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Thread: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris T.

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    Oval holes are cool David Lewis's Avatar
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    Default Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris T.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt7HlI1RBAI

    Done on Chris's show, by the looks being broadcast from Telluride festival. God I wish I could go one year...

    Hope you enjoy

    (and apologies if someone already posted this)
    Last edited by David Lewis; Jun-28-2018 at 8:07am. Reason: added extra information
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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Sam's playing is very tasty here.

    I never noticed how far back Thile holds his plectrum! My pick would go flying in seconds if I gripped like that. I suppose he does that to create some give in his attack?

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    What a fine duet. Thanks for posting.
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    Registered User G7MOF's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Incredible. What genre of music would that fit in to?
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    Registered User sblock's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    As Sam Bush says in the video, the tune "Brilliancy" came to Sam Bush (newgrass/bluegrass) via Byron Berline (bluegrass/oldtime), from the playing of Eck Robertson (oldtime). Listen to an early version of Robertson's "Brilliancy Medley" by clicking here. It's changed quite a lot!

    I would consider "Brilliancy" to be in the category of oldtime/Americana. A lot of oldtime standard fiddle tunes are routinely played as instrumentals in modern bluegrass, including "Bill Cheatham," "Forked Deer," "Salt Creek," "Red-Haired Boy," and on and on... So "Brilliancy" has definitely found its way, through Sam, into the modern bluegrass canon, as well.

    Bluegrassers and hardcore oldtime players alike usually just tend to call these things "fiddle tunes." That's a genre all by itself, if you ask me. In England, you might be tempted to call it an "American fiddle tune," I suppose. Still, there are plenty of fiddle tunes of Scots-Irish origin played here (but often, with a distinctly American flavor).

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by G7MOF View Post
    Incredible. What genre of music would that fit in to?
    I would call it old time. For two reasons, one they didn't "bluegrass" it up but played it straight. And two, they gave the provenance of the tune, back to Eck Robertson

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  10. #7

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    The Brilliancy Medley by Eck Robertson on the referenced youtube does not include the Brilliancy tune if you look at the comments. So that makes me wonder where it really comes from.

    Embedding the video of Sam and Chris. Brilliant playing.

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Just WOW!! It would have been fabulous to see them live..... maybe someday......

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    I didn’t realize that Sam Bush has headlined at Telluride 44 consecutive years! Next year I’ll make it down there. 😉
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  14. #10

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Telluride(to hell u ride) is a magical place.

    Saw it snow there in June.First I ever saw Norman&Nancy Blake was on a crisp Sunday morning there.
    They always have an awesome line-up of talent. Really have to pace yourself. The air is quite thin.


    Little Feat was the surprise,special guest to end the festivities one year.Heard some "ain't
    no part of nothin'" from some of the traditional-bluegrass-only crowd when they took the stage.

    Looked to me like marijuana was legal there even back in the 1980's.

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    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    From G7MOF - " What genre of music would that fit into ? " Not Bluegrass,that's for sure.

    I don't know if any others feel the same way,but sets like that seem to be the players playing more for themselves than the audience. They always seem very 'self indulgent' - not that the music isn't good & well played,but for the Bluegrass folks who go to a Bluegrass festival expecting to see / hear Bluegrass - do they really want that style of music ?.

    One US 'Bluegrass'' band who came over to the UK many years back,started doing all sorts of 'stuff'. After their first set,the emcee told them to stick to Bluegrass or leave !,
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    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by sblock View Post
    As Sam Bush says in the video, the tune "Brilliancy" came to Sam Bush (newgrass/bluegrass) via Byron Berline (bluegrass/oldtime), from the playing of Eck Robertson (oldtime). Listen to an early version of Robertson's "Brilliancy Medley" by clicking here. It's changed quite a lot!

    I would consider "Brilliancy" to be in the category of oldtime/Americana. A lot of oldtime standard fiddle tunes are routinely played as instrumentals in modern bluegrass, including "Bill Cheatham," "Forked Deer," "Salt Creek," "Red-Haired Boy," and on and on... So "Brilliancy" has definitely found its way, through Sam, into the modern bluegrass canon, as well.

    Bluegrassers and hardcore oldtime players alike usually just tend to call these things "fiddle tunes." That's a genre all by itself, if you ask me. In England, you might be tempted to call it an "American fiddle tune," I suppose. Still, there are plenty of fiddle tunes of Scots-Irish origin played here (but often, with a distinctly American flavor).
    As an American gigging in Europe, I call them fiddle tunes. It's usually at this point that some wag in the audience (UK folk clubs are happily full of wags) points out I'm not playing a fiddle.


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  18. #13

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    From G7MOF - " What genre of music would that fit into ? " Not Bluegrass,that's for sure.

    I don't know if any others feel the same way,but sets like that seem to be the players playing more for themselves than the audience. They always seem very 'self indulgent' - not that the music isn't good & well played,but for the Bluegrass folks who go to a Bluegrass festival expecting to see / hear Bluegrass - do they really want that style of music ?.

    One US 'Bluegrass'' band who came over to the UK many years back,started doing all sorts of 'stuff'. After their first set,the emcee told them to stick to Bluegrass or leave !,
    Ivan
    Maybe the emcee should have piped up and said something to Chris and Sam.
    Last edited by vetus scotia; Jun-29-2018 at 6:50am.

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Please don't anybody get me wrong here !. I'm not averse to such music - in it's place. At a Bluegrass festival,i'd expect to hear predominantly, Bluegrass music. So,why not organise a ''Newgrass'' festival to accomodate the guys who want to play the new stuff ? - i'd go for that as well - or - have 2 separate stages,one Bluegrass & one Newgrass. Folk can then drift from one to another as they wish,
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  20. #15

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    You should start a change.org petition and collect signatures for your suggestion that Sam Bush be excluded from the Telluride Festival. Maybe he is what has been holding the event back for the past 44 years.

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  22. #16

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Ivan K., They used to always have a "Special Guest" band to end the festivities at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. One year
    the announcement was made that the Special Guest band was Little Feat!

    Many of the traditional-bluegrass-only crowd got up in mass exodus(murmurs of "ain't no part of nothin").
    Made it so much easier to get close to the stage.
    Little Feat was great.

    Been to Telluride BG Fest. several times. They always have "other than Bluegrass" in the line-up(Jackson Browne,Jesse Winchester,Nancy Griffith,Norman&Nancy Blake,Shawn Colvin,Punch Bros.,Sarah Jarosz,etc.)

    Even Bluegrass had to break tradition at some point,yes? If it doesn't evolve is it doomed to stagnation and history?
    I think Chris Thile started out playing bluegrass. Glad he didn't confine his playing to only that.

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    A band I was playing with many moons ago played at this festival;

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    The name is different on the badge from what they were calling it: "Musarts Festival" it was produced by the same folks that were producing Telluride at the time. Flagstaff is just a half a day's drive from Telluride and they were hoping it would take off as a 'Sister' festival to Telluride.

    It was a 4-day fest (my badge was for the weekend) on the Flag fairgrounds. There were a few stages and quite a few different acts performed. A good handful of them were Bluegrass, but the majority weren't. The band I was with was Americana.

    We played on the big stage earlier in the day. Stanley Jordan followed by David Lindley were the headline acts that played it that night.

    I was talking to a stage hand who also worked the Telluride festival, and he said Telluride was a Bluegrass "In Name Only" festival. He was under the impression(remember, this is heresay from a stage hand) that if the Flagsatff Fest was successful they were going to tie it in with Telluride and the whole thing would be the "Musarts (Music & Arts) Festival"

    The Flagstaff venture only lasted 2-3 years.

    I went to a Telluride Fest in the early 2000's and it reminded more of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest than a Bluegrass Fest.
    Last edited by Gerry Cassidy; Jun-29-2018 at 3:42pm.

  25. #18

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
    Please don't anybody get me wrong here !. I'm not averse to such music - in it's place. At a Bluegrass festival,i'd expect to hear predominantly, Bluegrass music. So,why not organise a ''Newgrass'' festival to accomodate the guys who want to play the new stuff ? - i'd go for that as well - or - have 2 separate stages,one Bluegrass & one Newgrass. Folk can then drift from one to another as they wish,
    Ivan
    Obviously you dont know Telluride. It is exactly not for people like you - and believe me they are doing fine

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    We were there this year and yes, there was a variety of music. While the sign over the stage says Bluegrass and Country Music they also included St. John and the Broken Bones. Even now I am not sure what genre they fit. One of the great things about this festival (IMO) is that performing artists are encouraged to stretch the limits - and some do just that. It was impressive on the first day to see the youngest performer (Billy Strings) and the oldest (Del) get the greatest crowd reaction.

    As a mandolin player, I am still in wonder at the thought of having experienced Tim, Sam, Ronnie and Chris all in one weekend and on several occasions mixing it up and playing together. I should add that several other groups had mandolin players that held their own as well.

    I get the bluegrass purist point of view and in fact participate in a weekly parking lot jam where a few frown if you play anything newer than Lester and Earl. I for one look for anything that will stretch my skills and interest the audience.

    Looking at the crowd mix at Telluride, the music exposes bluegrass to all age groups and they seem to appreciate Sam Bush just as much as Del or Emmy Lou. I think this festival delivers exactly what it promises. Quote of the week was when Chris said "...and there is enough legal pot here to make Jeff Sessions' hair turn tie die!" All-in-all, 10,000 folks having a great time, enjoying great music, great food and great friends.

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    My original post wasn't regarding whether the Telluride Festival was doing fine or not,it was about the expectations of the attendees. Maybe it's been a non-Bluegrass orientated festival for so long now,that folks don't care.

    From Tombo - "..It is exactly not for people like you." Wrong ! - as i stated in my previous post :- " So,why not organise a ''Newgrass'' festival to accomodate the guys who want to play the new stuff ? - i'd go for that as well "

    Calling something a Bluegrass festival tends to imply that the festival will be more or less Bluegrass orientated - Telluride seem to be very much less. If i attended Telluride,knowing only it's name,i'd expect Bluegrass to be the main genre of music being played. I'd be very disappointed to find that it wasn't. Call it by another name ie. "Musarts Festival", & my expectations would be somewhat different,& i'd have nothing to be disappointed about. I think that T.Wayne above sums it up pretty well for me,
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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Telluride is cool but it is waaaay too crowded made worse by silly tarp rules.

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    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by tombo View Post
    Obviously you dont know Telluride. It is exactly not for people like you - and believe me they are doing fine
    +1

    Sam Bush is Telluride, to a large extent. Anyway, that's a strong impression I got since I first heard of Telluride. I'd think that most people who attend Telluride understand that it's strongly a Newgrass type of Bluegrass & Country festival. There is probably a whole bunch of folk who actually like a large variety of music and don't care whether the banner has "Bluegrass" in it. Yes, I know, some folk here do care about the "Bluegrass" label, it's been discussed many times before. But I think a person should try and do a little research about a festival before they attend. Newgrass is a kind of bluegrass to most people.

    I don't know if any others feel the same way,but sets like that seem to be the players playing more for themselves than the audience. They always seem very 'self indulgent'
    Again, this probably has to do with very personal tastes and opinions. I think many audiences enjoy seeing world-class musicians indulging.
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  33. #24

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post

    Calling something a Bluegrass festival tends to imply that the festival will be more or less Bluegrass orientated - Telluride seem to be very much less. If i attended Telluride,knowing only it's name,i'd expect Bluegrass to be the main genre of music being played. I'd be very disappointed to find that it wasn't.
    They are, at least, up front about it. From their website:

    Since its very beginning, the festival has embraced a wide swath of roots music to create the unique genre of "Telluride Bluegrass." Recent lineups have welcomed Robert Plant, Mumford & Sons, The Decemberists, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, David Byrne, Ani DiFranco, Lyle Lovett, Ryan Adams, Counting Crows, Bonnie Raitt, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and so many more.

    Having grown up in CO and yet not knowing anything about this festival back then (indeed my musical tastes at the time were less than respectable), I'd like to think attending would be a good reason to get back to the ol' stomping grounds. But then I remember watching the roudy Lollapalooza tours of the early 90's (of which I gleefully attended inceptions 2 through 5) sadly age into the corporate behemoths they are today and wonder if Telluride might be somewhat of the same kind of beast. At least I wouldn't have any recollections to disappoint.

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  34. #25

    Default Re: Two of the great living mandolinists today: Sam B. And Chris

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Gunter View Post
    +1

    Again, this probably has to do with very personal tastes and opinions. I think many audiences enjoy seeing world-class musicians indulging.
    I always love to hear Sam play Brilliancy. Chris adding the harmony is something special. Nothing self-indulgent about it--you can tell they love playing the tune. (This segment was also part of the "Live From Here" show broadcasting live from the Telluride stage, not a band performance to put it into further perspective.)
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