Dawgnation
David Grisman has been blending jazz, bluegrass, klezmer, Gypsy,  classical, and Latin music since 1975, when he formed the David Grisman Quintet  expressly to play the fusion of styles he dubbed Dawg music. The Quintet has  gone through numerous lineup changes over the years, but the version that  performs onDawgnationhas been together on and off for seven years, and  it's perhaps the most cohesive yet. Grisman and his bandmates--guitarist Enrique  Coria, fiddler-percussionist Joe Craven, flautist Matt Eakle, and bassist Jim  Kerwin--have no trouble shifting from the Gypsy-flavored melody of "Vivace" to  the swaying Latin rhythms of "Mellow Mang," and then moving on to the  double-mandolin-driven "Twin Town." All of the band members play a duet with  Grisman, which allows them to showcase their individual abilities and gives a  glimpse into their contributions to the overall sound. The 13 Grisman originals  onDawgnationmay lack the propulsive drive of some of his earlier  efforts, but the Quintet's inspired ensemble playing and inventive solos more  than make up for the lack of speed.--Michael Simmons