Greg Cahill and Don Stiernberg - Blue Skies (1992)

Greg Cahill and Don Stiernberg are the core members of the Chicago-based Special Consensus Bluegrass Band, a group respected around the world for its mix of tradition and innovation. This set allows the pair to step out front and burn through 15 instrumentals from the worlds of bluegrass, jazz, rock and pop standards, constructing a "blowing" session of exciting and interesting music that should appeal to a wide range of tastes. Stiernberg is a mandolinist who exults in riding just ahead of the beat as he improvises, while banjoist Cahill always seems about to push himself over the edge of his prodigious technique to create solos that are both logical and unpredictable. They are backed ably by local boys Drew Carson or John Parrott on guitar, and Jim Cox on bass. The late mandolinist and humorist Jethro Burns, with whom Stiernberg worked for many years, is the dedicatee of this disc, and no higher praise can be given than stating that Jethro would be proud, and impressed.