Il Troubadore

[Eugene]

I had the good fortune to enjoy the 1st Annual Midwest Mandolin Festival just east of Indianapolis yesterday. It was a small, pleasant event, but I'm hoping to see it grow in the future. I was introduced to one of the most bizarre pop/rock duos I've come across. In spite of their claim, there is precious little 16th. c. to Il Troubadore. Robert Bruce Scott plays a Freshwater mandolin and sings tenor style. In many of their arrangements, he finger picks it like a classical guitar. Jonathan Silpayamanant (aka Noiseman433) has a degree in cello performance from DePauw and plays the most virtuosic cello I've ever heard in a mandolin-based pop duo. Their repertoire is diverse and includes a fair amount of disco. Their cover of Charlie Daniels' "Devil Went Down to Georgia" is both jaw-droppingly virtuosic and hillarious. If you get the chance, check them out.

Il Troubadore

[jmkatcher]

I listened to the samples and I'm greatly impressed. I love the jangle-pop sound they get from their instruments. Thanks for the pointer!

[angrymandolinist]

Their cover of "Dancing Queen" is great.

[hokelore]

They did a good "Stayin' Alive". No, really.

[Eric F.]

He "plays the most virtuosic cello I've ever heard in a mandolin-based pop duo."

I'm not sure what to make of that, Eugene. How many cellists have you heard in a mandolin-based pop duo?

They do sound way cool.

[IndyArtist]

He "plays the most virtuosic cello I've ever heard in a mandolin-based pop duo."

I'm not sure what to make of that, Eugene. How many cellists have you heard in a mandolin-based pop duo?

How many mandolin-based pop duos have you heard?

rbs

[Eugene]

Uh...one. The comment was intended to be taken as tongue-in-cheek, of course. They really are great fun to hear: worthy of the price of admission.

[Eric F.]

Of course, I took it as tongue in cheek. Though I WAS hoping ou could turn me on to some other mandolin-cello pop bands!

[Martin Jonas]

Of course, I took it as tongue in cheek. Though I WAS hoping ou could turn me on to some other mandolin-cello pop bands!

Show of Hands do spring to mind. #The main photo on their web site shows them with guitar and fiddle, but that's misleading: Phil Beer plays at least as much mandolin as he does fiddle (and has released an album titled "Mandorock Live 2000") and Steve Knightly plays guitar only occasionally, his main instrument being mandocello. #One of the more bizarre aspects of this is that their songbook features all their songs together with the mandocello chords. #Talk about limiting your target group -- how many mandocello strummers are out there?

Martin

[Eugene]

Sorry, Martin. The cello in question in Il Troubadore is the violoncello a la bow. I have handled the occasional mando-cello/mandoloncello. They are big.