Jerry Garcia and David Grisman / Shady Grove (1996)

Before he was “Jerry Garcia” of the Grateful Dead, he was a guy named Jerry Garcia with a passion for folk music and a natural talent on the guitar and banjo. As the Grateful Dead exploded, Garcia continued moonlighting with his other interests. Here he teams up with longtime friend and equally capable 8-string slinging partner David Grisman to treat a batch of old American favorites on their respective acoustic instruments. The atmosphere is that of a laid back jam between friends, both players clearly enjoying their time together. Listen to Garcia’s aged vocal on “Dreadful Wind and Rain,” adding an appropriately spooky air to the song’s story. Instrumental work by both Garcia and Grisman is of a very high quality, as you’d expect from either or both of them, and their patience and playing styles complement one another nicely. Garcia’s 5-string frailing on “Sweet Sunny South” or Grisman’s work with the banjolin (a mandolin with a banjo head – a positively obnoxious instrument) on “Stealin’” are both standout performances. Detailed liner notes assist listeners in interpreting the history of each song. It’s a disc that I return to time and time again, worn out and renewed after staying on the shelf for a while. If you enjoy Shady Grove, I encourage you to enter the rabbit hole that is Grisman’s Acoustic Disc label of “100% Handmade Music,” where you’ll find plenty more of this fare to choose from.