David Grisman's latest with Martin Taylor AND Frank Vignola!!!
How do David Grisman and Acoustic Disc do it? They keep raising the bar again and again. I’m talking about “First Time Together” the new release available for download purchase from the Acoustic Oasis. It features both Martin Taylor and Frank Vignola on guitar, with Grisman on mandolin, and his son Samsom (recent IBMA Momentum Award winner) on bass.
Yes, this is the same Martin Taylor, the Scottish born jazz guitar player who was in Stephane Grappelli’s band for 11 years, and has played on five previous Grisman projects, including favorites of mine: “Tone Poems II” and “I’m Beginning To See The Light”. And yes, this is the same Frank Vignola who played for years with jazz guitar legend Les Paul; and who has been on five or six previous Acoustic Disc releases, among them “Blues for a Gypsy” and more recently “Frank-n-Dawg- Melody Monsters”; and has even held the guitar chair in the David Grisman Quintet for awhile.
So, what is so great about this release that makes it special enough to raise the bar another notch? It is the first time both guitarists (leaders in their own right) have played together. It turns out that both of these incredibly busy musicians contacted Grisman saying they were going to be passing through the San Francisco Bay Area and wanted to get together--and it was on the same exact date! How fortunate for us. The result of Grisman putting together two of the best jazz guitarists on the planet was a monster all-day recording session to which we are now invited. Now that is what is so special, and hence the title --“First Time Together!”
Maybe you’re not a jazz aficionado and you look at the list of tunes and draw a blank. After my first listen, I had to research some of the titles myself. I knew that I had heard the incredibly beautiful melodies before, but I couldn’t place them all. Two tunes “Surrey With The Fringe On Top” (Rogers and Hammerstein) from the musical “Oklahoma” and “Diane” (Erno Rapee) I recognized from the great Miles Davis Quintet recording, “Steamin’” (1956). It turns out that several other compositions were hit records; and, in fact, some were #1 best sellers on the charts going all the way back to the late 1920’s. It is common for jazz artists to take popular songs and use them as vehicles for instrumental versions with improvisation. These classics have been recorded by numerous jazz artists over the years--and there is a reason why: they are just great melodies. Round this out with three recent Grisman compositions “Swang Thang” , “Newly Wedding” and “Tracy’s Tune” written for his wife Tracy, and you have the Dawg music stamp on this set. Martin Taylor's original "Seraphina" is also included. The cherry on top for me is a wonderful version of the Beatles song, “Michelle”. In fact, all 12 cuts are gems each capturing the spirit of their performance, so it is hard to pick a favorite!
These fellas play like a tight, well-seasoned band. This isn’t one of those jam sessions where the players continuously try to outdo each other and blow away the competition. Rather, they create spontaneously and effortlessy like true masters. More to the point, one musician’s solo is so hot it inspires whomever follows in the arrangement to flow out of their solo and keep the intensity the same.
One word I kept thinking while listening is GROOVE, because my foot couldn’t stop tapping the time. These guys are tight and this music just swings. The twin guitars are fabulous. The recording is a banquet of guitar riches. But wait! One of David Grisman’s fortes is his complex rhythm playing, and I love the way he adds a rich syncopated texture throughout this recording. I also like the way on a slower tune he would sometimes double time a passage of his solo, igniting the overall energy. So, expect some great mandolin playing too! The musicians easily trade back and forth, finessing these compositions with dynamic shifts and expressive tone, or sometimes play the heads in tight harmony.
The more I listen, the more I hear the nuance each put into their performance. It is hard to believe that they had never played together before, as it is such a team effort. The recording is set up where the guitars are panned left and right while keeping the mandolin and bass centered, so you can hear exactly what each musician is playing; and it is consistent throughout the recording. Hearing how Martin, Frank, and David seamlessly trade passages, interacting with each other, really listening and responding in real time is quite impressive. They all play their hearts out. Clearly, they are enjoying each other’s musicianship and it brings out the best in all of them. The young Samson Grisman more than holds his own with the more experienced musicians, making this recording an embarrassment of riches. Everyone shines and just plays beautifully.
Another feature that is becoming an Acoustic Disc trademark is they leave in some of the banter between the musicians between takes. You really get to appreciate the camaraderie among the musicians and get a glimpse of their personalities.
Do yourself a favor. Go to www.acousticoasis.com and check this one out. You will feel like you were personally invited to the recording session. And like most of the Acoustic Disc recordings, the sound is top notch. In fact, they offer it in different sampling rates, and it is even available in a hi-def master version which is a larger file FLAC-HD download, getting you that much closer to the master tape.
Highly recommended!
Arthur Stern
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Originally Posted by Ignatius
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