Mandolin and Guitar Duets

[nigelgatherer]

I feel very fortunate that I play in a guitar and mandolin duo. It's a great combination, mandolin and guitar, and there are plenty of precendents:

• Homer and Jethro - the great Kenneth "Jethro" Burns recorded countless LPs with his musical partner Henry "Homer" Haynes, and had a successful TV career to boot.
• One of my favourite CDs is called Doc and Dawg and features David "Dawg" Grisman and guitarist Doc Watson. It's a fine example of the interplay between two master musicians.
• In 1966 Dave Swarbrick released Rags, Reels and Airs, half of which is the renowned fiddler playing mandolin with guitarist Diz Disley. Exciting stuff indeed!
• I have a bootleg of American wunderkind Chris Thile playing brilliant duets with guitarist David Grier.
• The prolific David Grisman has recorded many albums duetting with guitarists: Tone Poems 1, 2, 3 all feature mandolin and guitars, while on Traversata he plays sublime music with Italian guitarist Bepe Gambetta.
• Alison Stephens has played many times with guitarist Craig Ogden.
  

I'm sure I have merely scraped the surface with these off-the-top-of-my-head examples. You may imagine that I have collected mandolin music over the years - some of it scratchy vinyl featuring luscious mandolin easy-listening orchestras; others great bluegrass or classical players. The mandolin world is fascinating, but it can suck you in till there's no hope of getting out!

[mandopicker101]

Hi Nigel

What about Tone Poems II, featuring some unknown mandolin player by the name of David Grisman and Scottish jazz guitarist Martin Taylor.

A great album featuring a selection of the finest mandolins and guitars of the 20th century (many from Mr Grisman's personal collection).

Wonderful (if you like jazz that is).

Gareth

[mandopicker101]

Hi

Should've noted the Americana guitar and mandolin duo known as Uncle Monk, with mandolin and vocals by Tommy Ramone (no really, THE Tommy Ramone...drummer with the Ramones...'Julie is a Punk Rocker' and all that) and guitar/vocals by Claudia Tienan (formerly of The Simplistics).

Its a sparse, pared down sound, with the mandolin taking the fore on many of the tracks. Check out their live performance on Woodsongs (http://www.woodsongs.com/showlist.asp and look for show 439).

Regards

Gareth

[Ray(T)]

Not sure how you can mention Tone Poems II, Garreth, without a mention of Tone Poems I - Grisman + Tony Rice. These CD's are also a great way of listening to the sound of a selection of classic instruments as they come with illustrated booklets showing who played what on which track.
Ray

[mandopicker101]

Ray

Good point, but I only own Tone Poems II... (sigh) The booklets are great though: talk about spending that lottery win I haven't got (yet)!

Gareth

[Ray(T)]

There's also a Tone Poems III, if, unlike me, you like Bob Brosman and a Tone "Poets" with duets by a range of people.
Ray

[Jack Campin]

Do you know the work of Beppe Gambetta and Carlo Aonzo, doing late 19th century Italian music on mandolin and 14-string harp guitar? They (or at least one of them) toured Scotland a few years ago.

A harp guitar is about as portable as a double bass. You usually play it on a stand. A theorbo might be more practical.