Ice Caps, Peaks of Telluride

by

Sam Bush

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If you have never seen Sam in person, do so. Preferably find a place like the Birchmere in Northern Virginia, which is small enough that you get the flavor of the man. He is high energy, to say the least, and it would be easy to overlook his remarkable musicianship in the excitement of the performance. His old group, New Grass Revival, has provided me with about four out of the five top live musical experiences of my life (with more recent Sam Bush performances following close behind), and the spirit and intensity of those occasions is here on many of the cuts on this disk. Being in the presence (even on disk) of someone who is so gifted and so celebratory of this gift is a pleasure.

Sam does love an audience, and that's why this CD is better, in my opinion, than his studio products. Other reviewers have commented on the assemblage of musicians on this disk, and they are right. It is wonderful music. I would single out "Same Ol' River" as my favorite after only a few listenings -- joy overflows, with Sam on mandolin, and Jerry Douglas on pedal steel. A really fine album.