The Don Stiernberg Interview

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The Don Stiernberg Interview
http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001188.shtml

The Mandolin Cafe's message board members engage Chicago-based jazz mandolinist extraordinaire Don Stiernberg for another of our exclusive extended interviews.

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[Mandophyte]

Only one word really: superb! Well done everyone.
Excellent questions from the "interviewers" and extremely helpful responses from the "interviewee". And special thanks to the Cafe, with it we wouldn't these (running out of superlatives here) brilliant features.

[swinginmandolins]

Fantastic!!! Thanks to all especially Don for his insightful responses!

[AlanN]

What a pleasure to read Don's remarks and dig the sounds. His warmth, playfulness and musical excellence all come through loud and clear! And of course more questions are elicited, like:

Tunes such as Be Bop by Dizzy. You transcribed the head very well in one issue of MM. Tough tune - to play that, do you need the music in front of you? Please say Yes.

[GRW3]

These Interviews are the bomb. The extended format really lets the info flow. I also get the feeling that using the Cafe questions opens up new lines of discussion that the interviewee might not have contemplated in a simple 'tell us your story' communication.

This one with Don is particularly interesting. In particular the elements of style in jazz and bluegrass and how do and do not cross. We have a nationally know traditional jazz band here in San Antonio (the Jim Cullum Band - NPR's "Live from the Landing" show) that I love to go see. I have often noted how the soloing in their tunes is so similar to how solos work for Bluegrass.

Thank you Don, thank you Cafe

[Mike Bromley]

Hot-DOG! (good baseball food, I understand)...it's hard not to be envious of your musical journey, Donnie. Oh well, ROW is rapidly approaching, and I'm keeping the arthritic digits crossed that the Awl-patch doesn't get in the way!

Then I'll get to absorb some more Potato Juice.

[grassrootphilosopher]

Thank you kindly Don Stiernberg.

I´m still digesting the interview. It greatly soothes me to see that great mando souls (like you) are not generally in the position to just go out and find mando related music at your doorstep. This part of personal information was very insightful, and I wish you every possible blessings on your way to musical fullfilment.

Especially interesting for me were the thoughts about the grass/jazz aproaches and their respective similarities/differences. This - as you (and Niles Hokkanen´s, John McGann´s and Paul Glasse´s posts on the "Message Board") are allways highly wellcome from my point of view.


And since you´re in Europe twice this year I recon I should schedule a trip to Bruchsal or Italy, right?

[Seth Rosen]

Wow! What a great interview. Don, when you and Paul Glasse start booking that duo tour let me help make sure that Cleveland is on it. That would be an amazing show.

--seth

[MandoNicity]

Absolutely fascinating and insightful! The music and vids were great additions to the piece. Thank you Don, and Scott for this.

JR

[Scott Tichenor]

...and help from Ted. He did a lot of work on this one as well. Good help, world class interview subject, what's not to like?

[David Horovitz]

What an interview! The next best thing to sitting in the same room and talking about mandolins and music. It makes you realize what a labor of love it is to be a professional mandolinist when Don reveals that he's played electric guitar in popular dance bands all these years to help support himself and family. Now I understand why it's no big deal for the same guy to play a tasty guitar solo or rhythm guitar on the same track that has masterful mandolin solo and rhythm! Guitar is nice but the world needs more mandolin! Here's hoping the remote mandolin video lessons can become a reality. I'd be interested!

[AlanN]

There is so much gold here, it takes more than 1 dig to see it all!

The Lady Is A Tramp clip is so great. To hear Jethro laughing and say 'Stop it!'; well, it's just fantastic. I could watch and listen to that clip all day.

[parker.benjamin]

Don,

Thank you kindly for your stories and thoughts on mando. I only hope to have a fraction of a life experience in music as you have. Having someone explore all genres is awe inspiring.

As to mandolin cafe. These interviews, with interactive videos, music, and pictures are incredible. Keep them coming. It helps to break up the tough times of my day up and bring in music and the mandolin, even without my instrument next to me.

Great thanks!

[Mike Romkey]

Great stuff, as always. Thanks, Don (and Ted)!

[Marcus CA]

These Interviews are the bomb. The extended format really lets the info flow. I also get the feeling that using the Cafe questions opens up new lines of discussion that the interviewee might not have contemplated in a simple 'tell us your story' communication.

Thank you Don, thank you Cafe

I totally agree! This was such a fun and informative interview to read, which was no surprise, given its subject.

[MnRoss]

Great interview Don.. and a big thanks. Missing from you discography is your 1st album "Rosetta" Flying Fish FH9502 from 1979 which still is one of my faves.

[Dan Margolis]

Don's interview was excellent. He sounds like a great guy. Don't hate me, coming from a guy who couldn't polish his picks, but his melody on "Wave" is altered a bit. It's a wonderful performance, but some of the quirkiness of the original melody is missing. I understand artistic license, but to me, that one little note is important.

[pickloser]

Thanks very much for this site, Scott.

Many thanks to Ted for all the hard work. I'm looking forward to your Mel Bay book with Mr. S., but don't come out with it too soon, please. I haven't finished working through GiJM.

Thank you, Don, for the information, insight, and encouragement. It's a pleasure to hear so many good notes. I admire you as an awesome musician and an inspiring teacher. (You almost make me want to care about baseball.)

What a great interview!

[g-mac]

Great interview. Great info. And a smokin' Green Dolphin Street! Thanks, Donnie!!

[Mandolin Cafe]

Noting today's anniversary of this fine interview put together for us by Ted Eschliman!

[Mandolin Cafe]

Don't ya'll be forgetting that Donnie Stiernberg feller! Nine years have passed since we put together this feature interview. Might be time to do another.

[Gary Leonard]

Lucky to live in the same town as Don, I saw him at Space last Thursday where I took this shot. If you are in Chicago for a visit, don't miss the best deal in town Monday nights at Rogers Park Social, 3 sets of fine gypsy jazz with Christy Bennet's Fumee. Don usually holds down the position of jazz mandolin player extraordinaire at these sets.


175450

[NickR]

Always great to get information from one of the masters and always fun to hear about Jethro who was great in so many ways. I had to laugh about this anecdote and Jethros comment: "Donnie, I hear you going up and down, all over the place. The problem is, you are looking for it, while I HAVE FOUND IT!" Of course, back in the days of Homer and Jethro, that was Homer's line!

[John Soper]

Gary Leonard: I have a brother who lives in Chicago - every time I'm in town I try to catch Don. The Fumee Gypsy project is a unique combo: great vocalist and inventive instrumentation. And it's always good to see Don with the Trio:

175458

I think it's about time for an updated interview with Don from the MC...

[Don Stiernberg]

Hello again friends,

In the words of the great comedian Martin Short..."thanks for remembering.."

I hope it's ok, a few update items....
Everyone has changed from MySpace to Facebook.
I still play the Nugget 2-point, the Stevens Paul Glasse electric 5 string, and the Collings MF5. Just this past year Oliver Apitius made the 'Yorkville Jazz" and I'm breaking it in. It's built with a jazz guitar aesthetic. Check out his site for videos.
For the past 5 or 6 years I've been playing almost entirely mandolin, haven't worn my tuxedo that entire time!Mostly my own dates or playing alongside revered colleagues in various styles, and of course teaching at the camps.
Somewheres along in these last nine years I made two more jazz mandolin "CD's"..you know, round thing with a hole in the center, your parents or grandparents had them, they look like a coaster..Well anyways one is called Mandoboppin', has mostly my own tunes and a couple standards, mando, gtr., bass, piano, drums. The other is Good Numbers, mostly jazz tunes and only one of mine, mando, guitar, bass, the trio in the picture that John was kind enough to put up above.
Also got involved with Soundslice.com and have available four online instruction courses. One is on swing chords, another on jazz improv lines, another on chord melody, and most recent is on rhythm parts for swing and jazz tunes.
Very grateful to still be here and there looking for the good notes. Thanks Mandolin Cafe! See ya at the camps?

[Pete Braccio]

You always found those good notes, Donnie. When are you coming West again?

Pete

[StuartE]

Hello again friends,

In the words of the great comedian Martin Short..."thanks for remembering.."

I hope it's ok, a few update items....
Everyone has changed from MySpace to Facebook.
I still play the Nugget 2-point, the Stevens Paul Glasse electric 5 string, and the Collings MF5. Just this past year Oliver Apitius made the 'Yorkville Jazz" and I'm breaking it in. It's built with a jazz guitar aesthetic. Check out his site for videos.
For the past 5 or 6 years I've been playing almost entirely mandolin, haven't worn my tuxedo that entire time!Mostly my own dates or playing alongside revered colleagues in various styles, and of course teaching at the camps.
Somewheres along in these last nine years I made two more jazz mandolin "CD's"..you know, round thing with a hole in the center, your parents or grandparents had them, they look like a coaster..Well anyways one is called Mandoboppin', has mostly my own tunes and a couple standards, mando, gtr., bass, piano, drums. The other is Good Numbers, mostly jazz tunes and only one of mine, mando, guitar, bass, the trio in the picture that John was kind enough to put up above.
Also got involved with Soundslice.com and have available four online instruction courses. One is on swing chords, another on jazz improv lines, another on chord melody, and most recent is on rhythm parts for swing and jazz tunes.
Very grateful to still be here and there looking for the good notes. Thanks Mandolin Cafe! See ya at the camps?

Mandoboppin' is a great jazz CD which happens to feature mandolin. (Unless one isn't really a jazzer, then it is a great mandolin CD which just happens to also be a jazz CD). Just got mine in the last week and really enjoy it.

Don's Soundslice courses are great. I've purchased two and will get the other two when I've spent a little more time on the ones I have.

[Mandolin Cafe]

10 years in... digital, today!

Our thanks again to Don for doing the heavy lifting that got the 100th birthday of Jethro Burns off the ground.