Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular
How much banjo can one fan stand? This release should delight those five-string aficionados for whom too much plunk is never enough. Veteran virtuoso Tony Trischka enlists the services of fellow banjoists ranging from seminal inspirations (Earl Scruggs) to pupils and acolytes (Béla Fleck, Alison Brown) to wild cards (comedian Steve Martin) for a series of duets supported by stellar bluegrass musicians such as Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, and members of Union Station.  Most of the tracks are instrumentals, though Dudley Connelly provides vocals on traditional bluegrass standards such as "Fox on the Run" and "Live and Let Live," with Nickel Creek mandolinist Chris Thile and frequent duo partner Michael Davis teaming for harmonies on "Run Mountain."  The musical interplay throughout is predictably superb, but the three cuts pairing Trischka with Fleck suggest that another extended teaming of mentor and prized student would truly be something special.--Don McLeese