Even for a person who isn’t a Phish fanatic, the new JamGrass CD, a tribute to Phish, was an enjoyable listening experience.

“A Phish Tribute” has two ideas behind it. The first is to continue to promote a new, constantly evolving type of music, “jam grass.”

This new form of music seeks to continue to bridge the gap between the 30-minute-long, dance forever style of jam music and the “high-lonesome sound” of traditional bluegrass.

And secondly to cover 12 classic Phish songs in a new style of music.

JamGrass manages to do both.

Every track is chock full of banjos and fiddles that distinguishes bluegrass from other genres of music.

There is a down home feel on the entire album.

It also incorporates more of a rock sound than traditional bluegrass usually contains.

There are guitars and basses along with banjos and fiddles.

The best song on the album is track five, “Farmhouse.”

It is the perfect blend of the two music forms.

It has long instrumental sections that jam bands are known for and it has the instruments of bluegrass and the upbeat plucky sound for which it is known.

Unfortunately, not all the songs are as well meshed. Track eleven, “Gotta Jibboo,” can only be described as annoying.

It is straight bluegrass in instruments and sound but with the length of a jam song. Basically, it is long and repetitive.

“Can we please turn this song off,” cried my roommate about halfway through it.

JamGrass was put together by Bill Vorndick a producer/engineer.

He went out looking for talented musicians, who were “free spirits” and had bluegrass or jam experience.

This is who he found: Travis Stinson, vocals; Scott Simontacchi, guitar and vocals; Johnny Hiland, electric bass and flat-top; Bryan Landers, banjo; Andy Leftwich, fiddle and mandolin; Mark Fain, stand-up bass; and Bob Mater, drums.

All have played music around the country.

They have played for such famous figures as Bela Fleck and Ricky Skaggs.

While this CD does display a relatively new style of music, it is full of banjos and fiddles if those sounds personally offend you I would steer clear.

As for you Phish Heads, give it a try, could it really hurt?

And for the rest of you out there, if you are up for trying something new and can keep an open mind, I would definitely recommend this CD.

One Thumb Up.

Some recent releases from Phish include “Farmhouse,” “Trampled by Lambs and Pecked by the Dove,” “The Siket Disc,” “Outside Out,” “Bittersweet Motel,” a number of live albums and some other albums that were made with select members of Phish and other bands. Their latest release is from October of 2003.