Grisman and Old School Freight Train

[Tom C]

The first set was OSFT and the 2nd set was Grisman with OSFT backing him playing dawg tunes. These young guys are amazing musicians. However, I did not like their music at all. -maybe a little. It was a fusion of different styles including pop but, it seemed too arranged. On the other hand these guys play dawg tunes better than their own.
For an encore, Andy Statmam and John Schol(sp?)(On a tacoma parlor guitar) joinded them on stage for a funky superstition. Kind of a waste of song for such talent on stage. My $.002. I should have seen Doc Watson 2 blocks away.

[mingusb1]

Hey, they are coming to my town in about a month and I was planning to get tickets. #But if there is one thing I really don't like to see, it's music that is over-arranged (and over-played). #

Did they play any bluegrass or oldtime songs/tunes? #Or all dawg/fusion. #Any good singing?

Z

[Tom C]

It was not bluegrass singing. that's for sure. They did play a tune they considered bluegrass -Not. Their name does not seem to match their music. It was their first stage performance with Dawg. Dawg said he emailed them asking what Dawg tunes they would like to play and they sent him a list. Seems like they played it flawlessly as they must have grown up their whole 20 something years playing Dawg music.

[mingusb1]

Thanks Tom, alas I won't have the option of seeing Doc down the street!

Z

[mzuch]

Tom: I respectfully disagree with your review of the NYC concert. I thought OSFT did a great job in their opening set, and I enjoyed the diversity of music. Overall, I'd say it is closer to newgrass than bluegrass. I especially liked their cover of Randy Newman's "Louisiana." The banjo player reminded me of a young Bela Fleck or Tony Trishka. The mandolin player later held his own trading licks with Grisman. And all five of them looked to be about 16 years old.

Grisman also was great in his set, although he and OSFT stuck with Dawg music and I would have preferred to hear more variety. I was blown away when Andy Statman joined the group for the encore performance of "Superstition." Just that afternoon, I had been talking with luthier Bob Jones, who was once a member of Statman's band.

If anyone has an opportunity to catch this short tour, I'd highly recommend it.

[PaulD]

Sounds like different strokes for different folks... I recall hearing folks complaining about New Grass Revival not being "bluegrass" at Telluride in '81 and the Dillards having a drummer in the band. OSFT sounds like a band I'd like to see, but I really would love to have an opportunity to see Andy Statman... I don't expect he'll be making it to Utah any time soon. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

pd

[recklessmando]

Paul, If you can make it one state eastward Andy is on the bill at Rockygrass this summer. Along with Sam and Tim O' and Doc and Peter and Del and Drew Emmitt and the Kruger Bros. and Alison and holy cow what a lineup.

[PaulD]

WOW!!! That does look like a KILLER LINEUP! I'll have to see if I can swing it... we've already got a trip the NW scheduled for early July. Thanks for the tip

pd

[Philip Halcomb]

I was there and enjoyed it. Although I can see where Tom is coming from though, OSFT wasn't really my cup of tea, but that doesn't mean they're not really good at what they do, because they are. People who are into their kind of music will really enjoy it. Grisman was good as always and I was really impressed on OSFT's ability to basically replace the quintet for that show. Of course it wasn't exactly like the current quintet lineup, but they did a hell of a job.

[Le7beda]

I'd have to agree with Tom's assessment of the evening. #OSFT were obviously very talented musicians and appeared to be a great bunch of guys if not a tad too earnest for my own personal taste. #Their name really threw me (and others around me) off as the music they performed was certainly not "Old School" nor did it conjure images of lumbering, coal burning "Freight Train(s)." #Perhaps a more appropriate name would be "Montessori School Station Wagon." #

I think OS's opening set could have been trimmed to 30-40 minutes instead of the full hour they played. #Grisman turned out to be the evening's guest artist instead of headliner. #Ticket prices were in the $30-$50 range and, frankly, that's a steep price to pay to hear maudlin Randy Newman and Stevie Wonder covers -- even in NYC.

Cheers, Todd

[SternART]

Those Boyz are out promotin' their new Acoustic Disc CD.
They play SF later in the mini tour, I'm thinkin' of checkin' it out!

[recklessmando]

Art, they're at Strawberry next week.

[fatt-dad]

I really liked their show (I saw them without Grisman. I also like their new disk. Not to take anything away from bluegrass bands (they're not), but I found their music very interesting - in particular their original compositions. From the show that I saw other than the covers of Superstition and Louisana, their music (both instrumental and vocal) is original. I also like the blending of Irish/old-time roots with innovation.

fatt I-also-listen-to-wacko-jazz dad

[Brad Weiss]

I would be the first to admit that OSFT's music ain't for everyone. I didn't see the NYC show but I've seen them many many times in Virginia and North Carolina. #And Pete Frostic was my teacher, so I'm more than partial. #They are NOT a bluegrass band, nor is Nickel Creek, or Psychograss, or the Flecktones for that matter, whose style approximates OSFT. # But, come on, the name of the band is IRONIC- it's a send up of all things "authentic" about bluegrass instrumentation. #I think they're trying to point out that they're NOT what you'd expect, not that they're adhering to the bluegrass rules. # (Though I think Montessori School Station Wagon is a very hip name!!)

I'd love to see 'em backing the Dawg, but I'll miss the tour this summer- hope everybody else has fun!

[AlanN]

For those who saw Grisman with this band, what dawg tunes did they do? Like all off the first record?

[Le7beda]

# But, come on, the name of the band is IRONIC- it's a send up of all things "authentic" about bluegrass instrumentation. #I think they're trying to point out that they're NOT what you'd expect, not that they're adhering to the bluegrass rules. # (Though I think Montessori School Station Wagon is a very hip name!!)
Ironic? I paid 40 bucks for a dose of irony? Ironic is a band that calls itself UberDeth and plays nothing but Osmond Brothers covers.

Based on OSFT's choice of material, I missed their sublime sense of irony. They did straight, coffee shop-earnest covers of Randy Newman & Stevie Wonder. (!) Their musicianship is far, far beyond the coffee shop (Pete was cool) but I'm not sold on their choice of material. They might want to check out Martin Denny or the 13th Floor Elevators for ironic sources of cover material.

The band features originals from (at last count) 3 *very* different songwriters. Many would view this as "eclectic" and others "schizophrenic."

The original point I was trying to make was that if I had paid $15 and caught them at the Knitting Factory I would have been thrilled. That's the problem with New York. Sometimes there are too many choices. I think many of us are kicking ourselves for missing Doc Watson.

But if Montessori School Station Wagon ever backs Grisman... I'll be sure to go!

Cheers, Todd

[mzuch]

The only DGQ songs off the 1st album were Pneumonia and Minor Swing.

[mingusb1]

Wow, what a range of reviews. #That is the nice thing about this board. #

Anyway, I think the name "OSFT" could at once be ironic AND misleading. #Personally, I know a bunch of bluegrass (and oldtime) fans that might just spend a whole lot of $ for a ticket because they would expect to see Grisman get "back in time" a bit. #And from the sounds of the reviews (both positive and negative) most of those folks would be dissapointed.

This is the reason I asked about the music, because labels and names can be pretty misleading anymore. #I can't tell you the number of times I have read YMSB described as a great bluegrass band, when the clearly are not. #But that's another topic of discussion...

Anyway, I would rather see good musicians striving to play stuff that (stylistically) I really like than virtuoso musicians going off on stuff that I don't really care about. #What I am saying is musicianship alone isn't enough for me. #

That said, I'm still debating...

I wouldn't pay much money to see Nickel Creek--just don't care for that stuff--too polished and pretty.

So, should I stay away from OSFT?

Thanks,
Z

[Philip Halcomb]

Z,

If I had it to do again I probably still would go. It was worth a looksy although it wasn't my cup of tea. If Grisman hadn't been there, I probably would've like many others strolled 2 blocks over to see Doc. I too was expecting a more bluegrassy show, although I am a fan of Dawg music, Grisman has an amazing bluegrass sound which I love and would have liked to have seen. You should check it out because you may like it, I liked it, it just wasn't my favorite. Enjoy...

[Le7beda]

So, should I stay away from OSFT?
Z,
If you expect the banjo player to pull off anything resembling a Scruggs solo.... no. If you expect the guitarist to pull off any Tony Rice via Clarence White runs... forget it. Norman Blake? Nope.

I hate to keep on this but *who* an act chooses to cover tells me volumes about the influences within the band and the influences on that band's songwriting. If you dig Stevie Wonder -- go see 'em. If you think Randy Newman (they love the guy) is a genius -- God help ya -- knock yourself out.

I was sitting next to another (old time) musician at the show and during intermission we came to the realization that we had both hoped to see some pickin' that night. Instead of pickin' we were watching strummin'.

Taste seems to be as random a blessing as great musicianship (which this band has been blessed with). It's a very rare thing when the two meet... and I agree with it!

They sure can move their fingers around though!

Cheers, Todd

[Brad Weiss]

Z-

Here's an idea: check out this track from Acoustic Disc (http://acousticdisc.com/music_swfs/lookee_here.swf) free of charge- I think it's very representative of OSFT, an original composition by their banjo player. See if you like it. #It doesn't sound like strumming to me- it might to you. The track gives a good sense of their feel, and how they are likely to cover other material. Most of their material is written by the Ben, (banjo) Pete (mando) or Jesse (guitar). #To me, it sounds like Marshall/Fleck/Meyer inspired material. I don't know if that's worth 40 bucks, but I've paid more for worse (and much less for OSFT themselves!!)

[fatt-dad]

There ain't much strummin in that "Trick Dog" tune that's on their new album - It ain't bluegrass though.

f-d

[Le7beda]

I think I pushed my role of "Devil's Advocate" a bit too far in my last post and I came away sounding more cranky and sarcastic than informative. #Brad is correct with his take on influences of the band's original material. #My pre-show expectations got the best of me. #I also think my morbid fixation with the Newman/Wonder selections lent that material more weight than it deserved in OSFT's overall performance. #

As for my "pickin'/strummin'" comment, I think we were both hoping to hear music that was more roughly hewn stylistically and presented with a little more moxie. #I guess one could call that "Traditional." #That said, I know I enjoyed the show far more than I'm letting on!

Cheers, Todd

[Tony Sz]

I saw OSFT in the lobby of the Galt House at the IBMA fan fest a couple of years ago, and they were wonderful. They had a fiddle player at the time. I haven't heard her mentioned yet in this forum. I have tickets for their show in Ann Arbor, Mi. in a couple of weeks. Do they still have a fiddle in the lineup or has their personnel changed?

[Philip Halcomb]

The fiddle player is still there, he was a pretty decent one too. I think one thing to keep in mind though is that these guys are young and have a lot of time to blossom. It will be interesting to see what they come out with in a few years if they're still around...

[Brad Weiss]

They have a new OUTSTANDING fiddler- Nate (somebody-?) No longer the woman, who it sounds like Tony and others saw (she was great, too!). #If I can add my 2 cents, I think this has been a very contructive discussion of OSFT, complete with friendly disagreements, but #a willingness to hear everyone out. #This is a welcome relief from so much heated back and forth! I appreciate everyone's comments. #Also, some might want to go to osft.net where you'll hear a bunch of live recordings- might help those on the fence make up their minds.

[fatt-dad]

Yeah their fiddle player is outstanding (IMHO). During the much-discussed cover of Superstition, he quoted a musical phrase from Freedom Jazz Dance, which suited my eclectic taste (have we mentioned that these guys aren't a bluegrass band yet?).

f-d

[Russ Jordan]

The fiddler's name is Nathan Leath. Nathan is from western NC--when he was 12-14 years old his grandmother brought him around to bluegrass shows in the area. Nathan's musical tastes back then were broad--I think he was the first fiddler I knew who really liked heavy metal.

[Le7beda]

The fiddler's name is Nathan Leath. #Nathan is from western NC--when he was 12-14 years old his grandmother brought him around to bluegrass shows in the area.
Judas!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Cheers, Todd

[grsnovi]

I wonder if those who went to this show and didn't care for these guys had ever heard them previously or if they went to the show based on the Grisman connection?

I just picked up RUN over the weekend (after seeing the Grisman connection spoken about here and listening to clips on their web page).

I've not finished my first listen yet (these days I tend to only listen while driving).

To me, there are parts that sound a LOT like Bela and certain Flecktone stylings.

The vocal tracks sound very Nickel Creek-ish (whom I don't much care for).

I much prefer the instrumental tracks which I'd be hard-pressed to categorize.

They certainly aren't bluegrassy (which is a good thing in my book...)