Search - Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, Edgar Meyer :: Skip Hop & Wobble

Satisfies My Desire for More "Strength in Numbers!"

Volkert Volkersz | Snohomish, WA United States | 02/07/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Telluride Sessions" by Strength in Numbers has been one of my favorite recordings since it came out around 1990. So far, the instrumental masters Jerry Douglas (dobro), Edgar Meyer (string bass), Mark O'Connor (fiddle), Bela Fleck (banjo) and Sam Bush (mandolin) have only done one complete--and superb--album together. Fortunately, they continue to appear on each other's albums, and often in new groups, such as this one featuring Douglas and Meyer, with the outstanding guitarist Russ Barenberg.While Strength in Numbers explores a blending of bluegrass, jazz, classical, folk, blues and even reggae, here Douglas/Barenburg/Meyer stick closer to the bluegrass and folksy side of things, probably because of the presence of a guitar player on all the cuts.This is a pleasant instrumental CD to put on and listen to, especially as background music in my school library. While the virtuosity of these guys is apparant on all the cuts--and they blend together nicely--it never comes out and "wows" you like it does on "Strength."I gave this CD a 5 star rating because I really do enjoy it. But on those days when I really need a musical pick-me-up, I still put on Strength in Numbers. I hope all five guys get together again, but in the mean time, this is one of the albums that satisfies my cravings, along with Bela Fleck's "Tales from the Acoustic Planet," as well as "Appalachia Waltz" and "Appalachian Journey" by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor and "Uncommon Ritual" by Edgar Meyer, with Bela Fleck and Mike Marshall."

Open Your Ears

Gary Popovich | Chesterfield, VA USA | 01/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am constantly astonished by the compositional skills, emsemble work, and flat out picking virtuosity that is displayed on "Skip, Hop, and Wobble." One could make a case that this effort is driven by any of the Bareberg/Douglas/Meyer triumverate, but that would miss the point. Like "Strength in Numbers," and the original "David Grisman Quintet" effort, "Skip, Hop, and Wobble" defies catagorization - forget about any preconceptions about bluegrass, jazz, classical, or whatever musical orientation brought you to this offering and just enjoy the mystery to the intro of "The Earl of Hynford/Open the Present" medley, the humour of "Squeezy Pig" and "Why Don't You Go Back to the Woods", the majesty of "The Years Between" and "Here on Earth", and the flat out drive of "Big Bug Shuffle" and "Big Sciota." And while you're at it, marvel at how much variety and complexity can be achieved with three instruments at the lower end of the tonal universe."

Here on Earth

Simon Lowrie | Devon, England | 08/09/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here on Earth is the title of Track 11. I think I'm right in saying it's the loveliest piece of music I've ever heard in my 45 years on this particular planet. Maybe you can find better elsewhere in the galaxy, but I rather doubt it. I used to wonder why a melody so powerful, so magical, was also so fleeting, passing by in a moment and leaving you clawing the walls for more. Then one day I thought about the title again, and realized its woeful shortness is completely appropriate. The excellent sleeve notes say of track 11: "The intention in the title is matter of fact - simply that making music like this is one of the things we do in our life here on earth. It springs from a feeling of acceptance infused with awe and wonder." Not many evenings go by when I don't ask my CD to play at least tracks 1, 3, and 11, and "awe and wonder" sums up my reactions nicely. I have a couple of newgrass discs ('Into the Cauldron' and 'Telluride Sessions') where I feel the musicianship on offer sometimes exceeds the music itself, but the compositions here are all quite wonderful. This is especially true of those written by Russ Barenberg, who is also a guitarist of extraordinary brilliance - six strings of gold and purple, rich and vibrant and majestic. Jerry Douglas is the king of his instrument, while Edgar Meyer plays acoustic bass with his usual gusto, originality, and wit. (And if you're wondering how an instrument that big could ever be described as 'witty', it can only mean you haven't heard Mr Meyer play yet: often he sounds like he's sawing the poor thing up for firewood, not bowing it...)Their achievement is all the greater because they recorded this dazzling CD while being attacked by a hundred angry bees in the pouring rain. At least, that's what it sounds like. The background hiss varies from irksome to atrocious, and sabotages what ought to be a peerless masterpiece where even the album photos are a source of pleasure. With the world so full of burgers crying out for flipping, it's tragic that the sound engineer's undoubted talents are all going to waste in a recording studio. By calamitous misfortune, 'Here On Earth' is the worst affected track of all - another thousand bees join the party, and the rain turns into a torrential hailstorm. The bee-free version is probably playing on Radio Heaven right this moment.But such is life, and if you have a lousy hi-fi, or play this in your car, you probably won't notice. Either buy it or have yourself locked up, but forget about any kind of third option. My reason for writing this review is simply to thank every one of the musicians for this astonishing gift to me and everyone else who, due to them, now skips and hops and wobbles."