When a player is as obscenely skilled as mandolinist David Grisman, the risk is that the music will be so technically proficient that the performance will slip into auto-snore mode. Chances are high that your mind will sufficiently blown by his or her musical prowess. Ive seen Grisman enough times to know that hes capable of tearing open your skull with his colorful acoustic adventures. Taking the instrument where no other has before, Grismans music has morphed into a vast, swirly trip, informed by practically every genre of music ever played by humans, ever. A friend of the late Jerry Garcia, Grismans music is akin to the Deads if that bands members were straight-A over-achievers. In other words, before going off on a musical trip, he first learns all there is to know about where hes headed. BRIAN J. BARR
April 22-25, 2010
