by Steve Romanoski
David Grier has evolved into the undeniable leader of the progressive wing of guitar players without a lot of hype and hero worship that past masters have enjoyed during their rise. But it doesn't seem as if Grier is interested in all that glory stuff. He just puts down great tracks whenever he's called upon to step to front stage.
Grier's mastery of the guitar doesn't emanate from his intense control of a library of hot licks; flashy technique or new stylings of music to awe his audience. His magic arrives in the air because he has new musical ideas and means to express them. And that's exactly what PANORAMA does for the listener. PANORAMA is an instrumental recording which features many of the best players on the planet. But it's Grier's show from the first note to the final note of the CD. Grier illustrates many moods on this work. He cranks out bluegrass with the best of them as heard in the breakneck version of "Forked Deer." After the splendid intro, Grier simply allows the music to flow around his guitar like a soft and dense cloud. Then he breaks loose with some of the most imaginative guitar work I've ever heard. Grier floats about the neck to create delicate micro bits with Stuart Duncan's fiddle droning fiddle work. All in all, I'm hard pressed to remember when I've heard a finer version of this ol' tune. But all too many guitarists make their way through the world on speed alone. Grier demonstrates that he's more than flash in his rendition of Norman Blake's composition "Jeff Davis." Grier intros the number in trio with Bob Carlin's staccato banjo lines and bassist Todd Phillips. The ensemble greatly expands in size as Duncan enters the mix. Grier freely explores the number in the guitars lower register and remains fixed on delivering the melancholy nature of the tune without fail. This is a excellent example as to how even a simple tune can carry the session if the players are indicated.
PANORAMA covers a lot of ground with excursions into jazz and moody guitar pieces. But each selection is an absolute gem on their own and never moves into the mindless noodling that occurred during the jazz phase that engulfed bluegrass in the late 70's. David Grier takes hold of each melodic twist or rhythmic fragment and turns them into something truly special. This is a recording that brings back fond memories of the grand scale instrumental recordings that used to flourish in bluegrass and allowed the individual pickers an opportunity to show off their chops and build a reputation in the market. This work should floor the hot guitar players who really take the time to actually listen to Grier's musings and a period of joy for the mortals who just need good inventive music to pull them through a dark night.
Steve Romanoski - Bluegrass Music News