Jacob Jolliff

[renoyd]

Had not been familiar with Jacob Jolliff before but seeing him perform as the new mandolinist with Yonder Mountain String Band tonight in Milwaukee, I'm not sure why. This guy is absolutely on fire! Someone to watch whether he sticks with YMSB or not. One of the best jamgrass players I've ever heard and I'm sure he can play any style, especially with his formal training. See him if you have the chance.

[barney 59]

I really liked his work with Joy Kills Sorrow which is a band I really like but YMSB might make some money. They are popular and their shows sell out and they get large venues.. I don't know if Joy Kills Sorrow ever got past playing places like Passim's .I really don't like Yonder Mt, it's just noise to me, but to each his own. Maybe with him playing with them though it could improve the whole band.

[Jordan Ramsey]

Jacob Jolliff is the one of the best mandolin players on the planet, and most certainly the best of his generation. I watched him win Winfield a couple of years ago... I swear, I don't think Chris Thile could have beat him that day, it was some of the most incredible mandolin playing I've ever seen. We chatted after the competition and he said he improvised the whole thing, no set arrangements and no accompaniment...

I think Yonder would be really lucky to have him, and he deserves the paycheck and recognition that would come with joining that machine. These guys are gonna struggle to keep up if he gets the job. Check out his solo at @4:40 from this recent video.

[roysboy]

Some amazing young players there. A little too jammy for my tastes ...but a good way to hone skills .

[Glassweb]

Yeah, I think he (Jacob) and Dom Leslie are two of the best young players out there... of course Chris is in that mix too. At the end of the day though I'd rather listen to Bill Monroe's playing and his music. THAT (Bill's) music will (hopefully) never go out of fashion...

[AlanN]

When Thile burst on the scene in the mid 90's, that style was so new and impressive. A complete re-design of bg-tinged mandolin playing. When Bush and Dawg came up, it didn't have that impact or re-direction, their styles and skills were more of an enhancement to what was in place (not talking about the formation of Dawg music, which itself was a brand new thing, for another discussion). With Chris, it's as though nothing existed before him. Now, we have these young pickers who are charting new waters, with hardly any precedence or stylistic mores holding them back or influencing them. As mandolin pickers ourselves, one can't help being in awe of their chops. Do we like it? Only our hairdressers know for sure...

[AlanN]

. THAT (Bill's) music will (hopefully) never go out of fashion...

And for many (most), it will never go "in fashion"

[TonyP]

Wow, that's a head shaker. Jacob is just an incredible talent, has been since he was a kid. And like has been noted this could garner him well deserved exposure and $$$. But YMSB sure doesn't seem like his kinda thing. It just seems like dropping a drag engine into an old pickup. Way more potential than can be properly utilized. But what do I know? Be interesting to see if this hangs together or flies apart. And if it hangs who changes Jacob or YMSB.

[dang]

Don't think the guys from yonder can't throw down and pick with the best of them. There is a reason Ronnie McCoury was filling in on mandolin for a bunch of the tour dates... Here's Dave Johnston on banjo picking with Jake:



'Nuff said...

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

This is a standard thing that happens in the jam band world. A perfect example is widespread panic with Jimmy Herring on guitar after their old guitarist Michael Houser passed away. A new player can reinvigorate the band. Adding a stronger player who is, at least at first, more harmonious with the band members and allows the new player to make more money than he was making can be good all around.

[Bernie Daniel]

When Thile burst on the scene in the mid 90's, that style was so new and impressive. A complete re-design of bg-tinged mandolin playing. When Bush and Dawg came up, it didn't have that impact or re-direction, their styles and skills were more of an enhancement to what was in place (not talking about the formation of Dawg music, which itself was a brand new thing, for another discussion). With Chris, it's as though nothing existed before him. Now, we have these young pickers who are charting new waters, with hardly any precedence or stylistic mores holding them back or influencing them. As mandolin pickers ourselves, one can't help being in awe of their chops. Do we like it? Only our hairdressers know for sure...

Well I agree it is some incredible picking -- monster talent. But I don't have to consult my hair dresser (good thing because I don't have one). The answer is no, I don't particularly like it would probably not make much effort to attend a performance.

Too many notes and not enough music? Try whistling a few bars of it for example. However, each to their own.

[dcoventry]

Most importantly, Jacob played a Rigel G5 when he was starting out. That is probably why he is so good now!

[AlanN]

Don't think the guys from yonder can't throw down and pick with the best of them. There is a reason Ronnie McCoury was filling in on mandolin for a bunch of the tour dates... Here's Dave Johnston on banjo picking with Jake:



'Nuff said...

What was the name of that tune?

[Mark Seale]

Jacob's playing is astounding. As good as he is in picking leads, his intricate comping leaves me with my jaw hanging open.

[AlanN]

What was the name of that tune?

ahhh...at 2:42, I got it - Back Up And Push.

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

Ha, Listen to Grisman's break on Nine Pound Hammer on Manzanita and see if you can name that tune!!!

[AlanN]

troo dat, Mike!

[sgarrity]

I'm going to assume that they played the head before the videographer entered the room. If not, you just shouldn't have to listen to a tune for almost 3 minutes before hearing enough of the melody to know what it is! There are a lot of VERY talented mandolin players out there today that have put in the hours to get to this level of playing. But to me, so much of it sounds the same.

My take on it is this.......on the whole, life is pretty easy these days. It's not like it was back in the days of Monroe, Muddy Waters, etc. Those guys endured some real hardships and their music was an outlet for their frustration and maybe even anger. Many of the younger players of today started playing when they were 5 y/o, being driven around to festivals in air conditioned vans to learn from their mentors, and then go the the best music schools in the country to further their education. The product of all of that is what you see here. (I'm generalizing here. I have no idea what Jacob's personal situation was.)

[geoffreymbrown]

I saw him play with Joy Kill Sorrow this spring (they were fabulous by the way) -- nothing easy about the lives they are leading. Traveling to a small club in the midwest for an audience of maybe 20 enthusiasts. I can't imagine there are more than a handful of mandolin players making what one might consider a comfortable living.

[AlanN]

I'm going to assume that they played the head before the videographer entered the room. If not, you just shouldn't have to listen to a tune for almost 3 minutes before hearing enough of the melody to know what it is! There are a lot of VERY talented mandolin players out there today that have put in the hours to get to this level of playing. But to me, so much of it sounds the same.

My take on it is this.......on the whole, life is pretty easy these days. It's not like it was back in the days of Monroe, Muddy Waters, etc. Those guys endured some real hardships and their music was an outlet for their frustration and maybe even anger. Many of the younger players of today started playing when they were 5 y/o, being driven around to festivals in air conditioned vans to learn from their mentors, and then go the the best music schools in the country to further their education. The product of all of that is what you see here. (I'm generalizing here. I have no idea what Jacob's personal situation was.)

Spoken like a true curmudgeon, Shaun...I kid you, bro...you kids have it too easy. Why, I remember walking to school 5 miles...in the snow....with no shoes...

I always liked this Jethro bromide: If someone comes in during the middle of my break, I want them to know what tune I'm playing.

[dang]

I'm going to assume that they played the head before the videographer entered the room. If not, you just shouldn't have to listen to a tune for almost 3 minutes before hearing enough of the melody to know what it is!

I found it difficult to pick up the tune without hearing the main line in the beginning, but if you go back and listen to it you can hear that though they are jamming, they are not that far off the melody during the entire video.

[Atlanta Mando Mike]

I think the institutionalism of bluegrass, being taught formally, has increased the overall level of musicianship out there. That and the pervasiveness of jazz, bebop and fusion that these young players listen to and learn have added to the level of improv. Its just a natural byproduct. That said-Andy Statman has said had doesn't even want a guitar playing rhythm because it limits what he can do harmonically-so its nothing new really.

[AlanN]

I think the institutionalism of bluegrass, being taught formally, has increased the overall level of musicianship out there. That and the pervasiveness of jazz, bebop and fusion that these young players listen to and learn have added to the level of improv. Its just a natural byproduct. That said-Andy Statman has said had doesn't even want a guitar playing rhythm because it limits what he can do harmonically-so its nothing new really.

This is a good point, and not just for grass, either. Hendrix, Johnny Winter (just to name 2) had their trios for just this reason. Tal Farlow rarely used a drummer - same thing. The geniuses cannot be bound by someone else.

[Bernie Daniel]

I saw him play with Joy Kill Sorrow this spring (they were fabulous by the way) -- nothing easy about the lives they are leading. Traveling to a small club in the midwest for an audience of maybe 20 enthusiasts. I can't imagine there are more than a handful of mandolin players making what one might consider a comfortable living.

I expect you are right -- they don't make much money driving long hours and playing small clubs. But it is in the end a personal choice -- they know that going in or soon learn it I expect. Anyone who can play music at those unearthly levels certainly has plenty of grey matter and could also be successful at other things where a lot more money could be made. I expect they know that but they choose to play music where the money isn't. Oviously they get a lot of joy from life style they picked. Its a trade off like everything else.

[Willie Poole]

I am with Bernie, I don`t like it...I didn`t hear any tune, just a bunch of notes running together...If that is what some of you call bluegrass you just ain`t with it...Sure some people will say it is good but myself I like to be able to tell what the tune is and hear some melody, not just 10 notes thrown in where two are needed...I will not go to see any of those new sound pickers, but that is just what I like, you like it, then go listen to it...

Willie