Mandolin bands that defy categorization

**mad dawg** · Jul-23-2004, 4:52pm

Some of my favorite mando-centric CDs are sort of orphans when it comes to describing the type of music they play. A couple that come to mind are The Emma Gibbs Band (sort of BG-meets-alt.country-meets-jam grass), and Shooglenifty (for a while they billed their music as "hypnofolkadelia"). Another band that appears to defy categorization that I want to learn more about are The Waybacks (I've heard a little of their music but don't own any of their CDs).

Who are some of your favorite mandolin bands/performers that transcend genre boundaries, and/or pretty much just do their own thing?

**John Rosett** · Jul-23-2004, 5:35pm

anything that andy statman has played mandolin on.
john

**steve in tampa** · Jul-23-2004, 5:43pm

The Waybacks are out of this world! Don't pass up a chance to see them. Nash and Chojo will blow you away! First time I ever saw mandolin played with a slide.

**John Flynn** · Jul-23-2004, 5:54pm

There is a two-man band that hails from the Ozarks, "Uncle Cockburr's Champion Possum Carvers." These guys are compltely off the wall. They are old-timey, but completely unique and original at the same time.
http://www.possumcarvers.com/

**duuuude** · Jul-24-2004, 7:54am

If ya like The Waybacks, you'd love Moonlight Hoodoo Review with the Cafe's own Zeke in the lineup. They bring a fresh touch to everything they play, and they do play everything!

**SunDrake** · Jul-24-2004, 12:56pm

Hot Buttered Rum String Band. I just recently started listening to them, but they are an incredible acoustic experience (including Mandolin)

**krishna** · Jul-27-2004, 1:25am

The band that gave me the biggest kick dureing the 80s was the Vancover band `The Romainiaks`They posed as 4 long lost bros from the Ukrain,who fond each other in Canada.I still play their version of `Paint it black` least twice a week!`(Danny Greenspoon on guitar too...

**Magnus Geijer** · Jul-27-2004, 8:20am

Bruce Harvie - Mandolin Graffiti. If you don't have this, you need to. Whenever I need to prove the versatility of the mandolin to someone, this does it every time. It's innovative and fun and seriously good playing as well. I'd really recommend it if it wasn't for this Spruce/Bruce person being such a nasty character. #

/Magnus

**mandopete** · Jul-27-2004, 8:27am

The Beacon Hillbillies.

**saintanne** · Jul-27-2004, 9:22am

Any chance that the Beacon Hillbillies hail from Beacon Hill in Seattle, or are they from elsewhere? If from Seattle, where can I hear them play?

**pickles** · Aug-31-2004, 11:10am

mad dawg -- and anyone ready to be totally blown away -- the Waybacks will soon be back in the bay area! A couple of gigs I know of are Sept 10 in Santa Rosa (a nice intimate venue and good for families), Sept 11 in SF, and in SF again in Oct, w/ Daryl Anger, at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. You can check their site www.waybacks.com for their gig schedule details. Also, they encourage taping so, while their CD's are worth shelling out for, it can't hurt to have somebody there with recording equiptment... I'd do it but have nothing better to record on than my little girl's Fisher Price tape player!

**GD Armstrong** · Aug-31-2004, 8:47pm

There is a band in Portland,OR called Sneakin' Out - mandolin, bass & percussion. Absolutly amazing! They play everything from Beatles tunes to Eric Sate to "Paint it Black" combined with "The Hall of the Mountain King". Give them a listen if you get a chance. They have a CD "Trainwreck" but I think it's only availible at thier shows.

**Jeff Baldwin** · Aug-31-2004, 10:15pm

The Waybacks are amazing..see em live - you wont be disappointed.

Also, saw the BC band The Bills at spring Strawberry Music Festival really like em.

There is a Santa Cruz band called "Strung Over" - good local jam band.

**J. Mark Lane** · Sep-01-2004, 9:42am

The Waybacks... is that John McGann's group?

Mark

**biomando** · Sep-02-2004, 6:12pm

I like both Spoonshine, a band out of Western Washington and Clumsy Lovers, out of Vancouver. The only problem with the Clumsy Lovers is that they don't play mandolin quite enough

**odeman** · Sep-02-2004, 7:42pm

Of course, the # 1 "quirky" band would have to be Homer & Jethro, but you would have to include Peter Ostrushco's "Mando Boys", anything with Andy Statman, and that old black bluesman Johnny Young. All this makes interesting listening and expands your mandolin horizons. Also, Spontaneous Combustion out of Kansas City - a bluegrass band ( with a GREAT mandolin/bangoist ) that prefers to play rock 'n roll oldies and an occasional classical piece - all in traditional bluegrass style. They are a HOOT! They also have a nice website.

**fatt-dad** · Sep-03-2004, 10:56am

Anybody heard of the local Richmond, VA band, Carbon Leaf? Well, I had heard of them (just being in the area and all), but never listened to them. They have a mandolin player (Carter Gravett - sp?) that has this Heiden and he is great! I sat in with some pickers last Sunday and could hear that mandolin and his noodling during the breaks - very interesting and well played. Maybe check out their web page or look for their stuff. Not a bluegrass band, but quite a mandolin player.

f-d

**Don Grieser** · Sep-03-2004, 11:05am

Nashville Mandolin Ensemble--I just got their Bach Beatles and Bluegrass. Incredible ensemble playing and imaginative arrangements. Very mando-centric. www.soundartrecordings.com NFI

**Mike Crocker** · Sep-03-2004, 2:02pm

The Creeking Tree String Quartet.
Das Macht Show.

Both superb mandocentric bands have good websites and are worth a listen. Creeking Tree I've seen twice at one festival, and Das Macht Show several times on another weekend.

Peace, Mooh.

**Mandodoc** · Sep-03-2004, 5:50pm

A fun bluegrass type experience is Luther Wright and the Wrongs "Rebuild the Wall", Pink Floyds "The Wall" done in bluegrass instruments and style. A fun listen especially if you know "The Wall" already.
jon

**SternART** · Sep-03-2004, 5:59pm

Or Wake the Dead...........Irish versions of Dead tunes.......Paul Katopish on mando & Danny Carnahan on octave

**steve V. johnson** · Sep-03-2004, 11:01pm

The Lopers... They are not entirely "mando-centric" but Richard Groner plays some great mandolin stuff (and dobro) and it pretty much defies categorizations...

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lopers

**Emmiemando** · Sep-03-2004, 11:05pm

Okay....I really wasn't alive to hear lots of the old 80's bands and such. And I just started getting inot mando music. Really all I have in my cd set of bands in Nickel Creek and I think they're the bomb so....ya.:D