Strictly Instrumental
Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson trading licks--what more do you need to know? Toss in a fine solo or two from Josh Graves's Dobro, Paul Warren's fiddle, orCharlie McCoy's harmonica. Sure, the songs are the simplest of springboards and the running time is abominably low (less than 25 minutes), but it's hard to find fault when Scruggs's banjo magically rolls and Watson's flat-picking fingers fly. Both men have always shared an ability to make the impossible sound effortless and virtuosity sound elementary, and this 1966 gem is further proof of that. As the notes dart, the mood remains relaxed and intimate.--Marc Greilsamer