Rural Route Review

“Hootenanny”

David Grier with Tim O’Brien and Dirk Powell

 

Imagine sitting in your living room, playing music with two old friends and suddenly you find yourself are in the groove, in the pocket. Every lick you play is on the note; your companions are there, too, matching your rhythm perfectly. It goes on for hours and you are stunned and amazed. Then you wish that you had recorded it.

 

Well, that’s what David Grier set out to do with “Hootenanny” and the result is eleven great cuts beginning with the classic Little Rabbit featuring Tim O’Brien’s flawless vocals, and ending with Lonesome Road Blues. In between are some fine renditions of Ragtime Annie, High Dad In The Morning, Red Haired Boy and Old Joe Clark.

 

What is most enjoyable about this CD is that you can sense these three artists thoroughly enjoy what they do and there is an infectiousness about their enthusiasm. There are no special effects, no wah-wahs or electronic wizardry, just three guys and their instruments genuinely happy to be playing these great songs together.

 

Listen to Tim O’Brien on Lonnie and Maybelle and you can sense the smiles on all their faces as he scats while Grier and Powell play on. I just wish I had been a fly on the wall for these “unrehearsed” recordings.

 

I rate this CD three and a half bottle caps.

Doc, Rural Route