Though the Sam Grisman Project leans heavily on music by the titular bandleader’s father David Grisman and his late collaborator Jerry Garcia, the younger Grisman has certainly done his homework on the wide world of bluegrass. During a spiritual Sunday performance at New York’s Brooklyn Bowl, Sam Grisman paid tribute to another bluegrass icon with his band’s debut of “Steam Powered Aereo Plane” by John Hartford.
While the music Jerry Garcia and David Grisman made together in the early ’90s is vital to Sam’s artistic DNA, none of those records would have been possible without Hartford’s 1971 album Aereo-Plain. A watershed moment in the development of the progressive, improvisation-inspired “newgrass” movement, Aereo-Plain marked one of the first significant crossovers between traditional bluegrass and countercultural music trends. Not long after the release of Aereo-Plane, Garcia and Grisman approached Hartford about playing fiddle in their new bluegrass band. Due to Hartford’s schedule, he turned down the role which ultimately went to Vassar Clements, who joined Garcia, Grisman, Peter Rowan, and John Kahn to form Old & In The Way.
Though released over half a century ago, Aereo-Plain still looms large in the burgeoning “jamgrass” scene, with poster boy Billy Strings having covered “Steam Powered Aereo Plane” 45 times since 2016, per BillyBase. Alongside his core bandmates Chris J. English, Victor Furtado, and Max Flansburg, bassist Sam Grisman joined that rich tradition on Sunday with his group’s first performance of the song. While Hartford passed away 23 years ago from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, his legacy and influence still carry on in arenas, clubs, back porches, and wherever progressive pickin’ parties rage.
Watch Sam Grisman Project debut a cover of “Steam Powered Aereo Plane” by John Hartford below, along with covers of Garcia/Grisman, Doc Watson, and more. The band’s tour continues with headlining dates along the East Coast leading to a set at Suwannee Hulaween in Live Oak, FL on October 27th. Find tickets and a full list of tour dates here.
Sam Grisman Project — “Steam Powered Aereo Plane” (John Hartford) — 10/13/24
[Video: Matt Frazier (mfrazier55)]
Sam Grisman Project — “Opus 38” (David Grisman) > “Shady Grove” (David Grisman/Jerry Garcia) — 10/13/24
[Video: Matt Frazier (mfrazier55)]
Sam Grisman Project — “Stealin'” (David Grisman/Jerry Garcia) — 10/13/24
[Video: Matt Frazier (mfrazier55)]
Sam Grisman Project — “Streamlined Cannonball'” (Doc Watson) — 10/13/24
[Video: Matt Frazier (mfrazier55)]