Skip Gorman's "Old Style Mandolin" CDs

[John Flynn]

I bought these CDs just because of the titles. I am really passionate about old-time mandolin music, (Buckhannon, Curley, etc.) but there isn't a lot out there, so I thought these might be worth a try. I have nothing against bluegrass and I like a lot of it, but I am just not as interested in it as I am old-time.

My first reaction was: This isn't old-time. My second reaction was: It's not completely bluegrass either. It has no singing and there aren't really "breaks," there are just instruments carrying the melody. My third reaction was: I like it! It is kind of "Pre-bluegrass" to "Early Bluegrass." Volume 1 has some standards and some Gorman originals in the old style. Volume 2 is mostly some early and lesser known Bill Monroe tunes.

Gorman is a great mando player by either genre's standards. His interpretation of the music is more on bluegrass side, but I think he always keeps a bit of sincere old-time flavor in the way he plays, which I like. There are some really interesting tunes on both CDs, tunes that I would really like to learn. I highly recommend both CDs for people interested in either genre. I would welcome anyone else's comments about these CDs, or other CDs in the same vein.

NFI, but I think they can only be obtained here:
http://www.skipgorman.com/sg_order.cfm

[danb]

Hmm. "retrograss"? I love those disks too, fantastic playing.

[asicard]

Skip Gorman is a great player!

Skip's also going to be an instructor at the upcoming Old Time Music Camp North (http://www.mugwumps.com/otm.html) October 15-17, Groton, MA

[mikeyes]

Elderly sells them too.

[evanreilly]

Skip brings an old-time fiddler's perspective to Monroe's mandolin style. Monroe was a fiddler in his heart & style and Gorman is in tune with this part of Monroe.

[KevinM]

those discs are pure gold and constantly in my car stereo to and from work....Skip is a master of the Monroe Style up there with Compton and Long....

[Spruce]

I really like the way those CDs were recorded...

Nice and dry, with the rich-sounding mando panned slightly to one side...

Sounds like the instruments were not close-miced, but maybe with a foot or two of air between the instrument and mic...

Sounds like what it sounded like--not an easy thing to capture.

[Perry]

Spruce...

"nice and dry" i know what you mean...it seems too many mando related CD's that I have purchased recently are drenched in reverb....I love when the reverb is used sparingly on acoustic instruments....

I was just listening to my Skip Gorman (Old Time Mandolin) CD just yesterday. Geez I have maybe 600 CD's but I always keep coming back to these two every other month or so. Awesome stuff!

Nice and slippery

[asicard]

Hey Friends,

Skip mentioned at the recent Old Time Music Camp North that he is working on a new old time mandolin recording/project.

He hopes to have "The Mandolin In the Cowcamp" completed by March sometime.

According to Skip "It should include oldtime fiddle tunes played in cross tunings on the mando, Stephen Foster melodies, and cowboy song melodies. Should be quite different than anything else on the market."

Skip was playing a cool "barrel back" 2 point mando at the camp. Asked him what kind it was and he said he wasn't really sure - possibly be an early Regal or Washburn or something.

- Andy