Chris Thile in London Interview
Kudos to Mandolin Cafe staff writer Dan Beimborn on an excellent, insightful interview with living legend, Chris Thile. Dan had some prime moments to speak Read more»
02.04.12
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"Good improvisation communicates harmonic progression melodically. Effective melodies manipulate harmonic content through the use of guide tones and preparatory gravity notes, masterfully woven in systematic tension, release, and transparent harmonic definition."
October 30, 2009 | Vintage Guitar J.L. SMith Mando Review
We just received word that columnist Steven Stone posted a JL Smith electric mandolin review in the October issue of "Vintage Guitar Magazine." Stone writes reonant praise for the craftsmanship of the South Carolina builder, observations we also share in our own personal Sea Foam Green Tele-body JL Smith 5-string.
Besides running the laundry list of specs, Stone notes, "Overall fit and finish were excellent; the glossy nitro lacquer had no blemishes or rough spots, frets and fret ends were neatly dressed, and overall setup was spot-on. Intonation was correctly adjusted as well." He speaks favorably of the soft D-shape neck and "the combination of mid-sized frets, satin finish, and comfortable neck make for a fast, comfortable playing instrument," and goes on to profess, "the body displays a level of craftsmanship that'll impress even the most critical collector."
The JL Smith is definitely a "next-step" electric mandolin for anyone already enjoying a Eastwood Mandocaster, Blueblaster, or Epiphone Mandobird. We continue to enjoy his 5-string in the JazzMando arsenal.
Though he considers his signature Tele-body design a specialty, Smith tells us he is currently experimenting with a dual single-coil p/u variation, and also has a hankering to bring out an "A" bender, likely using the Parsons/White method.
October 28, 2009 | Paul Glasse will take your questions
We have the privilege of partnering with the world's leading cyberspace mandolin resource, MandolinCafe.com on a terrific project, a reader interview with leading Texas Swing authority, Paul Glasse. Kicking off the series with an interview with living legend Chris Thile, and a recent installment with Canadian tonemeister, John Reischman, Site Administrator Scott Tichenor has set the stage for another installment with Glasse who is currently immersed in the progressive Austin Texas live music scene.
Paul cut his teeth in Bluegrass and Old Time music on the upper eastern US coast, but became well-versed in the field of jazz three decades ago. He has interned with Tiny Moore, Jethro Burns, and Johnny Gimble, and has hung with some of the greatest mandolinist on the planet, mutually respected and admired. He continues to be a mainstay jazz mandolin pioneer. We're looking forward to seeing what kind of questions come up; his workshop magic in a recent Mandolin Symposium still has players talking.
Scott Tichenor at MandolinCafe.com has outdone himself on the his long anticipated interview with mandolin tone-meister, John Reischman, a terrific read. We had the pleasure of chauffeuring the Canadian fretboard legend from the Kansas City Airport to his appearance at the 2004 Mandofest in Lawrence, KS, where we had a 45 minute exclusive conversation in the car in addition to an amazing workshop with him the following morning. John is a very serious, but approachably down-to-earth gentleman, far more humble than he should be. His right-hand/left-hand coordination is unsurpassed and obvious from listening to the mandolin royalty, the tone comes from his hands, and not just his legendary '24 Loar. We also picked up some helpful personal tips on pick grip.
The Cafe Interview includes answers from questions posted on the Mandolin Cafe Message Board, as well as some equipment and biographical information you will find intriguing Take some time to read the whole entry.
October 24, 2009 | NED (No Evidence of Disease) heals through music.
We wanted to share with you some very special music from JazzMando regular Dr. John Soper. The guitarist/mandolinist is part of NED (No Evidence of Disease), a group of Rock 'n Roll medical professionals including six Gynecologic Oncologists whose goals are to raise awareness for women's reproductive cancers and raise money for the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation. The group recorded a self-titled EP of original songs release on the Motema record label; proceeds from CD sales go to the GCF. They will be performing in an upcoming series of fund-raising concerts: Sunday October 25th in Portland, Oregon and November 8th in Washington, DC in support of the Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Movement inaugural event.
Click on the MP3 link below for "Waiting on Time," a song on the current EP with mandolin. Dr. Soper hopes future projects will feature more mandolin. NED did get a Billboard review.
October 22, 2009 | World traveler, Will Patton: back in the studio!
Great to hear perennial JazzMando fave Will Patton is in the middle of recording again. Every single CD project this artist has tackled has been a consistent hit with our readership. A recent trip across the pond by the New Englander to Paris yielded some cool pictures and this Facebook entry, "We had a productive and lovely trip to Paris - recorded 2 new tracks for a CD with my friend the very soulful Ninine Garcia - heard legendary gypsy guitarists Angelo Debarre and Elios and Boulou Ferre - I love Paris in the Fall."
We hope to be able to report more on this project as it unfolds. Until then, check out our recent reviews on Will's last two releases. These are simply "must haves" in your library--textbook jazz mandolin required listening!
We like to share personal testimonials not as some kind of self-serving braggadocio, but as a pathway to others who might share similar insights to the same well-traveled road. We started the JazzMando website six years ago as a personal journey, documenting a new way of opening up the fingerboard to jazz and other more chromatic forms of music than the typical folk/bluegrass mandolinist might employ. The closed finger mentality was the whole genesis of the FFcP strategy, creating shortcuts to embracing all 12 keys. This would later manifest itself into a host of free exercise downloads, and last year, a book/CD combination "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" published by Mel Bay.
Recent feedback affirmed a reader's personal success we want to share with others:
"Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I have your book and have spent a year on the first 8 pages (just mastering the FFcP) but the focused practice is really helping and starting to pay off. I've always wanted to be able to conquer my weak little finger and you've helped me do it. Please be encouraged that we are out here, we're practicing and you are making a difference. I'm a retired music educator with a masters in music and I yet I've never truly made the transfer of my music theory knowledge onto the mandolin fretboard. I think I'm approaching a breakthrough!
All the best.
David, San Antonio, Texas"
Thanks, David! We hope others will share in these revelations.
October 18, 2009 | Mike Marshall explains the mandocello
Cruising YouTube, we caught up with a terrific video from the D'addario Strings playlist, JazzMando fave & multi-instrumentalist phenom, Mike Marshall. Mike briefly explains the origins of the mandocello (something about a microwave??), its social history, and it's capabilities in interpreting cello music with a marvelous rendition of a Bach Cello Suite (Prelude). He also gives us a taste of his signature "Gator Strut," one of our favorite Mike Marshall originals, and a little "Wayfaring Stranger."
We had some culinary fun with the dry, often intimidating subject of advanced music theory in our weekly Tips and Tricks section of the JazzMando site yesterday. We used the analogy of choices in sandwich toppings, demonstrating how the abundance of choice can intimidate and slow-down the decision making process in improvising and tackled Augmented 11th and Altered Scales, tri-ton subs, dominant functions, etc. Afraid we went into too much detail about the sandwich shopping experience, as in our cross-reference Facebook wall posting, FB friends felt the need to openly discuss lunch, foregoing some theory jewels in the article itself.
As promised, we send you back to the minors. Arpeggios, that is and in our recent October Mandolin Sessions, "Jazz Mandology," we continue the theme of "Spelling out the Chords Melodically" through the minor version of the "I iv7 ii7 V7" pattern, or "i VI7 ii7b5 V7." You will find the more you drill them, and later, scatter them up and down the fretboard, the more a part of your intuitive vocabulary they become.
One thing you can do is find a few songs you are playing and work through the minor arpeggios of that key. Go back and forth, and maybe even try slipping some of the patterns into your improvisation. Minor modes really do take work, and it's not uncommon for them to go neglected.
October 12, 2009 | Last call for Mann EM-5 "Stimulus Model"
This one won't last long; someone's going to get a great deal on this blueface EM-5 Mann electric mandolin. Brand new from the bench of the Tennessee builder, this is the last of a series of "Stimulus" pricing from the summer. $899 now, and his price goes back to $1050, still a terrific value even at regular pricing. See Mandolin Cafe Classified Ad.
The specs: EM-5 semi-hollow body model. Royal Blue finish, chrome hardware, gigbag
$899.00 + shipping each; more pics on "In Stock" page of the mandolins.com website.
The Mann electric mandolins come in three basic styles 4-, 5-, and 8-string:
1. Hollow body - Traditional style floating bridge offering the most acoustic sound of the three. The tone is warmer both acoustically and plugged in.
2. Semi Hollow body - Lighter weight and some of the resonance of the hollow body but has a mahogany block under the bridge, decreasing the acoustic volume/tone yet increasing the sustain and feedback resistance, featuring a unique Aluminum "wrap around" bridge/tailpiece.
3. Solid Body - Though the least amount of acoustic volume it features the most sustain/feedback resistance; also the aluminum "wrap around" bridge/tailpiece.
October 10, 2009 | Michael Jackson Mandolin Orchestra Cover
No matter your feelings about the late "King of Pop," this is a great arrangement, and the video is fun, too. It wasn't his biggest hit this side of the Atlantic, but this German Zupforchester (mandolin orchestra) does a terrific, albeit unconventional interpretation of this Michael Jackson Cover, "Earth Song." It's always nice to see multi-generation musicians participating in music.
We've got plenty of good things to say about the desert southwest builder, Bill Bussmann of Old Wave Mandolins. Personal experience with two of his creations yield testimony to his craft, and an internet search will also bear witness to the man's incredibly prolific productivity. (The Solocomp JM remains a personal studio favorite, link below.) Either the man hires elves or he never sleeps. For all we know, it's both.
His alter ego, Les Hassle, has posted a video library of some of these beauties on YouTube. If you ever been curious about his instruments, it's a great way to get a sample, although there is still nothing like having the real thing in your own two hands.
October 6, 2009 | Cookeville Daily News: Ethan Ballinger
Great to see young Tennessee mandolin pioneer Ethan Ballinger back in the news. The October 5th edition of the Cookeville Daily News includes a quick summary of the 22 year-old's recent exploits including an amazing debut CD, "Wish Upon a Star," one of our personal favorite recordings last year. The amazing acoustic musician has a tremendous ear and a broad harmonic and textural vocabulary in his compositions. Check out the sumptuous audio samples on his MySpace page and buy the CD!
Sometimes in the pursuit of great mandolin tone, you overlook what you already have in your very own hands. In the often chronic condition of MAS (mandolin acquisition syndrome) we get wrapped up in new designs, sidetracked by vintage allure, new ways to improve our instruments, and realize the more we change, the more we start traveling away from preconceived notion of what good tone and playability are. It can easily be argued that the best new "gadget" for improving our sound is more practice.
Our moment of epiphany in this pursuit in sonority came in playing a two year-old personal favorite, the signature Clark JM Two-point. A recent performance called for some very slow, but highly exposed long tones. The pure "ping" of a good sustained piano tone is a tremendous snapshot of an instrument's capability, and one that not only satisifies the player, but the audiences as well. The JM fulfilled the job magnificently.
We'll continue to explore new instruments, new builders, and new accessories. Once in a while though, it's nice to just sit on the porch and admire the great instrument you already have.
They may not be everybody's cup of tea, but we thought they were interesting. Still no word on whether or not they will be available in mandolin/violin size (let alone banjo...), but it's our job to let you know when the music world offers cool little diversions like this, the new "Guitar Grip" from Grip studios.
With names like "Metal Mayhem," "Monster Red," "Grip Reaper," or "Red Rum," how can you go wrong? (What a way to mount your '23 Lloyd Loar at home.) The guitar wall-mount holders are available through dealers listed on their website, or available direct. Price appears to be $39.99 US, plus shipping. All hand-made to order.
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October 30, 2009 | Vintage Guitar J.L. SMith Mando Review
2004 Mandofest: John Miller, John Reischman
Waiting on Time 
As promised, we send you back to the minors. Arpeggios, that is and in our recent October Mandolin Sessions, "Jazz Mandology," we continue the theme of "Spelling out the Chords Melodically" through the minor version of the "I iv7 ii7 V7" pattern, or "i VI7 ii7b5 V7." You will find the more you drill them, and later, scatter them up and down the fretboard, the more a part of your intuitive vocabulary they become.
They may not be everybody's cup of tea, but we thought they were interesting. Still no word on whether or not they will be available in mandolin/violin size (let alone banjo...), but it's our job to let you know when the music world offers cool little diversions like this, the new "Guitar Grip" from Grip studios.
