Gallery of the Greats

Andy is not only a superb mando player, but also an incredible clarinet player. Andy has done everything from bluegrass to jazz to klezmer, and brings a sense of integrity to everything he performs. His passion and love for the music shines through, and his collaborative recording with David Grisman on “Songs of our Fathers” is a wonderful example of the music of his heritage.

To mandolin players, Bill Monroe is more than the “Father of Bluegrass.” To many, he is the “Father of Mandolin Style and Technique.” Even those who are not bluegrass musicians recognize the incredible contribution he made. I can not think of any other mandolin player who more rightly deserved to be the first entry into the MandoZine Gallery of the Greats. Big Mon has left us, but his influence and music will live on.

Bobby Osborne, the mandolin half of the Osborne Brothers, has been a major influence on mandolinists for almost 40 years. Bobby borrowed extensively from the fiddle styles he admired, and helped pave the way for the more radical departures from traditional mandolin of the 1960’s and ‘70’s. The Osborne Brothers played with Red Allen for a few years in the fifties, and during the sixties, began experimenting with different sounds. Their recording of “Rocky Top” has become a bluegrass classic.

This brilliantly talented mandolinist has inspired and impressed many across the country today. Chris, who is in his early 20’s, is not only a mandolinist, he sings in the ever so awesome band Nickel Creek including his two best friends, Sean Watkins(guitar), and Sara Watkins(violin). They have been playing together for 15 years and have amazing talent. Chris plays with others as well, such as Mike Marshall, Bela Fleck, Stuart Duncan, Jerry Douglas, and has currently performed in Dolly Parton’s performances. The band Nickel Creek is on tour again and I deeply encourage any of you reading this to check one of their concerts, Chris enjoys going on tour though, He is very Fan oriented, among other things, He enjoys a couple bottles of Coca-Cola before his shows, and keeps busy with composing new songs with the band. Not only does Chris have a unique sense of Style when it comes to hair and clothes, (we all love his hats) , But Chris’s style and taste in music has affected him greaty when it comes to his own music. It can go from Bluegrassy, to Celtic and Irish tunes, jazzy, etc. He’s extremely awesome when it comes to his performance on stage. He’s very, well, ‘bouncy’ when it comes to performing time, but the fans sure love him, ..who couldn’t?

Born in Kiev, Dave Apollon was known during his time as the “world’s greatest mandolin virtuoso.” He began playing the mandolin at a young age and apparently taught himself. When he was 13 he met a renowned italian mandolinist who was touring Russia, and Dave managed to persuade the man to help him. He taught Dave how to hold the pick and a few other “tricks” that would later serve him well. In 1919, Dave Apollon decided to escape the hardships of the Russian Revolution and made his way to America. Dave performed in vaudeville, and in 1926 he met a group of filipino string players who had just lost their job in another show. He immediately hired them to be his “orchestra” and began working up the routines and musical numbers that would be part of his show. In 1930, Dave embarked on a motion picture career, filming the first of six musical shorts. In 1937, he was featured in Universal’s “Merry Go ‘Round of 1938”, his only full-length American film. He was also a popular night club performer throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. Dave Apollon was the first “new world” mandolinist. He was the first to technically master the instrument and at the same time adapt this technique to an extremely wide variety of music.

David Grisman has created a musical style that has been often copied, but never equaled. His body of work has encompassed bluegrass, jazz, traditional, swing, ethnic, brazilian, and of course, his unique Dawg music. David has not only given us an amazing repertoire of music, but has championed and produced many mando artists that we would probably never have had a chance to hear, such as Rudy Cipolla, Dave Apollon, Jacob do Bandolim, Radim Zenkl, and Jethro Burns. If I could play half as well as only one mando artist, it would be David Grisman.

Frank Wakefield is in a class by himself. Frank has recorded with Red Allen, The Greenbriar Boys, and his own group, the “Good Old Boys”. In the late forties, Frank discovered bluegrass music and the playing of Bill Monroe and Jesse McReynolds, which he studied and totally mastered. But Frank doesn’t just emulate the Monroe sound. Although he is a master at Bill Monroe’s music, Frank has a sound like no other. He is truely a mandolin players, player.

Jacob do Bandolim was the greatest mandolinist Brazil has ever produced, as well as one of its most gifted and prolific composers of Choro music. David Grisman has provided the world two complilations of Jacob’s music through his Acoustic Disc label. The syle of Choro music is a high-spirited Brazilian musical form with roots that go back to the turn of the century when immigrant musicians (European, folk, and classical) blended their musical traditions with the African and indigenous rhythms of Brazil. Jacob do Bandolim is the best example of this unique musical style.

One of the most unique developments in mandolin technique is found in the crosspicking style of Jesse McReynolds. Introduced by Jesse in the early fifties, the style is patterned on the three-finger banjo roll of Earl Scruggs. Jesse’s technique is legendary among Bluegrass players and his high development within the style is unequaled.

Outside of mando circles, Kenneth Burns was known primarily for his work with Henry “Homer” Haynes as Homer and Jethro, a musical parody act that ran from 1936 until Haynes’ death in 1971. It’s unfortunate that the public never got to know him as the master jazz mandolinist he was but, fortunately, he recorded two all-instrumental albums, “Playing it Straight”, and “It Ain’t Necessarily Square.” Perhaps one day these albums will be released on CD and the public will have the opportunity to hear just how good he was. It is a humbling experience to hear him spin off incredible solos and lay down an amazing chord progression using the three-finger chords he favored. Thanks to David Grisman, we have his “Tea for One” recording, his “Back-to-Back” recording with Tiny Moore, and the last recording he did, the great Acoustic Disc release “Swing Low, Sweet Mandolin”.

A “musician’s musician” - great lonesome vocals, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, old-time banjo, sarod. And a very wide scope of musical styles: Old-time, bluegrass, scottish/cape breton, Greek rebetika, Indian classical..... Though mandolin is but one of his instruments, as a mandolinist, he deserves to be recogonized as being in the top mando-ranks, with great tone, tasteful phrasing and dynamics. His four CDs with wife Kate Brislin are outstanding, straddling the fence between old mountain music and early country & bluegrass. He’s also worked in a duo with Indian sitarist Krishna Bhatt, but also with Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser.

John Duffey was known for more than his mandolin abilities. Acording to those who followed his career, he was a master showman, with a quick wit, and a warm acceptance of any who met him. He has been considered by many to be the “Father of Modern Bluegrass.” With the Country Gentlemen from 1957 to 1969, and then the Seldom Scene from 1971 until his passing in 1996, he was the catalyst in the creation of a new breed of bluegrass. Duffey brought to the Bluegrass world a new freshness and energy that had mando players quickly copying his style. He was one of the first mandolinists to radically depart from the Monroe style of playing bluegrass, while still retaining its rudiments and inspiration for growth and change. His string “choking” and bending technique along with his unusual timing and melodic ideas helped forge what some called a “progressive approach to bluegrass music”.

Mike Marshall needs no introduction to the mandolin world. His impact and influence has been enormous. It would take me a long time to document all the recordings he has appeared on, as well as produced. Mike is one of the most versatile mandolinists on the scene today. His body of work encompasses bluegrass, Dawg music, classical, jazz, swing, and his latest passion, Choro music. His release “Brazil (Duets)”, is a wonderful collaboration, showcasing Mike’s considerable talent.

French mandolinist, recorded (and served as arranger) with Italian button accordion virtuoso Ricardo Tesi. Also founder of the French mandolin group, Melonious Quartet Melonious Quartet. See also http://www.bastiancontrari.com.

From the great frozen north, in a town called Minneapolis, from a section of town it’s Ukranian imigrant population refers to as “Nordeast”, comes one of the country’s best mandolin players. Peter was musical director of “The Prarie Home Companion” and has recorded and performed with the likes of Bob Dylan, Norman Blake, Sam Bush, Jethro Burns, Emmylou Harris, Bobby Mcferrin and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. He has an extensive collection of recorded work available on CD (Redhouse Records) stretching from his earliest recording with “The Mando Boys” to his most recent Heartland Trilogy. He plays with deep emotion, tremendous speed (when required) and one of the best, most acurate tremolos you’ve ever heard. Check him out, you won’t be disappointed.

Roland White has played with the legendary Kentucky Colonels, the Country Gazette, Nashville Grass, and currently with the New Bluegrass Band. He also spent two years playing guitar as a Blue Grass Boy with Bill Monroe. Roland is not only a master bluegrass mandolinist, but has refined his chops to include swing and even jazz. I have been a big fan of Roland’s since I first heard him with the Kentucky Colonels.

Rudy Cipolla started playing the mandolin as a child. David Grisman has produced a loving portrait of Rudy on the Acoustic Disc label, entitled “Rudy Cipolla - Portrait of an American Original”. This release tells it all, because Rudy is truely an American original. He has influenced scores of mandolinists, including David Grisman, Mike Marshall, Evan Marshall, Radim Zenkl, and many others. Rudy was a prolific composer, writing music he termed “continental”, reflecting his European roots.

Sam Bush is a legendary figure in the world of mandolin. As a founding member of the New Grass Revival, Sam and the group blazed a new trail, and mandolin players world wide were only too happy to try to follow. Sam is known for his amazing rythmic style, as well as his high energy precision solo’s. Sam’s latest album, “Glamour & Grits”, features his great vocals, along with inspiring mando playing. No one plays slide mandolin better than Sam. It’s an honor to include Sam in the Gallery.

Simon Mayor started out as a guitarist and fiddler, but his current position as one of the world’s foremost mandolinists (and composer for the instrument) has led to an ever increasing number of invitations to play and teach at festivals and conventions (most recently the Classical Mandolin Society of America in 1999). Since 1990, his Mandolin Albums have been applauded in Celtic and classical circles alike.” Based in England, Simon has the somewhat unique position of being rather isolated, yet free to create his own unique sound. His style of playing includes Celtic, classical, jazz, children’s music, and bluegrass.

Tim O’Brien is a multi-instrumentalist, formerly the lead vocalist and mando player with Hot Rize, and has been rumoured to have been responsible for helping Red Knuckles and the Trail Blazers get their start. Tim embarked on a solo career a few years ago and has recorded some outstanding albums, such as “Odd Man In”, “When No One’s Around”, and “Red on Blond”, his tribute to Bob Dylan. As a mando player, he has a style all his own.