Uncommon Ritual Not Bound by Genre

Traditional genre classification has little hold on the acoustic power trio touring under the name Uncommon Ritual: double bassist Edgar Meyer, banjo wizard Bela Fleck and mandolinist-guitarist Mike Marshall. Obviously, they like it that way, as indicated by their fine new eponymous recording and at a hugely satisfying concert at the Wadsworth Theater on Sunday. They hit the stage looking funky and formal, and the music followed suit.

The new album is on Sony Classical, but that has mostly to do with Meyer, whose reputation as a player and composer in classical settings has blossomed in recent years. Not that he has forsaken his country and bluegrass roots. Like the others, he has taken a rightful place among the eclectic virtuosos circulating on the fringes of country music like well-heeled renegades.

Beginning in the ‘70s, Marshall helped forge the foundation of progressive bluegrass and has explored classical terrain with the Modern Mandolin Quartet, while Fleck has leaned toward jazz, mixed with rock and bluegrass. Somehow, it all mixes into a savory stew in this trio.

Meyer is one of a kind, a dynamic soloist whose fingerboard maneuverings can alternately suggest seamless classical aplomb, distorted rock guitar riffs, swooping Carnatic (South Indian)-like glissandi and loosely funky lines best described by the title of one of his showcase vehicles, “Barnyard Disturbance.” To boot, Meyer is an inspired tunesmith with a gift for simple, compelling melodic designs, such as “Sliding Down” and “In the Garden.”

For his part, distinctive banjo legend Fleck is becoming a better and better soloist with the years, able to switch between a solid sense of jazz swing and harmonic daring, and banjoistic traits--using open strings and nimble finger-picking to good advantage.

On Sunday, the classical part of the program included the romantic bravura of Pablo de Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen”--a workout for Meyer--and the rational luster of a three-part fugue by Bach, here given refreshingly new instrumental texture and a lucid reading by these sort-of Nashville cats.

All in all, Uncommon Ritual is a well-balanced and venturesome group, refusing to take purism as a creed but insisting on bone-deep musicality. They’re not out to leave musical tradition in tatters, they just want to keep a strong grip on the creative imperative in their work, and they’ve got the goods to do it.