Stomp

Good music never stands still and that includes bluegrass. This duo effort by mandolinists Mike Compton and David Long builds upon the tradition of Bill Monroe's music, yet they both of these accomplished pickers add their own distinctive modern touches to some of the favorites associated with the late legend. Monroe's "Evening Prayer Blues" is a virtuoso performance by the two men, yet they're able to shift gears and play a traditional favorite like "Mississippi Bound" (with Compton switching to guitar) complete with harmony vocals. They preface their rapid-fire, intricate "Centipede Hop" by explaining that they independently wrote very similar melodies then combined their individual efforts. Each man also fairs well on individual unaccompanied tracks, revealing why they both impressed producer (and mandolin master) David Grisman. The unlisted bonus song that follows "Tanyards" is a blazing alternate take of the gospel tune "Standing on Jesus," as opposed to the more leisurely master take included earlier on the CD.