Favorite mandolinists

[Jimbo69]

With so many great mandolinists out there, I was wondering who some of the members favorites were.

some of mine would be:

Barry Mitterhoff - Klezmer Mountain Boys / Hot Tuna
Sharon Gilchrist - Rowan/Rice
Andy Statman
Sam Bush - NGR and beyond
Erik McFadden - P-Funk, because nothing beats a p-funk party

till my next post...
jim

[Kevin Briggs]

Jimmy Geadraue (sp?) tops my list. He's just so dang good....

[metalmandolin]

I've been listening to Andy Statman on the Russ Barenberg "Cowboy Calypso" LP. He just might be the most technically proficient mandolinist on Earth! Keep in mind that that record was done in 1979. Thile and lots more can paly any speed, sustained. But, Statman does the quirkiest knee-jerk stuff I've ever heard, with speed that equals anyone. It's as if he can play at 180 BPM, in 8 different time signatures, all in the space of 1-2 minutes.

[bush-man]

Don't forget Mike Marshall.

[evanreilly]

Uhhhh.....
I like William Smith Monroe.

[John Flynn]

My top four, in no particular order:
Curtis Buckhannon
Skip Gorman
Clyde Curley
Bruce Ling

[Glassweb]

As an ex-student of and currently a good friend of Andy Statman's I'll say this as objectively as possible... there's nobody that can touch him. Andy has COMPLETE command of all the great legendary mandolinists' (Monroe, McReynolds, Wakefield, Osborne) styles as well as incredible abilities that no-one else has even tapped into with regards to rock, blues, r&b, funk, bebop and many world musics including Asian, Middle Eastern, Indian etc... In addition to his clarinet playing, Andy was also a kick-butt tenor saxophonist with many groups in the 1970's. Andy can play the mandolin as fast and as clean as anyone and with a harmonic vocabulary and improvisational ability that makes all the current crop of mando hotties seem stifled. Think I'm kidding? His new CD hits the street on Tuesday (finally!) This will give you just a VERY small taste of his overall abilities. #
Truly a master musician and innovator. And a great composer too!

[Steve G]

Bill Monroe
Aubry Haynie
Mike Compton
Jesse McReynolds
Norman Blake

[Mikey G]

Mr. Monroe

[bush-man]

I am a big Statman fan as well. I first saw him in the early 70's when he was playing with the fantastic David Bromberg Band, the band that recorded the album Demon in Disguise. I can't remember all the members, buy Kenny Koseck was on fiddle, Andy on mando, Steve Burgh on bass, I think it was twin fiddles, but I can't remember the name of the other fiddler. The band rocked the house. Saw them at the Main Point in Bryn Mawr Pa. ahhh memories....Oh and a vote for one of my favorite mando players of all time:
John Duffy

[cooper4205]

i go through phases. my all-time favs are bush and monroe, but ronnie mccoury, dawg, frank wakefield and a few other's regularly make appearances as my favorites- depending on what mood i'm in.

[Brady Smith]

Monroe, Compton, McCoury, Young

[Chadmills]

Simon Mayor (UK)

[Ptarmigan]

<span style='color:darkblue'>Hey, if you can't decide who your favourite Celtic player is, perhaps you need to listen to Aidan Crossey's Mp3 page of good players:

An Maindilin (http://www.paythereckoning.com/index2.htm)

P.S. I'm delighted to see that Aidan has a couple of tracks of his own playing on this page now, too!</span> http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Strange1]

#1 Jethro Burns!!!

Jack

[Soupy1957]

Here's MY list:
-Frank Wakefield
-Sam Bush
-Jesse MeReynolds
-Dave Grisman (Dawg)
-Bobbie Osborne
-Adam Steffey
-Simon Mayor
-Donna Stoneman
-YOU!(lol)
-Soupy1957

[Slim Pickins]

Roland White.

[cgwilsonjr]

To skip over the obvious greats: my favorite mandolinist is Mark Shimmick from Larry Keel's band. I've seen him live about a dozen times and jammed with him once. He's definately a Monroe-style player and pulls great tone out of his 2000 Gibson F-5G. See him (and Larry) if you can. Chuck

[gschmidt]

My favs at the moment are Compton and McCoury.

[Eugene]

To skip even further over the "obvious greats", I like any professional mandolinist who dares lay claim to a title of "classical mandolinist", especialluy those who dare to ply their trade on a quality bowlback (I like that tone).

[bluegrassjack2]

Dont forget Doyle Lawson, one of the most underrated mando pickers around. Of course my favorite still is Ronnie McCoury.

[BluegrassGirl26]

Ok, here's my list:

Dan Tyminski
Adam Steffey
Jeff Parker
Jesse McReynalds

I just saw Jason Robertson with the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band and was blown away.

[chopz]

Chris Thile, Rickey Wood & Sam Bush in no particular order. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Dfyngravity]

Top two for me are Shawn Lane of Blue Highway and Dan Tyminski

[Gotterdamerung]

Andy Statman
Mike Marshall
David Grisman
Peter Ostroushko

[PhilGE]

Simon Mayor. Anyone had a chance to listen to his new CD? The samples sound wonderful.

[Rick Schmidlin]

Bill Monroe
Ronnie McCoury
David Grisman
Sam Bush
Mike Compton
Roland White

[MandoSquirrel]

I guess since I see Monroe a few times, and Duffy, it's okay to include the no longer physically with us, so what about:
Dave Apollon
Howard Frye
Red Rector
Jacob Do Bandolim
Yank Rachelle
And among the living,
Buck White
Roland White
Andy Irvine
Mick Moloney
Carlo Aonzo
Marilynn Mair
& too many others to think of

[Mike Williams]

I can't believe no-one's mentioned Matt Flinner yet. He's definitely my favourite, alongside Dawg and Sam Bush.

[mandopete]

I like that guy that plays really good!

[AlanN]

I like that guy that plays really good!
Aw shucks, Pete...thanks!

[Mandomax]

Dave Peters

[garyblanchard]

I first got into mandolin through the Garcia/Grisman CD's. Dave Grisman is my first, and probably foremost, mandolin hero. I love his style and his versatility. The "Shady Grove" CD prompted me to buy my first mandolin.

Mike Compton is another of my favorites. I love his work with John Hartford. There are cuts on the "Live From Mountain Stage" CD that are basically fiddle, mandolin and bass; Compton fills out the sound and makes the sound whole. Watching him play on the "Down From The Mountain" DVD is also a treat. Great stage presence as well as hot playing.

Jeff Austin, of Yonder Mountain String Band, is a new mandolin hero. I saw them in concert this past weekend and was greatly impressed. From traditional bluegrass to free-form improvisation, Jeff combined speed with accuracy and blew me away. Plus, seeing a guy with nerdy glasses (Similar to mine), playing mandolin, and having the girl's go wild gave me great hope. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif (Of course, I'm probably 20-25 years older than him, but why bring reality into this. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif )

[manjitsu]

One vote for Paul Glasse here!

-Chris

[mingusb1]

Am I the first to mention Tim O'Brien?! He also ranks up there for me in terms of:

--fav fiddler
--fav songwriter
--fav singer
--best cornball jokes
...you get the picture.

Otherwise in no real order (except for Mr. Monroe):

Big Mon
Norman Blake
Carl Jones
Ronnie
Jeff Harvey (lost highway)
Compton

Z

[WJF]

In No Particular Order ...

- Mike Marshall
- Barry Mitterhoff
- Chris Thile
- John McGann
- John Reischman
- Sam Bush
And many others ... As I think about this it seems almost silly to list my faves ... they (mandolin players in general)are all my faves!!

[chirorehab]

Dawg
Thile
Bush
McCoury
Wayne Benson
Mike Marshall
Danny Roberts
Roland White
Matt Flinner
Reischman
Doyle Lawson
Mike Compton
Jethro
Andy Leftwich

and of course, Big Mon..

Just to name a few that I have been listening to lately..

[Perry]

All of the above plus I have to throw a vote in for Sam Bartlett. I don't know that much about him but I really like his mando style. His melodies are contagious.

Sam who you say?

http://www.sambartlett.com/music.html

[Bob Simmers]

Sam Bush
Alan Bibey
Ron Pennington
Mike Compton
Doyle Lawson

[Santiago]

Since we're sayng favorite rather than best, I would have to say... Me! (But best would be A. Statman, Mr. Dawg, J. Stiernberg, M. Marshall...)

[JEStanek]

In no particular order...
Thile
Dawg
Skaggs
Anthony Hannigan (Hickory Project)
Tim O
Compton
Long
Dan Zanes

[Ira Chavis]

In no particular order:

Barry Mitterhoff
Jethro Burns
David Grisman
Mariylnn Mair
Steve Bernstein
Carlo Aonzo
Andy Statman
Chris Thile
Jacob Bittencourt
Radmin Zenkl

and countless others..

[Jim MacDaniel]

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:
Paul Kelly
Simon Mayor
Iain Macleod
Luke Plumb
Kevin Macleod
Dagger Gordon
David Grisman
Chris Thile
Jimmy Ryan
John McGann
Sam Bush
Radim Zenkl
Jamie Masefield
Marilyn Mair
Howard Frye

[glauber]

In no particular order

Jacob do Bandolim
Hamilton de Holanda
Armandinho
Marcos Pinna
Rodrigo Lessa
Eugenio Nobre

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[MOP]

john DUFFY

[JeffD]

A favorite doesn't necessarily mean the best, or most technically excellent.

Jethro Burns for how easy and effortless he makes it all seem.

Andy Statman, for many reasons but mostly "Barbara in the Morning" and "Flatbush Waltz", which he makes so transcendently musical you could cry.

Ricky Skaggs because of of the authenticity of his sound.

Bill Monroe, for what he did to and for mandolin music.

Alison Stephens for the clarity of her sound, and how everything she plays sounds so gracefull and lilting.

There are many others who deserve mention, but these are my consistent favorites.

[Peter Hackman]

Seems all musicians I really dig are more than just instrumentalists;
they're musical architects, leaders, conceivers, and I can't
separate the various aspects of their musicianship.


If my life depended on it, and I was forced to name ONE favorite,
it would have to be Mike Marshall.

Then I could add that Andy Statman is the one cat who has found
a completely individual jazz voice on mando; he's very adventurous
and I must admit that adventures
occasionally, and inevitably, lead to disasters.

That Matt Flinner has about the most beautiful tone I've heard,
and

that Sam Bush has perhaps the most expressive tremelo.

That Chris Thile is a very gifted and versatile composer, that
he contributed beautifully on O'Connor's retrospective
but that he's also very far removed from my tone ideal (if I
were to produce even the faintest appoximation of his
sound I would have to play very soft).

That everybody forgets O'Connor because he was forced to give
up the mandolin - and yet he composed one
of the truly great mandolin classics,
Macedonia.

And that everything important has already been said about
David Grisman.

[MadMax]

Bill Monroe is the alpha and omega of mandolin players (especially, perhaps, the alpha).

I also like Marty Stuart's playing. His backup work on recordings with Jerry and Tammy Sullivan is some of the best I've ever heard.

[JimRichter]

In no particular order:

John Duffey
Sam Bush
Mike Compton
Tim O'Brien
Tony Williamson
Chris Thile

and, sometimes, myself http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim

[big h]

Sam Bush
Kym Warner
Adam Steffey
Chris Thile
Bill Monroe
Tim Obrien
Ronnie McCoury
Ricky Scaggs
Andrew Collins
Boy,I never knew how many I liked http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[jk245]

Bill Monroe is and will always b the greatest ... one problem: he KNEW it too!

[fiddlingdan]

Would have to add Hershel Sizemore to the group. and a couple of my others that are very good

Paul Williams
Darrel Webb of Wildfire
Dan