Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
On the album cover, Retrograss is defined as "music shifted back in time," a direction that -- while not impossible to conceive -- is mildly shocking considering David Grisman's relentlessly progressive approach toward traditional styles. Alas, democracy still rules at Dawg Studios, and with John Hartford and Mike Seeger signing on, it comes as no surprise that this collection is a step back in time -- old time, that is. The album features nearly one hour of 20th century classics "retrograssed" to achieve a rustic, jug band feel. From the opening banjo rolls of "My Walking Shoes," it's pretty obvious what you're getting into, and there are no quantum leaps thematically, tonally, or otherwise from that point on. However, Retrograss does explore a very fecund and diverse American musical fabric, which has threads of country, blues, bluegrass, folk, rock & roll, etc. Songs like Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" or the Osborne Brothers' "Rocky Top" adapt quite naturally in this landscape, but Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" sounds like a '57 Chevy running on four cylinders. Simply stated, the bluegrass cuts that were born out of old time music -- songs like "Airmail Special," "Jerusalem Ridge," and "Rocky Road Blues" -- are the most appealing to the auditory senses. Oddly enough, Lennon and McCartney's vaudevillian "When I'm Sixty Four" is also a delightful moment. All in all, these live, in-studio recordings are mirthful, rocking chair adaptations of American music history. Seeger and Grisman's honeyed tenors conflict well with Hartford's quirky baritone. There are no breakneck solos, and the whole effort achieves more than the sum of its parts -- which was enough to draw a 2000 Grammy nomination in the Traditional Folk Album category.
© Brian Kelly /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From kr124,99/month
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
David Grisman, MainArtist - John Hartford, MainArtist - Mike Seeger, MainArtist
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
Album review
On the album cover, Retrograss is defined as "music shifted back in time," a direction that -- while not impossible to conceive -- is mildly shocking considering David Grisman's relentlessly progressive approach toward traditional styles. Alas, democracy still rules at Dawg Studios, and with John Hartford and Mike Seeger signing on, it comes as no surprise that this collection is a step back in time -- old time, that is. The album features nearly one hour of 20th century classics "retrograssed" to achieve a rustic, jug band feel. From the opening banjo rolls of "My Walking Shoes," it's pretty obvious what you're getting into, and there are no quantum leaps thematically, tonally, or otherwise from that point on. However, Retrograss does explore a very fecund and diverse American musical fabric, which has threads of country, blues, bluegrass, folk, rock & roll, etc. Songs like Dylan's "Maggie's Farm" or the Osborne Brothers' "Rocky Top" adapt quite naturally in this landscape, but Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" sounds like a '57 Chevy running on four cylinders. Simply stated, the bluegrass cuts that were born out of old time music -- songs like "Airmail Special," "Jerusalem Ridge," and "Rocky Road Blues" -- are the most appealing to the auditory senses. Oddly enough, Lennon and McCartney's vaudevillian "When I'm Sixty Four" is also a delightful moment. All in all, these live, in-studio recordings are mirthful, rocking chair adaptations of American music history. Seeger and Grisman's honeyed tenors conflict well with Hartford's quirky baritone. There are no breakneck solos, and the whole effort achieves more than the sum of its parts -- which was enough to draw a 2000 Grammy nomination in the Traditional Folk Album category.
© Brian Kelly /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 17 track(s)
- Total length: 00:49:01
- Main artists: David Grisman John Hartford Mike Seeger
- Label: Acoustic Disc
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Folk
1999 Acoustic Disc 1999 Acoustic Disc
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.