In the Maze

Noam Pikelny | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 20, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Compass Records
• ASIN: B0002IQCBG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #79,755 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hip, yet very approachable, Newgrass, November 4, 2004

By 

Jan P. Dennis "Longboard jazzer" (Monument, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Maze (Audio CD)

You've got to respect Noam Pikelny. On his debut disc he features the crème de la crème of modern bluegrass musicians: David Grier, maybe the greatest flat-picking guitarist ever (pace the late great Clarence White) and Matt Flinner, probably the best young mandolin player on the scene today. I'm not familiar with fiddler Gabe Witcher, but he also makes a huge impression.

That leader Pikelny can hang with these dudes speaks volumes about his place in the pantheon of modern bluegrass practitioners.

And, not doubt about it, he can more than hang, both from the standpoint of shear musicianship as well as compositional excellence. All the tunes are his, and each not only exudes an entirely authentic, though by no means static, understanding of the bluegrass aesthetic; they all come across as creative extensions of the tradition.

Certainly one of the most exciting discs to come out of the Newgrass movement, this music should be heard by anyone who has even the slightest affinity for creatively reconfigured traditional Appalachian stylings.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best acoustic instrumental albums of any genre., January 5, 2005

By 

Henry "henrynelson" (Teaneck, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Maze (Audio CD)

This album transcends bluegrass but preserves a distinctly American flavor of music.

Each song on the album is a great composition and the group's playing on all instruments is outstanding.

This is clearly one of the finest instrumental albums of any genre.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You should buy this..., February 20, 2007

By 

Keith Knowles (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Maze (Audio CD)

Found Noam Pikelny via Chris Thile's new endeavor, How to Grow a Band which led me to purchase this CD. I am a newbie to Bluegrass / Newgrass, but this CD is in the top echelon of my listenings. Instrumentalists are awesome, but above all these are great compositions. Music has a fluidity and ease that makes for a really enjoyable listen. David Grier is an unbelievable guitarist and a great compliment to Pikelny's music and banjo stylings. Give this guy a listen, he's going to be around for awhile.