Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Wilmington, N.C. - From his beginnings as a devotee of bluegrass founding father Bill Monroe through his work with artists as wide-ranging as the Grateful Dead, Dolly Parton, Bela Fleck, and Stephane Grappelli, and through 25 years of leading his own quintet, master mandolinist David Grisman has covered a lot of musical territory. Affectionately known as "Dawg" - a nickname given by jamming buddy Jerry Garcia-Grisman's blend of bluegrass, gypsy jazz, Afro-Caribbean, blues, Brazilian, and more is so unique it can only be called "dawg music." Grisman brings his quintet to UNCW at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9 in Kenan Auditorium. The performance marks his 30th anniversary tour with an opening set by up-and-coming string band stars Old School Freight Train. The concert is presented as part of UNCW Presents' Arts in Action Performance Series.

David Grisman is still best-known in some circles for his association with the Grateful Dead, the much-loved, musically adventurous rock band that introduced a generation of fans to folk and bluegrass influences. With Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, Grisman played in Old & In the Way, a seminal crossover band that further served to bridge the gap between rock audiences and traditional music, and Grisman and Garcia enjoyed a long musical partnership documented on numerous recordings and in the film Grateful Dawg.

Yet the Dead connection is only a small part of Grisman's considerable legacy as both a master musician and a leader of a multi-faceted musical movement - sometimes called "newgrass"-that has built upon traditional bluegrass to form a new, eclectic style of acoustic string band music. Grisman has been an ambassador and educator on behalf of bluegrass and the mandolin, and a documenter of the contemporary scene through his work with Acoustic Disc Records, a label he runs from his home studio. Through it all, Grisman's musicianship has been impeccable, and his example has been an inspiration to pioneering musicians of all genres.

Grisman discovered the mandolin as a teenager growing up in New Jersey, where he became a disciple of mandolinist/folklorist Ralph Rinzler and learned to play in the style of Bill Monroe. He took it with him to Greenwich Village where he studied English at New York University and became immersed in the proliferating folk music scene of the early 1960s. Within a few years, he made his first recordings with groups like the Even Dozen Jug Band and the Kentuckians. His interests spread to jazz in 1967, while playing in the folk-rock ensemble, Earth Opera, and began work as a session musician, a career path that would lead him to record with Emmylou Harris, Chris Isaak, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Rondastadt, James Taylor, and many others.

Grisman's unique instrumental style found a home in 1974 when he formed the Great American Music Band with fiddler Richard Greene. But Greene left the group within a year, which led to the formation of the first David Grisman Quintet, which included guitar player Tony Rice, bassist/mandolinist Todd Phillips, and violinist Darol Anger. For the past 25 years, the DGQ has won numerous polls and awards and has headlined at major jazz, folk, and bluegrass festivals around the world. Current members included Jim Kerwin, mutli-instrumentalist Joe Craven, flutist Matt Eakle, and Argentine guitarist Enrique Coria.

Blending jazz, Latin, Celtic, bluegrass and pop, Old School Freight Train creates electrifying acoustic music. This young Charlottesville, Virginia-based group, formed in 2000, has already gained national recognition, touring the country and winning awards at the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass and Rockygrass Bluegrass contests. No less an authority than Grisman himself has declared OSFT "an emerging force to reckon with in today's world of acoustic music," and the group has released its latest CD, Run, on Grisman's Acoustic Disc label. Run spans a broad spectrum of contemporary styles and highlights their instrumental virtuosity, smooth soulful vocals, captivating melodies and musical passion.

Members of Old School Freight Train will lead an improvisation master class followed up by jam session on Thursday, November 9 at 3:30 pm, choral rehearsal room in the new Cultural Arts Building on the UNCW campus. Acoustic instruments and observers welcome. To reserve a seat, email artsinaction@uncw.edu or call 910.962.7971.

BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are $8 for university and area students, $16 for UNCW faculty/staff and senior citizens, and $20 for all others. For tickets, call Kenan Box Office at 910.962.3500 or 800.732.3643 outside the Wilmington area or visit uncw.edu/presents. Box Office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

ABOUT UNCW PRESENTS

UNCW Presents annually brings to the southeastern NC region a full season of performing arts, visual arts and lectures by world-famous artists and speakers as well as astounding newcomers through its three dynamic programs: Leadership Lecture Series, Arts in Action Performance Series and the University Union Exhibit Series. The Arts in Action Performance Series seeks to culturally enrich, educate and entertain both students and the general public through the presentation of diverse programs featuring professional, high-quality performing artists. For more information, please visit the UNCW Presents web site at www.uncw.edu/presents

UNCW Presents is a member of the NC Presenters Consortium and the US National Association of Performing Arts Presenters. The 150 member venues of the NC Presenters Consortium may be visited at www.ncpresenters.org.

Full schedule and images available for download at: www.uncw.edu/stuaff/activities/UNCWPresents/about-presskit.htm

Media Contact: Shannon Hooker, 910.962.7600