Customer Reviews

Bluegrass Session

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have enjoyed this recording immensely since it first came out on LP. Not a bad song on the disc. Amazing playing and arranging. Genre defying virtuosity everywhere. A must-have in every way.

This is one of my favorite bluegrass albums. This album fuses traditional bluegrass with jazz, blues and, at times, has a lounge feel. Great album for your collection.

It's too bad that this CD is out of production. I grew up with this album on LP - no let down from A to B sides. Great for driving or just relaxing at home.

Despite the term "bluegrass" in the album title, this is really a great example of hillbilly jazz, a kind of resurrection of old string band jazz but with the speed and virtuosity of the best bluegrass pickers. This album shows Vassar at his most inventive. "Nine Pound Hammer" is a great example of a traditional bluegrass tune played through the lens of jazz. And it swings, baby, it swings!

This album is just so wonderful, but unfortunately so hard to get. I haven't had a copy for 25 years. Please re-release this somebody. Vassar, one of the all-time great fiddle players, sometimes forays into jazz but here he sticks to traditional material, which is what I most like to hear him do. But don't expect sparse - it's a big sound, with cracking tempos (tempi?) and a great singer whose name I've forgotten. My favourite ever versions of 'Rocky Top','6 more miles', and '9 lb hammer'. Essential.