The only swing music with mandolin I know of is Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. There has got be more out there, who should I be listening to?
The only swing music with mandolin I know of is Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks. There has got be more out there, who should I be listening to?
I'll be the first to reply but likely not the only person to suggest Don Stiernberg.
Donnie even has a fine version of the Dan Hicks number "I Don't Want Love" on his CD "Home Cookin'" (one of my favs).
Lots of jazz standards like the current tune of the month in his book. Check out "Swing 220".
Bandcamp -- https://tomwright1.bandcamp.com/
Videos--YouTube
Sound Clips--SoundCloud
The viola is proof that man is not rational
Tiny Moore, Jethro Burns, and David Grisman in addition to Don Stiernberg.
There are some others that play a swing or Gypsy swing (jazz) tune or two. Greg Schochet has a nice version of Swing Gitane on youtube. He also plays with Katie Glassman from time to time, who plays Texas swing style fiddle. Jason Anick is another one, who is phenomenal on both violin and mandolin (but not at the same time!).
"Those who know don't have the words to tell, and the ones with the words don't know so well." - Bruce Cockburn
Swing is jazz - and was the most popular music in America before WWII and sometime after.
Stop listening only to mandolin players. Moore and Burns were great, but they are in thin company.
Listen to Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Chick Webb, Cab Calloway, the Dorseys, Glenn Miller, etc. for the best musicianship of the swing era. These were top artistically and commercially successful bands
The innovators of JAZZ itself, though - swing is just a type of jazz - were mostly horn players:
Louis Armstrong, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane.
All of them could swing HARD.
I suggest also listening to Django and to Charlie Christian, that will give you an idea of the Gypsy and the American approach to playing swing jazz.
Best of luck,
New Orleans native jazz mandolinist David Brown
P.S. Being from New Orleans jazz is my folk music.
The natty Mr. Weinstein is internet gold.
As previously mentioned: Jethro, Jethro, Jethro.
And, though he mostly doesn't play in this vein, Peter Ostroushko's swing efforts are tasty.
Well, that is true - but I primarily play linear jazz on mandolin, more like a sax player, than try to play a lot of chord stuff which is easier for me to play on guitar anyway.
Even as a guitar player, I was more influenced by horn players than by pianists.
As far as chordal jazz mandolin, well, Stiernberg and Weinstein are excellent role models.
I still suggest that to play any style of jazz well you need to know how the masters - the horn players - play.
A Mandolin player I highly recommend is Will Patton. A superb player. Johnny Gimble is a Mandolin player that plays with great Jazz “phrasing”.
I agree with David wholeheartedly. Listen to Armstrong thru Coltrane & beyond. Current players I like are Guitarist, John Scofield, & saxophonist, Joe Lovano.
Don’t ignore vocalists again Armstrong, & Billie Holiday, Ella, etc..., I love Joe Williams. Current singers I like are Dee Dee Bridgewater & Cassandra Wilson.
Listen to Blues players. I don’t have wall built up between Blues & Jazz. Again, Louis Armstrong, he is one of the all time Best Jazz/Blues players & vocalists. Armstrong is the Big Bang of Jazz. I think a New Orleans guy like David might agree.
The idea is don’t just hear Jazz with Mandolin ears. Have big earrs & listen.
Have fun,
Joe B
A Splendid Time is Guaranteed for All
I love Lonnie Johnson, solo, & backing Armstrong, Duke. His trax with Eddie Lang are a great source of Blues, & Jazz, & Swing, for rhythm, chords, & solos. A lot of it is quite adaptable for Mandolin. I used to know a batch of Lonnie’s riffs on Mandolin. I guess I should dust them off.
Joe B
A Splendid Time is Guaranteed for All
Every video that Aaron generously shares with us is a master class.
To add my .02 to some already great recommendations...
Don Stiernberg - His recordings are like a compendium of tunes you should know, by musicians you should be listening to.
Jethro Burns - https://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pu...s_001665.shtml
- Also get Playing It Straight/It Ain't Necessarily Square
I also heartily second the recommendation for Will Patton.
Don Julin's Vibe. Mr. Natural also has some great jazz.
Paul Glasse's One More Night
David Gross Mandology
As to listening to lots of jazz, it definitely opens one's eyes and ears. Since I can't get educated all at once, and can't own them all, I've found it very helpful listening to a great local jazz radio station while commuting, which you can also stream from anywhere:
https://wdcb.org/
Brian Oberlin
Jethro Burns
Jethro Burns with Tiny Moore on electric mandolin
Paul Glasse
Jazon Anick
Here's Johnny Gimble playing a hollow body, with only four strings in use and a magnetic pickup. He gets a guitar-ish sound, making use of bends, etc. but this is just a short excerpt, and doesn't show all that technique. Some really nice vibrato going there though.
https://youtu.be/LEwPtA4TE48
WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
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"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
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HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
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The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
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I got to meet Johnny Gimble when he was touring with The Hot Club of Cowtown years ago. He showed me his mandolin and told me he tuned it like a mandola. A very fine gentleman!
Also check out Tim Connel with Stumptown Swing.......
https://stumptownswing.com/home
Last edited by Charles E.; Oct-11-2018 at 12:04pm.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Johnny was a great guy. At a festival in the 80's, he invited me into his motor home to play a bunch of tunes. A highlight for sure!
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"Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN
----------------------------------
HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
- Advice For Mandolin Beginners
- YouTube Stuff
I know this is an old thread, but I just want to thank David and you all for your suggestions.
I've recently been getting really into swing music, so I searched the forum to get some ideas for what I might listen to on my flights home for the holidays. You guys rock, what a treasure trove of listening. I'm starting with Lester Young and Louis Armstrong.
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