Since the 1960s, David Grisman has been redefining what that mandolin means in bluegrass—and even what bluegrass means itself. With a laundry list of collaborators from Andy Statman to Jerry Garcia to Ricky Skaggs to John Hartford, Grisman’s unmistakable “Dawg” stylings elevated the elements of jazz, swing, Jewish, and Latin musics from the fringes of bluegrass music to a more prominent place in it—all while happily inhabiting the more traditional world of bluegrass through supergroups like Old in the Way. Bluegrass mandolin wouldn’t be what is today—a multifaceted, adaptable, and nimble instrumental voice—without him. Enjoy this playlist of the best of David Grisman!
I’d like to emphasize “Early Dawg” and cut 1 “Dark Hollow”. Cause the band included Del McCoury on guitar and his brother Jerry McCoury on bass fiddle, with both on vocals. I think NYC’s Winnie Winston was the banjo picker with them. This was in the 1960s. Their SOLID supporting rhythm and confidence with the traditional bluegrass songs gave Grisman a great “bed” to work from in experimenting with his unique licks. You can hear his mandolin ideas being born and brought up.