Bryan Sutton – Not Too Far From The Tree

Winner of the IBMA’s guitarist award four times in the last six years and a sought-after studio picker, 32-year-old Bryan Sutton doesn’t have much left to prove. What makes him even cooler is that he knows this, and thus his albums have focused on concept and musicality rather than simply collecting showcase numbers for flashy chops.

Case in point: his third and latest, a set of duets with guitar friends and heroes. Recorded mostly in his partners’ homes, the tunes play to their strengths at least as much as Sutton’s on what are often signature or significant items in their repertoires. Thus, Russ Barenberg is tapped for “Big Sciota”, Stanley Brothers lead man George Shuffler for “Nine Pound Hammer”, and Doc Watson for “Whiskey Before Breakfast”, while Tony Rice is on board with “Lonesome Fiddle Blues” and “Dusty Miller”.

Admirably, Sutton sticks to his organizing principle even when it means getting with players who aren’t stars or known for their flatpicking. Watson’s longtime (and underappreciated) sidekick Jack Lawrence is on hand, and there are two cuts with the supremely inventive David Grier. Among the others who get their licks in are Earl Scruggs and Ricky Skaggs.

The playing is almost uniformly wonderful, with Sutton unerringly navigating a fine line by paying stylistic homage while preserving his own musical identity. The result is a series of musical conversations that, unlike many all-instrumental albums, succeeds in holding the listener’s attention with consistent delight.