The Best of New Grass Revival

Amazon.com essential recording
Virtuoso instrumental insurgents, the NGR brought the counterculture into bluegrass festivals during the '70s, and altered the music forever with daring, extended, jazz-influenced jams. Over two decades the band went through various line-up changes, and this generous single-disc retrospective concentrates on the classic '80s unit, featuring founder Sam Bush on fiddle and mandolin, John Cowan on bass and vocals, Bela Fleck on banjo, and Pat Flynn on guitar and vocals. The song selection itself tells much about the band: Standards give way to originals from Flynn and producer Wendy Waldman, as well as John Hiatt and the Beatles ("I'm Down"). --Roy Francis Kasten

The Best of New Grass Revival,New Grass Revival,Capitol,Bluegrass,Country,Country & Western,Pop,Progressive Bluegrass

Average customer rating: Newgrass at the top Career-Spanning Retrospective Best of New Grass Revival Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival (Capitol) New material from a classic band

Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Country Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Best of New Grass Revival Laps in Seven Telluride Bluegrass Festival: Thirty Years Now Hear This When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country ASIN: B0009ML1RK Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

1. Great Balls Of Fire
2. Prince Of Peace
3. Casey Jones
4. The Dancer
5. Doin' My Time
6. All Night Train
7. Vamp In The Middle
8. Spring Peepers
9. Lee Highway Blues
10. Souvenir Bottles
11. Sapporo
12. Steam Powered Aero Plane
13. When The Storm Is Over
14. You Don't Knock
15. White Freight Liner Blues
16. Good Woman's Love
17. Reach

Tracks:

1. One More Love Song
2. On The Boulevard
3. One Love / People Get Ready
4. Seven By Seven
5. In The Middle Of The Night
6. Sweet Release
7. Metric Lips
8. Unconditional Love
9. Looking Past You
10. Revival
11. Ain't That Peculiar
12. Callin' Baton Rouge
13. I'm Down
14. Angel Eyes
15. Don't You Hear Jerusalem Moan
16. Do What You Gotta Do
17. Singing The Blues
18. Can't Stop Now

Album Description

If Cream and Led Zeppelin were the supergroups of classic rock, New Grass Revival is the supergroup of bluegrass. Formed in 1972, NGR helped define "newgrass" by rearranging traditional bluegrass standards with electrified style. Fronted by lead singer John Cowan and featuring the virtuoso and improvisational playing of Sam Bush (mandolin) and Béla Fleck (banjo), NGR helped launch the jam-band scene long before the Bonaroo Festival. NGR disbanded in 1990, but their legacy laid the foundation for the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, Nickel Creek, and the String Cheese Incident. Includes 2 CDs, 35 tracks (7 previously unreleased)--all 24-bit digitally remastered.

Customer Reviews:

Newgrass at the top.......2006-03-08

I bought this because of the unrealesed live tracks.These guys are fine players with sam bush being my favorite.So I recomend this to people who want to get to know this great band who were together for 18 years.

Career-Spanning Retrospective.......2005-11-29

With tracks from their King Records debut, their stints with Flying Fish, Rounder and Capitol, as well as previously unissued live and studio tracks, this is THE definitive anthology from one of the most influential bands of the progressive bluegrass genre.

Over the course of nearly two and a half hours of music and 35 tracks, GRASS ROOTS covers New Grass Revival's history from their 1972 debut through their 1989 New Year's Eve farewell show.

"Great Balls of Fire," the first of two tracks from their debut, is a no-holds-barred romp with Sam Bush on Mandolin and lead vocal and the banjo pyrotechnics provided by Courtney Johnson. The second track is the Leon Russell-penned "Prince of Peace."

Not only did Russell take NGR as his opening act in 1973, he let them record at his Shelter studios at the end of the tour. These three tracks from 1974 are all previously unreleased. For these sessions, NGR added a drummer which further alienated them from the bluegrass community. "Casey Jones," an instrumental, and "The Dancer" are fairly typical bluegrass numbers (except for the drums); but "Doin' My Time" with its extended instrumental breaks goes on for more than six and a half minutes. [It's easy to see where bands like the String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band were influenced by NGR.]

By 1975's FLY THROUGH THE COUNTRY, the band's lineup solidified to include Bush, Johnson and bassist/vocalist John Cowan and guitarist Curtis Burch. This version of the band would stay in tact through their 1981 LP COMMONWEALTH.

NGR Mach II would emerge in 1983 (and stay together until the band dissolved) with Pat Flynn replacing Burch and Bela Fleck replacing Johnson. Two previously unreleased tracks from an Austin City Limits appearance, "When the Storm Is Over" and "You Don't Knock," showcase the new lineup.

"Seven By Seven," from their self-titled Capitol debut, showed the bluegrass/jazz path Fleck would latter follow with the Flecktones. "In the Middle of the Night" (from the same album) illustrated that Flynn was not only a gifted singer and guitarist, but the band's best songwriter.

Two other previously unreleased tracks are from a 1987 Austin City Limits appearance. The first is a funky version of "Revival." The other is a terrific version of "Ain't That Peculiar."

The final three unreleased tracks are from their Oakland Coliseum New Year's Eve show. They include "Do What You Gotta Do," a stunning 11-minute rendition of "Singing the Blues," and "Can't Stop Now." As the applause erupts, someone in the band responds, "Thanks so much! It's been wonderful!" It certainly has been, and this two-disc set captures many of the highlights of this amazing band. [Running time - Disc 1, 74:53; Disc-2, 74:15] VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Best of New Grass Revival.......2005-08-22

This is a great album but then I've never been disappointed with any of their albums. Side one is the older songs which I love. I just wish they had included more of the songs from the "Flying Through the Country" and "When the Storm is Over" albums. But no New Grass Revival fan will be disappointed. The album cover has a lot of good history about them also.

Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival (Capitol).......2005-08-03

The New Grass Revival defined what an acoustic band could be. The band defined a style of music. The New Grass Revival continues to influence acoustic music three decades after their modest beginning. Mandolinist Sam Bush along with banjoist Courtney Johnson, guitarist Curtis Burch and bassist "Ebo Walker" (Harry Shelor) began playing the "New Grass Style" in 1972. While their music evolved, the band changed personnel slightly through their history, adding John Cowan on bass in 1973. Bush and Cowan had met guitarist Pat Flynn at a festival in Colorado and jammed with him. Bush had known banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck for years. They were selected as the band's two new members in 1981.
Grass Roots is a 2 Cd set that will take you on a trip through New Grass history beginning in 1972 with a version of "Great Balls of Fire" like no other. This is a prime example of how the band revolutionized bluegrass music; no song was immune to being converted to the New Grass sound.
This collection is not just a compilation of old recordings re-released; there are a number of never released tracks. New Grass Revival ended their phenomenal run on New Years Eve, 1989 with a concert in California at the Oakland Coliseum. Their final show concluded with "Do What You Gotta Do", "Singing the Blues", and appropriately "Can't Stop Now", so ends the Grass Roots collection. As a long time fan of New Grass Revival, I wonder what was going on in the minds of Sam Bush, Pat Flynn, John Cowan and Bela Fleck as they burned down the Oakland Coliseum and rode off into the sunset.
This is a collection New Grass Revival songs that everyone who enjoys progressive bluegrass and acoustic music should own. It is an audio history of where this music we love came from, and a clue to where it's headed. Besides that, these boys rocked back then, and their music in this collection still does, ask Garth Brooks!

Rex Flottman

New material from a classic band.......2005-08-03

I've been a New Grass Revival fan since 1989. I discovered them watching a rerun of Austin City Limits. It's a real thrill to see two of the cuts from that 1987 performance on this album. But that's just the beginning for fans. This album also sports two cuts from the band's 1983 Austin City Limits performance. Other highlights are three unreleased tracks recorded for Leon Russell's Shelter Records and three unreleased cuts from the band's last gig on New Year's Eve, 1989, when they opened for the Grateful Dead in Oakland. New Grass Revival was a powerful presence live, and this album makes that case with 10 of its 38 tracks being live recordings. If you know New Grass Revival, you must hear this album. If you've missed out on one of the most exciting bands of the 70s and 80s, this album is a wonderful introduction.

Average customer rating: You've gotta hear it!!! BUY THIS CD AND SAVE MONEY ! You can't appreciate it until you have heard it. Anything But Ordinary What kind of music do you like? WHO CARES! Buy This!

The Best of New Grass Revival New Grass Revival Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Grass Roots: The Best of New Grass Revival On the Boulevard The Telluride Sessions When The Storm Is Over/Fly Through The Country Ice Caps: Peaks of Telluride ASIN: B000002TNY Release Date: 1994-03-08

Tracks:

1. Love Someone Like Me
2. Sweet Release
3. In The Middle Of The Night
4. Saw You Runnin'
5. Revival
6. Hold To A Dream
7. Can't Stop Now
8. Metric Lips
9. Unconditional Love
10. Friday Night In America
11. You, Plant Your Fields
12. Let's Make A Baby King
13. Do What You Gotta Do
14. Let Me, Be Your Man
15. Callin' Baton Rouge
16. Big Foot
17. Angel Eyes
18. I'm Down

Amazon.com essential recording

Virtuoso instrumental insurgents, the NGR brought the counterculture into bluegrass festivals during the '70s, and altered the music forever with daring, extended, jazz-influenced jams. Over two decades the band went through various line-up changes, and this generous single-disc retrospective concentrates on the classic '80s unit, featuring founder Sam Bush on fiddle and mandolin, John Cowan on bass and vocals, Bela Fleck on banjo, and Pat Flynn on guitar and vocals. The song selection itself tells much about the band: Standards give way to originals from Flynn and producer Wendy Waldman, as well as John Hiatt and the Beatles ("I'm Down"). --Roy Francis Kasten

Customer Reviews:

You've gotta hear it!!!.......2003-12-05

This band is outstanding!!! You have about the best musical combination you could ever ask for with this line-up. The talents within these guys are amazing. You get a good taste of different musical styles with NGR. John Cowan's vocals are hard and driving and yet beautiful when needed. His bass-playing compliments the band as well. Pat Flynn has a cool, kind of unique style of guitar playing and has some nice, tasteful, yet flashy phrases as well. Sam Bush....well...what's to say?? He is always a grade 'A' mandolin player!!! Bela Fleck is on the banjo. His name speaks on its own!!! He's always a great player. I highly recommend checking out this band.

BUY THIS CD AND SAVE MONEY !.......2000-06-30

You like Jon Bon Jovi's voice? This guys better! You like smoking instrumental leads? You'll love this. You like bluegrass,r&b, reggae and jazz? Save money and just but this one cd. I can't tell you when the last time I sat down and listened to a cd...AND I AM A PROFESSIONAL DJ. It's fun, bouncy, cheerful, soulful, great harmony and wonderful American roots music.

You can't appreciate it until you have heard it........2000-05-26

I think that I have said it all with "You can't appreciate it until you have heard it". Between John Cowan's voice and the talents of Sam Bush on mandolin and violin, Pat Flynn on Rhythm and lead guitar and Bela Fleck wailing on the banjo, this is a can't miss for those lovers of contemporary Bluegrass or Dawg music! To see John Cowan in concert, well, you'll be blown away! The CD's don't do justice to John Cowan LIVE! You can visit John's web site.....

Anything But Ordinary.......2000-04-03

This is all that's left of the three albums the final incarnation of the New Grass Revival did for Liberty in the second half of the Eighties. Founding members Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin) and John Cowan (bass) are joined by Bela Fleck (banjo) and Pat Flynn (guitar) for some of the most innovative and inventive bluegrass committed to disc. The dynamics of the new band made a profound impact on the band. Bela Fleck is the premier banjoist in the world. Instrumentals like his "Metric Lips" and "Big Foot" blended bluegrass and jazz into an amazingly original sound. Pat Flynn, in addition to being an expressive singer, was also a talented songwriter ("Sweet Release", "Do What You Gotta Do").

The band flirted with Top 40 succes with songs like "Can't Stop Now," "Unconditional Love," "Friday Night in America" and "Callin' Baton Rouge." But the band was not going to pigeon-holed into a restrictive format, which won them critical praise if not commercial success. [But how can you not love a band who covers an obscure Beatles' B-side ("Im Down")?]

This disc represents the New Grass Revival at their peak. By the end of the decade Sam Bush called it quits to pursue a solo career (as well as frequent session work and a stint in Emmylou Harris' Nashville Ramblers). Fleck would form the Flecktones and continue his bluegrass/be-bop/jazz hybrid. [This configuration of the band also recorded the equally exceptional On the Boulevard on the Sugar Hill label.] But this nearly 70-minute, 18-song collection does an excellent job of representing one of bluegrass music's best progressive bands. As it was stated in the liner notes, "New Grass Revival will never be accused of being ordinary." HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

What kind of music do you like? WHO CARES! Buy This!.......1998-09-13

NGR is incredible. Hear some of the great hits of the last 10 years before they went mainstream by being recorded by Jeff Healey (Angel Eyes) or Garth Brooks (Callin' Baton Rouge, Do What You Gotta Do) and others. The lead singer has an absolutely phenomenal voice -- completely unbelievable. And of course, anything with Bela Fleck on it is guaranteed to kick the butt out of your stereo.

Average customer rating:

The Best of New Grass Revival New Grass Revival Manufacturer: EMI Special Products ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Bluegrass | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Bluegrass | Country | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music ASIN: B00000633D Release Date: 1995-06-16

Tracks:

1. Love Someone Like Me
2. Sweet Release
3. In the Middle of the Night
4. Saw You Runnin'
5. Revival
6. Hold to a Dream
7. Can't Stop Now
8. Metric Lips
9. Unconditional Love
10. Friday Night in America
11. You Plant Your Fields
12. Let's Make a Baby King
13. Do What You Gotta Do
14. Let Me Be Your Man
15. Callin' Baton Rouge
16. Big Foot
17. Angel Eyes
18. I'm Down

Amazon.com

Virtuoso instrumental insurgents, the New Grass Revival brought the counterculture into bluegrass festivals during the '70s, and altered the music forever with daring, extended, jazz-influenced jams. Over two decades the band went through various lineup changes, and this generous single disc retrospective concentrates on the classic '80s unit, featuring founder Sam Bush on fiddle and mandolin, John Cowan on bass and vocals, Bela Fleck on banjo, and Pat Flynn on guitar and vocals. The song selection itself tells much about the band: Standards give way to originals from Flynn and producer Wendy Waldman, as well as songs by John Hiatt and the Beatles. --Roy Francis Kasten

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