A Hillbilly Rave Up with Dave Holland

Acoustic Rave UpNew Grass is an odd way by which to explain that some folks associated with the counter culture of the '60s got a hold of some traditional American tunes, smoked a bit, revved up the music and maybe covered a Chuck Berry or Rolling Stones' song. But New Grass it is. Although, at this point, the phrase has been around for just about forty years or so, making New Grass the oldest new subgenre in Americana. In examining bluegrass, though, there are some pretty progressive elements already in there - soloing and improvising being a huge part of the medium. And if that music could be considered hillbilly jazz, as it should be, the inclusion of bassist Dave Holland on an album that also sports the names of Sam Bush, Norman Blake, Jerry Douglas as well as Vassar Clements shouldn't be too surprising.

I first saw this album at a tiny, experimental record store in Seattle called Wall of Sound. It wasn't priced too high, but I was, at the time, there to see a show and holding a record for an hour or so didn't seem like a good deal. However, yesterday at the Berkeley Half Priced Books, I stumbled upon the album again. And seeing as I had a store credit, the album had to come home with me.

Before we get to the music, there're too odd aspects to this disc. The first one is in two parts, so bare with me. Dave Holland, bassist to the stars and Miles Davis, is billed here as David - I've not ever seen that before. And also, his name appears first on the album cover. It might be a point of contention as to who's the most well known player here, but this album being a bluegrass session, it would have made sense to bill someone else up top - just a thought. Secondly, the album was released via HDS Records, which was apparently out of Chicago. The small imprint, though, needed the help of Flying Fish for the album's distribution. So, I simply find it bizarre that some unknown label was able to record this assembled talent...

Anyway, the music here is what one should expect from this group of hillbilly savants. And while there aren't any rock tunes on here, because of the inclusion of Holland, a few jazz standards get worked out. "A Train," a Billy Strayhorn number associated with Ellington graces the first side. But prior to that, the assumed improvised "Sauerkraut 'n Solar Energy" crops up. Coming in at under eight minutes, the tune is credited to each individual musician and begins with a pretty sizable solo by Holland.

The second side of the disc holds as many interesting points as the first half. There isn't a song that's as extended as the aforementioned kraut referring track, but opening with a jaunty rendition of a Dvorak composition and moving into the traditional "McKinley's Blues" gives listeners enough to take in.

Apparently, this album was pressed in limited numbers, so my stumbling upon it twice within a year was probably just random happenstance. But when you see it laden with dust at your local vinyl vendor, grab it while you can.