Round the Table Again

Performances by Doc Watson with Frosty Morn have become a high point at Merlefest, the annual gathering launched in memory of Doc's son and collaborator, Merle Watson. The band, formed by Merle shortly before his death in 1985, plays impeccably on this Merlefest recording, but Doc opens alone with two traditional performances, playing banjo behind his own vocals on "Lynchburg Town" and singing a cappella on the haunting ballad "Coo Coo Bird." Gradually, the rest of Frosty Morn takes the stage, one song at a time; as each member comes out, Watson steps back a little further until he is integrated fully into the group. Understandably though, he holds the spotlight more than anyone else, telling a few folksy preacher jokes, urging his colleagues to "play it, son," even yodeling in classic fashion on "Jimmie's Mean Mamma Blues." The younger guys on the gig seem eager too, but to a fault; they whoop and yelp a little excessively after "On a Monday" and turn "Show Bizness" into a somewhat silly exercise. Watson, in contrast, tempers his enthusiasm with an almost anachronistic dignity. He does overreach at times, most awkwardly on an uncomfortable rendition of the R&B chestnut "Sincerely." Though his voice has worn a bit, it still animates more congenial material with his combination of warmth and stoic detachment. This is evident especially in his reading of "Nights in White Satin," which raises spirits that would doubtless have startled the Moody Blues. In the end, all of these tracks only echo the introduction that opens the disc: "A national treasure...Doc Watson." ~ Robert L. Doerschuk