Skip Hop & Wobble
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Free Music Notes for Skip Hop & Wobble
Free Music Review: Satisfies My Desire for More "Strength in Numbers!"
Hit: 5 Stars
"The Telluride Sessions" by Strength in Numbers has been one of my favorite recordings since it came out around 1990. So far, the instrumental masters Jerry Douglas (dobro), Edgar Meyer (string bass), Mark O'Connor (fiddle), Bela Fleck (banjo) and Sam Bush (mandolin) have only done one complete--and superb--album together. Fortunately, they continue to appear on each other's albums, and often in new groups, such as this one featuring Douglas and Meyer, with the outstanding guitarist Russ Barenberg.While Strength in Numbers explores a blending of bluegrass, jazz, classical, folk, blues and even reggae, here Douglas/Barenburg/Meyer stick closer to the bluegrass and folksy side of things, probably because of the presence of a guitar player on all the cuts.
This is a pleasant instrumental CD to put on and listen to, especially as background music in my school library. While the virtuosity of these guys is apparant on all the cuts--and they blend together nicely--it never comes out and "wows" you like it does on "Strength."
I gave this CD a 5 star rating because I really do enjoy it. But on those days when I really need a musical pick-me-up, I still put on Strength in Numbers. I hope all five guys get together again, but in the mean time, this is one of the albums that satisfies my cravings, along with Bela Fleck's "Tales from the Acoustic Planet," as well as "Appalachia Waltz" and "Appalachian Journey" by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor and "Uncommon Ritual" by Edgar Meyer, with Bela Fleck and Mike Marshall.
Free Music Review: Fantastic
Hit: 5 Stars
It seems that many of the reviews make the inevitable comparison to the Strength in #s disk, the Telluride session. Those who do not care for this work seem to be disappointed that this is not the same disk as that milestone in new acoustic/progressive bluegrass/newgrass/call it what you will music. But, to me, that is sort of the point. This disk stands up well, even compared to that masterpiece. It is actually more accessible, in part because of Russ Barenberg's gentle guitar. His pieces are brilliant in their simplicity. His playing, while perhaps more economical than that of, say, Tony Rice or David Grier, is clean and ever so tasteful (and tasty). And Jerry and Edgar - well, what more can be said? They are simply brilliant. There is a delightful sense of humor that pervades many of these tracks - Squeezy Pig, Why Don't you go Back to the Woods, others. For sheer brilliance, there is Ankara to Izmir, Jerry Douglas' masterpiece, which also features mind-bending bass work from Edgar. Sam Bush is underutilized on the couple of tracks on which he appears.
Suffice to say, if you are a fan of newgrass music, you probably already have this disk. If you don't, what are you waiting for? Take it on its own terms, & I promise, you will not be disappointed. Until Jerry & Edgar team up with Sam, Bela & Mark O'Connor again, this is the best album of its genre since Strength in Numbers. That's pretty darn good, & well worthy of 5 stars.
Free Music Review: More stars plz, kthnx.
Hit: 5 Stars
Plenty of strong reviews, and the disk is worthy of all praise, and more than five stars. My reasoning for this recapitulates another reveiwer's experience:
Was bombing across the Palouse (flatlands of eastern Oregon) recently, heading for the coast, and put this CD in...listened to The Hymn of Ordinary Motion, From Ankara to Izmir, The Travels of Mr. Hulot...and realized that hours into this trip, I wanted nothing more in the world than to be right there, in that moment...hearing these guys play, with my wife and daughter peacefully asleep as we crept across that vastness. I literally had tears of joy.
We are, most of us, most of the time, far removed from any deep appreciation of the moments in which we live. Any music that can bring you closer to that appreciation is to be treasured, and is beyond criticism. (Well, for me anyway.) I've bought three of these CDs (AFTER I downloaded most of the tracks) and I still feel I owe these guys.
Your results may vary, but aside from any potential cosmic results, the virtuosity of the playing and the creativity and humor and raw beauty found variously in these tracks make it one of the best CDs I've ever heard.
Free Music Review: Celebrates the gift of hearing!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Let me first of all say I grew up in Arkansas but yet I have a very low tolerance for bluegrass. I know those people. The mobile home jokes? The sister/aunt/double step-nephew kinfolk? Bill Clinton? It's all true. So I know what bluegrass is and thankfully I know what bluegrass ISN'T. THIS ISN'T BLUEGRASS.This is incredible acoustic jazz and traditional folk played on traditional bluegrass instruments. The reviewer who wrote "Satisfies My Desire for More "Strength in Numbers" is dead on the money. In fact, that was the very reason I bought this disc without hearing it. If anything, this album is even better! Meyer's phrasing on bass solos have never been better. Douglas' (the Eric Johnson of the dobro)work just keeps getting more and more creative. In my opinion this is his best work. Marshall fills in all the gaps with superb guitar and mandolin.
Here on earth, The Years Between and Travels of Mr. Hulot were listened to driving across the Utah desert at sunset. I had to dry off the tears from the steering wheel when it ended playing.
Buy this cd and dwell on how wonderful the gift of listening really is
Free Music Review: Open Your Ears
Hit: 5 Stars
I am constantly astonished by the compositional skills, emsemble work, and flat out picking virtuosity that is displayed on "Skip, Hop, and Wobble." One could make a case that this effort is driven by any of the Bareberg/Douglas/Meyer triumverate, but that would miss the point. Like "Strength in Numbers," and the original "David Grisman Quintet" effort, "Skip, Hop, and Wobble" defies catagorization - forget about any preconceptions about bluegrass, jazz, classical, or whatever musical orientation brought you to this offering and just enjoy the mystery to the intro of "The Earl of Hynford/Open the Present" medley, the humour of "Squeezy Pig" and "Why Don't You Go Back to the Woods", the majesty of "The Years Between" and "Here on Earth", and the flat out drive of "Big Bug Shuffle" and "Big Sciota." And while you're at it, marvel at how much variety and complexity can be achieved with three instruments at the lower end of the tonal universe.