I was fortunate enough to get the chance to talk with Mr. Grisman as he was busy at work in his studio. We had a conversation revolving around music and the idea of individual style and form. The names Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis are thrown around with Stephane Grappelli and one mention of Jerome Garcia. David Grisman started his musical career in 1963 as a member of The Even Dozen Jug Band. His nickname, “Dawg” was affectionately assigned by his close friend Jerry Garcia (the two met at a Van Hoy Campground (NC) back when they used to host the old time fiddlers convention). “Dawg Music” is what he calls his mixture of bluegrass and Django Reinhardt–Stéphane Grappelli-influenced jazz, as highlighted on his 1977 album “Hot Dawg“. Stephane Grappelli played on a couple of tracks on the Hot Dawg album and then the 1981 recording “Stephane Grappelli and David Grisman Live“. It was his early fusions with Reinhardt-era Jazz that led to the formation of the genre known as newgrass. Grisman, along with New Grass Revival are generally considered the modern day Bill Monroes to this new bluegrass-influenced sound. Bonnie Raitt‘s album, Sweet Forgiveness features Grisman on mandocello throughout the album.
Check out our conversation here.
