The Goat Rodeo Show by Maria Reveley

Once again, Yo-Yo Ma brought to Tanglewood his great enthusiasm for music and artistic growth by showcasing The Great Rodeo Show last night.  Phil and I have seen his great classical performances and his wonderful Silk Road Ensemble, but this was our first opportunity to see The Great Rodeo Show in person.
And, what a show it was - full of skill, passion, surprises and wonderful music and singing.

Who would imagine combining multi-instrumentalist Stuart Duncan with his bluegrass roots on the fiddle, Edgar Meyer as a classical bassist, Chris Thile of Punch Brothers, a madnolin virtuoso, composer vocalist, and Yo-Yo Ma, with his magical cello?  The net result was music to smile by!   The fun the group was having was contagious, and one can only imagine the fun they have composing and developing their unique sound.

Stuart Duncan, known as the consummate sideman, demonstrated his ability to defy categorization and fly across genres with The Goat Rodeo Show, which he says opened him up musically and to a broader concept of composition.  His intros and sense of humor added an insight to how this group works. Stuart has been a contributing member of The Nashville Bluegrass Band since 1985, winning two Grammys with them.

Chris Thile,of Punch Brothers, plays the mandolin like it was many instruments, so naturally it seems like it is simply an extension of his body and rhythm and compositions!  His music encompasses many genres, and one can see he has few limits.  His vocals added a great deal to the proceedings. No wonder he recently was awarded the a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship!

Edgar Meyer, also a MacArthur Award winner, is a solo classical bassist, and a composer playing with and without his bow, added to the innovative nature of the music.  He is the only bassist to receive the Avery Fisher Prize and has collaborated with Chris Thile writing original material fora CD/DVD, among his many accomplishments.

And, Yo-Yo Ma added his superb skills with the cello to make these pieces sing. His more than seventy-five albums have won 15 Grammys, and his may awards include the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom as well as being recognized in 2011 as a Kennedy Center Honoree. Yo-Yo Ma has performed for eight American Presidents.  Last night, he lit up the stage with his enthusiasm and his smile and his humility!  He mentioned has much he has learned with this group.

Aoife O'Donovan came out to sing several songs with the group.  She is the lead singer of Crooked Still and a member of the folk noir trio Sometymes Why, and her angelic voice was a perfect addition to the music.

It is exciting to see virtuosos exploring artistic growth together, with skill, humor and passion!
And, it's no wonder that The Great Rodeo Sessions won two Grammy awards!
This is music we will return to again and again.

photos courtesy of Hilary Scott/BSO