Casey Driessen

Casey Driessen is to fiddle players what LeBron James is to NBA basketball -- already among the elite in his field, but young enough that he's probably going to keep getting better -- so good, in fact, that he'll probably change the way the game is played. On Driessen's debut solo album, 3D, the 27-year-old Chicago native and Nashville resident brings so much energy, creativity and ingenuity to his instrument and his musical arrangements that it's not even really fair to call what he does bluegrass, although that's clearly the starting point for his music.

Helping Driessen immensely is the fact that he's already well-respected enough to assemble an all-star cast of supporting players -- dobro and lap steel player Jerry Douglas, singer-songwriters Tim O'Brien and Darrell Scott on bouzouki and guitar respectively, bassist Viktor Krauss, drummer Jamey Haddad, and the player Driessen most resembles in style and temperament, legendary banjo player Bela Fleck. Producer Jason Lehning simply could have pressed record and just let these guys jam for an hour and it still would have made for a great album. As it is, the mix of standards and Driessen originals they play here provides an excellent showcase for the talents of all involved.

Purists beware: Not only does Driessen play a non-traditional five-string violin, he multitracks himself and uses the occasional electronic flourish, as well -- right out of the gate, he starts "Sally in the Garden" with an air-raid siren of processed sounds, as if to scare off anyone who won't embrace his experimental approach. He evens sings on a few tracks, quite convincingly, though producer Lehning wisely mutes the vocals to keep the focus squarely on Driessen's bow. Folks not bothered by studio trickery will be rewarded with breathtaking tracks like a version of Bill Monroe's "Jerusalem Ridge" that's just layer upon layer of virtuoso fiddling, and folks not worried about the answer to the question "but is it bluegrass?" will be treated to tasty Driessen originals like "Cliff Dweller's Slide," which thanks Krauss' elastic bass and Haddad's subtly syncopated percussion sounds like a fiddler's version of a Medeski, Martin & Wood tune. It's only May, but it's safe to say that the year's best progressive bluegrass album has already arrived. - Andy Hermann

When one first glances at the cover of Casey Driessen's 3D, it's difficult to know what to expect. Driessen's red hair is brushed back, and he's wearing these funky 3D glasses with a "3" on one lens and a "D" on the other. From this info, one might be prepared for spacey electronic music or perhaps a surrealistic singer/songwriter. But the final clue at the bottom on the cover photo is the head of a fiddle, Driessen's instrument of choice, which may or may not lead one to guess 3D's dominant musical style: progressive instrumental Celtic music. Listeners have probably never heard "Sally in the Garden" arranged with drums, programming, and an electric sruti box, though the addition of Jerry Douglas' dobro, Tim O'Brien's bouzouki, and Driessen's fiddle add stable elements. It's as though the players started with a fairly traditional base of acoustic instruments and then inserted percussion, progressive material, and the occasional electronic element to spice things up. Even on more conservative -- instrumentally speaking -- tunes like Driessen's "The Confusion Before Dreams" proves quite compelling, and the vocal numbers, often a distraction on primarily instrumental albums, are fun. There's a funky take on "Sugarfoot Rag" with Driessen's ultra-cool vocal and Darrell Scott spunky guitar work. While a number of semi-progressive musicians like O'Brien have gotten lots of credit for pushing bluegrass and Celtic in new directions, the results (as with O'Brien's dual release in 2005) seem rather tepid compared to 3D. This is fun music that will probably offend a few traditionalists while letting everyone else know that the old music can grow in exciting and unpredictable ways. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., All Music Guide