Jerry Garcia and David Grisman- Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
(Numbered Hybrid SACD)
Track List
1. The Thrill Is Gone
2. Grateful Dawg
3. Two Soldiers
4. Friend of the Devil
5. Russian Lullaby
6. Dawg’s Waltz
7. Walkin’ Boss
8. Rockin’ Chair
9. Arabia
Jerry Garcia and David GrismanGarcia/Grismanon Numbered Edition Hybrid SACD from Mobile Fidelity
Contemporary Interest in Roots Music Kick-Started by Stellar Grammy-Nominated 1991 Collaboration
Recording Now As Realistic, Natural, Close-Up, Intimate, and Enveloping as Any Acoustic Record Released: 1st Time-Ever on SACD
Garcia and Grisman Put on Virtuosic Performance, Make Way Through Pop Standards, Blues Classics, Folk Staples, Bluegrass Jaunts, and More
Jerry Garciaachieved monumental accomplishments over a prolific career, yet the guitarist never sounded better than on his first official collaboration with longtime friend and fellow instrumental maestroDavid Grisman. Indeed, contemporary interest in roots music can be directly traced to this stellar Grammy-nominated 1991 collaboration. Putting distinctive rustic spins on pop standards, blues classics, and folk staples,the kindred musical spirits’ earnest authenticity and relaxed intimacy are matched only by virtuosic playing and superb production. As realistic, warm, close-up, and immersive as any acoustic album, Mobile Fidelity’s reissue raises the bar on the meaning of reference-standard.
Mastered from the original master tapes,Mobile Fidelity’s hybrid SACD ofGarcia/Grismantakes a record forever renowned for breathtaking sonics to another level. Originally released onGrisman’s fabled Acoustic Disc label and recorded at his plush studios, the album now sounds even more realistic&mdashwith distinctive tones, palpable air, smooth vocals, three-dimensional soundstaging, balanced imaging, and timbral extension that mirror the feeling and experience of hearing live music in a small space.
Unadorned with any post-production tricks or overdubs,Garcia/Grismanbreathes with naturalism and presence.You will effortlessly detect the full body of the instruments, witness the woody grain textures, and get lost in the surprisingly velvety qualities ofGarcia’s lullaby-like singing.Mobile Fidelity’s meticulous pressing also marks the first time this delightfully joyous affair has been issued on hybrid SACD.You will not hear a better-sounding Americana-styled recording.
Pals since the mid-1960s,Garcia and Grismanbonded over their love for traditional folk and bluegrass. The two teamed up amidst what became a gold rush of top-notch productivity and creativity forGarcia. Partnering with bassistJim Kerwinand percussionist/fiddlerJoe Craven, the pair approaches every passage with innate ease, as if either musician could finish the others sentence.The affable chemistry and soothing interplay wash over a selection of songs as notable for their diversity as the way Garcia and “Dawg” turn them into the equivalent of old friends you haven’t seen in years.
Exquisite melodies and jewel-shaped notes decorate the simple, convivial structures of tunes that hop, jump, skip, skitter, and bop.The atmosphere is reminiscent of the legendary gypsy-jazz exchanges between Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, and equally sharp. Swirling with Middle Eastern modality, the closing 16-minute-plus rendition ofGrisman’s rippling “Arabia”&mdashcomplete with a section based on a Cuban fold theme&mdashis alone enough worth the price of admission to this sensational session. But there’s so much more.
The quartet delves into Celtic themes (“Two Soldiers”), jazz-grass (“Grateful Dawg”), old-world ballads (“Russian Lullaby”), and Appalachian flavors (“Walkin’ Boss”) with nonpareil skill and soulfulness.GarciaandGrisman’s tandem picking throughout epitomize sublime. And for many listeners, the duo’s revised version of theGrateful Deadstaple “Friend of the Devil” ranks as the finest-ever recorded, the pace patient, the narrative vocals heartfelt, and the synchronous solos tailor-made for the enveloping progression. Better yet, it’s all captured in astonishing fidelity.