Customer Reviews

Ready to Go

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

 

 

A lot of debut albums by wildly talented musicians are so insistent on demonstrating the virtuosity of the player that they alienate the lay listener. Not so with this one. Though always technically dazzling, Sutton's playing on "Ready to Go" is melodic and tasteful, almost self-consciously restrained. Anyone who has heard his flame-thrower solos on Ricky Skaggs' recent albums needs no further proof of Sutton's abilities, but what's even more impressive is that on this album Sutton proves himself an excellent writer(Decision at Glady Fork, The Good Deed), as well as a virtuoso player outside the bluegrass idiom (Minor Swing, Lady Be Good). A lot of "player" albums out of Nashville disappoint because, for some reason, many technically-minded musicians never fully cultivate musical taste. They seem not to know when to back off. Sutton though ranks with people like Tony Rice, Kenny Smith, and Norman Blake who make you say 'wow' as much with their playing as with their music. This album has the added advantage of being incredibly well-mixed/produced, so you get the full-bore sound of Sutton's guitar. Highly recommended.

I don't rate many albums with 5 stars. They have to really knock me for a loop and this album does the trick. A great mixture as stated by others of traditional bluegrass along with a beautiful rendition of Reinhardt and Grapelli's Minor Swing and Gershwins Lady Be Good. I also was very impressed with each of the vocal tracks which added a unique flavor to the collection of songs. The harmony of the Isaacs on The Water is Wide was worth the album alone.

Bryan Sutton blazes on the acoustic guitar. The different guitars played are lovingly displayed on the insert. Sutton who is from Asheville, North Carolina was part of Ricky Skaggs' Kentucky Thunder band. This CD is full of fast instrumentals like the opener, "Decision at Glady Fork." "Highland Rim," "Walk Among the Woods," "Grover's Glen," and the fast little reel "Tater Patch" all display similar dexterity. A pitfall for a CD with many instrumentals is that they may start to sound similar. For the most part, Sutton escapes this dilemma. Ricky Skaggs' mandolin and Aubrie Haynie's fiddle spark the bluegrass tune "Blue Night" with a guest vocal by Pat Enright of the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Bill Monroe's "Brown County Breakdown" is remade as a fast guitar romp with Haynie's blazing fiddle dueling with Sutton's guitar. Sutton also recasts a number of songs. From U2's "Rattle & Hum," he takes "When Love Comes to Town" and gives it an old-timey country feel. "Minor Swing" catches a bluegrass groove with Haynie's fiddle joining Sutton on guitar. Gospel singer Becky Isaacs Bowman does a stately folk vocal on the lovely "The Water Is Wide." Sutton played on Dolly Parton's "The Grass Is Blue"; she returns the favor with a passionate vocal on her song "Smoky Mountain Memories." George and Ira Gershwin's "Lady Be Good" is given a great treatment. The three tunes which honor his grandfather in "Chief's Medley" take you to a time in the North Carolina mountains when an 8 year old learned to play from watching his granddad. The CD closes with a stunning instrumental of just solo guitar, "The Good Deed." The wistful emotions Sutton wrenches from the guitar and tune are worth the price of the CD. If you've heard Sutton on The Dixie Chic's "Fly" CD or with Skaggs or Parton or are just looking for a strong acoustic guitar, this is one you'll want to take home!

I saw Bryan Sutton perform last year at a Bela Fleck bluegrass show. Tony Rice was out with a hand injury and Bryan was the sub. With all due respect (and there is a lot due), I did not miss Tony one bit. Bryan showed some chops that are very comperable to the master.

After seeing that performance, I noticed he had a new album coming out, so I picked it up. This album does not disappoint. From the blazing picking of the first track, "Decision at Glady Fork", to the Django's "Minor Swing", U2's "When Love Comes to Town", and some fine compositions by Bryan himself, Bryan and friends show their extraordinary talent.

Bryan is joined by folks like Jerry Douglas, Ricky Skaggs, Ron Block and others. There is even a song done with Dolly Parton. Bryan's playing is worthy of such distinguished company, and his song writing and arranging is sublime. This is a great album for any bluegrass/newgrass fan, or anyone amazed by the skill of great musicians.

Bryan Sutton is a guitar player extraordinare and this CD is an excellent recording from him! I can't say enough about the picking on this album. It is so very enjoyable. Bryan's picking is clean and precise. This is a great bluegrass album with many of the top flight bluegrass pickers of today.

To make it short and sweet - buy this album, you will be impressed!

Bryan Sutton's new CD "Ready To Go" is the best you can get when it comes to picking a guitar. But, the highlight of this album is Dolly Parton. Dolly sings lead on her song "Smoky Mountain Memories" while Bryan plays guitar. Overall 5 stars for Sutton's "Ready To Go"

No doubt about it, Bryan Sutton can really play. Decision At Glady Fork and Minor Swing, in particular, capture his technical ability and his musicianship. He swings and flies along, seemingly without any possibility of making a mistake. At first listen, I thought the the music on this disc, for all its polish, was bit soulless; and while none of the songs will make your skin crawl like that high lonesome sound of yore, this is a beautifully contrsucted disc, with a great variety of tunes. It may not have any of the terror of the Stanley Brothers, but it will make a great addition to anyone's growing acoustic music collection.

I went to Enka High School with Bryan, in Asheville,NC,and had the opportunity to perform with him on many occasions. The best moments, however were the impromptu sessions either before or after rehearsals, when purely improvising, Bryan would completely enrichen and illuminate with his accompaniment, whatever piece was being played. Absolutely the most phenomenal talent I have ever witnessed. I recall one day, shortly before graduation, Bryan and I were talking about what the future held. Bryan asked me, half-kiddng, if in the event I didn't do anything in music could he have my songs. My long since forgotten, painfully youthful, overwrought songs! I doubt he even remembers the conversation. I was absolutely flattered. Funny stuff. Of course my chosen path has taken me away from the music industry as a profession, but to no one's surprise, Bryan is enjoying the success few deserve and even less achieve. Let me assure you, Bryan's boundless talent is exceeded only by his genuine humility. Congratulations, Bryan, on your first solo album.