Life of Sorrow

David Grisman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 8, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Acoustic Disc
• ASIN: B00009WVT6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,303 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack has inspired labels far and wide to dig into their vaults and release bluegrass and old-time tracks that might never have been heard otherwise. Veteran bluegrass mandolin picker and devotee David Grisman probably needed little prodding, but with Life of Sorrow, he's reached into his vast tape archives and pulled out previously unreleased tracks he recorded with bluegrass luminaries like Mac Wiseman, Del McCoury, and Ralph Stanley, who sings a stirring rendition of "Man of Constant Sorrow." Other artists include the late John Hartford, who plays on the lovely banjo-mandolin duet "Doin' My Time," Autoharp player and singer Bryan Bowers ("Farther Along"), and folklorist Ralph Rinzler, the man who first inspired Grisman to pick up the mandolin. Grisman's exemplary mandolin playing here is strictly in the bluegrass tradition, leaving behind the jazzy excursions that characterize his own "Dawg" style of music. But it’s a delightful paradox that the most progressive of musicians plays some of his most moving solos in this traditional setting. --Michael Simmons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Zen bluegrass wisdom from D. Grisman collaborations 1969-98, August 14, 2003

By 

J. Ross "a-music_fan" (Roseburg, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Life of Sorrow (Audio CD)

Playing Time - 60:08 -- Suffering, sorrow, heartache and distress. They're facts of life, and bluegrass music is full of sad stories. We learn from others' tales of pain, and we realize that sadness eventually touches all of us in life. To some extent, bluegrass music teaches us to respect these feelings and gives us insight on how to deal with sorrow.

Taking this theme, David Grisman has searched his recording archives to find musical collaborations (some rather minimalist) dating from 1969-98 with friends Pat Enright, Alan O'Bryant, Del McCoury, Ralph Stanley, John Hartford, Herb Pedersen, Mac Wiseman, Ralph Rinzler, John Nagy, Bryan Bowers and others. Grisman's mandolin is in the forefront of each song's mix, and we even find David providing vocal parts on over half of the 15 cuts on this one-hour project. While Grisman isn't primarily known as a singer, I liked his lead vocals, especially when paired up with the tenors of Del McCoury (We Can't Be Darlings Anymore, Unwanted Love, Cabin of Love), Ralph Stanley (Man of Constant Sorrow), Alan O'Bryant (Tragic Romance), and Herb Pedersen (Seven Year Blues).

The repertoire is drawn largely from the vaults of standard traditional material, and bluegrass material of the fifties. The CD comes with a 20-page insert that includes lyrics and Grisman's notes about each song, as well as some personal reflections about his musical friends. The fact that we suffer means that we are alive, and traditional bluegrass music lovers know that listening to songs about anguish and misery often have the paradoxical effect of providing uplifiting experiences and inspiration. After the conclusion of "Farther Along" (sung by Bryan Bowers), a few bonus minutes by Mac Wiseman and David Grisman encourage us to "Keep on the Sunnyside of Life." There is a great deal of Zen wisdom found in bluegrass music, and David Grisman manages to present some of it here. Perhaps the key message is that treading a path of sorrow is not something to be avoided, but rather is a journey that will only make us stronger. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)