Album Recommendations

[Mark Gunter]

OK, so I'm a long-time guitarist but new to the mandolin (about eight months) and to bluegrass (about the same). I am looking for suggestions on where to start in collecting albums. I have a whole bunch of Doc Watson's stuff already, as I am a long-time player of acoustic blues guitar and other Americana tunes on guitar. Recently, I've gotten a Bill Monroe anthology, but that's about it.

I am interested in suggestions related to mandolin, of course. Music that interests me most is: Bluegrass, Irish, Old-time, Blues, Jazz, Classical - I know that's a lot, but that's my interest.

I have nothing by Nickel Creek or Thile, nothing by Sam Bush, Tim Obrien, Jethro Burns, Dawg . . .

So, if you could have only one album by each of them, what would it be? And what about other must-have artists/recordings?

TIA. And, Happy New Year!

[Mark Gunter]

Aaarrrrgggghhh! Can't believe I posted this in the wrong forum! This was meant for General Discussion . . . Sorry!

[DataNick]

Rounder Records 0044...

[Ivan Kelsall]

There are so many recordings to choose from it's very hard to make a listing that would suit everybody. I will say that 'for me',if you want to hear Chris Thile at his best with Nickel Creek,then get the self-titled CD ''Nickle Creek''. I think it's the most musical offering they ever gave us. It's worth buying for ''Ode To a Butterfly'' on it's own.
I'd go for any CD's by Blue Highway / Balsam Range / The Lonesome River band. All those 3 have good mandolin players with them & they're 'musical' as well - nice songs with good melody lines & decent lyrics. Look out for any CD's by one of the Mandolin 'greats', Herschel Sizemore & also any by John Reischman,either his solo recordings or with his band the 'Jaybirds' - all great stuff,
Ivan
Herschel Sizemore 'Rebecca'' (original version)

[Mark Wilson]

You should also check out spotify. There was a spotify mandolin playlist posted the other week

I listened to Scaggs/Rice album there yesterday while learning some G turnarounds and fills.

For CD's:
Tone Poems. Dawg and Rice
Anything by Grisman and Garcia

[Denny Gies]

Like others have and will say there are far too many good recordings out there to name. However, to have only one of an artist or band I'd say The Dreadful Snakes' Snakes Alive, anything by The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Larry Cordel's Murder On Music Row, James King's Three Chords And The Truth, anything by Sam Bulsh or Herschel. Have fun hunting this stuff down.

[AlanN]

Oh man, it's a vast ocean...

[UsuallyPickin]

In Jazz I recommend Homer and Jethro Playing it Straight and It Ain't Necessarily Square and Don Stiernberg Swing 220. In Bluegrass any of the Monroe recordings but Bluegrass Instrumentals is a great look at grass mandolin. In Newgrass Fly Through the Country by Newgrass Revival and Old and in the Way recording and band name. In classical Caterina Lichtenberg and Mike Marshall or Chris Thile Bach Sonatas and Partitas. For good all around listening of a live recording check out Mark O'Conner Thirty Year Retrospective. R/

[Mark Gunter]

Thanks guys, these are great suggestions and I'll keep looking into them. I just purchased at iTunes: Nickle Creek Nickle Creek, Tiny Moore and Jethro Burns Back to Back, Sam Bush and David Grisman Hold On We're Strumming.

I made an ebay offer on the vinyl, Sam and Alan: Together Again for the First Time

Along with all the newbie lessons I'm working on right now, I expect those to keep me busy for a while digesting some good music!

I looked at all the suggestions, but a lot of the ones suggested I couldn't find as yet, and I wanted to stick mostly to iTunes offerings for now. Thanks for the mention of Spotify, but I'm not really looking for streaming music right now.

[Mark Gunter]

Rounder Records 0044...

There were only three Rounder Records offerings in iTunes store, and one was definitely interesting! It's an 87 track retrospective of Rounder Records artists, and at $40 I couldn't pull the trigger

The Rounder Records Story

[Ky Slim]

IIIrd Tyme Out: Live at the MAC.

[Mandoplumb]

Listen to a little of all that can be done on a mandolin. In bluegrass try Monroe, McRenyolds, Rector, Wakefield, Duffy, etc. Don't think anyone would think these are doing anywhere near the same thing. I've heard the way to develop your own style is to learn everything everyone else is doing and don't do any of it.

[Peewee]

There were only three Rounder Records offerings in iTunes store, and one was definitely interesting! It's an 87 track retrospective of Rounder Records artists, and at $40 I couldn't pull the trigger

The Rounder Records Story

Rounder 0044 is catalog number (and informal title) of the 1975 self-titled J.D. Crowe & the New South album with Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, and Bobby Slone. It's on iTunes, but you probably have to search for J.D. Crowe.

[dwc]

My suggestion would be to listen to a mix of guitar and mandolin duets and also to full on bluegrass bands. The benefit to the guitar and mandolin duet is that you can really hear what the mandolin is doing during accompaniment. That being said, you also have to listen to the mandolin in the context of a full band.

Duet albums:
Bill Monroe and Doc Watson Live 1963-1980; Chris Thile and Michael Davies Sleep With One Eye Open; David Grisman and Martin Taylor Live at Wigmore; Tim O'brien and Darrell Scott Live (We're usually a lot better than this)

Full Band:
Bill Monroe Live at Mechanics Hall; Kenny Baker Kenny Baker Plays Monroe; The New Kentucky Colonels Live in Holland 1973; Ricky Skaggs Live at the Charleston Music Hall; The Bluegrass Album Band vols 1,2,6.

misc:
Nickel Creek Nickel Creek; Nickel Creek This Side; David Grisman Quintet David Grisman Quintet; Jerry Garcia, Tony Rice and David Grisman The Pizza Tapes

[Ivan Kelsall]

I did forget to mention Chris Thile's first recordings - ''Leading Off'' & ''Stealing Second''. ''Stealing Second'' was recorded when he was 16 years old,but ''Leading Off'' was recorded when he was just 13. To say that his talent,even then,was astounding would be a gross understatement !!. Well worth buying for some awesome playing & some great tunes,
Ivan

[bigskygirl]

Check out "Doc and Dawg" and "Tone Poem"s. I like Emory Lester "Reminiscing Today", Sam Bush and David Grisman "Hold on We're Strummin" and Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza to name a few.

[Timbofood]

Oh man, it's a vast ocean...

That is one of the most fun albums ever! "Stymied" is a killer tune, I have had that rolling around in my head for over thirty years, I just can't figure it out, not really sure I want to, more fun to simply enjoy!

[Ivan Kelsall]

''Stymied'' mmmmm !. I've got that on another LP somewhere. I thought that it was on Alan's later LP ''Banjo Sandwich'',but it's not. It's possibly on a Country Gazette LP,
Ivan

[AlanN]

Young Sam during the height of his NGR (version I) days steps out to play some unheard-of mandolin on a terrific variety of tunes. Strong, melodic, in-your-face stuff. Roland White is on guitar. I love it. Dave Peters tabbed out Sam's break on Foster's Reel from this, on his Masters Of The Mandolin oeuvre.

[Timbofood]

I'm pretty sure "Stymied" is on this one, I could be wrong, would not be the first time.
I really got into some hot water with Alan one evening after a show when I asked him why "Banjo Sandwich" was such a short album?
Joe Carrs eyes rolled back in his head, Roland White turned around and stared at his feet, Alan got a bit red faced and started in on how much effort goes into making an album and then I just let it drop. And the warm glow returned to the room.
Lesson learned.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Timothy - I do have 'Stymied 'somewhere' !. I don't have the album shown,so Stymied is on another album. I agree - 'Banjo Sandwich' was pretty thin cut,at least it came with a book of TAB - i never did figure any of it out !!!,
Ivan

[AlanN]

At the IBMA in Raleigh, I chatted this LP a bit with Alan Munde. He mentioned Stymied, clearly it was the 'hit' here, at least with the picker crowd. It was written by Alan and Roger Bush. The back of the LP jacket has a copious write-up by a Dr. William Henry Koon, with observations and notes on the tunes and recording session. In 1977, this release made waves. Sam also played fiddle on it. And he wrote Foster's Reel as a teenager.

[Timbofood]

Once in a while I am found wrong, this may be the one for the month! I was operating on memory, I don't own the album either. I will ask my banjo player.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Timothy - "Stymied" is certainly on the Bush/Munde album :- http://www.discogs.com/Sam-And-Alan-...elease/3061488
I've only got ' Banjo Sandwich ' by Alan Munde as a 'solo' artist,so my Stymied must be on some other record,
Ivan
PS - I just looked at the track listing on the Bush/Munde LP & it set of a peal of bells ringing like thunder in my head !!. I'm begining to think that i do have the LP but i didn't catalogue it. I must have a look through my Bluegrass LPs.
It was seeing the track 'Eleanor Rigby' that set the bells off !.

[Timbofood]

I was pretty sure it was on that record. Brother Ivan, thanks for letting the little grey cells feel like they still work. Some days when it's as cold as it's been here the last few days my brain feels like it's turned to ice!