Almost Live by Bryan Sutton, released in 2009, captures the North Carolina guitarist in an intimate setting designed to simulate the feel of a live performance while maintaining the clarity of a studio recording. Sutton, widely regarded as one of the most technically complete flatpickers of his generation, uses the format to demonstrate the breadth of his vocabulary — moving between bluegrass standards, original compositions, and jazz-influenced improvisations with equal assurance. His tone is warm and singing, his note choices consistently melodic rather than merely fast, and the album rewards close listening in a way that pure speed-showcase recordings do not. Sutton had already accumulated significant credits as a sideman and session player; Almost Live is a document of what he sounds like when given full room to define his own musical personality.
Tracklist
- 1 Morning Top 4:25
- 2 Big Island Hornpipe 3:49
- 3 Rye Straw Suite 4:50
- 4 Church Street Blues alt version 3:39
- 5 Le Pont De La Moustache 4:46
- 6 Dark Island 4:33
- 7 Wonder Valley Gals 2:44
- 8 Kitchen Girl Source Recording 3:13
- 9 Loretta's Waltz 4:39
- 10 Gonna Lay Down My Old Guitar alt version 3:15
