Jerry Douglas "Glide" (Koch Records)

Jerry Douglas stopped recording CDs for the masses several albums ago. Not that any were destined to go platinum since Douglas and his jaw-dropping musicianship, on any solo project, will be aimed at dobro fanatics and others who slobber over intricate instrumental work.

Jerry Douglas’s latest CD, Glide on the Koch label, definitely won’t play to the masses, and it won’t be a huge seller in the bluegrass field either. Not that there isn’t a moment or two for bluegrass disciples to cherish, one being a cover of the old tradition Earl Scruggs banjo classic, “Home Sweet Home.” None other than the five string master, Scruggs, steps up to the plate on this cut, which employs only two other musicians — Douglas on dobro and six-string master Tony Rice on guitar. It’s perhaps, the sweetest moment on Glide, with Scruggs performing as flawlessly as ever.

Songsmith Rodney Crowell also gets a shining guest spot on Jerry Douglas’s new project, singing “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream,)” which Crowell penned and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band took to the country charts a few years back. Rice also guests on this track.

Travis Tritt handles the lead vocal on “Marriage Made in Hollywood,” a story song of our times written by Paul Brady and Michael O’Keefe.

The remainder of the CD wanders in and out of eclectic turf that’s becoming a Douglas trademark. All the tunes show off the great instrumental skills of Douglas and his musical comrades. But sometimes, for my ears, the wandering gets too far off course. I certainly admire Jerry Douglas’s skills and have great respect for his talents, but Glide just served up too many unexpected curve balls. I had some problems staying focused on the songs.

Musicians who are in awe of great talents like Douglas will probably love this CD. But a title of one of the instrumental tracks, “Pushed Too Far,” might serve as a caveat to the bluegrass crowd.