Now, some may recall that we like to (when we have the opportunity) feature an instrumental track as the week reaches its mid-point, somewhere around Wednesday afternoon. So, what are we doing featuring this latest release from Béla Fleck, and band, on a Tuesday morning? What’s that about? Simple. We could not wait.
Blue Mountain Hop is taken from the new live album, Live Heart: My Bluegrass Heart at the Ryman , from Fleck, which features across its tracks a band of overwhelming musical majesty: Sam Bush, Michael Cleveland, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Sierra Hull, Edgar Meyer, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz, Billy Strings, Bryan Sutton, Tony Trischka, and Molly Tuttle. It’s a record of a very special night to celebrate Fleck’s Grammy Award winning album My Bluegrass Heart.
Characteristically modest, Béla Fleck has said of the recording: “We somehow managed to take and own the stage that night. My amazing peers, friends, and iconic performers really brought the fire—I’m very proud to bring you this fantastic live performance.” Band mate Sierra Hull adds that “Béla took such a collaborative spirit with this – he has an ability to bring out the best in people, to allow them to bring what they’re good at and let them shine.”
Missing from the recording is Chris Thile, violinist on My Bluegrass Heart, who was unable to travel to Tennessee due to blizzard conditions. It clearly was a disappointment but he adds: “It killed me not to be there in the most hallowed hall in bluegrass that wintry night back in 2022, but this recording gives us all a front row seat to this balletic intergenerational relay race.”
And that, simply put and plainly spoken, is why we couldn’t wait another day to share this music.
