Customer Reviews

Potpourri of Bluegrass Jam

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

 

 

To my knowledge this marks the third release of this landmark recording. It was first released by Warner Bros. in 1973. Then after it went out of print, the indie label Ridge Runner rereleased it in 1978. And now we have this new edition. There are no bonus tracts, no demos or previously unreleased material, just the original eleven songs.

In 1972 when recording for this album began, the five core members of the group had just recently left their previous bands. Clarence White (lead guitar), of course, had just left the Byrds. Richard Greene (fiddle) and Peter Rowan (guitar, vocals) had parted ways with Seatrain. Bill Keith (banjo) had left Kweskin's Jug Band. And David Grisman (mandolin)had split from Earth Opera. They were joined by bassist John Kahn and drummer John Guerin, transforming themselves into the first bluegrass supergroup.

The album kicks off with a rollicking version of "Mule Skinner Blues" that has White's Telecaster crackling and popping and Greene's fiddle propelling this classic along at lightning speed.

Several songs are taken from Bill Monroe's repertoire. (Not surprising since both Rowan and Greene played with the master in the mid-Sixties.) These include "Blue and Lonesome," "Footprints in the Snow" and the instrumental "Roanoke," which Keith ignites with his stellar banjo playing leaving the rest of the band to hang on for dear life.

On the other instrumental, the classic fiddle tune "Soldier's Joy," White, Grisman, Keith and Rowan display their skills on their respective instruments as they share lead breaks.

Of the handful of originals, the Grisman-penned "Opus 57 in G Minor" showcases what he would later dub "Dawg" music as he fuses bluegrass and jazz. The other two originals were written by Peter Rowan: "Runways of the Moon" (co-written with fellow Seatrain alum Jim Roberts) is very reminiscent of late-era Byrds, and the album closer "Blue Mule," offers Peter's eye-witness account of what "really" happened that day at the racetrack between Molly and Tenbrooks.

This would be Muleskinner's lone release (Clarence White was killed by a drunk driver months after the album's release), but it's a classic. Any serious fan of bluegrass needs to add this to his collection. ESSENTIAL

It's so good to see this record available on CD!!! Muleskinner was perhaps bluegrass' one and only supergroup, featuring mandolinist David Grisman (well known for his solo work and pairings with Jerry Garcia), guitarist and former Byrd Clarence White, banjo master David Keith (Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys & Jim Kweskin's Jug Band), and folkster Peter Rowan (also a Monroe alumnus). This band, augmented by a drummer and bass player, do some fine versions of many chestnuts including "Muleskinner Blues" (an early sixties hit for the Fendermen). I heartily recommend this fine reissue!!

This fine disc is an early link in the chain between the Byrds and what eventually became progressive bluegrass. Well worth knowing.

As noted by some of the other reviews, this gem comes and goes out of print regularly and that's a shame. For every 100,000 copies of "Old And In The Way" in collections out there, there's probably only one of "Muleskinner". It's almost the same band--Richard Greene instead of Vassar (a tie--Greene more experimental, Vassar more traditional but that's OK), and Bill Keith, who's one million times the better banjo picker than Jerry Garcia could ever dream to be.....and Clarence White who had no replacement in OAITW. That makes "Muleskinner" the better of the two. So as good as OAITW is, if you liked it, you'll absolutely love "Muleskinner". Another curiosity: "Blue And Lonesome" which sounds like a Bill Monroe cover...has songwriter credited to Walter Jacobs...Little Walter!