Chris Thile song, "Too Many Notes"

[Marcus CA]

Chris Thile brought his solo show to San Francisco last Friday, and was even better than he was two years ago, which was absolutely astounding. He played some of the Bach pieces from his recent albums, interspersed with what he called "stuff," which was a little bit of everything. The weakest parts of the show were merely outstanding. The high points led jaws to drop and heads to shake.

After finishing his show with the final movement from Bach's Sonata in Gm, he did this novelty tune as his encore --- a must for all mando players:

[Billgrass]

Sounds like a very similar set tonight in Santa Monica. He was truly astounding, and brought three or four standing ovations. Truly a genius.

[sgarrity]

I was at the Santa Monica show as well. I'd be more critical of the show though. I'm a Thile fan and see him anytime he's in town. But tonight I felt there was too much showing off just because. Most of the Bach was too fast and the "stuff" was well, just stuff. The highlights for me were Richmond is a Hard Road, Here and Heaven, and his encore Too Many Notes. He is certainly a virtuoso on the mandolin. But tonight was just too flashy and disjointed for me.

[Annette Siegel]

I was at the Santa Monica show as well. I'd be more critical of the show though. I'm a Thile fan and see him anytime he's in town. But tonight I felt there was too much showing off just because. Most of the Bach was too fast and the "stuff" was well, just stuff. The highlights for me were Richmond is a Hard Road, Here and Heaven, and his encore Too Many Notes. He is certainly a virtuoso on the mandolin. But tonight was just too flashy and disjointed for me.

I was also there last night...I enjoyed it quite a bit. My take on his playing was that he's moving around the musical genres with such ease and musicality; too me is a joy. I believe his previous attempts at just playing the straight Bach were hard for audiences to take and therefore inserted "Stuff". I saw a Chris Thile stretching/playing his Mandolin/Music that he can only do as a solo performer.

Just my opinion : )

[jefflester]

I was at the Broad Stage show last night as well. I enjoyed it, as I do any Thile performance, but as far as solo Thile goes it didn't stand up to some of the Largo shows he's done. And I was really wishing he would mix up the setlist, he seems to be doing the exact (or nearly) same show as he was back in October, like the full show video from Portland linked above. I was also hoping we might get a bonus encore with Sean and Sara, but alas. I'm heading up to Portland and Eugene next week for the shows with MM, so that will be a different Thile spin for sure.

[bohemianbiker]

He did this when he performed solo at the Strathmore, just outside of Wash DC. It was hilarious. bb

[sgarrity]

Exactly Jeff. I've been to those solo Largo shows and they were truly wonderful displays of Thile's ability, repertoire, and quick witted personality. I felt the show on Sunday paled in comparison. Loved the encore though. Too Many Notes is a must hear song for any mandolin player and their significant others!

[idiotninja]

Does anyone know where the music for this can be found?

[CeeCee_C]

This is a subject that my spousal unit and I discuss frequently. Said spousal unit is a classically trained clarinetist and refers to many solos as "practice exercises inserted into otherwise perfectly good music" and other expressions to the same effect.

I do think that there is such a thing as "too many notes".

I enjoy solos, but I think it's important that they fit with the song. And I really dislike it when a performer develops a "trademark riff".

Dizzy Gillespie said "It's taken me all my life to learn what not to play.". I don't care to debate whether or not he actually did "learn what not to play".

However, it seems a reasonable approach to soloing, to music generally and to many other disciplines.