A bold title, for sure – am I going to presume to identify for you the five best recordings of mandolinists ever made? Well yeah, but if you’re reading the article, you’re already a fan of the mandolin, and you already know that every such list is subjective. That said, every album on this list highlights the talents, skills, and creativity of musicians who are undeniably at the very top of the game. If there’s one you don’t have, get it today, and you won’t regret it. They’re great.
1) 1) How to Grow a Woman From the Ground – Chris Thile
Chris Thile does things with a mandolin that should probably be illegal, and certainly defy the laws of physics. While this has been the case since Thile first busted onto the music scene, his solo albums until this point were scattered. Chris Thile was still learning his identity as a musician. How to Grow a Woman from the Ground seems to be a culmination of this learning process, he’s no longer trying to be a little bit of everything, but has pulled bluegrass, acoustic, and jazz into what is finally a cohesive style while retaining the inventiveness that has always been his hallmark.
2) 2) Howlin’ at the Moon – Sam Bush
A member of the New Grass Revival, Sam Bush helped to bring bluegrass into the present. On Howlin’ at the Moon, as with all of his music, Bush manages to retain a bit of the old-timey feel of bluegrass while masterfully integrating rock, jazz, and swing influences. Check out Beaver Creek Mansion for a phenomenal performance, or the more technically difficult Cloverleaf Rag for a bit of good old fashioned picking.
3) 3) Live at the Opry – Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe is often credited as the father of bluegrass, and mandolin-lovers owe the man a lot. Without Bill, I have no doubt that no other album on this list would exist. There a tons of anthologies and collections out there, and every dam one is worth a listen or twelve. I like Live at the Opry because it highlights a moment late in Bill’s life – most of the album was recorded in May of 1989. It’s truly amazing how much prowess and skill the man retained at this point, and there can be no doubt as you listen that you are witnessing a true legend.
4) 4) Tone Poems – David Grisman and Tony Rice
I’m a huge David Grisman fan. I love the quintet, and I adore his informal albums recorded with Jerry Garcia. Grisman fills out the holes in a piece of music with subtlety and grace. David Grisman picks up the mandolin and plays with a sense of commitment to the music and with humility – he never struts, and he doesn’t need to. His skill speaks for itself. I had a hard time choosing a Grisman album to include in this list. I picked this one for the way it highlights David’s mando playing. Jerry Garcia or the quintet add a lot to a piece of music, but to a degree, they render Grisman into an accompanist or ensemble member – that’s as it should be, but in Tone Poems, the listener experiences his mandolin playing in a relatively pure form. It’s clear that Grisman and Rice respect each other as musicians, and through their cooperation on this album, they each allow the other to shine through as excellent musicians. This is a relaxing album, good for a quiet evening – it lacks bravado – but that’s a big part of it’s magic.
5) 5) Jazz Mandolin Project – Jazz Mandolin Project
The Jazz Mandolin Project developed organically around Jamie Masefield in the early nineties and continues to be a pretty amorphous group. They’re included on this list mostly because they have always endeavored to do things with mandolins that are atypical of what you usually hear coming from mandolinists. Jazz, sure, but a fair bit of ever-evolving experimental music is a mainstay of the Project’s music. It’s refreshing, and serves as a reminder to the mandolin fan that there’s a whole lot of ground yet to cover.
Every one of these albums is available on iTunes and still in print, so you can order them at your local music store if you prefer. I always suggest that you pick them up one at a time, and take a week or two with each one separately. Take time to get to know these albums, and they will quickly become valuable parts of your collection.
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