Casey Driessen: Oog

Recently it seems as if bluegrass is moving even closer to jazz than Bill Monroe ever intended, though there’s always been a structural and improvisational connection between the genres. On Oog, Grammy nominee and journeyman fiddler Casey Driessen simultaneously takes a giant step forward and backward. In the process, he expands his musical horizon to far-reaching corners. Over the past few years, the Berklee-trained artist has traveled to China with Abigail Washburn’s Sparrow Quartet, and explored the string music of Africa with Béla Fleck. Back at home, one gets the feeling he’s been listening to some early Mahavishnu Orchestra, while maintaining his traditional bluegrass chops with various side gigs. At times Oog sounds a bit confounding and somewhat overwhelming, but once it’s over the impulse strikes to play it again. And that’s the biggest compliment. 5 out of 5 stars