by Steve Romanoski
Folks are getting used to hearing the guitaring of David Grier as his work has been highly visible over the past few years. And with this notoriety, he can shed the burden of being labeled as the latest guitar monster to break loose in Bluegrass and and can concentrate on developing his artistic identity to the fullest. LONE SOLDIER is the first solo project that I've seen from Grier and it's chock full of hot pickin' with a touch of refinement.
Grier covers a lot of ground with this one. He opens the collection with "Smith Chapel" which definitely fits into a modern bluegrass groove. Like all quality instrumental recordings, Grier creates the freedom in the session for his mates to fly. But this is, without doubt, a showcase for Grier's work. And the guitaring is cookin' throughout this one. Grier's lines float around melodic slots which fit the scope of the banjo in a manner all too many guitarists ignore. Historically, the banjo in a bluegrass context, prior to chromatic styled playing, was something of a radical melodic departure within a tune. Modern guitarists sought to make the transition a little less frantic by expanding the lead lines to include unconventional and larger intervals. However, the technique was often advanced so far from the bluegrass roots and the banjo itself. Grier keeps his sound in the warm and cozy groove which welcomes both aspects of the music without slipping into "new acoustic" redundancy.
David Grier is a phenomenal guitar player who has absorbed the styles of the pioneering bluegrass guitarist and built a highly individual style along the way. Every once in a while in heard a Clarence White or Tony Rice moment in his music. That doesn't mean that it's a direct cop of a lick, but a magical moment of influence that comes thru the sound. The music on LONE SOLDIER is very much the music of Grier and it's a joy to hear. His jazzy side shines a lot on this recording. Grier is adept at projecting mellow moods with his guitar. Most worthy of note is "Porkchops and Applesauce." On this cut, Grier is backed only by Victor Wooten who provides the bottom for Grier's musings and never intrudes into the spirit of the piece. And, while I normally find long near solo guitar compositions a bit on the tedious side, "Porkchops and Applesauce" was easy to consume.
Grier assembled a formidable ensemble to push his sound home. Fiddler Stuart Duncan's ever present lines thoroughly enhance Grier's ideas and mandolinists Mike Compton and Sam Bush utilize their opportunities to punctuate each tune to which they contribute.
David Grier is a rising star in bluegrass and LONE SOLDIER is a definitive step in that direction.