On March 24th, Acoustic Disc will release Been All Around This World,
the seventh (and supposedly final) collaboration between the late Jerry
Garcia and mandolinist David Grisman. Where previous albums have focused on
jazz (1998’s So What), children’s music (1993’s Not For Kids
Only), and old-tyme folk (1996’s Shady Grove), Been All Around
This World has the duo, accompanied by longtime David Grisman Quintet
members Joe Craven (percussion/fiddle) and Jim Kerwin (bass), tackling a
modern songbook.
Listeners will hear Garcia croon numbers by a diverse collection of
musicians, from Bob Dylan (‘The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest’) to
James Brown (‘I’ll Go Crazy’) to Merle Travis (‘Dark As A Dungeon’) to
singing brakeman Jimmie Rodgers (‘Blue Yodel No. 9,’ an outtake from
Garcia’s last studio session) to reggae legend Jimmy Cliff (‘Sittin’ In
Limbo’).
The release marks the end of an era for David Grisman’s self-owned Acoustic Disc, whose incredible stash

of over 40 Garcia/Grisman recording sessions at Grisman’s Dawg Studios
helped the 11 year-old label both establish itself and keep afloat. Garcia’s
work with Grisman, documented in the 2001 film Grateful Dawg
(directed by Grisman’s daughter, Gillian), was – and remains – a curious
affair. Garcia’s loose style was frequently counter-balanced by Grisman’s
relentless professionalism, resulting in an ineffably creaky blend, all
captured with a close-mic’ed fidelity that was occasionally unforgiving, but
almost always warm and inviting. Reporting by Jesse Jarnow