Sure, Bach's great and everything. But you can't noodle-dance to it.

Trey Anastasio, guitarist and co-genius of jam band great Phish, has a brand new solo CD. But unlike his raucous 2002 eponymous effort (or the greatly under appreciated, Zappa-ish One Man's Trash), most of the strings Trey bends on Seis De Mayo, his new album, belong to violins. Seis De Mayo features seven Trey compositions performed in (mostly) very un-Phish-like ways. Opener "Andre the Giant," with Mike Gordon on bass, is as close to a Phish jam as anything here, although it mostly just sounds like the Gullah Gullah Island theme song. And the horn-laden "Coming To" is akin to a spooked-out "Peter and the Wolf." But for the most part, Seis De Mayo sees Trey waving the baton in front of several string ensembles with excellent results.

Even a few Phish favorites are given the orchestral treatment. "The Inlaw Josie Wales" replaces Béla Fleck and Jerry Douglas with The Ying Quartet, turning a pretty song into a gorgeous one.

The Yings are back for a dizzying take on "All Things Reconsidered." And the fully orchestral "Guyute" that closes the disc is astounding; it alone worth the price of the disc. The interwoven nature of the arrangements Trey cooks up for Seis De Mayo give a few Phish tunes the chance to show off just why their intricacies are so exceptional. Apart from a short running time, Seis De Mayo is maybe the most interesting Phish solo release to date, and if you've ever said, "People should really take these guys more seriously!" it's just your thing.

-- Reviewed by Paul Thompson