1396723025_frontCharlie Daniels has played with Bob Dylan on three records (Nashville Skyline, Self Portrait and New Morning), then the decision to record a tribute album dedicated to the singer / songwriter from Minnesota,with the eagerness to show his great admiration for one of the masters of American pop music, rather than for commercial profit. “Off The Grid” is actually a good record, played and sung with enthusiasm and conviction, giving colour to songs like “Times They Are a Changin’”, “Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” and especially to “Mr. Tambourine Man”. Not only country, but also blues, folk, rock with even a slight touch of Celtic music. The most amazing thing about this album is that despite the renowned style of Charlie Daniels, which is far from that of Mr. Zimmerman, the most profound meaning and spirit of the most intrinsic of the songs doesn’t appear at all altered. Indeed the songs take on a new life and shake off the dust that time unrelentingly leaves behind. Among the 10 songs on the CD, in my opinion, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, (written by Dylan in 1964 and brought to success in 1965 by The Byrds), is the most successful song in “Off The Grid”, which also becomes a great country song. (Gianluca Sitta)