Search - Eric Weissberg :: "Dueling Banjos" From The Original Soundtrack: Deliverance

A Must-Have for Bluegrass Fans

Raif Hollister | Richfield, MN USA | 02/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wonderful, exhilarating, breathtaking music, both in speed and execution. Banjoist Eric Weissberg has spent most of his career in relative obscurity as a studio musician, which is a shame as he is one of the finest banjo players to ever pick up the instrument. City born and musically educated at the University of Wisconsin and Juilliard, Weissberg was a seminal banjo picker who combined the power and taste of Earl Scruggs along with the progressive melodic banjo stylings of the 1960s.Obviously, the album features the definitive version of "Dueling Banjos" that Weissberg recorded with Steve Mandel. The rest of the tracks come from an incredible album called "New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass," released by Elektra in 1963. Most of the tracks feature brilliant dual arrangments between Weissberg and Marshall Brickman, a banjoist who left the music world behind to write movies for Hollywood (The Bad News Bears, co-writer for Annie Hall). They are backed by guitar legend, Clarence White, who creates beautiful backup runs on songs like "Pony Express" and fine solos throughout. I think the fiddler was Gordon Terry, whose atmospheric style on "Reuben's Train" will make your hair stand on end.The album is loaded with famous and oft-copied banjo licks, including the descending single-string work on Little Maggie, the "bumblebee break" on an insane version of "Shucking the Corn," the C-F-E-C chord sequence on "Riding the Waves," and some of the fastest (and cleanest) banjo work you'll ever hear anywhere on songs like Rawhide and Hard, 'Aint it Hard. If you do not already own this CD, BUY IT. And if anyone in the music business is listening, you need to scrape up some money and produce a dozen more acoustic albums by Weissberg and Brickman. These guys deserve more of a legacy than a single album!"

Speed Metal Wishes it Was This Energetic

A. C. Johnson | Oakland, CA USA | 02/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anybody who likes Flatt and Scruggs, will love this CD. It is filled with rippin' banjo bluegrass instrumentals that simply defy you to not get up and dance.
Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel might not be original good old boys, but they are obviously well versed in the ways of Flatt and Scruggs and do a very admirable job creating exciting arrangements. A major plus is that this CD is about twice as long as most of Flatt and Scruggs offerings making the the CD to pop in when you want more bang for you buck.
Also as a fan of Metallica, I have to rank some of the tracks on this CD right up there with 'Master of Puppets' as one of the most intense pieces of music in my collection."

An American Banjo Classic

surfandsand | Florida USA | 02/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my 2nd favorite banjo CD behind Earl's 'Foggy Mountain Banjo'. This cd is part of the reason bluegrass saw a huge increase in popularity during the 1970's, and Weissberg's music is just as inspiring today as it was then. All songs are performed 3 finger Style and there are no lyrics on this CD. As a banjo player, this CD introduced me to some banjo classics and inspired me to learn "Pony Express", "Eight More Miles To Louisville" and "Buffalo Gals" among others. If you play or just love banjo, you owe this one to yourself."