Fest tour seeks to sow, reap bluegrass

Inaugural event to bow in July

By PHIL GALLO

HOLLYWOOD -- As the scene for traveling festivals diminishes on the summer concert trail, JamGrass 2002, a festival-style event featuring acoustic bluegrass musicians and jam bands, will make its debut in July.

Majority of the 24 dates already scheduled will feature the David Grisman Quintet, the Sam Bush Band, Peter Rowan & Tony Rice, the John Cowan Band and the Yonder Mountain String Band. Eleven cities will also see the Dark Star Orchestra performing an acoustic set, as well as its trademark electric show. String Cheese Incident is part of the bill on the fest's opening day, July 18, in Columbia, Md.; Jorma Kaukonen and Leo Kottke will appear on some of the bills.

Filling the calendar

The festival expects to add more dates to its schedule, which already includes stops at Seattle's annual Bumbershoot extravaganza; the Grand Old Opry; Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn., on Sept. 10; and Long Island's summertime rock mecca, Jones Beach, on Sept. 22.

Festival could well draw on audiences enchanted by the "Down From the Mountain" tour featuring the participants in the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack that's making its second go-round this summer, as well as those who attended H.O.R.D.E. dates in the 1990s.

Spinning sales

In the JamGrass family, several of the musicians are touring on the heels of new albums: Mandolinist Grisman's "Dawg Nation" (Acoustic Disc) will be released June 25; Cowan just issued "Always Take Me Back" (Sugar Hill); and Kaukonen will have a new disc of early 20th-century country blues out on Columbia this month.

The JamGrass concept was formulated by Buddy Lee Attractions, Nashville's largest privately owned booking agency.