Greg Spatz is one of those musicians that fly under the radar of most people, if you aren’t paying attention. Immensely talented (impeccable technique, rock-solid rhythm, and a facile, bluesy sound) with a keen ear for spot-on performances, Greg is a fiddle-player’s fiddle player. At the moment he is most well-known as the fiddler in John Reischman and the Jaybirds, a Bluegrass band based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. Last year I reviewed their excellent CD, “Stellar Jays,” for Audiophile Audition along with the recording “Mighty Squirrels,” which is Greg’s other band, self-described as “eclectic world-time folk.” “Fiddler’s Dream” is Greg Spatz’s first solo project (for more information, go to www.gregoryspatz.com).
Fiddler’s Dream represents Greg’s own personal interests in music that extends beyond Bluegrass and includes his new efforts playing the bouzouki, a lower-voiced, eight-stringed cousin to the mandolin. For sure, there are Bluegrass numbers here and Greg is ably backed up by John Reischman and the Jaybirds along with Rob Ickes, one of the best Dobro players around, but there are a fair amount of Celtic and folk music, too. For those tunes, Greg is either backed up by members of his other group, Mighty Squirrel, or by his wife, Caridwen Irvine-Spatz, a lovely singer, an accomplished fiddler, and also a member of Mighty Squirrel. Greg and Caridwen perform two delightful fiddle duets, “Rufty Tufty” and “Inisheer/The Blackbird.” Rather than stepping out front for every song (of course, he does deliver a number of exquisite solos), Greg is content to play back-up for the other musicians in several tunes. This is both a testimony to his generosity as a musician and perhaps a part of the reason he’s still underrated and unrecognized as one of the finest fiddlers playing today.
Fiddler’s Dream is a tasty treat for those looking for authentic and expressive Bluegrass and folk music. It’s so good that it will leave you wanting more.
TrackList:
1. Fiddler’s Dream
2. Caridwen’s Waltz
3. The Parting
4. Valse Des Fourmis
5. Rufty Tufty
6. Bash Bish Falls
7. Old Sport
8. Lady Franklin’s Dream
9. Inisheer/The Blackbird
10. Dream Angus
11. Little Rabbit
– Hermon Joyner
