What the

[Drew Streip]

I like jazz and jam pieces that start with a melody and expand out from there. This did not seem to start with a melody.

The melody starts with Julian at 0:12 and is a 2-bar phrase that's repeated four times. It begins again at 0:45. The tune also ends with this melody at 3:15.

The melody is played over a descending bass line that's reminiscent of the jazz tune "Round Midnight." If you can find that pattern, you'll hear the mood of the tune.

There's a B part interspersed that goes to the relative major. It's the part that sounds a little more "out there" because Julian plays a whole-tone scale over it.

However, the majority of the song is actually harmonized around a basic minor pentatonic scale, with hints of the harmonic minor.

tl;dr-- This actually isn't a very complex tune. It's their ability to reharmonize certain chords and experiment rhythmically during their improvisation that makes it interesting. Otherwise it would basically be a blues-pop jam.

[Charlieshafer]

Mark Seale: In your research, Eddie South predates Joe Venuti for jazz on violin? I thought of them as contemporaries, particularly with the heavy classical influence in their style and approach. Regardless, the South recordings are fantastic.

Sorry for the cut and paste, for some reason the reply-with-quote thing wasn't working for me...

They're pretty darn close. I think Venuti gets more credit for a few reasons, one being his staying in the States, another being his recorded output being much larger and with more popular big bands, and then his career lasted much longer. You could also throw Stuff Smith in the mix, but from what we can figure, South has them beat by a whisker. Records are scant, though...

[Timbofood]

Jam is fine, I prefer marmalade.

[John Lloyd]

Finally got the chance to watch. Enjoyed it. Would have loved to be in the audience for that one.

[jdchapman]

Thanks to Drew. I lack this musical vocabulary.

Having said that, I’m confused as to why people think this is far out. It’s not I-Iv-V, but it’s not hard to follow. As a listener.

[Roland Kausen]

...so agree...this, and the astounding performance of Chris Thile and Béla Fleck on 12/09/17 (https://www.prairiehome.org/shows/59331) continue the musical legacy of the mid-seventies David Grisman Quintet and the Strength in Numbers "Telluride Sessions" album...

[MediumMando5722]

That would be great (an album with Thile). Check out Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge's several recordings. I got to see them perform together last year and it was very much like that performance with Thile on the radio there. Chris Eldridge is one fantastic singer too. They did a number of more traditional tunes but even then they stretched things out in wonderful & unexpected ways. As much fun to watch as it is to listen to. That's why I was so happy to see this video. When I heard it on the radio I immediately wished I could see it too. I love it when music & performance take me to places I'd never imagined.

I was fortunate enough to catch American Acoustic earlier this year. Critter & Julian's duo pieces were definitely a highlight of the evening. They didn't play "Bone Collector" that night, but they did this piece where they pulled down to this whisper quiet volume, then held it while playing with screaming loud intensity. I'd love to see an evening of just them.

I've watched the video a couple times... I'm not sure why people can't hear a melody or any structure or whatever. No, it's not the most straightforward piece of music anyone ever played. However, as others have stated, it's far from the most out there. For instance, I listen to a band called Sunn 0))) (named for an amplifier). They have two guys playing guitar through a lot of distortion pedals into a lot of amplifiers. Most of the music is droning notes, lots of feedback, and no discernible structure.

[CarlM]

Critter & Julian's duo pieces were definitely a highlight of the evening. ........ I'd love to see an evening of just them.

They did a tour a couple of years ago and came to a small venue about a mile or two from my home. I had not heard of Julian before that night The show was wonderful. They would play stuff like this then turn around play straightforward bluegrass and country. I particularly recall Norman Blake's Church Street Blues and Ginseng Sullivan and a country song called Keep me from Blowing Away...absolutely beautiful. Then they would turn around and play the wildest jazz and bebop stuff, all equally well. The venue only holds about fifty people so you can see and hear everything. I went on a spur of the moment decision and would go again. See them if you get the chance.