Upright bassist Todd Phillips, guitarist David Grier, and mandolinist Matt Flinner create some of the most inspired instrumental acoustic music extant. Working in the jazzgrass vein, the trio's brilliant collaboration explodes with innovative ideas and energy. Todd, second mandolinist in the original David Grisman Quintet, has won two Grammy awards as a bassist and record producer. He manages to be in two musical places at once, setting the necessary groove as well as soloing and interacting melodically with his partners. David never runs out of ideas nor resorts to catch-phrasing. While his earliest musical inspiration came from Bill Monroe & his Bluegrass Boys, for whom his father, Lamar Grier, played banjo, David ranges from furious newgrass progressions to the hauntingly beautiful ballads and improvisational flights that fuse bluegrass flatpicking with the break-out sensibilities of jazz guitar. Matt, a two-time winner of the prestigious Winfield National Championships, evokes the sonic textures of the best acoustic jazz while paying homage to bluegrass and Celtic music. He spins richly textured tunes on the mandolin, blurring the lines between the traditional and avant-garde. The trio engages listeners in a variety of musical conversations, including selections from its recent album, Phillips, Grier & Flinner (Compass).