[.ca] Hootenanny

From Amazon.com:
Dedication, precision, and grace can happily coexist with frivolity and creativity, as flat-picking guitarist David Grier has proved often in the past. Combining incredible technique, masterful timing, plenty of soul, and sheer enjoyment is what Grier does best--Hootenanny, the debut release on his own Dreadnought Recordings, continues this trend. Along with kindred spirits Tim O'Brien (mandolin, fiddle, bouzouki, the occasional off-beat vocal) and Dirk Powell (banjo, fiddle, accordion, bass), Grier invests a wide range of traditional and original material with a distinct old-time flair. The pared-down arrangements give Grier ample space to make his statements, whether with lighting-quick but unhurried leads or with nifty supporting passages. Speedy fiddle tunes accompany down-home blues, winsome ballads, and vibrant reels and rags. As usual, he makes the decades-old sound refreshingly new, and his remarkable guitar work seems to only improve with time, the function of a man who rarely takes the instrument off his neck. --Marc Greilsamer

Very nice all around:
This isn't as powerful an effort as, say, "Freewheeling", but it's certainly a solid album. All the tunes, as can be expected from Grier, are inevntive and masterfully performed, but tracks such as High Dad in the Morning and Ragtime Annie just aren't as compelling as the tunes themselves have the potential to be. On the other hand, Little Rabbit, Have You Ever Been to England, and Have You Ever Seen the Devil Uncle Joe (or maybe just Uncle Joe) are straight up smoking, and the arrangements of Clinch Mountain Backstep, Old Joe Clark, and especially Red-Haired Boy are intriguing...they realy opened up my perception of what's possible with those tunes. All in all, a solid album worth having, especially if you're a guitar player. In my view, David Grier stands out above all other flatpickers of the post-Norman Blake/Tony Rice generation.

Outstanding!:
David Grier is a master musician. This is an excellent CD. I want to be just like him if I grow up.

Classic.:
This is very gritty, traditional sounding folk jams.......by a virtuostic acoustic flat picker, and it kicks butt. Minimalist in the instumentation, heavy guitar picking and fiddle playing...it rocks, ...in a down home, county fair and hooteny kind of way. True to its name.

A showcase for an incredible musician:
David Grier .... is the finest flatpicking guitarist in the world today. He has expanded upon the foundation established by Doc Watson, Clarence White, and Tony Rice to bring flatpicking to a new level of innovation. Acoustic Guitar magazine chose Grier as one of only 15 "Artists of the Decade" because of his originality and musicianship. In selecting him, they also selected this CD, Hootenanny, as essential listening. Because of the trio format used on this CD (Grier is joined by Dirk Powell and Tim O'Brien), Grier's guitar is given ample room to shine. The CD is a mix of traditional tunes and originals. The traditional tunes showcase Grier's ability to rework old chestnuts into something fresh. The original tunes showcase his songwriting abilities and innovative technique. "Have You Ever Been To England" is a favorite and perhaps the best example of Grier's playing, although it's difficult to capture Grier's diversity in a single tune or even a single CD. Note that if you're having trouble ordering Grier's CDs, they are also available via his web site.

• Little Rabbit
• Ragtime Annie
• Have You Ever Been to England
• High Dad in the Morning
• Lonnie and Maybelle
• Red Haired Boy
• Clinch Mountain Backstep
• Have You Ever Seen the Devil Uncle Joe
• Cascade
• Old Joe Clark
• Lonesome Road Blues