Mandolin linchpin David Grisman’s Deadhead fandom was forever secured after his appearance on seminal Grateful Dead album American Beauty and ensuing collaborations with the late Jerry Garcia. He’s deserving of attention outside his Dead connection, however. His self-styled “Dawg music” finely and craftily mixes bluegrass, Django Reinhardt–influenced jazz, modern jazz fusion, folk, and old-world Mediterranean string band music. In the acoustic Dawg Trio, Grisman is joined by bassist son Sam Grisman and banjo slinger Danny Barnes, who’s played sideman to artists ranging from Dave Matthews to Bill Frisell. by Leilani Polk