[Preview] David Grisman’s Sextet | Nov. 21 + 22 @ City Winery

For nearly half a century, mandolinist-composer-producer David Grisman has been a guiding force in the evolving world of acoustic music. His musical range is wide and deep — embracing many styles, genres and traditions. This week, the good people at City Winery Nashville bring David Grisman’s Sextet to the venue for shows tonight, Nov. 21 and tomorrow, Nov. 22. Tickets are still available to purchase right here, and we have more details below.

DAVID GRISMAN SEXTET

An acoustic pioneer and innovator, David Grisman forged a unique personal artistic path, skillfully combining elements of the great American music/art forms, jazz and bluegrass, with many international flavors and sensibilities to create his own distinctive idiom: “Dawg” music (the nickname given him by Jerry Garcia). He has inspired new generations of acoustic string musicians, while creating his own niche in contemporary music. The current lineup of the David Grisman Sextet includes bassist Jim Kerwin, flutist Matt Eakle, percussionist George Marsh, guitarist George Cole, and violinist Chad Manning.

Grisman discovered the mandolin as a teenager growing up in New Jersey.  He studied English at NYU, while immersed in the folk music scene of the early 1960s. David’s interests spread to jazz and a failed attempt at learning to play alto sax turned him into a student of jazz musicianship and theory. His career as a session musician gave him experience playing many types of music and stretch the boundaries of the mandolin. The list of notables whose albums he has played on include Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead, John Hartford, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Earl Scruggs, James Taylor and Doc Watson.

In 1974, Grisman formed the Great American Music Band with fiddler Richard Greene. Within a year, he met guitar wizard Tony Rice and they began rehearsing a new group, the David Grisman Quintet (DGQ). Over the years, the DGQ has featured such stellar musicians as Svend Asmussen, Hal Blaine, Vassar Clements, Stephane Grappelli, Mike Marshall, Andy Statman and Frank Vignola. David founded Acoustic Disc in 1990, producing 67 critically acclaimed albums (five Grammy-nominated) and launched AcousticOasis.com, the first digital download service devoted to acoustic music, in 2010.

Del McCoury and David Grisman recently performed for a One On One session at City Winery New York. Watch below!

The David Grisman Sextet will perform Friday, Nov. 21 and Saturday, Nov. 22 at City Winery Nashville. The shows are all ages, begin at 8 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.), and tickets are available for $48 – $60.