one better than Jerry Douglas on the Dobro. Rounding out the band are Doyle Lawson (mandolin), Bobby Hicks (fiddle) and Todd Phillips (bass). These are all top-notch players. But don't get the mistaken notion that this is merely technically perfect bluegrass music. This is music with heart and soul. In the album's liner notes, Rice takes about the excitement present during these recordings. "I was really surprised to hear how much it sounded like this group had been working together for years. I think the contributing factor here is that all of us are from the same 'school' of bluegrass music."

If you're familiar with bluegrass music, you'll recognize all the players on this disc. If you're new to bluegrass, this would be an excellent place to start. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

This CD, just like Volume 1, has it all - astonishing and soulful picking, extraordinary harmony singing, and a good choice of songs. There's something wonderful to be found in just about every cut. Some of my favorites: J.D. Crowe's banjo solo in "Molly and Tenbrooks", the harmonies and vocal counterpoint in "So Happy I'll Be", and Jerry Douglas's licks in "Big Spike Hammer". Somebody else could pick three others, though, and I probably wouldn't disagree with him. Bluegrass doesn't get any better than this.

I wanted to follow up about the compilation contents.
If you buy "The Bluegrass Compact Disc" and "The Bluegrass Compact Disc, Vol.2" you will have the first FOUR volumes originally released on vinyl with only FIVE tracks missing in total (about %10). Not bad for much less than half the cost.

The missing tracks are:
(Volume 1: 02. We Can't Be Darlings Anymore),(Volume 2: 02. We May Meet Again Someday,05. Back to the Cross),(Volume 3: 11. Wall Around Your Heart),(Volume 4: 09. I Might Take You Back Again)