Search - Various Artists :: Sharin' in the Groove: Celebrating the Music of Phish

Great cuts, good cause

Ellis Godard | Moorpark, CA United States | 05/10/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm biased because I produced this double-disc compilation, but since no one else has yet reviewed it, I think I can fairly step outside the project and say that it has great diversity, some fascinating takes on Phish's material (some more comfortable, others more exploratory), and flows nicely as something you can listen to from start to finish. Plus, all the net proceeds go to music education for children, making it a wonderful gift on both ends!"

A tribute as diverse as the band itself

J. Raras Jr. | Boston, MA USA | 10/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sharin' in the Groove blew away my expectations. Tribute albums are usually ho-hum, imo. However, the varied performance on this double album are well worth the money--especially since it all goes to charity!



My favorite cut is Jimmy Buffett's 'Gumbo', fantastic!



Jim Raras"

An under appreciated gem

The Delite Rancher | Phoenix, Arizona | 07/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Sharin' in the Groove" is a remarkable disc and I'm surprised by the Amazon's community's lack of enthusiasm. Granted, tributes can be a mixed bag, but "Sharin' in the Groove" succeeds where others fail. First, the musical choices are extremely eclectic. While rock is well represented, Blues, Reggae, orchestral and marching band are just some of the other genres. This means that phans who've played out Phish can rediscover their best songs. "Sharin' in the Groove" contains two discs. The first CD is absolutely phenomenal. It's far better than Phish's earliest and latest studio releases. Every song offers a five star performance. Perhaps the strongest is Amfibian's version of 'The Wedge.' Then again Jimmy Buffet's reggae infused 'Gumbo' is also exceptional. 'My Friend My Friend > Guyute' is played by the Vermont Youth Orchestra. Had this been released as a single disc, it would stand as an outstanding tribute. This is true given the uneven quality of the second disc. It features some musical jewels (like The Wailers' roots reggae rendition of 'Makisupa Policeman') and some real duds (like Los Villain's butchering of 'Chalkdust Torture'). Between the extremes, some songs are just mediocre. Second disc highlights include a straight jazz version of 'Tweezer > Magilla,' which sounds similar to the version played by Trey's big band during the "Plasma" era. Paying tribute to Phish's barbershop quartet music is FRED's 'Poor Heart.' 'Cars Trucks Buses' is a big disappointment. Given that it was Medeski, Martin and Wood (MMW) who inspired Page McConnell to originally write the song, MMW should have performed the tune. It seems that John Scofield was as close as the producers could get to John Medeski and the guys. While the combination of Scofield and Project Logic sounds interesting, it just doesn't work since DJ Logic tries to solo throughout the entire song. Given that Lake Trout is one of the disc's most exciting groups, their unrecognizable rendition is another let down. While the idea of a marching band version of 'Golgi Apparatus' may sound awful, it works really well. While the second disc is much weaker than the first, it ultimately adds to the adventure that is "Sharin' in the Groove." The booklet contains detailed notes on the project. If the overall musical quality wasn't enough to inspire a purchase, it is a fund raiser for the Mockingbird Foundation. "Sharin' in the Groove" is an essential disc for the Phish phan."