Search - Mac Wiseman :: Tis Sweet to Be Remembered: Complete Rec 1951-1964

Mixed Bag

Benjamin I. Smith | Pittsburgh, PA | 11/21/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mac Wiseman is the wonderful bluegrass singer who sang with Bill Monroe's group in the late 1940s, and according to Monroe, was the 'strongest singer I ever had'. These recordings feature Wiseman's invigorating, majestic, and truly unique voice and are largely impossible to find. The reason I can't give the set 5 stars is that towards the end of Disc 2, and continuing through Disc 4, the music shifts to rock and rockabilly and also contains some unlistenable garbage that is as commercial as one can get. For those of you who have been disappointed by the inclusion of electrified and drum-heavy bluegrass on other Bear Family sets, this stuff is different and far worse. Bear Family is not to blame, but the record companies of the time felt the pressure of the rock music explosion and pressed performers like Wiseman to sell out. The music on Discs 5 and 6 recovers the bluegrass flavor, though they do not resemble the purist bluegrass instrumentation featured on Disc 1 and most of Disc 2 and are not as spectacular. The latter, by the way, is incredibly beautiful and is exactly why I pursued this purchase - if the whole set were like this we'd be blessed.



As for the exhorbitant price, the reason is that every aspect of the packaging is a step up from other Bear Family sets I've seen. The booklet is hardback, and features great color reproductions of the old album covers. Sound quality is perfect. If you have a gift certificate like I did, or you just want to hear those early 1950s recording on the Dot label that are virutally impossible to find and don't care about the price, go for it.



"