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April 06, 2009
I First Saw Them on Austin City Limits
...20 years ago, then never heard of them again (although I'd check the "Obscure Shit" section in music racks). It had been a pretty magical performance, but what had stuck in my mind was the last song they'd played. It was so evocative of a desert caravan ~ you could imagine the camels, the swaying of the trade baskets strapped 'twixt dromedary humps, even hear the bells jingling on the traces. Amazing, amazing stuff.
Some years later, major dad came home with a Delta Sky magazine after a business trip. He showed me an article that had intrigued him, about this group of American musical masters who were world class musicians ("virtuoso" gets used a lot), yet chose to play bluegrass. Each had their own group, but they would get together for jams or special appearences. When I saw the names, I sort of shrieked "THAT'S who I've been telling you about all these years!" The group is called "Strength in Numbers", comprised of Sam Bush - fiddle, mandolin, Jerry Douglas* - dobro, Bela Fleck - banjo, guiter, Mark O'Connor - fiddle, guitar, Edgar Meyer - bass . (*Even if the other names are mysteries, you might recognise a twenty-year-older Jerry Douglas as leader of Alison Krauss' band and his voice for this recording.) And I was elated to find they'd put out an album.
But only one.
Ever.
Sigh.
Needless to say, the next visit to the "Obscure Shit" bin yielded a trophy that I cherish. And YouTube has miraculously yielded a segment of that original, enchanting performance, called "Blue Men of the Sahara".
I dig these guys.
Posted by tree hugging sister at April 6, 2009 01:08 PM
Comments
Righteous. I only knew of Fleck and Bush, but what a great combo.
Posted by: Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life at April 6, 2009 06:57 PM
THS, you have excellent musical taste.
Posted by: Skyler at April 7, 2009 01:30 AM
Damn!
Posted by: Jim - PRS at April 7, 2009 03:17 AM
Aw, shucks, Skyler...::blush::
Aren't they, Mr. Summers? And am I ever proud of you for knowing any of them. Yo Yo Ma did an album with Fleck, Bush, Meyer and others, if you hadn't heard it ("With special guests James Taylor and Alison Krauss") called "Heartland: An Appalachian Anthology". Way interesting.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at April 7, 2009 11:15 AM
Posted by: tree hugging sister at April 7, 2009 11:39 AM
Heck, I've been known to jam some Fleck now and again. He's playing Nashville tomorrow night.
Posted by: Cullen at April 7, 2009 04:03 PM
Jerry Douglas must be the greatest dobro player to ever pick up the instrument. I've never seen Bela Fleck, but I saw his bassist - Victor Wooten - at a show of his own last year. Mind-boggling.
Posted by: Eric at April 7, 2009 07:55 PM
P1ixee
Posted by: Oqtpqktq at July 14, 2009 12:46 AM
P1ixee
Posted by: Oqtpqktq at July 14, 2009 12:46 AM