Fire on the Strings Volume One

 I believe that this compilation must have popped up on my recommended list due to the fact that I'm a huge fan of Joe Maphis' flying fingers and his album of this same title. This is a collection of fast movin', guitar'n'banjo bluegrass numbers from the like of Maphis, Eddie Adcock, Arthur Smith and DOn Reno, Sonny Osborne, and Merle Travis.

Besides Maphis, there are some fiery fret-workouts like the multi-instrumental "Limehouse Blues" (Adcock), a bouncy take on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Smith and Reno) and the fast'n'furious "12th Street Rag" (Reno and Smith, this time!), "Black Mountain Rag" (Adcock), and "Water Baby Boogie" (Smith and Maphis) the eclectic "Bluegrass Concerto" (Osborne), a mix of blues'n'bluegrass for "Stalk of the Cat - Part 1" (Adcock), somewhat more melodic pieces such as Travis' "Sugar Moon" and Maphis' jazzy "Liebestraum", and more! 

I'm a huge bluegrass fan and I love to hear highly talented musicians showing off their chops and this comp has that in abundance! A great set!