Album: Down the Old Plank Road - The Nashville Sessions
RCA/BMG, 2002 | 09026-63971-2

DVD: Down the Old Plank Road - The Nashville Sessions in Concert at the Historic Ryman Auditorium
BMG RCA Victor, 2003 | 09026-64022-9

by Sarah Adams

The Chieftains have returned to Music City to further their explorations if the connections between American Roots music and the ancient music of Ireland. This album is a continuation of Another Country recorded in 1992 as it further explores the connections betweeen "green" grass and bluegrass.

The album starts out with a flourish on the harp and breaks into the title track of the album, Down the Old Plank Road. It is a beautifully packaged album showing the connections between Irish traditional music and American Bluegrass. It showcases a number of American Bluegrass and country artists including Allison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, banjo legend Earl Scruggs among others working with the Chieftains. The album has a nice mix of ballads and toe-tapping fun.

A number of tracks stand out as clearly great tracks on this wonderful album. The tracks that stand out most for me is the incredible collaboration with banjo great, Earl Scruggs. The track, Sally Goodin showcases Scruggs' banjo playing and it blends beautifully with the sound of the Chieftains. I am, however, disappointed that this track did not receive a Grammy for it is really a testament to the migration of Irish music to America. This track is complimented by the incredible playing of Bela Fleck on two additional tracks including the title track, Down the Old Plank Road. Del McCoury also did some wonderful playing on Rain and Shine. Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder shine on Cindy. Seán Keane's arrangement of Tennessee Stud is a lively testament to the tune complete with vocals by Jeff White and the track ends with Conneff galloping off on the bodhrán. Ironically, this is not the first time that Keane has recorded this song.

Allison Krauss is the perfect person to record the track, Molly Bán. Her hauntingly beautiful voice is reminscent of many Irish women vocalists and she captures the emotion and heartbreak of the tune. Tracks recorded by Martina McBride, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings also capture the heartache and pain of unrequited love and in the case of Welch and Rawlings, murder. The performance of songs with the topic of murdering of ones love is very much in the old tradition of the music in the British Isles. This particular style of song came over with the emigrants as they settled in the Appalachain range and eventually spread into Kentucky and Tennessee. Since the Appalachain range is a coal mining region, Vince Gill's treatment of the old Jimmie Driftwood piece, Dark as a Dungeon evokes heartfelt emotion nicely complimented by the musicianship of the Chieftains.

The DVD beautifully compliments the album and is a nice teaser for the second volume of music they recorded in Nashville. The DVD was recorded at the historic Ryman Auditorium in September 2002 and features many of the artists that recorded with the Chieftains in May.

The DVD opens with a montage of images and flows into the Chieftains walking on stage at the Ryman and breaking into a set of traditional reels and jigs and the entry of the Pilatzke brothers doing very impossible things with their feet. Jon Pilatzke later joins the Chieftains playing fiddle next to Seán Keane. The DVD is easy to watch and flows beautifully. The concert footage is interpersed with scenes of the recording sessions and interviews with the artists who have recorded with them.

The DVD features several recordings that are not on the album including some incredible dobro playing by Jerry Douglas on Rosca Catha. There were several performances however that require further comment. The one performance that really stood out was when bluegrass banjo legend, Earl Scruggs, came on stage he recieved a standing ovation. An incredible tribute to a legend. The insertion of comments of other musicians and artists surrounding the performance on stage help provide a nice background to each of the tracks. Incredible performances were also turned in by Patty Griffin, Martina McBride, Del McCoury. However, one of the best tracks on the DVD is Give the Fiddler a Dram and it allows each of the musicians, both guests and the Chieftains, to have their talents showcased.

Several performances were not included on the album but are planned for a subsequent album of tracks recorded in Nashville. Emmylou Harris delivered a beautiful rendition of Lambs on the Green Hills. John Hiatt delivered a rousing rendition of Jordan's a Hard Road to Travel and title track, Down the Old Plank Road. Tim O'Brien brought out the Irish back ground of an old bluegrass tune, Shady Grove. The inclusion of these tracks is a nice treat to entice the listener of what is to come on the next collection.

The DVD also had several little additional features including a segment on behind the scenes at the concert; making of the album and a partial discography collection of the Chieftains with several of the albums listed having 30-second soundbites for the viewer to get a taste of their other recordings.

All in all this is a great album for fans of bluegrass and Chieftains fan. It is a wonderful introduction to the relationship between Irish and American roots music. My only disappointment with the album is that the liner notes were a bit sparse on each of the tracks. The DVD is also a great treat as you get to see the people who worked with the Chieftains to make the album on stage performing with them. Sadly, the DVD does have a bittersweet end as it marks the final performance of Derek Bell with the group on stage just a few weeks before his death.