Blues & Grass

has been on a something of a roll since the late '90s, after reuniting with longtime cohort and delving into the . The two -produced albums were among the best of his career, with adding his harmolodic shadings to classics from the canon. is a stripped-down offshoot of those albums, but they operate as a band instead of simply supporting . Along with and are 's rhythm section -- (drums) and (bass) -- and vocalist , all veterans of 's albums. But here everyone but contributes to the songwriting instead of working covers, simultaneously updating the tradition and reaching back to prewar archetypes. is just solo -- voice and guitar (as is ) -- and evokes the primal of early sides. is up next, accompanied only by on an infectious, swinging number whose themes are the essence of the but addressed with the fresh perspective of a poet rather than the same tired cliches. 's got a strong, soulful voice and impeccable phrasing, which is supported perfectly by 's swinging bassline. Then it's time for a droning march with fantastic violin from that stands alongside great instrumentals like from . is amazing here, an expressive modal workout with slippery harmonics and a snaky down-home feel. takes vocals with the full band for then hands them back to for gets the spotlight again for another slinky instrumental with just violin and bass, then takes a rare vocal turn on where he switches to mandolin and sings with a sweet voice. And check out his other solos, like on or the funny quote in -- the man just shines. Even gets a solo shot on But as great as it is, fans have heard much of this music before; the real revelation on this album is , whose uplifting songs and great singing are definite highlights on a consistently strong album. Just see if you can get or out of your head at the end of the disc. is a great album from a great band that knows all shades of the . The key is in the liner notes, where says, "I like the idea of the as a sound more than I like the idea of the as a form." Some songs might not sound like conventional , but that's part of the beauty of this album. Remember, this is not a record, it's a band effort by , but it ranks right up there with any of 's albums or projects despite his diminished role. Let's hope that this one-off live recording turns into something more; this is a keeper. ~ Sean Westergaard