I have waxed rhapsodic in other posts about Ruben and Matt and The Truffle Valley Boys, the Italian bluegrass outfit that brings creativity, authenticity, and passion to the traditional bluegrass repertoire. This concert comes from back in the days when they were just Ruben and Matt, without a backing band.

This is the most powerful duo I think I’ve ever seen. Matt is a utility player of astonishing skill; he handles mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and guitar with equal facility. Ruben’s rhythm guitar sound is fat and rich, and full of bluegrass drive.

The standouts of this set include an imaginative re-working of “Dream Of A Miner’s Child”; Weary Lonesome Blues; Wish I  Was A Mole In the Ground; and yearning versions of two gospel standards – “If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again” and “Anchored In Love Divine”.