Rounder Records has announced January 23, 2007 as the release date for a new recording that will surely be of interest to our readers. Innovative banjoist Tony Trischka has a new project, based on a banjo duet format, and appropriately titled, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular.

Trischka solicits double banjo assistance from such luminaries as three finger godfathers Earl Scruggs and B?©la Fleck, plus banjo player turned comedian Steve Martin for this 14 track romp. The remaining banjo duets feature Alison Brown, Tom Adams, Bill Emerson, Kenny Ingram, Scott Vestal and Noam Pikelny.

Other contributors include Chris Thile, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Ron Stewart, Dudley Connell, Tim Stafford, David Grier, Barry Bales and Jerry Douglas, and the music is said to range from traditional bluegrass to the vanguard of new acoustic explorations.

On a Tony Trischka CD? Surely not.

One anticipates that a double banjo CD will be mostly focused on instrumental music, but a number of vocals are said to be featured as well – including a version of Fox On The Run.

I, for one, will be eagerly awaiting a copy of Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, and will be on the lookout for audio samples, which have not yet appeared on the Rounder Records site. When they do, I’ll be sure to post an update.

Tony will soon be doing a holiday tour in December throughout the northeast, performing Christmas music from his 1995 Glory Shone Around CD. You can find the dates for these shows on his web site.

UPDATE 11/24: Rounder now has audio samples available for Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular available online.