Life of Sorrow

The success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack has inspired labels far and wide to dig into their vaults and release bluegrass and old-time tracks that might never have been heard otherwise. Veteran bluegrass mandolin picker and devotee David Grisman probably needed little prodding, but with Life of Sorrow, he's reached into his vast tape archives and pulled out previously unreleased tracks he recorded with bluegrass luminaries like Mac Wiseman, Del McCoury, and Ralph Stanley, who sings a stirring rendition of "Man of Constant Sorrow." Other artists include the late John Hartford, who plays on the lovely banjo-mandolin duet "Doin' My Time," Autoharp player and singer Bryan Bowers ("Farther Along"), and folklorist Ralph Rinzler, the man who first inspired Grisman to pick up the mandolin. Grisman's exemplary mandolin playing here is strictly in the bluegrass tradition, leaving behind the jazzy excursions that characterize his own "Dawg" style of music. But it’s a delightful paradox that the most progressive of musicians plays some of his most moving solos in this traditional setting. --Michael Simmons