Nice interview about his journey with the mandolin......
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Nice interview about his journey with the mandolin......
I remember his foray into MerleFest.
Rumor has it that he attended the first or second Mandolin Symposium, but nobody realized who he was until the third day. He just went to classes and hung out with people like everyone else did, with no air of celebrity. I don't know whether his name button said "John" or "John Paul."
I remember seeing him playing mandolin with the David Rawlings Machine a few years ago.
He was at the first one in 2004, when he was touring with Thile in Mutual Admiration Society. I immediately recognized him at the first morning music appreciation class and said hello to him afterward and stated my appreciation for his work.
He played his Andy Manson OM with Grisman at the final night concert:
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I admit I was one of those :) He was walking up path and ask if I have seen Chris Thile. I asked Chris who? and he let out a little chuckle. I got it later and told him I didn't recognize him :) . He was not known as a mando player as compared to after that event.
JPJ seems like a really cool guy. It's hard to picture him playing in one of the greatest R&R bands in the world. He doesn't appear the slightest bit vain, aloof or crazy....
When I saw him with LZ many, many moons ago, he didn't appear all that comfortable on stage. He hid behind his amplifier much of the night and played some of his solos with one finger on a keyboard. Anyone can have an off night, so I wouldn't characterize his playing but he didn't seem to have his heart in it. There was a lot going on in the band at the time. Ron Wood and Rod Stewart were backstage, allegedly to get Rod's wife back from JImmy. (April 13, 1975, Nassau Colisseum.) His studio work with LZ, Donovan and others was stellar.