Non-Bluegrass Mandolin Records

[Mandotarian]

Don't get me wrong I love me some bluegrass, but often I prefer the mandolin as more of an accompaniment in more rock/folk type settings. Some of my favorites include The Gourds, Wrinkle Neck Mules, Sam Bush's Work with Guy Clark, Boris Garcia, RAILROAD EARTH etc. I was wondering if others like this type of music and could lead me towards any similar artists.

P.S. If you haven't checked out any of these guys I highly recommend the new discs from Wrinkle Neck Mules and The Gourds just good music with some cool rootsy mandolin playing

[onassis]

If you haven't already, you should definitely check out the last couple of Levon Helm records, especially "Dirt Farmer". Wonderful, funky, mostly-acoustic music with a very deep groove, and some great mando playing by both Levon and Larry Campbell.

I, too, am a big fan of the Gourds and their funky brand of alt-country. Ditto for RRE and the Mules.

[zombywoof]

None of these are what I would call a "mandolin record" but a couple of my favorite LPs that have some fine mando playing on them are:

Martin, Bogan and Armstrong's self titled Flying Fish release. I saw these guys a few times in the 1970s and Carl Martin is a heck of a mandolin player. Armstrong, a wizard on sock rhyhm guitar, ain't no slouch either.

Louis Ford playing with Muddy Waters on Alan Lomax's Library of Congress Recordings. The version I have is called "Down on Stovall's Plantation" but the recordings are available under a bunch of titles.

Also Charlie McCoy playing with with Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe. The one I have is Minnie and Joe's Collected Works Vol. 4.

[swampy]

I second Dirt Farmer.

[Mandotarian]

Hmm I seem to remember seeing a similar Flying Fish album in my pop's record collection...didn't make the mando connection...will have to go dig it out.

Thanks!

[Flattpicker]

I'd love to know which tracks by Guy Clark have Sam Bush on the them.

thanks!

[Charlieshafer]

Tiny Moore and Jethro Burns, "Back To Back." Just picked it up, and I can't stop listening. It is flat out jazz, and beautiful. Make no mistake, when you have Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums, it's no-nonsense jazz, but the playing is incredible. A "highest recommendation" cd.

[Charlieshafer]

OK, as soon as I posted that, I thought of a couple more: Gloryland, by the Anonymous 4. Old spirituals, yes, but it's got Mike Marshall and Darol Anger backing up the just perfect singing of the Anonymous Four. Also Mike and Darol's "Woodshop." Cd, all originals, and not really bluegrassy at all. I prefer this to their first one, The Duo, just because I like the songs more

[Denny Gies]

A CD titled "Mandolin Blues" with folks like Yank Rachell, Carl Martin, Willie Hatcher. Ted Brogan and Johnny Young. Another good one is the Dave Apollon 2 CD set put out by Acoustic Disc. Not a drop of bluegrass in either one of these.

[doc holiday]

Andrew Collins " Little Widgets
John Reischman "North of the Border"



'

[bagpipe]

I also like "good records with mandolin" rather than "all mandolin records". The John Hiatt CD shown below, Crossing Muddy Waters, has some great songs, featuring tasteful mandolin playing by David Immergluck:


http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:fifexq90ldfe

[mandroid]

Ry Cooder has some tasty licks in a few of his recordings, Ex: Paradise and Lunch and Chicken skin music.

[Mike Bromley]

Anything by Don Stiernberg.

[jim_n_virginia]

WHA??? You mean a mandolin can be used to play other kinds of music beside Bluegrass?!?! NO WAY!!! :grin:

[Mandotarian]

I'd love to know which tracks by Guy Clark have Sam Bush on the them.

thanks!


I'm not sure of a comprehensive list but in the late 80's/early 90's he did 3 albums with him (I think they may be on lala.com!!)

Old Friends
Boats to Build
Dublin Blues

Not necessarily the standard Sam Bush hot licks but some beautiful accompaniment. Definitely some of my favorite stuff... played a big role in bringing me to the mando!!

[Charles E.]

Mike Marshall's cd of Brazilian 'Choro' music is great, Mandolin Blues- yes, early Ry Cooder-yes.

[F-2 Dave]

WHA??? You mean a mandolin can be used to play other kinds of music beside Bluegrass?!?! NO WAY!!! :grin:

Yes, Jim. And brace yourself for this one-- sometimes people play other brands of mandolins besides Gibsons to play other kinds of music besides bluegrass. Shocking.

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Suggestions:

Mike Compton (of the Nashville Bluegrass Band) is all over Elvis Costello's latest: Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. His CD, Stomp, with David Long is a sort of traditional folk rather than Bluegrass, and both he and Long play mandolin all over it.

Look up Jamie Masefield, Andy Statman, Paul Glasse, Don Julin and the aforementioned Don Steirnberg for some great Jazz. And let's not forget Homer & Jethro, as well as anything Ken "Jethro" Burns did after Homer's untimely demise.

Here's the "Listing of Rock Songs with Mando" thread: http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18398

Enjoy!
Daniel

[Flattpicker]

Mandotarian, thanks, I'll check out those Guy Clark albums.

Back on point, I'm a big fan of the Steve Goodman tracks with Jethro Burns. There are some on the Steve Goodman Anthology, as I recall. Some of them are live and JB smokes.

[Spruce]

Here's (http://www.hyperarts.com/mandolin-music/modern-mandolin-music-tim-ware/) some music for you to listen to while reading this thread....

It's the Tim Ware Group from their LPs "The Tim Ware Group" (Kaleidoscope F-13, 1980) and "Shelter From The Norm" (Rounder/Varrick 014, 1983)...

Great stuff, and not bluegrass whatsoever....

[Coy Wylie]

Travelers (http://www.amazon.com/Travellers-Butch-Baldassari/dp/B00000JRL3) by Butch Baldassari, Robin Bullock and John Reichman is one of my favorite CD's of all time. Great "comfort music."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61CAF9J5ZCL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

[sgarrity]

.......sometimes people play other brands of mandolins besides Gibsons to play other kinds of music besides bluegrass. Shocking.

Blasphemers!!! :))

[Jason Kindall]

I wouldn't call most of TIm O'Brien's solo stuff bluegrass, and there's some mighty fine mandolin on there.

Love me some Railroad Earth, too.

[Mandotarian]

Just remembered one of my favorites. The manic mandolin of Mr. Robin Remailly while he was with the Holy Modal Rounders/Michael Hurley crew. Specifically the album Have Moicy! Definitely one of my desert island discs and Robin plays some pretty unique mandolin parts. His style is consistent with the general "out there" folk vibe throughout the whole album.

[250sc]

What's bluegrass??????

[AlanN]

The Nashville Mandolin Ensemble.

Even though Butch said it covered everything from Bach to Bluegrass to Beatles, I didn't hear much grass.

[jondk]

There's a good folk duo called Chris and Thomas. Not all their songs have mandolin but quite a few do. Also any of John Cowan's Cds are good. I don't think many of the songs could really be called bluegrass. Some really good mandolin on a lot of the songs.

[Perry Babasin]

Here is a little clip of Ry playing Going down to Brownsville, from the "Ry Cooder" album (Airstream on the cover)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSpKLgwcXD8

Enjoy........ Perry

[djidaho]

I love Jorma Kaukonen's "Blue country heart" CD that he put out 7-8 years ago.
Sam Bush, Jerry D., Bela, and others add to a very tasty project.

I love this stuff, a topic I'm always interested in. The "rock songs with Mando" thread is a good start.

dj

[Norm Buck]

Gots to love that Ry Cooder... played mandolin on the Stones song Love in Vain. Paradise and Lunch is a great album. Goin' to Brownsville is awesome, thanks for the link!

[wsugai]

Dave Martini - first album, Mr. Mandolin Man. Old-timey, ragtime. Not pyrotechnic speed, but the tone and technique.

[Mandocarver]

Another Guy Clark album featuring great old timey mandolin: Cold Dog Soup

[JeffD]

Travelers (http://www.amazon.com/Travellers-Butch-Baldassari/dp/B00000JRL3) by Butch Baldassari, Robin Bullock and John Reichman is one of my favorite CD's of all time. Great "comfort music."

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61CAF9J5ZCL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

That CD surprised me. I got it as a gift, and I knew I would like it. Turns out I loved it, and have played it a lot. If it were vinyl I would have worn it out by now.

[mandroid]

Karelian Folk music ensemble (Karelia is the Russo-Finnish Border region) has traveled thru here,
a couple times , Mandolin is one of the instruments they play , [Bought a Blond Weber Gallatin]
the players are on the Faculty of a conservatory music school back home
I have one of their CDs .. good stuff, 4 - part harmony vocals .. not everyone is a Tenor..