Just Jamming

[Tibby]

Hey guys, Thanks for boosting my mandolin CD collection a little bit ago. One more question. I love the Greatful Dead songs when they just get into a Jam, and other groups, like Phish. What are some of the best Jam session CDs? Not just with Mandolins, but Mando's with Guitar and/or banjo's, and Fiddles, and what ever else. Again, any style.

[doanepoole]

I'm not sure if this really qualifies as "jamming" in the hippy-funk context of the world, as its definitely straight ahead bluegrass, but a great CD with great improvisation from great players such as Roland and Clarence White and Scotty Stoneman is "The Kentucky Colonels - Living in the Past". All live stuff.

[doanepoole]

Also, those David Grier/Chris Thile CDs definitely qualifies as jamming, in whatever context you can come up with.

I'm not sure if that stuff was bootleg or released stuff on a label.

Did I just recommend a Chris Thile CD?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif? I feel dirty. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif joking

[mandofiddle]

Hey Tibby,
Shameless plug... We do a few jammy numbers on this recording...

http://www.archive.org/audio/etree-details-db.php?id=8114

Best of all, its a free download...

[Tibby]

lol, I hear you about Chris Thile. I was not impressed by Nickel Creek, and when I heard him playing on a solo project I was like "Where was he when Nickel Creek recorded!?!?" Or am I thinking of someone else...

Thanks mandofiddle, I'm DLing it now.

[Karen Kay]

Maybe some String Cheese Incident?

[Christopher Howard-Williams]

You probably know this one if you're into Grateful Dead, but the Pizza Tapes has some good jamming in it (mistakes and all). Grisman, Garcia and Tony Rice.

[garyblanchard]

You also might want to check out some John Hartford stuff. His "Retrograss" with Grisman and Mike Seeger has some great stuff, including an old-time version of "Hound Dawg." If you like fiddle music, his "Hamilton Ironworks" and "The Speed of the Old Long Bow" are great. I'm assumomg you have the Garcia/Grisman "Shady Grove" CD. I think there is a new Garcia/Grisman CD due out next month.

[Tibby]

Yes, the Pizza tapes are great!

I'll look into some the stuff you talked about, Gary. Retrograss, eh? I'll give it a shot.

[hayseo]

A Dead Head ah.
I don't know about the jamming CD.
But this might interest you. I'm reading a book called, "Can't You Hear Me Callin', The Life of Bill Monroe", By Richard Smith. It says Jerry Garcia played banjo in a Bluegrass band called The Black Mountain Boys. In 1964 he went to the Beambossom Bluegrass Festival in Indiana, with the intention of auditioning for Bill. But he last his nerve and left without speaking to Bill. It's makes wonder what if....
The author also suggests that The Dead's tolerance for people taping there shows grew out of Fork & Bluegrass festivals movement of the early 60's when taping was common. (But Bill didn't like it)

[Tibby]

Yeah, I heard Jerry was BIG in the Folk seen before he was in the Grateful Dead. I might check out that book. I heard some crazy stories about Bill Monroe. I heard he once shot a guy for playing off key!

Yeah, the Pizza tapes, Jerry, David Grisman, and Tony Rice where just jamming all to Bluegrass. Long Black veil, Shady Grove, Man of Constant Sorrow, House of the Rising Sun, all kinds of good stuff, just improved. Great stuff.

[doublestop]

Try some "Leftover Salmon"!!!