Mike Marshall - Big Trio

[Amy Burcham]

Just got back from the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion where we saw the Mikestro with the wonderful young fiddler Alex Hargreaves and a thoroughly impressive Paul Kowert on bass (http://www.bristolrhythm.com/artist.php?id=171) play a very exciting set of new MM tunes!

Apparently a CD is planned for release early next year. I can't wait to hear more of this. Beautiful material - great new ideas gracefully delivered.

Especially nice to hear what he's doing with mandocello now.

I couldn't quite figure out where to put this thread, but wanted to tell folks who haven't heard that there's something really special up ahead. So it's "world music." Yes it is!

[SternART]

I see they are featured at Wintergrass this year. It has been fun watching Alex improve over they years....to now be National Fiddle Champ....he was in Pupville with Grisman up at Wgrass several years back & is about the same age as Sam Grisman. In fact last year @ Wgrass. Sarah Jaroz had a trio with Sam on bass and Alex on fiddle that opened the festival. They have been performing together. I see that Alex is also playing the Hardly Strictly BG Festival in SF as part of Bill Evan's String Summit. It is cool that Mike has his Big Trio going, I'm looking forward to seeing them. I've yet to see Paul Kowert. Hey "Mikestro"...... I like that........ but around these parts he is "Gator."

[Maria]

The Big Trio CD was recorded in Oakland just recently, and we hope to get it released in time for Wintergrass. From what I've heard, it's incredible. I was just there for a day to take photos, while they were rehearsing the material.

Here's a link to review of Bristol
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/lo...reunion/14168/

maria

[Larry S Sherman]

I had trouble finding the review, so I'll include some of it here for folks:



The Big Trio, featuring Micke Marshall, Alex Hargeaves and Paul Kowert, play on the Country Mural stage Friday during opening night of the 8th annual Rhythm & Roots Reunion.

BRISTOL, Tenn. – A twist of fate – or more specifically a broken hand – means fans of this weekend’s Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival are getting a unique treat.

Large crowds greeted opening night acts on Friday as the eighth annual music festival, which is scheduled to continue through Sunday, began in the Twin City’s downtown. Last year’s festival attracted more than 20,000.

One of the most enthusiastic crowd responses Friday evening was for mandolin wizard Mike Marshall and his latest musical project, “Big Trio.”

Marshall was originally scheduled to perform with longtime duo partner, Darol Anger, but Anger’s broken hand sent the noted fiddler to the sidelines.

“He had a little accident on his bike. The good news is he should be back in a couple of months,” Marshall told a crowd of about 200 assembled at the country mural stage.

“I’ve been working with these guys [Big Trio] for about a year and we just finished recording a new CD. So when I found out Darol couldn’t play, I knew just who should do that gig,” Marshall said earlier during a phone interview.

The trio – which also includes 16-year-old fiddle player Alex Hargreaves and 21-year-old bassist Paul Kowert – unleashed a fusion of jazz, bluegrass and classical music during their opening set.

Their hour-long, instrumental set provided a stark contrast to Bawn in the Mash, a traditional bluegrass group that had folks dancing at the nearby Piedmont stage.

“This is a world premiere for us and we’re nervous as we can be,” Marshall told the crowd.

Loud shouts and applause from the crowd let band members know they had nothing to worry about.

“It ain’t bluegrass, but they’re mighty good,” said Bill Smith of North Carolina.

“These two young guys represent the future of virtuosity string band. They will be the next Mark O’Connor – the next Edgar Meyer,” Marshall said during the phone interview.

Hargreaves, a native of Portland, Ore., has played music for most of his 16 years and recently completed his first solo CD. Kowert, a protege of noted bassist Edgar Meyer, is currently on full scholarship at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pa.

Marshall, whose own musical influences range from Ralph Stanley and Earl Scruggs to Brazilian and Cuban music, said the talented trio defies description.

“We are who we are as players,” Marshall said.

While the trio has no shortage of talent, Marshall acknowledges their name may need some fine tuning.

“We’re toying with names right now,” he said. “It’s hard enough to come up with a name, but it’s hard to rename.”

There is no shortage of suggestions, including Triple Creek and Lookout Three, but no decisions have been made, Marshall said. They hope to make a final decision before their CD is released early next year.

Big Trio is scheduled to return to the country mural stage at 5:30 p.m. today at the Downtown Center.

Crowds spilled out onto sidewalks at most of the indoor venues up and down State Street Friday nigh, as music lovers listened to a series of bluegrass, country, Americana and folk artists.

The festival continues today. Other Saturday headliners include Doc Watson, Sam Bush, Cherryholmes, Langhorne Slim, Scott Miller & The Commonwealth, Darrell Scott, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Red Stick Ramblers and Pete Kartsounes.

Aside from the music, the day’s schedule includes a 5K road race and two-mile walk, a chili cookoff, free children’s day activities and a series of musical workshops all afternoon inside Theatre Bristol.

Tickets for Saturday are $20, with children ages 12 and under admitted free.

dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532

[Matt Spencer]

I saw that show too. I was at the Cephus and Wiggins show in the Paramount Theater so I missed the beginning but caught the middle end of the set. It was outstanding but a tough transition form piedmont blues to Mike Marshall. That was on Saturday. On Sunday after I checked out of the hotel that I was staying in for the weekend we decided to get some coffee form a well-known Seattle based coffee franchise. I walked in the door and there sitting at table buy himself was Mr. Marshall. He seemed pre occupied and in need of privacy so I left him alone but it was fun seeing him out of a musical context. I also saw the Chocolate Drops, but the sound was so bad that I ended up leaving early. After having seen the Drops at smaller shows like the Sugar Grove music festival it was hard to put up with the heat and lousy sound.

[Maria]

http://www.myspace.com/bigtriomusic

[tango_grass]

Ahh good, they popped up on Myspace. These kids can sure play, cool to see them playing with Mike on a regular basis.

[Dragonflyeye]

The Trio's playing the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on Friday March 6th, and I'm going! It'll be my first time seeing Mike (who's user-friendly Mandolin Fundamentals for All Players DVD has definately enhanced my technique). He seems to be searching for a better name, but I think the Big Trio is fine - it doesn't imply any particular genre.

[groveland]

...Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on Friday March 6th...

Well, it's about time! I'm as good as there. (Just in time to celebrate my exact-to-the-day anniversary on mandolin.)

[Amy Burcham]

If you have a Facebook, check the new group "Mike Marshall's Big Trio" out there too. Just getting going.

[Paul Kotapish]

I ran into Mike tonight at a party after one of the International Body Music Festival concerts--a wonderful event, BTW--and he mentioned that was in the mixing stage of putting the Big Trio recording together. Sounds like it will be great.

[Linda Binder]

Another date in March (Sat. March 7th) to see Big Trio in the midwest-- Mando Magnificat at Northwestern University north of Chicago.

Concert also features Sam Bush, The Milwaukee Mandolin Orch, Don Stiernberg and Caterina Lichtenberg with Mirko Shrader.

Details are on the Mandolin Cafe calendar.

[JEStanek]

Here's a link.

Jamie

[Maria]

They'll be at the Ark, too. Tuesday, March 3. And for you west-coasters, they're playing in Corvallis on Feb 18, and I'm putting together a few dates in the bay area, post-Wintergrass, as well. Some of these just may include Danilo Brito on the bill. Will post details soon.

Maria

[Amy Burcham]

Here's their new Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-M...io/39545640853

Facebookers, let's Fan the flame!

[John Goodin]

Thanks to Linda for announcing (and, I suspect, helping to organize) the Mando Magnificat in March. An incredible lineup worthy of the name. I'll make the 6 hour drive over to Evanston if I can.

I was lucky to be a part of the first two Mando Magnificats, which were parts of the Kentucky Center for the Arts' "Lonesome Pine Specials" concert series back in 1988 and 1989. The then new Louisville Mandolin Orchestra played along with Sam Bush, Mike Marshall and the Modern Mandolin Quartet in their heyday. Peter O. and Dean McGraw were also on the second, which was filmed for PBS broadcast. Really exciting shows, and I was so young .

John G.