Recommendations for CDs by fellow MC'ers

[mad dawg]

I own CDs from Celtic musicians* and fellow Mandolincafe members Kevin Macleod (link (http://mysite.freeserve.com/kevinmacleod/)), Dagger Gordon (link (http://www.musicscotland.com/acatalog/MusicScotland_com_Dagger_Gordon_1971.html)), and Dan Beimborn (link (http://www.celticmusic.com/dan/)), and highly recommend them.

In the parallel interests of expanding my CD library, hearing new music, and supporting virtual friends and acquaintances from the Mandolincafe, please...

-> reply with your recommendations for CDs performed by other Mandolincafe members

-> tell us about CDs you perform on

*NB: I posted this thread in the General Mandolin Discussions in the hope of hearing from people across all genres.

[John Flynn]

Curtis Buckhannon is a Cafe' member. The Buckhannon Brother's CD "Little River Stomp" is superb. It can only be purchased at this link:

http://members.i4f.net/otmando@i4f.net/

It is a compilation of old-time, ragtime, celtic and other ethnic music, all instrumental with just mando and guitar. It is my most played CD over the last year. You can hear one cut from it on the Cafe' MP3 page.

[Crowder]

Current favorites:

The Gibson Bros. "Bona Fide"--also a new album is on the was from these guys out later this week, they might prefer it if you bought the newer one! Marc Macglashans has been seen around these parts lately....
Robinella and the CC String Band--debut album
John Reischman and the Jaybirds
Chris Thile "Not All Who Wander are Lost"
Red Allen and Frank Wakefield "Kitchen Tapes"

[mandolooter]

I have this CD by the band "Big Medicine" that is great and gets played a ton around here and my latest favorite find is "The Almost Acoustic Band" Live at Crawdaddy's which I downloaded from somewhere and it is just awesome w/Billy Gilmore on mandolin and fiddle. I don't know if they have released any albums or not. Anybody else ever hear of 'em?

[garyblanchard]

Well, since self-promotion was okayed...

I have two CDs available. "Looking Backward" contains jug band, classic 50's country, 1930's ukulele tunes and other old songs I happen to like playing. It has some mandolin parts recorded on a $50.00 mandolin that I had for about two months prior to recording. "Railroad Tracks" is a compilation of train songs. By the time this was recorded I had been playing mandolin for 4 months. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Information on these CDs can be found at
www.Brookfieldsmusic.net (http://www.Brookfieldsmusic.net)

I play all instruments on these CDs, and I should warn you that there is banjo playing on both! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[KevinM]

Right now: I've been listening to Skip Gorman's albums, "Old Time Mandolin Vols I and II (Monroesque)" - awesome stuff. Also in the car CD player the Little Grasscals, James King "Lonesome and Then Some" and "These Old Pictures", the new (old) live Johnson Mountain Boys from 1987 and the 2003 Open Road shows from www.bluegrasssbox.com, and all 4 cds from the Bill Monroe Bear Family Box set 1959-1969.

[strings]

check this thread
Co Mando's CD (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=13867)

[Eugene]

What, no classical? #Richard Walz (aka RSW) has three fine CDs of mandolin music. #Works for Mandolin & Fortepiano and Mandolin Treasures from the Golden Era can be had from Amazon.com and affiliated sites; they were once also available via Plucked String, Inc. (http://www.mandolincafe.com/strings/) #The Big Trio Reprise can be had from Belmando (http://www.belmando.com/ebiz/belmando.nsf?opendatabase) or Elderly Instruments (http://www.elderly.com/). #All are worthy of a spot on your shelf and in your player.

Alison Stephens (http://www.alisonstephens.com/) (aka Alimandolin) has been posting here in recent months. #She is another well-recorded, well-respected classical artist. #Info on her CDs (except Music for Mandolins, 1994, Amon Ra 53) is available at her site; I recommend the lot, including the one on Amon Ra. #Her duo CD with guitarist Craig Ogden was the fastest selling release ever on the prestigious Chandos Records label.

Neil Gladd (http://www.neilgladd.com/)'s (aka ngladd) compositions are often recorded and represent the state of the modern mandolin art. #He performs a couple others' compositions on Plucked String Disc's Mandolin X4.

Alex Timmerman's (aka Alex) Het Consort (http://www.mandolineorkest.nl/) CDs (Aranci in Fiore and Omaggio a Luigi Emgergher) are some of the finest mandolin orchestra recordings you will find. #They're worth the effort to pursue.

...And enjoy!

[Bob A]

I second all Eugene's selections, and would mention Traversata, put out by Grisman's Acoustic Disc label, for its great Italian (the REAL mandolin) selections; for those of us who've never really heard a harp-guitar, this recording makes me understand why they exist. Incredible!

[Eugene]

I resisted that reference only because I've never seen any of that lot post here.

[Jim M.]

Martin Stillion (mrmando) has a fairly new one, "Notorious"

Paul Kotapish has numerous ones with groups like Open House, Hillbillies From Mars, and Wake the Dead, which has two great CDs now.

Roger Landes (zoukboy) has several, including "Dragon Reels" and "Janissary Stomp", which are both must-haves especially if you are interested in CBOM stuff.

Aidan Crossey has a couple home-made CDs, very pleasant and informal.

There must be others, especially in the bluegrass realm, guys like Scotti Adams, mandojeremy and others. How about it?

[mandopete]

While not specifically a member of the Mandolin Cafe, I would reccomend Pete Frostic's collaboration with Ben Krakauer called Wide Open. #Pete and Ben are members of the band Old School Freight Train and this project features just the mandolin and banjo. #The music is a bit of cross between bluegrass, celtic, jazz and classical. #Pete and Ben are both fine instrumentalists, but that is not what sets this recording apart from other duets recordings I've heard. #These two really listen to one another and compliment each others playing and musical ideas. #I believe that most of the recording was done as first or second takes, recorded live as the musicians faced each other. #Really good stuff and it can be found #here (http://www.osft.net).

.........and if you're a real glutton for punishmnent, I still have a few of my CD's lying about. #It's bluegrass stuff with a band called Fidelity Grange and a sample can be heard right here on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 (http://www.mandolincafe.com/mp3/) section.