Atlanta Mando Mike
Apr-01-2016, 7:18am
This is a new progressive bluegrass instrumental record with some of my favorite young (most of these guys are in their 20's) players out there now. Aaron Ramsey on mandolin, Jake Stargel on guitar, Cody Walker on Banjo, Jeff Partin on Bass and Dobro and Bryan McDowell on fiddle.
This record has some high level similarities to a Bela Fleck Drive or The Bluegrass Sessions, Matt Flinner's first 2 solo records, etc.. Very listenable and musical. Aaron Ramsey is killer on mandolin but so is everyone on the record. It is progressive but all of these guys are playing for content, not just trying to be hot. Very cool record that I highly recommend. Each player is fantastic in their own right and thoughtful in their execution and note choices. The band sound is top notch. They play some standards like Snowflake Reel, Paddy on the Turnpike, do some interesting things like Foggy Mountain Special in a minor key and some originals. I've been listening steadily for about a week and it keeps getting better - that's always the sign of a good record to me. NFI, just sharing good mandolin centric music.
This record has some high level similarities to a Bela Fleck Drive or The Bluegrass Sessions, Matt Flinner's first 2 solo records, etc.. Very listenable and musical. Aaron Ramsey is killer on mandolin but so is everyone on the record. It is progressive but all of these guys are playing for content, not just trying to be hot. Very cool record that I highly recommend. Each player is fantastic in their own right and thoughtful in their execution and note choices. The band sound is top notch. They play some standards like Snowflake Reel, Paddy on the Turnpike, do some interesting things like Foggy Mountain Special in a minor key and some originals. I've been listening steadily for about a week and it keeps getting better - that's always the sign of a good record to me. NFI, just sharing good mandolin centric music.