Joe Craven leaving DGQ

[Tim Saxton]

Just got this in my email box. Sorry if it has been posted.

From: Joe Craven <news@joecraven.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 19:59:10 UT
Subject: Spring News from Joe Craven

After many years of service, I have left my post as
multi-instrumentalist of
the David Grisman Quintet.

My last concert as full time multi-instrumentalist of
the David Grisman
Quintet occurred March 26. I was in my 17th year as a
member of David's
well
known ensemble which features the very talented Jim
Kerwin, Matt Eakle
and
Enrique Coria. The Dawg's musical vision with Acoustic
Disc and his
role as
the true international Ambassador of the Mandolin
continue to inspire
people
all over the world. His music strongly guided my
direction when I first
picked up the mandolin. The years of great times and
great music with
the
Quintet will inspire me for years to come.

I feel very fortunate to have been part of such a well
run and
successful
organization. It was an honor to share stage and
studio with DG for so
long.

As I excitedly look to my future with increased
attention on my
education
programs, recordings, new collaborations and
performances, I raise a
glass
and a toast of deepest thanks to David Grisman. I'm
grateful, Dawg!

[chirorehab]

Wow....

I don't think that you can replace a guy like that!?!

I wonder what the Dawg is going to do.....

Eric

[Rick Schmidlin]

I will find out tonight in Santa Babara and let you know.

[AlanN]

Say it ain't so, Joe!

But ya know, thet said the same thing about the original DGQ..."How can that band exist without Tony Rice, he is such a part of the sound", etc. and guess what, 25+ years later, Dawg is still going strong. Heck, maybe Billy Cobham will join

[mandopete]

Heck, maybe Billy Cobham will join

...yeah and he's gonna need Jerry Goodman for the fiddle parts!

[Tom C]

Maybe with some changes they can get back to good ol' dawg music. I've had enough of the choro/latin sound. But I doubt it with Enrique's influence.

[mandoJeremy]

Actually, a young guy I used to jam with all the time is now playing fiddle for the Quintet and he can fill the fiddle shoes of Joe quite easily and make some new footsteps. #His name is Nathan Leath and he is currently enrolled at Berklee in Boston. #He was an amazing fiddle back when we would jam and I can only imagine how great he is now. #He and I were always the "weird" ones at the fiddlers conventions and local jams. #He can play dude.

[SternART]

You can't replace someone as unique as Joe Craven, but Dawg music is as much about the tunes, the compositions & arrangements, as it is about the players. Think about it..... David has carried on after numerous other great musicians graduated from Dawg University. And several alumni have gone on to be quite successful & carve their own creative paths.....Anger, Marshall, Phillips, Rice, et al. David has kept this last incarnation of the Quintet going for quite a few years. Maybe change will be good! And I'm confident Joe will find other venues to inspire him & keep his creative juices flowing. He oozes talent, and he definitely added some comic relief to the serious bidness of Dawg music.

[mandoJeremy]

Actually you can replace anyone as unique as Joe or anyone else because every top notch musician is unique within himself and they will only be different. They will still very much be unique (Nathan is very much unique!) and they will find new ways to express themselves creatively.

[mandoJeremy]

Believe it or not, even Thile could be replaced in Nickel Creek. That old saying is true: As good as you are there is always someone that is better. My personal opinion is that no one should strive to be better than anyone, only strive to express yourself and your soul as completely as you can with music. If you feel anything, convey it through your instrument. That is what makes a great musician. Chris does a great job of that and most of your great musicians do. That is the only thing that I think Mike Marshall lacks in. He is by far the greatest mandolinist there is right now technically but he seems to lack feeling and emotion to me. Chris will one day be as great as Mike is technically but he has some emotion behind it. Of course, Sam Bush has the ultimate emotion and feeling to me but that is just my opinion. That is why I always loved him from day one....he puts everything he has into every song and mando break that he plays. Just raw emotion and feeling. That's where it is at for me. Sorry to get off subject.

[Dan Cole]

Dawgnet says the new percusionist is a guy named George Marsh.

[AlanN]

George recorded with Dawg on an earlier version of the band, maybe Dawgwood?

[mandopete]

So it sounds like it took two musicians to replace one. #That is what is truly amazing about Joe Craven. #He is a master of not only percussion, but mandolin and fiddle as well. #That is a truly unique mix of talents. #His interest in teaching has only increased my respect for him by 1000%!

[SternART]

George Marsh is an unbelievably good jazz percussionist......he plays melody/rhythm. Fabulous musician.
He was in the DGQ for a few years, with Dimitri Vandellos on guitar & Jimmy Buchanan on fiddle, as well as Jim Kerwin on bass.
It was a more electric version of the DGQ & the first with percussion. He has a huge discography
Mel Martin, John Abercrombie,Mose Allison, Joe Henderson, Terry Riley, Denny Zeitlin etc.
George teaches here in the Bay Area. I think he introduced Grisman to Jim Kerwin, as well
as Dimitri Vandellos.

[duuuude]

Though I'll miss seeing them together, I'm looking forward to what they'll both be producing separately. Change can be good, especially with a couple folks like Joe & Dave.