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The Right Hands

 

Tom Rozum

Since joining forces with Laurie in 1986, Tom's versatility and diverse musical influences come to the fore every night on stage with the band. He plays primarily mandolin with the band, but is also an accomplished fiddle, mandola, and guitar player. His background as a rock and swing musician adds a uniquely satisfying flavor to the band. His rhythmic approach to mandolin especially punctuates the band's repertoire, adding a verve and excitement to their on-stage shows which has become a distinctive feature of their performances. He is a fine lead vocalist, the ideal harmony partner for Laurie (it's not for nothing that their duet collaboration "The Oak and the Laurel" was so highly regarded that it was a Grammy nominee for the 1996 "Best Traditional Folk Album", and occasionally functions as the comic foil for on-stage goings-on whenever things get too weighty. Originally from New England, Tom moved to Berkeley from Arizona, where he played many kinds of traditional and original music with Summerdog and Flying South; and San Diego, where he honed his swing chops with the Rhythm Rascals.

Be sure to check out Tom's new critically-acclaimed solo album on Signature Sounds and DogBoy Records, "Jubilee". Featuring help from Laurie, Todd, Peter McLaughlin, Craig Smith, Mike Marshall, David Grier, Rob Ickes, Darol Anger and Herb Pedersen, the album is marked by Tom's trademarks -versatility and diversity- featuring everything from straight ahead bluegrass to old-time country to selections from more contemporary realms.

Mandolin Magazine Interview:
Tom Rozum - A Rhythm Rascal's Varied Influences
By Bob Loomis

Todd Phillips

Todd has been appearing regularly with Laurie since the summer of 1996. An original member of the seminal David Grisman Quintet, Todd has also played and recorded with the Tony Rice Unit; the Bluegrass Album Band; Phillips, Grier & Flinner; and Psychograss. Best known for his consummate bassmanship, Todd is also a talented mandolinist. Of late he has also carved out a second career as producer. "True Life Blues: a Tribute to Bill Monroe," produced by Todd for Sugar Hill Records, won the 1997 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album. In addition to producing the all-star compilation tribute to Monroe, Todd played bass on virtually every cut, reminding us once again that he is one of the few real stylists on acoustic bass in our midst and is among the very best practitioners of that instrument on the traditional music scene today. He also produced recent albums for Kathy Kallick, David Grier, Matt Flinner, Noam Pikelney as well as a wonderful album of fiddle tunes featuring musical compadres Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Stuart Duncan, Tim O'Brien, Tony Trischka, Scott Nygaard, John Reischman, and Laurie Lewis, entitled "In The Pines." Most recently he has turned out two CDs by the trio of Phillips, Grier & Flinner as well as a new Psychograss project entitled "Now Hear This." Todd also appears prominently on many albums by others, including Tom's and Laurie's "The Oak and the Laurel" and Laurie's "True Stories" and "Earth and Sky."

Craig Smith

Craig grew up in San Bernardino, CA. He and Laurie first met and began playing music together at the Golden West Bluegrass Festivals in Norco in the mid-'70's. When he relocated to North Carolina to be in the bluegrass music heartland. They kept in touch, and continued to record and tour together whenever possible. Craig's impeccable taste, timing and tone have made him a much-sought-after studio player, and his playing has graced the albums of, to name a few, Jerry Douglas, Bobby Hicks, Herschel Sizemore and Ronnie Bowman. He has won Grammys for his work on the "Dobro Summit" and Todd Phillips' "True Life Blues: the Songs of Bill Monroe." He can be heard on Laurie's and Tom's duet albums, "Guest House," "The Oak and the Laurel" and "Winter's Grace", as well as Laurie's "Love Chooses You" and "Earth and Sky." Craig is much in demand as a music teacher in and around Winston-Salem, NC, where he lives with his three children, Evan, Breanna and Caitlin.

Scott Huffman

Scott is North Carolina's best-kept musical secret. A consummate musician on both guitar and banjo, his singing and easy-going temperament keep him in demand as a player throughout the Carolinas, most notably with the Sea Island Ramblers. Born and raised in Thomasville, NC (home of "The World's Largest Chair", Scott began playing music and singing at about the age of five, and hasn't quit yet. He and Craig Smith began playing music together shortly after Craig moved from California to North Carolina some twenty-five years ago. He can be heard singing and playing on Craig's Rounder CD, 'Craig Smith". Until teaming up with Laurie and Tom, Scott had rarely been heard outside of his home state. He has been touring extensively with Laurie and Tom since the release of "Guest House," in the spring of 2004, delighting audiences everywhere with his beautiful lead playing; rock-solid rhythm; and, as one listener put it, "a voice that is just right- exactly what you want to hear." A renaissance man or a living anachronism, Scott gardens, cooks, hunts and fishes, plays music and spins a good story. He doesn't own a computer and just bought an answering machine last year.