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“…Special Consensus is a superb bluegrass outfit in a classic vein but with more than enough modern sensibilities to attract every ear in this now pleasantly fractionating genre. The vocals are spotless, the playing as shiny as a newly minted penny, and music like this is the reason people come to love bluegrass… Special Consensus approaches this hallowed American musical form with boundless energy and an aesthetic reverence that tickles the ribs, tugs at the heart, and puts a restless two-step in boots and bare feet. The lead cut, Signs, is emblematic of the entire [new] CD, bursting with high spirits, energy refusing to sit still, precision so tight you can set your watch by it, and pure musicality so infectious that there lives nary a soul that will be able to turn its born and bred ears from tilting leeward to get a better listen...”
A review written for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
by Mark S. Tucker
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“Old Time Country Music” show, and The Special Consensus 25th Anniversary recording to mark this milestone year for the band. Several band recordings have received a Highlight Reviews in Bluegrass Unlimited, and Route 10 was included in the Top 10 Recordings of 2003 in both Bluegrass Now and the Chicago Tribune. In November 2003, The Special Consensus received a standing ovation after the first band performance on the Grand Ole Opry at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. The 2005 Everything’s Alright release was included in the Top 10 Recordings of 2005 in Bluegrass Now and Greg was featured in the September 2006 cover story of that periodical. The band was featured in the August 2005 cover story of Bluegrass Unlimited and the 2007 release Trail of Aching Hearts and the 2009 release Signs climbed both the top songs and the top album charts in Bluegrass Unlimited and Bluegrass Music Profiles. International tours have brought The Special Consensus to the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, Ireland and South America. In 1993, the band performed the first of many concerts with a symphony orchestra, complete with orchestral arrangements of songs from the band repertoire. The Special Consensus is included on the touring rosters of the Illinois Arts Council (Artstour) and the Heartland Arts Fund and continues to participate in the Arts Midwest Performing Arts Touring Program.
The Special Consensus repertoire features original compositions by band members and professional songwriters (such as "Dusk Til Dawn" and "Margarita Breakdown"). The repertoire also includes traditional bluegrass standards (songs by Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, etc.) and songs by artists from other musical genres (such as "Blue Skies" by Irving Berlin). As a result of this musical diversity, The Special Consensus has performed at the most traditional bluegrass festivals and has also been the band to bridge the gap between traditional and progressive bands at more diverse festivals and fairs.
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finger stylist, reached a broader audience with the release of his solo albums; 'Lines on my face'(1999) and 'Flower in the rain'(2002). Both these acoustic gems were nominated in the best instrumental category at the South African Music Awards. Nibs' versatility to cross pollinate various musical styles, from, African, Classical, Celtic, World, Maskanda, Indian and folk can be fully appreciated on his first International release, 'Beautiful Feet'(2007). It has received rave reviews from the London Guardian to the Sydney Herald, and in May 2007, was album of the month in 4 major German publications. This has been accompanied by intensive touring across the globe with a highlight being the prestigious East Coast Blues & Roots festival in Byron Bay, Australia. Here Nibs shared the stage with such luminaries as Ben Harper, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Bela Fleck and Piers Faccini.
Besides his own solo career, Nibs got to record a beautiful duo album, 'Sweet-Thorn'(2004) with Mozambican, Gito Baloi and 'Hadeda'(2004) with drummer extraordinaire, Barry van Zyl, from Johnny Clegg's band. He has also got to perform and record with folk Legend, Shawn Phillips and Italian band, the Modena City Ramblers. Mostly touring as a soloist, Nibs also plays across the globe with his young virtuoso guitarist/multi instrumentalist friend Guy Buttery. In 2008, Nibs has already toured South Africa and France with Piers Faccini and has just released his International follow up to 'Beautiful Feet', 'A Bird in the Hand' to outstanding reviews around the world. He recently played the prestigious Blues and Roots festival in Australia where he shared the bill with Jack Johnson and Ben Harper, and has just returned from a second tour of France where he was pick of the prestigious Rocheford en Accord festival reviewed by the Le Monde (France’s leading newspaper).
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Don't miss this chance to see this World Music Phenomenon on his first American tour in the intimate Down Home Guitars concert hall in downtown Frankfort, IL.
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“With A Bird in the Hand, (his new album) Nibs van der Spuy may well have succeeded in creating a future classic of the genre.” JAZZTHETIK Germany 5stars
"Forget your pre-conceived ideas of South African music. If you like a bit of Nick Drake or Richard Thompson, with a little GRACELAND, search out this album and give it a go. You will be very pleasantly surprised." 4/5 Birmingham Post
“Spare simplicity and the sheer radiance of his playing is done to heart rendering effect" - Uncut Jan 2008
‘A Bird in the Hand’ is expressed through beautifully weighted and filigreed acoustic playing and van der Spuy’s use of compelling metaphors in sensitive appraisal of his homeland’s pain and traumas. Magisterially persuasive. UNCUT Jan 2009
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For Tickets Contact Down Home Guitars at (815)469-6321
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Great Guitarists." His inspiration to learn guitar came from exposure to Bill Monroe while his father, Lamar Grier, played banjo for the Blue Grass Boys in the middle 1960s.
David's first solo recording "Freewheeling" appeared on Rounder Records, as did his acclaimed 1991 duet project "Climbing the Walls" with mandolinist Mike Compton. David's "Lone Soldier" project is listed in Acoustic Guitar Magazine's "100 Essential Acoustic Guitar Recordings of All Time. " His most recent solo release is "I've Got the House to Myself." His work is also captured on a Homespun video called "Building Powerful Solos." In addition to touring solo, David also appears as the guitarist for Psychograss, who are currently celebrating a critically acclaimed new album, "Now Hear This".
He most recently recorded on Steve Martin’s Grammy nominated album “The Crow” and was the featured cover story/ artist in the winter ‘10 edition of The Fretboard Journal.
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