Jazz mandolin project...

[telepbrman]

I don't really have much scoop on them, how does the cafe view this band?

[ChrisWallace]

Great band!! The mandolin player BURNS!! Definitely check them out if you get the chance!!

[steve in tampa]

They are coming to Jannus Landing in St Petersburg on Sunday 10/10 for 15.00 head.

From what I heard on their web site, it is a little far out.

Has anyone actually attended a show?

Is there plenty of mando content in between all the jazz musings?

[rixter]

I saw one of their shows in Portland OR a couple of years ago. I enjoyed it, but definitely not for your average mando joe. I think they're more of a jam band type and the atmosphere there was very much in that vein, but lots of mando content. I only got to see half of the show though, as somebody standing right beside us lit up a hash pipe and kicked off my wife's asthma, and she dragged me out of there.... # #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

[Peter Hackman]

I don't really have much scoop on them, how does the cafe view this band?
I bought two of their CDs and valiantly listened
through both, then quietly dropped them in the wastebasket.
I find the music boring and mentally tiring.
It's NOT that I don't dig far-out music,
or amplified instruments, but to
me it just sounded contrived and unmotivated.

[250sc]

I've seen them live and was bored and left half way through. I love jazz but this was just jam band noodleing not that there's anything wrong with that. Just don't expect it to swing.
I'd rather hear Grissman, Marshall, Craven, Stiernberg, Jethro......

[Joel Glassman]

His music is similar to music by contemporary guitarists John Scofield, Mike Stern, John Abercrombie, etc. Its definitely not 'easy listening', bluegrass influenced, or especially "melodic". I saw them in concert, and thought there was a lot to appreciate. Its not my favorite music...

[telepbrman]

I'm not about the extended jam deal....I will see about finding some MP3 live stuff before I purchase anything...I am glad to hear about the Mandolin in the lead position, out front and all. Thanks, later, dy.

[steve in tampa]

Well, just doesn't sound like my thing either. I have to have some kind of discernible melody to follow. Played lots of jazz on the trumpet earlier in life, and like its just not my bag man.
Jazz mando to me is Jethro!

[Mandobar]

i believe trey from phish sometimes plays with jamie, the mando player. the earlier live album has some interesting stuff on it.

[amowry]

They used to play at the coffee shop at Middlebury College when I was there about a decade ago. I had some good nights listening to Jamie. You have to be into the jam thing, for which I seem to have slightly less tolerance as the years progress. The guy to really watch out for from that Burlington crowd is Doug Perkins. I haven't heard about him since I left Vermont, but he was one of the most spectacular flatpickers I've heard.

[Dave Caulkins]

When I was younger, and appreciated jam bands more, I used to really enjoy JMP (this was before I played much mando at all). They lost me with 'Xeno', way too 'out there' - not in the good Sun Ra, early Wayne Shorter, or late Coltrane way either. I still like Masefield's earlier stuff, he seemed less determined to sacrifice musicality for sheer weirdness. Stacy Starkweather had ALOT to do with me appreciating the mid-90s output, damn fine bass playing!

I like Abercrombie & Scofield... I still consider them to be jazz (albeit fusion). Scofield's pairing with Medeski, Martin, and Wood is a great example of what happens when jam meets jazz. Abercrombie's 'Timeless' or 'Gateway' are what I would consider to be an extended desert island discs (you know, if I had 20 to bring along instead of 5). I liked Stern with Davis, not as much as I liked McLaughlin with Miles though...

Ah, it's still Jethro for me...

Dave