I was sitting in my apartment here in Bellingham this morning when I heard some music being played in a park right behind the building where I live. It sounded like a mandolin and a bass (sounded like a good mandolinist with a good instrument) so I went out to investigate and sure enough, there was a trio (mandolin, bass & guitar) working on an arrangement of what must have been an original tune. Or was it original... it sounded oh-so familiar...
The mandolin player was playing what appeared to be a new Northfield Big Mon model... I could tell it was a recent one because it sported one of their new, Gilchrist inspired tailpieces. He was a guy in his 20's and was a very good, competent and creative player. Really good chords and rhythm playing, nice, clean lead lines and the tone he pulled from that Northfield was impressive. The bass and guitar player were equally competent and I was impressed with how serious they were about creating their arrangement and their sound. And then it struck me... these are the children of Dawg! The music wasn't bluegrass, although it was being played on instruments common to the genre. The mandolinist didn't sound like Monroe, or Wakefield or Bobby Osborne... although I could hear strains of those players in his playing. Really what I heard was a trio playing what is now called "Dawg Music". And so it really hit me... David's musical legacy is intact... it will last for a long, long time. To hear that mandolinist playing Dawggy style really made me feel good to be alive and to be a mandolinist. Because I could relate... David's playing, original compositions and musical generosity has propelled my playing and knowledge of music enormously since I first heard him with Old & In The Way back in Passaic NJ in June of 1973. Such luck that I was at that show!
The passage of time can be a mixed bag once you reach a certain age. Memories can come back to heal you or to haunt you. But when all is said and done I will be very content and grateful that I was able to live in a time when an ambitious and supremely talented mandolinist from New Jersey came along and created what all of us can only hope to achieve... create a singular musical style and a unique sound sound on the instrument of our choice. David Grisman... ya done good! We are all happy for you...
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