High on One Mic Out, out on the Range BY SAM PFEIFLE

High Range travel in genrefied territory: traditional one-mic bluegrass. Thus far, they’ve released a pair of great studio albums, Beyond the Foothills and Screamin’ Down the Valley, which have nicely showcased their instrumental virtuosity, but bluegrass is a genre perhaps more than any other that’s best experienced live and those previous discs haven’t quite captured the Range’s live energy. Hence Around One Mic, a collection of live recordings taken from gigs that go back two or three years.

Bluegrass, too, is a genre where covers are not only common, but virtually mandated by the crowd, and so while those previous discs were mostly originals here the band can show-off their arrangements and solos, which generally define a bluegrass band. Well, excuse the potential for hyperbole, but this band just doesn’t do anything wrong in a live setting. Their voices are spot on, they never rush a song beyond its natural tempo, and the instrument fills and arrangements are both interesting and crisp in their execution.

I was really pleased with their choice of Richard Thompson’s "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" for inclusion. It’s a favorite of mine off the first Mammals record and it’s neat to catch a third version. High Range pretty much split the difference between the tempered Thompson and the manic Mammals, Rob Kneeland (I think — lead vocalists aren’t listed by song, but I can clearly make out his mando chunk at the mic) pretty laid back in his delivery, but Ellen Carlson firing great fiddle fills to up the energy level.

High Range also can’t lose with "Midnight Moonlight," one of the most popular bluegrass songs ever recorded, by Old and in the Way, who are probably the bluegrass band with the most crossover appeal ever, featuring, as it did, Jerry Garcia and Peter Rowan, well known in both bluegrass and hippy circles. High Range’s version isn’t too shabby, relaxed and entertaining, though not diverting much from the version you’ve probably heard a million times.

Other highlights include an increase to double-time on the banjo during "Miner 49er," one of their originals; an absolutely killer guitar break from Todd Jones on "That’s Alright (Mama)" that even has the rest of the band hooting and hollering along with the crowd; and the very contemporary jazzgrass of "Garbage Man," which features impressive work from Steve Roy on the bass. They even include some stage banter on that last track so we can hear Rob Kneeland refer to Roy’s "doghouse." Watch out, though, for the hidden track — "Hava Nagila" is rough on the ears no matter when it’s played, but on stringed instruments?

Sam Pfeifle can be reached at spfeifle@phx.com