A Nod to the Past

There’s a difference between honoring your roots and getting mired in nostalgia. Just ask Jerry Douglas, whose Flatt & Scruggs-inspired Earls of Leicester straddles the gulf between those two concepts with poise and apparent ease. Despite the fact that they’re clearly honoring a pair of music legends who are dead and gone, the music the Earls make never crosses the line into becoming a straight-up tribute band or cover band or nostalgia act. With their unprecedented talent, they make the music feel fresh and new. The same is true of French Celtic band Doolin’ (you read that right), and the latest effort from stalwart Aaron Neville. And, okay, we may not be able to say the same of the Grateful Dead these days, but the latest installment of the Garcia Live series, the music is as “now” as ever.