Tony Rice Night Flyer

In bluegrass circles, the name Tony Rice is greeted with near-reverence. The veteran guitarist/singer made his mark with the New South, the David Grisman Quintet, the Bluegrass Album Band and many others, while also releasing a string of solo albums. Night Flyer showcases his folk side, collecting vocal tracks from some of those discs, along with three previously unreleased songs. There’s little faulting Rice’s song selections, with Canadian classics "Four Strong Winds” and Joni Mitchell’s "Urge For Going” sharing space with tunes from Mickey Newbury, Phil Ochs ("Changes,” a tune popularized by Gordon Lightfoot), Tom Waits, Bob Dylan and James Taylor. Guests like Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Vassar Clements and Bela Fleck ensure top-notch musicianship (the first three all shine on "Me And My Guitar”), while Rice’s trademarked crisp fretwork is much in evidence. He has a fluent and pleasing vocal style but it’s occasionally on the bland side. Original tune "Never Meant To Be” chronicles a marital breakdown but there’s no palpable fire or bitterness in his delivery. The sparse and haunting rendition of "Urge For Going” and breezy takes on "Changes” and Dylan’s "Sweetheart Like You” are highlights of a generous 17-song collection sure to please his sizeable fan base.