Press

The RV Sessions 2 - Instrumentals
For many musicians, “down time” means getting off the road and relaxing at home—but for the Infamous Stringdusters’ Jeremy Garrett, it’s something else altogether. In part, that’s because the home he shares with his wife is actually on the road, in a 40 foot RV, and in part because his creative impulses range too widely to be contained in a single musical frame, even one as rich as that of the ‘Dusters. The combination yielded its first fruits with the release of his RV Sessions, a collection of original songs recorded (and mostly written) aboard that vehicle, and now, he’s following up with RV Sessions 2 (9/27/16), an all-instrumental set inspired by the sights and sounds of another year’s worth of travels.

From the opening “Cobra”—a title that evokes the intensity of Garrett’s on-stage fiddling—to the subtle melodicism of the closing “So Long,” RV Sessions 2 offers music that neatly complements both its predecessor and the combination of songs and extended improvisations that characterize the Infamous Stringdusters’ appearances. It’s a nod to the bluegrass tradition in which Jeremy was raised—a world in which all-instrumental albums were a regular occurrence—but ranges across a broad sonic landscape, where rock, jazz, pop and other influences can be glimpsed at every turn. And while he’s best known as a fiddler, RV Sessions 2 testifies to his increasingly impressive skills on guitar and mandolin, along with a savvy exploration of technology that makes for an even broader tonal palette.

The result is a musical portrait that’s both stunning and intimate, an exploration of both inner and outer landscapes that reflects Jeremy Garrett’s ongoing journey in music and life. For his growing legion of fans—colleagues across the musical spectrum included—and for those who know him only as a member of the Infamous Stringdusters, then, RV Sessions 2 presents the latest chapter in a career that’s already brought years of enjoyment—and serves notice that plenty more are still to come.


The RV Sessions
Making an album wasn’t uppermost in Jeremy Garrett’s mind when the Infamous Stringdusters fiddle player, singer and songwriter and his wife decided to give up their Goodlettsville, TN house and make a 34-foot RV their home back in the fall of 2013. But as the months and miles unwound, Garrett found himself on his own artistic adventure, complementing his role as a member of the Stringdusters collective with a growing individual musical identity—and, not surprisingly, that exploration has found its reflection in his first solo work since 2009’s I Am A Stranger, a new set of recordings aptly titled The RV Sessions (street date: June 25, 2015).

Consisting of songs and performances recorded in, and in many cases written on that modern day gypsy caravan, The RV Sessions offers a strong portrait of an artist whose deep traditional music roots channel the impulses of an open, inquisitive spirit into a unique blend of old and new. Working with a small group of collaborators, including longtime writing partner and former band mate Jon Weisberger and Colorado favorite Benny “Burle” Galloway, Garrett has written a set of songs that explore a range of themes—not just the relationships that have provided endless inspiration to roots and pop writers alike, but hard luck stories, the lure of the road, and the search for purpose and meaning in life.

For each, Jeremy has created a setting that brings out the song’s essence, whether it entails multiple fiddles, electric guitar, mandolin or something else altogether. There are delicate moments, like in the closing “What Did You Have In Mind,” slinky rhythms (check out the syncopation of “Lucky Guy”), the bluegrass drive of “What’s That You’re Doing”—and, of course, there’s plenty of his signature fiddle style. There’s even a glistening instrumental, the evocative “Grand Mesa,” that underlines Garrett’s ability to deliver memorable melodies that don’t need words to carry a message.

Mixed and mastered by the Infamous Stringdusters’ veteran sound engineer, Drew Becker, The RV Sessions is a well-rounded offering from a musician ready to speak with his own distinctive voice.