Rice, Grier & Smith: Quotes & Reviews

   

What are folks saying about Wyatt Rice, David Grier, and Kenny Smith's Live in Concert DVD?

Would you like to attend a concert featuring three of the best Flatpicking guitarist in Bluegrass? Would you like to be so close that you can clearly see what they are doing with their right and left hands? If you answer yes, the DVD might be just the thing. This project features the sterling talents of IBMA's "guitar player of the year" award.

Recording live in concert, the three guitarist take us on a tour of twenty numbers, primarily well-known traditional tunes, but peppered by a few original compositions and some vocals by Kenny's partner, Amanda Smith, plus Wyatt Rice. Solo, duet, and trio performances contribute to the visual and auditory variety. The performance includes three additional such standards as "John Hardy," "Nine Pound Hammer," "Big Sandy River," and "Black Mountain Rag."

The Video menu provides the viewer with the option of watching the performance in sequence, or selecting a specific track. If you happen to be learning a tune, the track can be set to repeat on the DVD player. Bonus material includes three additional tunes and a music video by Kenny and Amanda Smith. While this project is described as a concert, and although you can hear applause from an unseen audience, this is essentially a studio project recorded by Flatpicking Guitar Magazine for the purpose of providing the best video record of the performance. I think that is appropriate, for while a more prominent audience might add atmosphere, it would distract the viewer from the focal point. Aspiring guitarist should thoroughly enjoy this product. (DRD)
Opera has its Three Tenors and Three Divas and bluegrass music has had Mac, Doc and Del singing great songs. This combination of Wyatt Rice, David Grier and Kenny Smith might be called the Three Flatpickers and it certainly puts three of the top guitarists together in a fine collection of original and well-known songs. Dan Miller has done much to popularize flatpick guitar with his Flatpicking Guitar Magazine and this DVD may be the first of many products that will allow a music fan to see and hear his favorite music.

There are several ensemble songs where all three take turns playing lead parts of the song while the other two play backup rhythm and licks. Bluegrass guitar fans will love the close ups of the players hands and it's easy to stop and repeat songs to catch nuances in tone and timing. Black Mountain Rag has all three in high gear and the term "shooting match" might apply to the hot licks and trills that all three are producing. Several songs are showcases; "Me and My Farmall" is Kenny's tribute to an old tractor, and "Have You Ever Been To England" is David's solo. Kenny's wife, Amanda Smith also adds vocals to "Bury Me Beneath The Willow," "Amy Brown," and "Working on A Building." In addition, Amanda sings Gilian Welch's "Winter's Come and Gone" in one of the additional songs at the end of the DVD. This is a fine album to listen to, but the extra bonus of seeing the concert is a boon to guitarists wanting to see the playing of three superstars.
Brenda Hough, Northern California Bluegrass Association