Breakdown: Original Live Recordings 1973 Vol. II [Live]

Vassar Clements, David Grisman, Peter Rowan, Jerry Garcia, Old & In The Way | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 18, 1997)
• Original Release Date: November 18, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Acoustic Disc
• ASIN: B00000391Q
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,627 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #7 in Music > Rock > Jam Bands > Bluegrass Jam Bands
  • #8 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Jambands
  • #29 in Music > Indie Music > Country > Bluegrass

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Short-lived and with only a limited output, this five-piece bluegrass band nevertheless helped spread the gospel of this extraordinary genre via the famous coattails of its most notorious member: Jerry Garcia. However, they were no novelty act. Breakdown is the second posthumous release culled from a series of 1973 concerts in San Francisco. At a robust 70 minutes, the album flows like a complete live set, featuring scrumptious musicianship and harmonious camaraderie. Much better than the eponymous debut from 1975--and a perfect second volume companion to 1996's equally worthy That High Lonesome Sound--Breakdown features covers of greats Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs, originals by the band's guitarist Peter Rowan, fiddler Vassar Clements and banjoist Garcia. A must own for any fan of acoustic music and a great primer for bluegrass neophytes. --Greg Emmanuel

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They are no fluke, March 25, 2001

By 

Ephraim Khalife (Southeastern USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakdown: Original Live Recordings 1973 Vol. II (Audio CD)

Many folks are initially suspect of Old & In the Way's authenticity considering the group includes Jerry Garcia. Let there be no doubts of Garcia's bluegrass integrity (personally, I think he should have played more bluegrass.) Garcia introduced a whole new generation of folks to bluegrass...and most of them probably would not have heard it otherwise. That being said...onto the music review.

This is truly an all-star lineup: Vassar Clements! David Grisman, Peter Rowan & John Kahn round out the lineup. This amazing set of 19 tunes includes many classics like Bill Monroe's "Pig in a Pen," "Workin' On a Building." It includes the Rolling Stones "Wild Horses," which the group makes sound like a true bluegrass tune (this is no gimmick.) The playing is clean and tight. Also, this is the way bluegrass should be heard...LIVE! This music is ultimately learned in an oral tradition and from watching and jamming with others. Sure you can learn from books, but that strips the soul out of the tunes. Plus many songs are anonymous and there are many versions of the same tune passed down through the generations.

Peter Rowan's voice is splendid and is one of the best in the business. From breakneck speed banjo pickin' to soft country ballads, this disc has them all. This good 'ol string band music is a great way to enter the wide world of bluegrass (which has many sub-genres.)

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My eyes were opened, November 22, 2001

By 

secoulte (Lake Tahoe, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakdown: Original Live Recordings 1973 Vol. II (Audio CD)

I guess I was always aware of Bluegrass growing up, as my grandparents would always gather round the TV to watch Bill Monroe wail away on his mandolin but it wasn't until I started to explore Jerry Garcia's side projects that I realized how intricate and complex this music is, not to mention how talented the musicians are. From the opening introduction by Pete Rowan through old classics like the signature Panama Red, Working On A Building, and Pig in a Pen to an amazing rendition of the Rolling Stones' Wild Horses this album is a winner. As you listen to it you can't help but think that these guys are sitting on your portch in rocking chairs. It is an excellent recording that captures the essence of the work of this excursion in the mid seventies. If I could urge every Deadhead out there to learn one more thing about Jerry Garcia, it would be to appreciate his love for Bluegrass and Folk music. He has certainly done me a favour by introducing it to me. Also, check out Old & In The Way as well as That High Lonesome Sound, as both are equally superb. Thanks again Jerry, fare thee well.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than bluegrass, October 3, 2004

By 

Johnny Hodges (Clark Fork, ID United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Breakdown: Original Live Recordings 1973 Vol. II (Audio CD)

Pianist Bruce Hornsby once asserted that his favorite musics were bluegrass and jazz. Asked if that seemed like a disparate pair of choices, he commented that both emphasize precision musicianship and tight ensemble play. This bluegrass leans a bit toward the jazz side of the fence. A superficial listening might lead you to believe this is straight bluegrass, but start concentrating on the individual musicians, and there is a lot more going on than first meets the ears. The real star here is fiddle player Vassar Clements, who magically embellishes mightily on the melodic line without seeming to do so. Like the best jazz, the more carefully you listen, the more that is revealed. Just gets better with repeat play. Desert island CD for sure. Better sound quality and better and more material than either the companion "High Lonesome Sound" or the Rycodisk distillation of the two.