Southern Filibuster - A Tribute to Tut Taylor

iTunes Review

Octogenarian dobro player and songwriter Tut Taylor is probably best known for his work with John Hartford’s innovative ‘70s bluegrass band, a group that laid the foundation for the modern style known as newgrass. On 2010’s Southern Filibuster, dobro master Jerry Douglas has gathered a slew of pickers to pay tribute to Taylor, a key figure on the Nashville scene. Douglas — who produced the album — kicks things off with his spirited version of the title cut. In addition to Douglas’s typically fine playing, the song features several sweet solos, including Jason Carter’s turn on fiddle. Billy Cardine’s “Swampwater” has a bluesy swagger while Orville Johnson offers an appealingly spare take on “Ghost Picker.” Michael Auldridge’s “This Ain’t Grass” incorporates jazz and pop elements and Ferrell Stowe’s “Me and My Dobro” displays downhome charm. Bluegrass loves a fast tempo, but Randy Kohrs takes his sweet time on “Ooozin’ the Blues”; it’s nice to hear the soloists operate at a leisurely speed. The album closes with another slow-tempo tune, Ivan Rosenberg’s “Stevens Steel,” a sweet and mellow delight.