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Click to close The Infamous Stringdusters - Fork in the Road (Sugar Hill Records) CD $15

Bluegrass aficionados will be pleased with the clean, high lonesome tunes by this sextet of talented players. Not surprisingly, the Infamous Stringdusters' Fork in the Road recently snagged three International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards for Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Emerging Artist of the Year.

Nashville has once again provided the conduit for enabling like-minded musicians to connect and subsequently form bands. Approximately four years ago, these musicians stepped out beyond the "around the campfire" and "living room" jam sessions into the bright lights of touring and recording.

Andy Hall plays Dobro and pens three of the album's 12 songs. Hall first recorded a solo album that featured soon-to-be Stringdusters. Chris Pandolfi, who has a solo album of his own, plays banjo. He has toured with members of Leftover Salmon in the Drew Emmitt Band. Jeremy Garrett (fiddle) also has an album out featuring his father, Glen. Jesse Cobb (mandolin) can be seen trading licks with Sam Bush on his Web site. Andy Falco (guitar), the newest addition to the group, does not appear on Fork in the Road. He replaced Chris Eldridge, who has moved on to accompany Chris Thile, formerly with Nickle Creek. Travis Book (upright bass) anchored Broke Mountain, winner of the prestigious Rockygrass band competition in Lyons, Colo., in 2003. Book has a Durango connection, having spent six years in the area, two at Fort Lewis College. A phone interview revealed how by chance he became a Stringduster. At the IBMA ceremony in Kentucky a few years back, he bumped into Chris Eldridge and was invited to sit in on a jam. The rest, as they say, is history. Book had been playing electric bass when he was introduced to the upright bass by Benny Galloway of Durango. He also attributes Jeff Hibshman of the band Badly Bent as an influence on his style of playing.

The many years of participating in the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown remains a huge part of Book's development. "I got to play with luminaries of the profession," he said. In April, he returns as a headliner to the Meltdown. He expressed, "It's an honor, a gift." The touring lifestyle requires "patience and perspective," he admits, but added that it's been made easier with this great bunch of picking friends that have become like family. The Stringdusters travel in a 15-passenger van with a trailer but have hopes for a bus endorsement. Next up? A collaboration with Tim O'Brien, who will produce their next album, due out in June.

The Infamous Stringdusters' music grows on the listener. One can hear they've put some serious time into their respective instruments. Notably, Fork in the Road reflects listening skills that complement timing, vocal harmonies, and instrumentation. Kudos go to producer Tim Stafford, who included two waltz numbers that balance out the traditional 4/4 time of the other 10 songs. "Poor Boy's Delight" and "Letter From Prison" are reminiscent of something you'd hear from the late John Hartford. "Tragic Life" gives the listener the obligatory murder ballad. What bluegrass album would be complete without one? Also featured are three instrumental numbers that allow each player to strut his stuff on his individual instrument. On "No Resolution," the players tear it up, trading licks throughout. The tasteful dynamics made this veteran of Telluride and Rockygrass think of New Grass Revival when Jerry Douglas first sat in with them. Missing, however, is a bass solo, perhaps something to look forward to on their next album. Also, my ear does not hear the upright bass being bowed at any time. This, too, could broaden the band's overall sound. On that note, perhaps we can look forward to the right female vocalist sitting in with band at some time in the future.

"Moon Man," a personal favorite, is penned by Chris Pandolfi. This instrumental is a jam-band number that stretches the horizon of the bluegrass genre.

The Infamous Stringdusters have a busy 2008 schedule, fortunately with three shows at the Bluegrass Meltdown in Durango April 11-13.

Herb Folsom is a guitar-playing member of "Roscoe," a duo that swings the blues out of Mancos, Colo..