Song of the Day: “All Four” by Greensky Bluegrass

I was digging this one a bunch last night, and since then, I’ve listened to again probably about four or five more times.

The verse-chorus song portion is solid, but it’s really the improv section that gets me.

Around the six-minute mark, they end the core song structure and head into the more improvisational part of the tune. It just ebbs and flows perfectly from there on out. The mandolin leads us off, then that flows into the six-string acoustic guitar, followed by the dobro, and all capped off by one of the more beautiful, note-perfect banjo solos I’ve ever heard. Although it’s definitely a bluegrass tune, it almost works more like a jazz song with the band hitting on key themes, trading licks, crossing over on specific solo passages, and each band member trading and taking turns with beauty and precision.

Good stuff.

Live Music in NYC: This Week’s Concert Calendar – Sept 13-19

The Dodos @ SXSW, the Parish, Austin, TX, 3/16/11

After taking a week off last week for some much-needed vacay, I’m back in town and I had just enough time to finalize a little live music round-up for NYC shows. There are a ton of great concerts happening this week, and as usual, that includes a bunch of bands I’ve blogged about here on this site (including The Dodos, Greensky Bluegrass, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, & Washed Out).

Check it out: Live Music in NYC: This Week’s Concert Calendar – Sept 13 – 19

Song(s) of the Day: Sunday Bluegrass Edition – Jerry Douglas, Greensky Bluegrass and the Infamous Stringdusters

It’s a beautiful Sunday morning here in NYC and it just feels like a bluegrass kind of day today. I recently downloaded some new (to me) bluegrass, including The Infamous Stringdusters, Greensky Bluegrass, and some older Jerry Douglas. Here are a few favorite video selections to celebrate a sunny spring day:

One of my favorite Jerry Douglas tunes:

The Greensky guys doing their take on the Grateful Dead’s famous two-song segment (“Chinacat Sunflower” –> “I Know Your Rider”):

The Infamous Stringdusters doing a bluegrassified version of U2’s “In God’s Country” (one of my favorites off of the 2nd — and somewhat underrated — half of Joshua Tree):

Downloads:
Jerry Douglas | Greensky Bluegrass | The Infamous Stringdusters