Playing Time – 53:36 -- Minnesota bluegrass band Monroe Crossing includes a number of classic Bill Monroe songs in their repertoire. While they primarily focus on traditional offerings, they also branch out onto some backroads of bluegrass along their road trip with some numbers like Bob Dylan’s “Nashville Skyline Rag” and one original song. With a goal to play all the cities and towns in Minnesota, Monroe Crossing took their entertaining and energetic show on the road and recorded their fourth album in as many years between November, 2003 and May, 2004 in towns like Barrett, Lake Benton, Lakeville, and Red Wing. This hard-working band includes Lisa Fuglie (fiddle, mandolin), Art Blackburn (guitar), Graham Sones (banjo), Matt Thompson (mandolin, fiddle) and Mark Anderson (bass). Fuglie and Blackburn handle lead vocals. Matt Thompson is the third voice on all trios. Mark Anderson usually only sings bass on gospel quartets. Sones provides “weather effects” on “In the Pines.” This album fully conveys the Monroe Crossing spirit and cohesion. A regional band stands to gain much from a standout live album such as this one. With a little emcee work and some applause thrown in for good measure, we can experience these special moments with them on the road. Their audiences appear to truly enjoy their standard bluegrass fare, well-arranged vocals, good-natured humor, and especially their instrumental prowess. As part of an Americana Concert, “Wayfaring Stranger” and one original waltz, Art Blackburn’s “Friendship’s Road,” are presented in collaboration with the White Bear Area Choral Association’s Heritage Singers. The latter was arranged by Lisa Fuglie for chorus, and the refrain of “sweet is the journey on friendship's road” would have been an optimistic message with which to close this project. Instead, we’re treated to the rollicking “Orange Blossom Special” which, when well played, never fails to thoroughly excite an audience. Monroe Crossing’s exhilarating arrangement features fiddle, mandolin, banjo, lyrics, and a twin-fiddle finale. A Monroe Crossing set is characterized by traditional standards, originals, instrumentals, and gospel numbers. They might want to take a few more risks, play further afield from Minnesota, and incorporate even more new or obscure material into their repertoire. On the other hand, their thrilling sound and stage presence are based on a successful tried-and-true formula that exuberantly builds pleasing relationships and rapport with their bluegrass-loving audiences. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)