New Acoustic

New acoustic music is a predominantly instrumental American genre that emerged in the 1970s from the meeting of bluegrass virtuosity with jazz harmony and classical composition. Centred on acoustic string instruments — mandolin, guitar, banjo, fiddle, dobro and bass — it favours extended improvisation, complex harmony and composed ensemble pieces over song forms. *David Grisman* coined his own variant, 'dawg music', with the *David Grisman Quintet* in 1977, and players such as *Tony Rice*, *Darol Anger*, *Béla Fleck* and *Sam Bush* built a virtuoso repertoire that also drew on swing, folk and world music.