John Paul Jones

[Richard.g.hampton]

I agree that JPJ is really self-effacing. I sat next to him for a week in John Moore's mando class at the UK's Sore Fingers Summer School - and I learnt a heck of a lot just from watching him. It says something about the guy that a player like that is always learning. I remember that after one day, we all went as usual to the bar for the jam sessions that go on well into the night. After a time I sat in on the edge of one session in which a guy was playing some wonderful cajun accordian and singing. JPJ was sitting in simply using the mandolin to provide the effect of the triangle; another lesson - it's all about the music and making the whole thing sound good; no ego there at all

[frankseanez]

Too tasty, that!

[Taube Marks]

To echo mando Gordon's post: a couple of years ago I was in a mandolin class at Sore Fingers (the British bluegrass and old time "camp" held each year in the Cotwolds), sitting next to a slightly built man with a nice mandolin.

I glanced at his name tag, it said "John Jones..."

"Some alias," I said, and we laughed. I sat in that class for most of the week, exchanging quips etc. before it finally clicked who he was! All that was apparent was that he was an extremely nice chap, had a damned nice mandolin and matching mandola, that we shared the same tasts in shoes (MBTs) and that he could play durned well. When the teacher asked him what he did, he simply said "kind of a studio musician." Very unassuming. He came back again the next year too.

Some fo the old time jams were something else, and he played his "buffalo" as Reyna Gellert called it in the teachers' concert.

Taube

[SternART]

He was in some of my classes at the first Mandolin Symposium in Santa Cruz.....had been traveling with Chris Thile et al touring after they met at Merlefest. I told him he looked a lot like a rock musician I had seen open for Vanilla Fudge years ago........he admitted it was indeed his first American tour. BTW Led Zep blew away Vanilla Fudge that night.

[Keith Erickson]

It's just great to see some of my childhood rock hero's like John Paul Jones and Alex Lifeson playing mandolin family of instruments.

....but since this is a JPJ thread, let me get back to him. I have to admit John Paul Jones is one heck of a musician. This version of Going to California is just full of class.

[JeffD]

The mandolin is simple to explain, and simple to understand, but it takes a lifetime to play well.

"Four unison pairs, tuned in fifths, starts on G, two frets per finger, use a pick." All the rest is up to us!

[Fliss]

On Andy Manson's website, there are some photos of a mandocello he made for JPJ, presumably built to match the mandolin in the video. The colour, inlays and the shape of the end of the fretboard are the same.

Patrick

There are also photos on Andy Manson's site of a "minimalist" mando he made for John Paul Jones: http://www.andymanson.co.uk/photos-group-55.html which is different from the one in the video, but the one in the video does also look very like a Manson.

I had the privilege of (briefly) sampling a mando by Andy Manson at the weekend, and it was a beautiful work of art.

Graet video btw, thanks for posting that!

Fliss

[Tripp Johnson]

Saw JPJ at Merlefest a few years ago, sitting in with various groups. I didn't know he would be there and at first I just stood there staring. Truly a rock icon. I think his role in Led Zep has yet to be fully understood or appreciated.

[catmandu2]

I'm a huge JPJ fan. Don't know much about him regarding mando--I've heard some of his recorded music; I'm a working bassist as much as a mando player...and grew up on Zep. I'm an upright bass player of jazz, folk, and bluegrass, but I default to Page and JPJ riffs whenever I have a bass guitar in my hands.

[jefflester]

He was a "student" at the first mandolin Symposium in 2004. First photo is from the concert when he played an octave in duet with Grisman. 2nd photo was about 2 AM the final night. He was ready to leave, but Chris Thile was his ride and Chris was busy picking with the teenagers.

[Ed Goist]

Here's wishing a very happy birthday today to John Paul Jones!
Jones was born on this date in 1946.

[John Soper]

Some people aren't very retiring...

[f5loar]

JPJ is a pretty serious mandolin picker. I understand he recently joined that LL owners club.

[Mandolin Mick]

I thought I'd resurrect this old thread to say that John Paul Jones uses Elixir Strings because Chris Thile recommended them to him.

IMHO Jones was the most talented member of Zeppelin, certainly the most versatile.

[Kevin McELvanney]

I recommend Led Zeppelin: When giants walked the earth - Mick Wall. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even to non fans. Have a lot more admiration for J.P.J after reading it. Recently enjoyed his work with Them Crooked Vultures (Josh Homme, Dave Grohl) seemed like he was having fun at the shows. Not a great deal of mando content but good all the same

[Ed Goist]

Happy Birthday to the great John Paul Jones!
The multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, record producer, and bassist and mandolin player for the legendary Led Zeppelin was born on this date in 1946.

[ibanezed4yrs]

still a page fan.. lol

[Beanzy]

I think that may be his LL that Thile played at the Borderline gig. Sequential serial numbers too!

[Barry Wilson]

always been a JPJ fan. I was mainly a bass player for many years. had a blond 71 jazz to emulate the great one in looks anyway hehe.

love in that clip above when JPJ finishes his solo and the crowd erupts. singers just had to laugh as they couldn't even hear themselves

[McGruff]

Loved this. Very melodic and soulfully and not over done.

Any recommendations for other players similar to this clip?

[Richard.g.hampton]

Loved this. Very melodic and soulfully and not over done.

Any recommendations for other players similar to this clip?

Here's another nice one........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7t8yJGezXI

[Mark Robertson-Tessi]

I recommend Led Zeppelin: When giants walked the earth - Mick Wall. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even to non fans. Have a lot more admiration for J.P.J after reading it. Recently enjoyed his work with Them Crooked Vultures (Josh Homme, Dave Grohl) seemed like he was having fun at the shows. Not a great deal of mando content but good all the same

Thanks for the recommendation

[Hillsdale Leroy]

Yes, he does have a Loar, I recently saw a picture of him and Chris Thile with thiers in London I think.

[Darren Bailey]

There's a cracking picture of his Loar next to Thile's in the interview recently posted on this site.

[Merula]

I used to play in an East European band years ago and JPJ sat in on bass balalaika

There is a link to it on this page:

http://accordion4.tripod.com/id3.html

We ended up doing several gigs with him including playing for his daughter's wedding.