Bluegrass concert best of the summer

When Vassar Clements plays the fiddle, he makes that fiddle chuckle, guffaw, wail, and whine. It’s amazing to hear, and even more amazing to see, because, while the fiddle laughs away, Vassar Clements appears hardly to break a sweat.

But hot he is, and hot he was when he joined New England’s equally-steaming premier bluegrass band Northern Lights on Friday night at the Maine Center for the Arts. The concert was sparsely attended, but the performance was the best the summer season had to offer.

Clements, who comes to the band after more than 25 years of playing everything from swing and jazz to country and rock, was right at home with this eclectic band, a four-piece string group that really pushes the parameters of bluegrass by adding classical, folk, blues, Cajun, and gospel elements to a decidely joyous twang.

With sophisticated and fun instrumental stylings, the group indeed offered classic bluegrass numbers, too, such as “T for Texas” and “The Walls of Time,” as well as pop songs (James Taylor’s “Lighthouse”) and instrumentals from Clements’ newest release “Grassroots.”

Mandolinist and founder of the band, Taylor Armerding yodeled and wailed while he led the group in stunning three-part harmonies. He also proved himself a capable host, telling interesting stories, explaining musical styles, and giving song titles. Electric bassist and baritone Jeff Horton took over vocals on the blues and country numbers, such as the moaning “Rainmaker” and sad song “My Only One.”

Mike Kropp, the banjo player who plays “at a manic pace without displaying any facial expression whatsoever,” cut loose on some riffs that were too fast and brilliant to compare to lightning, particularly during his own “Dixie Breakdown,” which the audience received with hoots and whistles of pleasure. On guitar, the balladeer Bill Henry was at his best when working his soft-rock style into the more raucous rhythms.

Vassar sat in on more than half the numbers and performed as if he and the band had been playing together for much longer than two years. Clements, however, added an old-time quality — something between back-porch blues and swing-time sparkle. Improvs with Amerding were absolutely breathtaking.

Bluegrass boys gone urban, this band was about as clean-cut as an all-white male group from New England can be. But their citified looks and schooled good humor with the audience wasn’t a pretentious cover to hide flaws or market a gimmick. These city slickers were good whether they wound out original works, such as the rousing “Winterhawk” and “City on a Hill,” or flashed through others by bluegrass greats Bill Monroe and Russell Smith.

The most unusual and exciting quality — past the clear skill and sharp sound of this up-tempo group — was the incredibly democratic blending of both instruments and vocals. The graceful weave of solos and sounds, and the overall good-natured personalities of the group members made this fascinating concert a whopping success.