Lone Soldier Review
ACOUSTIC GUITAR – THE ESSENTIAL CD COLLECTION100 Acoustic Guitar recordings you’ve got to hear
David Grier has managed to avoid the lure of Rice-mania. He shows off his personal, virtuosic style, influenced by White as well as Django Reinhart, on his latest release Lone Soldier. Grier’s relatively recent appearance on the scene bodes well for the future. It is clear that this music, though based in tradition, will continue to spawn innovators and virtuosic, dynamic practitioners, making it increasingly difficult in years to come to narrow the list of essential guitarists to a mere ten.
--Scott Nygaard
“Lone Soldier” guitarist David Grier and producer/fiddler Stuart Duncan have come up with an album that is a real milestone in all-instrumental releases. Such projects are difficult to pull off well, particularly if the material is, as in this case, almost all original (“Tarnation” is by the late Don Reno) and all sophisticated; it can be hard to make a lasting impression on a listener’s mind without the help of lyrics. Grier has succeeded in penning a set of tunes that will work their way into your mind the same way the great instrumental classics of bluegrass have, and in coming up with a set of renditions that will hold your interest long enough for the melodies to work their magic.
Several different ensembles can be heard on “Lone Soldier,” though a core group – Grier, Duncan, Craig Smith on banjo and Gene Libbea on bass – appears on five of the cuts, with Mike Compton and Adam Steffey alternation on the mandolin; on a sixth, Mark Schatz’s frailing banjo replaces Smith’s roll-based picking. Of the remaining numbers, two feature Grier and Duncan with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush and Victor Wooten, two feature Grier and Duncan in trios with Wooten on the electric bass and with Libbea on piano, while two are duets by Grier and Wooten and Grier and Ronnie McCoury.
With such pickers involved, it’s not surprising that this project is full of elegance and creativity. Grier, in particular, has a humorous, slightly off-center approach to his breaks that can induce smiles without sacrificing emotional depth or technical ability, and he has elicited similar wit from the other musicians; while the two duets – “Porkchops & Applesauce” with Wooten and “That’s Just Perfect” with McCoury – are especially amusing (the former is a lurching blues sway, the latter a sort of Monrovian “Tennessee Blues” recast as a Rubik’s cube), whimsy and invention are prominent throughout the album.
It is in the stylistic area, though, that “Lone Soldier” really shines. The material on this album is, at least for me, something new and different. Though there are some passages, and the occasional tune, that seem recognizable as new acoustic music, and a couple of others that are clearly blues-driven, most of the tunes are hard to categorize or even describe. The best I can do is to call them bluegrass fiddle tunes through a jazz kaleidoscope. That may seem odd for a guitarist’s album, but it gets at the essence of the music; the timing is indisputably bluegrass, and many of the song’s structures resemble those of fiddle tunes, but the chords and melody lines are at a wholly different level of musical sophistication.
That is not to say, however, that the album lacks variety. Just as there’s a big difference between “Big Mon” and Jerusalem Ridge,” so too do Grier’s tunes span a range of moods, speeds and structures. I particularly liked “Smith Chapel,” “’R Somethin’ “ and “Big Dirt Clod,” perhaps the most fiddle tune-like numbers on the project, as well as the two duets, but all of them are well-written, memorable and full of great solos and interplay between the musicians.
Though all of the pickers do a great job, the work of Gene Libbea and Craig Smith really stands out. The latter, who has shown off excellent Scruggs-style chops on such efforts as Herschel Sizemore’s “Back in Business” and David Parmley’s “Southern Heritage,” here applies himself to more sophisticated material without losing a bit of his driving roll and popping up-the-neck backup.
“Lone Soldier” is a must have for any fan of bluegrass music, from the most determinedly progressive to the most tough-minded traditionalist. David Grier, through his choice of material, his fluid and inventive solos, and a wise choice of collaborators, has made an album that will stand the test of time. JW
SPBGMA BLUEGRASS MUSIC NEWSVolume 19, No. 3 - Summer 1995
Lone Soldier
Personnel: David Grier – guitar, Mike Compton – mandolin, Adam Steffey – mandolin, Sam Bush – mandolin, Ronnie McCoury – mandolin, Stuart Duncan – fiddle, Craig Smith – banjo, Bela Fleck – banjo, Mark Schatz – banjo, Gene Libbea – bass, Victor Wooten – bass
Folks are getting used to hearing the guitaring of David Grier as his work has been highly visible over the past few years. And with this notoriety, he can shed the burden of being labeled as the latest guitar monster to break loose in bluegrass and can concentrate on developing his artistic identity to its fullest. Lone Soldier is the first solo project that I’ve seen from Grier and it’s chock full of hot pickin’ with a touch of refinement. Grier covers a lot of ground with this one. He opens the collection with “Smith Chapel” which definitely fits into a modern bluegrass groove. Like all quality instrumental recordings, Grier creates the freedom in the session for his mates to fly. But this is, without doubt, a showcase for Grier’s work. And the guitaring is cookin’ throughout this one. Grier’s lines float around melodic slots, which fit the scope of the banjo in a manner that all too many guitarists ignore. Historically, the banjo in a bluegrass context, prior to the advent of chromatic styled playing, was something of a radical melodic departure within a tune. Modern guitarists sought to make the transition a little less frantic by expanding the lead lines to include unconventional and larger intervals. However, the technique was often advanced so far that the music began to move away from the bluegrass roots and the banjo itself. Grier keeps his sound in the warm and cozy groove which welcomes both aspects of the music without slipping into “new acoustic” redundancy.
David Grier is a phenomenal player who has absorbed the styles of the pioneering bluegrass guitarists and built a highly individual style along the way. Every once in a while I heard a Clarence White or Tony Rice moment in his music. That doesn’t mean it’s direct cop of a lick, but a magical moment of influence that comes through the sound. The music on Lone Soldier is very much the music of Grier and it’s a joy to hear. His jazzy side shines a lot on this recording. Grier is adept at projecting mellow moods with his guitar. Most worthy of note is “Porkchops & Applesauce” which seems to be more chordal exploration than anything else. On this cut, Grier is backed only by Victor Wooten of Bela Fleck’s Flecktones. Wooten provides the necessary bottom for Grier’s musings and never intrudes into the spirit of the piece. And, while I normally find long near solo guitar compositions a bit on the tedious side, “Porkchops & Applesauce” was easy to consume.
Grier assembled a formidable ensemble to push his sound home. Fiddler Stuart Duncan’s ever present lines thoroughly enhance Grier’s ideas and mandolinists Mike Compton and Sam Bush utilize their opportunities to punctuate each tune to which they contribute.
David Grier is a rising star in bluegrass and Lone Soldier is a definitive step in that direction.
--Steve Romanoski
Detroit News & Free Press
by Reed Johnson
Lone Soldier
The title promises rugged musical individuality, and Grier delivers splendidly. His guitar playing--warm, delicate, scholarly, probing-- gives this record its spine. In the space of 11 self-composed tracks, he leaves few possibilities for acoustic sound unexplored. But Grier is more than willing to step aside for his sidekicks: mandolin player Mike Compton and banjo virtuosos Craig Smith and Bela Fleck. Fleck, in particular, attains a jazzlike spontaneity and color on "The Meeting" and the more baroquely textured "Alphabet Soup." Victor Wooten appears on four tracks, inventing droll, playful riffs with Grier on "Porkchops and Applesauce." Grier appears comfortable in virtually every acoustic idiom: Waltz, blues jazz, Appalachian. In his range, ease and strength of musical personality, Grier is to guitars what Mark O'Connor is to fiddles.
Bluegrass Music News
by Steve Romanoski
Folks are getting used to hearing the guitaring of David Grier as his work has been highly visible over the past few years. And with this notoriety, he can shed the burden of being labeled as the latest guitar monster to break loose in Bluegrass and and can concentrate on developing his artistic identity to the fullest. LONE SOLDIER is the first solo project that I've seen from Grier and it's chock full of hot pickin' with a touch of refinement.
Grier covers a lot of ground with this one. He opens the collection with "Smith Chapel" which definitely fits into a modern bluegrass groove. Like all quality instrumental recordings, Grier creates the freedom in the session for his mates to fly. But this is, without doubt, a showcase for Grier's work. And the guitaring is cookin' throughout this one. Grier's lines float around melodic slots which fit the scope of the banjo in a manner all too many guitarists ignore. Historically, the banjo in a bluegrass context, prior to chromatic styled playing, was something of a radical melodic departure within a tune. Modern guitarists sought to make the transition a little less frantic by expanding the lead lines to include unconventional and larger intervals. However, the technique was often advanced so far from the bluegrass roots and the banjo itself. Grier keeps his sound in the warm and cozy groove which welcomes both aspects of the music without slipping into "new acoustic" redundancy.
David Grier is a phenomenal guitar player who has absorbed the styles of the pioneering bluegrass guitarist and built a highly individual style along the way. Every once in a while in heard a Clarence White or Tony Rice moment in his music. That doesn't mean that it's a direct cop of a lick, but a magical moment of influence that comes thru the sound. The music on LONE SOLDIER is very much the music of Grier and it's a joy to hear. His jazzy side shines a lot on this recording. Grier is adept at projecting mellow moods with his guitar. Most worthy of note is "Porkchops and Applesauce." On this cut, Grier is backed only by Victor Wooten who provides the bottom for Grier's musings and never intrudes into the spirit of the piece. And, while I normally find long near solo guitar compositions a bit on the tedious side, "Porkchops and Applesauce" was easy to consume.
Grier assembled a formidable ensemble to push his sound home. Fiddler Stuart Duncan's ever present lines thoroughly enhance Grier's ideas and mandolinists Mike Compton and Sam Bush utilize their opportunities to punctuate each tune to which they contribute.
David Grier is a rising star in bluegrass and LONE SOLDIER is a definitive step in that direction.
POP MUSIC REVIEW - David Grier's Dancing Guitar Strings
By JOHN ROOS, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES|July 10, 1995
LAGUNA NIGUEL — On this year's release entitled "Lone Soldier" (Rounder), bluegrass picker David Grier surrounds himself with some pretty fine company, including Stuart Duncan, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Adam Steffey and Craig Smith. His preceding album, 1992's "Climbing the Walls," was a duet with respected mandolinist Mike Compton. And in between his own projects, Grier backed up Tony Trischka, Tony Furtado and Tom Adams on last year's critically praised Rounder "Banjo Extravaganza" album and tour.
But on a muggy evening Friday at Shade Tree Stringed Instruments, the Nashville-based Grier was indeed the lone soldier, stripped naked to the bare essentials, musically speaking. In a solo acoustic, all-instrumental setting, only Grier's fingers and six-string guitar were on hand to impress and entertain a cozy crowd of about 30 devotees.
And boy, did he.
Over the course of a warm, generous, 2 1/2-hour performance, Grier proved to be equally expressive soloing as he is in the company of others, using both subtle strokes and a rolling, sometimes darting, flat-picking style. Grier stretches notes that walk, skip and dance off his strings, lending themselves to folksy ballads and waltzes as well as touches of jazz, funk and the blues.
Even without the fullness of vocal or instrumental backing, his technique and inner voice remain strongly and clearly defined. And whether alone or part of a group, Grier--1992's International Bluegrass Music Assn.'s Guitar Player of the Year and a protege of the legendary Clarence White--always prefers flavorful variety when playing live.
Early during his first of two sets, Grier's choice of material ranged from his lovely, romantic ballad "Engagement Waltz" to covers of Homer Dillard and Doc Watson tunes to his own biting, harder-edged "Eye of the Hurricane." Grier deserves high marks, too, for breathing some much-needed energy into "Wildwood Flower," the country guitar standard made famous by the Carter family. (Afterward, Grier quipped in his Southern drawl, "I'm not used to playing without chicken wire in front of the stage to stop the empty beer bottles.")
Just before taking a short break, Grier got in a playful mood, responding to a fan's request for the lively standard "Beaumont Rag" plus the crowd-pleasing fiddle tune "Back Up and Push." As he was about to leave the stage, though, he turned salesman, informing the crowd: "I've got a million [copies] of my new CDs, T-shirts and a radiator off an old Volkswagen."
Sharing more of the same wonderful pickin' in his second set but adding new improvisations, including numerous changes to unusual keys, Grier focused more on traditional pieces and heartfelt covers of songs by his major influences.
Beginning with "Old Ebenezer" (scheduled for release next year on the "A Tribute to Bill Monroe" recording) and moving on to selections that included Clarence White's "The Alabama Jubilee" and Monroe's "Roanoke," Grier put his own stamp on the numbers by twisting or shaping the original versions into something very, well, Grier-ish. Whether subtly rephrasing or more aggressively reworking major notes and chords, Grier reinvented rather than just rehashed his heroes' material.
He can also do some bending of his own tunes. Grier surprisingly served up two versions of "The New Soldier's Joy"--the first a quiet lament, the second retooled as an up-tempo, engaging encore.
In the opening slot, classical guitarist and Saddleback Valley College music instructor Gregory Coleman showcased considerable range and skill during his original and traditional selections. Highlighting his brief program was a four-song "Yosemite Suite," which began with "Teneya," a heartfelt tribute to the slain Awahnechee tribe leader, and closed with an exceptional rendition of Augustine Barrios' romantic saga of "Julia Floreda."
Bluegrass Breakdown
by Ken Reynolds
This is one for you folks who like to hear the guitar played to perfection.
David Grier is one of the top guitar pickers and has won IBMA's "Guitar Player of the Year" on more than one occasion.
David assembled some of the best in the business to back him up on this all instrumental recording. David delivers a wide range of musical selections on the CD ranging from a beautiful waltz like "Engagement Waltz" to a very blues sounding "Porkchops and Applesauce" to some tunes that have a straight forward bluegrass sound like "Smith Chapel" and "That's Just Perfect."
The tune "That's Just Perfect" features David on guitar and Ronnie McCoury on mandolin. Even though there are only two instruments played on this song, it has a rich full sound.
There is some outstanding instrumental work on this CD aside from the obvious guitar playing. The mandolin work done by Mike Compton, Adam Steffey, Sam Bush, and Ronnie McCoury is as good as you're going to hear. Stuart Duncan provides some of his pristine fiddle playing on this recording.
Mark Schatz plays some very nice frailing banjo on the tune "Lone Soldier." With Gene Libbea playing some rock solid bass, and Craig Smith and Bela Fleck providing the five string banjo sound, you have a combination that's hard to beat.
I don't generally get too excited about an all instrumental recording, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this latest effort by David Grier.
Lone Soldier
September 1996
David Grier, Lone Soldier, Rounder 0309 (1995)David Grier has managed to avoid the lure of Rice-mania. He shows off his personal, virtuosic style, influenced by White as well as Django Reinhart, on his latest release Lone Soldier. Grier’s relatively recent appearance on the scene bodes well for the future. It is clear that this music, though based in tradition, will continue to spawn innovators and virtuosic, dynamic practitioners, making it increasingly difficult in years to come to narrow the list of essential guitarists to a mere ten.
--Scott Nygaard
BLUEGRASS UNLIMITED - DEC. 1995DAVID GRIER - LONE SOLDIER
“Lone Soldier” guitarist David Grier and producer/fiddler Stuart Duncan have come up with an album that is a real milestone in all-instrumental releases. Such projects are difficult to pull off well, particularly if the material is, as in this case, almost all original (“Tarnation” is by the late Don Reno) and all sophisticated; it can be hard to make a lasting impression on a listener’s mind without the help of lyrics. Grier has succeeded in penning a set of tunes that will work their way into your mind the same way the great instrumental classics of bluegrass have, and in coming up with a set of renditions that will hold your interest long enough for the melodies to work their magic.
Several different ensembles can be heard on “Lone Soldier,” though a core group – Grier, Duncan, Craig Smith on banjo and Gene Libbea on bass – appears on five of the cuts, with Mike Compton and Adam Steffey alternation on the mandolin; on a sixth, Mark Schatz’s frailing banjo replaces Smith’s roll-based picking. Of the remaining numbers, two feature Grier and Duncan with Bela Fleck, Sam Bush and Victor Wooten, two feature Grier and Duncan in trios with Wooten on the electric bass and with Libbea on piano, while two are duets by Grier and Wooten and Grier and Ronnie McCoury.
With such pickers involved, it’s not surprising that this project is full of elegance and creativity. Grier, in particular, has a humorous, slightly off-center approach to his breaks that can induce smiles without sacrificing emotional depth or technical ability, and he has elicited similar wit from the other musicians; while the two duets – “Porkchops & Applesauce” with Wooten and “That’s Just Perfect” with McCoury – are especially amusing (the former is a lurching blues sway, the latter a sort of Monrovian “Tennessee Blues” recast as a Rubik’s cube), whimsy and invention are prominent throughout the album.
It is in the stylistic area, though, that “Lone Soldier” really shines. The material on this album is, at least for me, something new and different. Though there are some passages, and the occasional tune, that seem recognizable as new acoustic music, and a couple of others that are clearly blues-driven, most of the tunes are hard to categorize or even describe. The best I can do is to call them bluegrass fiddle tunes through a jazz kaleidoscope. That may seem odd for a guitarist’s album, but it gets at the essence of the music; the timing is indisputably bluegrass, and many of the song’s structures resemble those of fiddle tunes, but the chords and melody lines are at a wholly different level of musical sophistication.
That is not to say, however, that the album lacks variety. Just as there’s a big difference between “Big Mon” and Jerusalem Ridge,” so too do Grier’s tunes span a range of moods, speeds and structures. I particularly liked “Smith Chapel,” “’R Somethin’ “ and “Big Dirt Clod,” perhaps the most fiddle tune-like numbers on the project, as well as the two duets, but all of them are well-written, memorable and full of great solos and interplay between the musicians.
Though all of the pickers do a great job, the work of Gene Libbea and Craig Smith really stands out. The latter, who has shown off excellent Scruggs-style chops on such efforts as Herschel Sizemore’s “Back in Business” and David Parmley’s “Southern Heritage,” here applies himself to more sophisticated material without losing a bit of his driving roll and popping up-the-neck backup.
“Lone Soldier” is a must have for any fan of bluegrass music, from the most determinedly progressive to the most tough-minded traditionalist. David Grier, through his choice of material, his fluid and inventive solos, and a wise choice of collaborators, has made an album that will stand the test of time. JW
SPBGMA BLUEGRASS MUSIC NEWSVolume 19, No. 3 - Summer 1995
Lone Soldier
Personnel: David Grier – guitar, Mike Compton – mandolin, Adam Steffey – mandolin, Sam Bush – mandolin, Ronnie McCoury – mandolin, Stuart Duncan – fiddle, Craig Smith – banjo, Bela Fleck – banjo, Mark Schatz – banjo, Gene Libbea – bass, Victor Wooten – bass
Folks are getting used to hearing the guitaring of David Grier as his work has been highly visible over the past few years. And with this notoriety, he can shed the burden of being labeled as the latest guitar monster to break loose in bluegrass and can concentrate on developing his artistic identity to its fullest. Lone Soldier is the first solo project that I’ve seen from Grier and it’s chock full of hot pickin’ with a touch of refinement. Grier covers a lot of ground with this one. He opens the collection with “Smith Chapel” which definitely fits into a modern bluegrass groove. Like all quality instrumental recordings, Grier creates the freedom in the session for his mates to fly. But this is, without doubt, a showcase for Grier’s work. And the guitaring is cookin’ throughout this one. Grier’s lines float around melodic slots, which fit the scope of the banjo in a manner that all too many guitarists ignore. Historically, the banjo in a bluegrass context, prior to the advent of chromatic styled playing, was something of a radical melodic departure within a tune. Modern guitarists sought to make the transition a little less frantic by expanding the lead lines to include unconventional and larger intervals. However, the technique was often advanced so far that the music began to move away from the bluegrass roots and the banjo itself. Grier keeps his sound in the warm and cozy groove which welcomes both aspects of the music without slipping into “new acoustic” redundancy.
David Grier is a phenomenal player who has absorbed the styles of the pioneering bluegrass guitarists and built a highly individual style along the way. Every once in a while I heard a Clarence White or Tony Rice moment in his music. That doesn’t mean it’s direct cop of a lick, but a magical moment of influence that comes through the sound. The music on Lone Soldier is very much the music of Grier and it’s a joy to hear. His jazzy side shines a lot on this recording. Grier is adept at projecting mellow moods with his guitar. Most worthy of note is “Porkchops & Applesauce” which seems to be more chordal exploration than anything else. On this cut, Grier is backed only by Victor Wooten of Bela Fleck’s Flecktones. Wooten provides the necessary bottom for Grier’s musings and never intrudes into the spirit of the piece. And, while I normally find long near solo guitar compositions a bit on the tedious side, “Porkchops & Applesauce” was easy to consume.
Grier assembled a formidable ensemble to push his sound home. Fiddler Stuart Duncan’s ever present lines thoroughly enhance Grier’s ideas and mandolinists Mike Compton and Sam Bush utilize their opportunities to punctuate each tune to which they contribute.
David Grier is a rising star in bluegrass and Lone Soldier is a definitive step in that direction.
--Steve Romanoski
Detroit News & Free Press
by Reed Johnson
Lone Soldier
The title promises rugged musical individuality, and Grier delivers splendidly. His guitar playing--warm, delicate, scholarly, probing-- gives this record its spine. In the space of 11 self-composed tracks, he leaves few possibilities for acoustic sound unexplored. But Grier is more than willing to step aside for his sidekicks: mandolin player Mike Compton and banjo virtuosos Craig Smith and Bela Fleck. Fleck, in particular, attains a jazzlike spontaneity and color on "The Meeting" and the more baroquely textured "Alphabet Soup." Victor Wooten appears on four tracks, inventing droll, playful riffs with Grier on "Porkchops and Applesauce." Grier appears comfortable in virtually every acoustic idiom: Waltz, blues jazz, Appalachian. In his range, ease and strength of musical personality, Grier is to guitars what Mark O'Connor is to fiddles.
Bluegrass Music News
by Steve Romanoski
Folks are getting used to hearing the guitaring of David Grier as his work has been highly visible over the past few years. And with this notoriety, he can shed the burden of being labeled as the latest guitar monster to break loose in Bluegrass and and can concentrate on developing his artistic identity to the fullest. LONE SOLDIER is the first solo project that I've seen from Grier and it's chock full of hot pickin' with a touch of refinement.
Grier covers a lot of ground with this one. He opens the collection with "Smith Chapel" which definitely fits into a modern bluegrass groove. Like all quality instrumental recordings, Grier creates the freedom in the session for his mates to fly. But this is, without doubt, a showcase for Grier's work. And the guitaring is cookin' throughout this one. Grier's lines float around melodic slots which fit the scope of the banjo in a manner all too many guitarists ignore. Historically, the banjo in a bluegrass context, prior to chromatic styled playing, was something of a radical melodic departure within a tune. Modern guitarists sought to make the transition a little less frantic by expanding the lead lines to include unconventional and larger intervals. However, the technique was often advanced so far from the bluegrass roots and the banjo itself. Grier keeps his sound in the warm and cozy groove which welcomes both aspects of the music without slipping into "new acoustic" redundancy.
David Grier is a phenomenal guitar player who has absorbed the styles of the pioneering bluegrass guitarist and built a highly individual style along the way. Every once in a while in heard a Clarence White or Tony Rice moment in his music. That doesn't mean that it's a direct cop of a lick, but a magical moment of influence that comes thru the sound. The music on LONE SOLDIER is very much the music of Grier and it's a joy to hear. His jazzy side shines a lot on this recording. Grier is adept at projecting mellow moods with his guitar. Most worthy of note is "Porkchops and Applesauce." On this cut, Grier is backed only by Victor Wooten who provides the bottom for Grier's musings and never intrudes into the spirit of the piece. And, while I normally find long near solo guitar compositions a bit on the tedious side, "Porkchops and Applesauce" was easy to consume.
Grier assembled a formidable ensemble to push his sound home. Fiddler Stuart Duncan's ever present lines thoroughly enhance Grier's ideas and mandolinists Mike Compton and Sam Bush utilize their opportunities to punctuate each tune to which they contribute.
David Grier is a rising star in bluegrass and LONE SOLDIER is a definitive step in that direction.
POP MUSIC REVIEW - David Grier's Dancing Guitar Strings
By JOHN ROOS, SPECIAL TO THE TIMES|July 10, 1995
LAGUNA NIGUEL — On this year's release entitled "Lone Soldier" (Rounder), bluegrass picker David Grier surrounds himself with some pretty fine company, including Stuart Duncan, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Adam Steffey and Craig Smith. His preceding album, 1992's "Climbing the Walls," was a duet with respected mandolinist Mike Compton. And in between his own projects, Grier backed up Tony Trischka, Tony Furtado and Tom Adams on last year's critically praised Rounder "Banjo Extravaganza" album and tour.
But on a muggy evening Friday at Shade Tree Stringed Instruments, the Nashville-based Grier was indeed the lone soldier, stripped naked to the bare essentials, musically speaking. In a solo acoustic, all-instrumental setting, only Grier's fingers and six-string guitar were on hand to impress and entertain a cozy crowd of about 30 devotees.
And boy, did he.
Over the course of a warm, generous, 2 1/2-hour performance, Grier proved to be equally expressive soloing as he is in the company of others, using both subtle strokes and a rolling, sometimes darting, flat-picking style. Grier stretches notes that walk, skip and dance off his strings, lending themselves to folksy ballads and waltzes as well as touches of jazz, funk and the blues.
Even without the fullness of vocal or instrumental backing, his technique and inner voice remain strongly and clearly defined. And whether alone or part of a group, Grier--1992's International Bluegrass Music Assn.'s Guitar Player of the Year and a protege of the legendary Clarence White--always prefers flavorful variety when playing live.
Early during his first of two sets, Grier's choice of material ranged from his lovely, romantic ballad "Engagement Waltz" to covers of Homer Dillard and Doc Watson tunes to his own biting, harder-edged "Eye of the Hurricane." Grier deserves high marks, too, for breathing some much-needed energy into "Wildwood Flower," the country guitar standard made famous by the Carter family. (Afterward, Grier quipped in his Southern drawl, "I'm not used to playing without chicken wire in front of the stage to stop the empty beer bottles.")
Just before taking a short break, Grier got in a playful mood, responding to a fan's request for the lively standard "Beaumont Rag" plus the crowd-pleasing fiddle tune "Back Up and Push." As he was about to leave the stage, though, he turned salesman, informing the crowd: "I've got a million [copies] of my new CDs, T-shirts and a radiator off an old Volkswagen."
Sharing more of the same wonderful pickin' in his second set but adding new improvisations, including numerous changes to unusual keys, Grier focused more on traditional pieces and heartfelt covers of songs by his major influences.
Beginning with "Old Ebenezer" (scheduled for release next year on the "A Tribute to Bill Monroe" recording) and moving on to selections that included Clarence White's "The Alabama Jubilee" and Monroe's "Roanoke," Grier put his own stamp on the numbers by twisting or shaping the original versions into something very, well, Grier-ish. Whether subtly rephrasing or more aggressively reworking major notes and chords, Grier reinvented rather than just rehashed his heroes' material.
He can also do some bending of his own tunes. Grier surprisingly served up two versions of "The New Soldier's Joy"--the first a quiet lament, the second retooled as an up-tempo, engaging encore.
In the opening slot, classical guitarist and Saddleback Valley College music instructor Gregory Coleman showcased considerable range and skill during his original and traditional selections. Highlighting his brief program was a four-song "Yosemite Suite," which began with "Teneya," a heartfelt tribute to the slain Awahnechee tribe leader, and closed with an exceptional rendition of Augustine Barrios' romantic saga of "Julia Floreda."
Bluegrass Breakdown
by Ken Reynolds
This is one for you folks who like to hear the guitar played to perfection.
David Grier is one of the top guitar pickers and has won IBMA's "Guitar Player of the Year" on more than one occasion.
David assembled some of the best in the business to back him up on this all instrumental recording. David delivers a wide range of musical selections on the CD ranging from a beautiful waltz like "Engagement Waltz" to a very blues sounding "Porkchops and Applesauce" to some tunes that have a straight forward bluegrass sound like "Smith Chapel" and "That's Just Perfect."
The tune "That's Just Perfect" features David on guitar and Ronnie McCoury on mandolin. Even though there are only two instruments played on this song, it has a rich full sound.
There is some outstanding instrumental work on this CD aside from the obvious guitar playing. The mandolin work done by Mike Compton, Adam Steffey, Sam Bush, and Ronnie McCoury is as good as you're going to hear. Stuart Duncan provides some of his pristine fiddle playing on this recording.
Mark Schatz plays some very nice frailing banjo on the tune "Lone Soldier." With Gene Libbea playing some rock solid bass, and Craig Smith and Bela Fleck providing the five string banjo sound, you have a combination that's hard to beat.
I don't generally get too excited about an all instrumental recording, but I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this latest effort by David Grier.