‘Dawg’ style not new for 25-year-old band

Thursday, April 25, 1996

Quintet brings mix of musical genres to Wadsworth theaterBy
Cheryl Klein

Daily Bruin Contributor

"Dawg" music doesn’t always involve Snoop-style gangsta rap.

"What it is," says James Kerwin, bassist for the David Grisman
Quintet, a group that pioneered their own "dawg" genre, "is a
mixture of jazz and bluegrass and Latin and classical."

Audiences can get a sample of the Quintet’s eclectic musical
inventions tonight at the Veterans Wadsworth Theater, where the
five members will team up with guest banjo player Herb Petersen for
an evening featuring selections from the newly released album
"Dawganova," in addition to tunes from Grisman’s 25 years of
recording.

Mandolinist David Grisman dubbed his style "dawg" music after
being nicknamed "Dawg" by Grateful Dead legend Jerry Garcia. The
two were close friends who recorded together frequently.

"David and Jerry came from the same background," says Kerwin,
referring to their roots in traditional folk music. "So it was fun
when they’d get together … They would just say, ‘Remember that
son?’ And we’d work it up and then we’d record it."

But in spite of common backgrounds, Grisman and Garcia had
different approaches to the creative process.

"Where David is a lot more disciplined," says Kerwin, "Jerry was
one to just kind of go for it … They kind of complemented each
other."

This comes through in the songs the two musicians cooperated on.
They have a playful, almost country harmony that contrasts to
"Dawganova’s" relaxed tropical rhythms.

Perhaps the upbeat attitude that is present throughout the
Quintet’s various recordings results from Grisman’s unique method
of composing songs.

When Grisman is inspired, he plays a few bars for his fellow
group members and asks for their suggestions.

"He lets you do something that fits in with that part and then
he kind of critiques it." Kerwin says, "(Grisman’s) got a really
firm idea of what he wants musically, but then he lets the
musicians have their individual say."

And each member of the group has something significant to
contribute. Guitarist Enrique Coria, a native of Argentina, brings
a vast knowledge of Latin music and rhythmic techniques, while
flautist Matt Eakl is an expert in jazz and classical music.

Kerwin has supplied the Quintet with his talents on bass for
over a decade. He looks back on his beginnings with Grisman and
chuckles softly.

"I remember the first night I worked with him," Kerwin says. "He
was basically trying me out, but the first evening he told me,
‘You’ve got the job for as long as you want it.’ But I think that
he didn’t realize that I’d be here so long."

Kerwin’s attachment to the Quintet stems from his passion for
acoustic music, a form that he feels is often eclipsed by the
room-shaking chords of electric performances.

"Acoustic music has a lot more heritage behind it," he asserts.
"It’s a little richer that way."

Kerwin also enjoys chatting with audience members after concerts
and absorbing their often pleasantly surprised comments.

"They didn’t expect to hear, like a bassanova, and really get
into it and dig it," Kerwin says, "because bassanova was more like
their parents’ kind of music … This music is ageless."

Though "dawg" music transcends time and evades categorization,
Kerwin suggests starting with the traditional when studying to be a
musician.

"Learn the rules first of all," he says, "But then if your heart
goes someplace else, go that way."

MUSIC: David Grisman Quintet performs at 8 p.m. at the Veterans
Wadsworth Theater. Tickets available at the Central Ticket Office
for $20. For more information call (310) 825-2101.

The David Grisman Quintet

Mandolinist David Grisman dubbed his style "dawg" music after
being nicknamed "Dawg" by Grateful Dead legend Jerry Garcia.