David Grisman Quintet

Mandolinist David Grisman has spent the past three decades playing what he calls "dawg" music, which is essentially a mix swing, bluegrass, Latin, jazz and gypsy. While the line-up of his band has changed over the years, Grisman's always had a knack for recruiting skilled players, such as Tony Rice and Mark O'Connor, both of whom went on to lead their own bands, and guitarist Frank Vignola, the latest addition to the group, who honed his chops listening to Django Reinhardt and Joe Pass. In addition to playing with his namesake Quintet, Grisman has also worked with Béla Fleck, legendary gypsy jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli and the Grateful Dead — particularly its dearly departed frontman, with whom he recorded six albums, each released on Grisman's own Acoustic Disc imprint. The label, founded in 1990, has issued more than fifty recordings, including the Quintet's latest live disc, Dawg's Groove.