Album Review - Peter Rowan & Tony Rice - You Were There for Me
John Metzger
For decades, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice have been expanding the
boundaries of bluegrass, and although their paths have crossed quite
frequently -- particularly in recent years via a series of collaborative
concerts -- You Were There for Me is their inaugural, full-length studio
recording. Backed largely by longtime accompanists Billy and Bryn Bright
on mandolin and bass, respectively -- Tony Garnier, bass player for Bob
Dylan's touring band, and former SeaTrain percussionist Larry Atamanuik
also assist on a handful of selections -- the duo carves a customarily
wide swath through roots music, flavoring its country-folk concoctions
with dashes of bluegrass, rock, and blues while adding a few jazz and
Latin-tinged flourishes for good measure. The result is stunning,
hypnotic, and intoxicating as Rowan's impassioned vocals repeatedly
drift with ethereal beauty over Rice's delicately delivered guitar
accompaniments.
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