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Thread: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

  1. #1
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
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    Default seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I am wanting to listen to some bluegrass bands with mandolin to see what licks, techniques and approaches I can learn and to see if there’s any modern bluegrass (or bluegrass adjacent/bluegrass descendant) that I might enjoy.

    I have listened to a little of Molly Tuttle, Billy Strings, Sierra Hull and Chris Thile. Are there suggestions of other modern bluegrass bands that would be good to listen to?

    NB At some point if I gain an appreciation for Bluegrass I might try listening to the more historical examples like Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs etc but I don’t enjoy their music at the moment and am looking for contemporary bands.

  2. #2

    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Watchhouse (formerly known as Mandolin Orange) and/or Andrew Marlin!

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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I would suggest Mike Mullins. He’s one of the best mandolinists out there and not as recognized as he should be. Listen to the Cache Valley Drifters, a very progressive bluegrass band from California. I believe Mike Mullins also gives lessons and his musicianship is awesome!

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    Registered User Marcus CA's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    You might like John Reischman and the Jaybirds. They write a lot of their own material, and they're in a really nice lane in between the traditionalists and the jamgrass bands. Also, check out some of Adam Steffey's work, both with Alison Krauss and on his own. His New Primitive album is really nice!

    Nickel Creek has become increasingly progressive over the last twenty years, so you might listen to their albums in order. I'd say that their first album is the closest to traditional bluegrass, but you won't mistake it for a Bill Monroe record.

    New Grass Revival's Too Late to Turn Back Now, and Sam Bush's Late as Usual.

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  8. #5

    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I know Tony Rice is a guitar player but his music is so approachable and he always plays with great mandolin players (Sam Bush, Jimmy Gaudreau, Sharon Gilchrist, etc.)

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  10. #6
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    The Traveling McCourys version of ‘let her go’ is a good start.
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  12. #7

    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    * David Grisman Quintet (maybe not "modern" anymore, but his sound is still pretty modern to my ear).
    * John Reischman's solo albums. (I'm not a fan of vocal bluegrass songs, so I don't enjoy his Jaybirds music nearly as much as his solo instrumental stuff. YMMV).
    * All of Bela Fleck's bluegrass albums. Drive, The Bluegrass Sessions: Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 2, My Bluegrass Heart.
    * Psychograss. My favorite album of their's is "Psychograss LIVE in Vermont".
    * Mike Marshall and Darol Anger's duo albums.
    * Matt Flinner / Matt Flinner Trio / Matt Flinner Quartet
    * Strength in Number's Telluride Sessions album.
    * The Harmonic Tone Revealers.
    * Hawktail
    * Bluegrass 2020 album featuring Dominic Leslie.
    * Cahalen Morrison and Eli West
    * Andy Statman's Old Brooklyn album.
    * Sturgill Simpson's Cuttin' Grass albums.
    * Andy Leftwich

    That'll keep you busy for awhile :D.

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  14. #8
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Thanks for all those suggestions. Plenty to keep me busy checking out. A few of them I've heard or heard of but many are new names to me or ones I'd forgotten about.

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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Some of my favorite "newer" newgrass bands with nice mandolin include Fruition, AJ Lee, The Warren G. Hardings and Never Come Down.

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  17. #10

    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    A lot of these "modern" bluegrass suggestions have members pushing 70.

    Lindsey Lou with Josh Rilko on mando.
    Twisted Pine with Dan Bui
    Punch Brothers (Thile)
    The Foreign Landers (Benedict)
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    Barbi Mandola
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Steep Canyon Rangers, with or without Steve Martin.
    The SteelDrivers
    Town Mountain
    Balsam Range

    Lots of other good suggestions above, as well…
    Chuck

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  21. #12

    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Some smaller, newer, or regional bluegrass bands that I have been listening to a fair bit recently. These definitely lean into the Newgrass mode:

    Fireside Collective
    Sicard Hollow
    Into the Fog
    Sam Grisman Project
    Arkansauce

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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Slocan Ramblers
    Joy Kills Sorrow
    Andrew Marlin (his 3 solo records)

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  25. #14
    Registered User Chris Fannin's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Not recent but you might try Steve Earle's album The Mountain, with the Del McCoury Band. It's got some mandolin on it and the songs are all originals.
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Great suggestions already mentioned, several I would have named. I'll add:
    - Infamous Stringdusters
    - AJ Lee and Blue Summit
    - Mile Twelve
    - Downtown Mountain Boys
    - Also another recommendation for Cache Valley Drifters, one of the best bands ever, and Bill Griffin's powerful, musical and unique style as their main mandolin player
    - And along with the 'Drifters another recommendation for Mike Mullins and his mandolin work. Also his guitar work as the 'Drifters lead guitarist

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  29. #16
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I'll add Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen to the list, as well as anything by Joe K Walsh, solo records and with Darol Anger in Mr Sun.
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  31. #17

    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Second vote for Frank Solivan!

    And, I am really looking forward to the release of the new album from Mighty Poplar this week (Bandcamp pre-ordered!). Great lineup of "modern" players from some of the bands already mentioned, but, per the M&B podcast with "Critter" just out (and the early releases), it's very traditional.

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    Registered User doc holiday's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    Quote Originally Posted by keith.rogers View Post
    Second vote for Frank Solivan!

    And, I am really looking forward to the release of the new album from Mighty Poplar this week (Bandcamp pre-ordered!). Great lineup of "modern" players from some of the bands already mentioned, but, per the M&B podcast with "Critter" just out (and the early releases), it's very traditional.

    Still 3 days wait for the release of the Mighty Poplar debut project. Killer musicians...bound to be outstanding!

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  35. #19
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    One band that may not have been mentioned is the Henhouse Prowlers. Definitely worth a listen. R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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  37. #20
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I have a problem when someone wants to listen to "modern bluegrass" because it is not enjoyable to listen to the music of the founders of this genre without taking time to analyse the music or rather the musical style. I am not saying that acharman didnīt. My post is a general reflection.

    As with alll musical genres there is a development that is very noticable. Bluegrass diehards will argue that modern bluegrass "ainīt no part of nothing", to quote Bill Monroe. But tastes vary.

    I think one has to clearly distinguish between the way music was recorded in the early days (40ies/50ies). One has to take into consideration that recorded music in those days took the risk to not sound perfect. It is equally noticable in other popular recorded music. This spanns from Peter, Paul and Mary via The Who to The Rolling Stones. You will find the same recorded imperfections of sound and played music as with Bill Monroe or Flatt & Scruggs.

    If you are past this point you can compare "the original sound" when listening to the original recordings of Bill Monroe by other people. Check out "Toy Heart" for example.




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    Registered User grassrootphilosopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    If you do not like the style of how the music is composed then we are in a different discussion. Then we are in the region of Strindberg against Mozart or Kid Rock against Hank Williams.

    The founding fatherīs bluegrass does not vary much from the "three chords and the truth" idea of most folk, blues or rather traditional music concepts. Modern bluegrass strays from this idea. There is newgrass that I personally like as an approach to widen the genre and play rock music as bluegrass:


    Then there is what is considered "contemporary" bluegrass (starting in the later 80ies). Protagonists are The Lonesome River Band for example:


    To me that is somewhat pop music with bluegrass instruments.

    If you then enter the new millenium with genre benders like Nickle Creek, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Punch Brothers, Watchhouse, Crooked Still etc. the lines get blurred. Many will argue that this is no bluegrass anymore while others will argue that bluegrass has pushed the boundarys, shook the shackles etc. I think that this modern incarnation of bluegrass is more like chamber music, namely highly orchestrated complex music played on "hillbilly" stringed instruments.

    If you are interested to learn from the music, I would advise to start with people like David Grisman. To me it is mind blowing that really simple arangements (listen to "Not For Kids Only") can sound so great (the other end of the spectrum would be "Mandolin Abstractions"). This is learning music.
    Olaf

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  40. #22
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    No mandolin player, unfortunately, but my brother recently took me to see Damn Tall Buildings. It was a fun show at an intimate venue. I liked the live music very much, better than the recordings I listened to before I went. I'd see them again if the opportunity presented.

    They could use a mandolin player, maybe.
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  41. #23
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I guess it depends on your definition of "modern"...
    Lots of good suggestions so far - also check out:

    Bluegrass Album Band - updated the music of the first generation
    IIIrd Thyme Out - Wayne Benson is a pretty good mandolin picker

    Dry Branch Fire Squad doesn't sound modern, but it is bluegrass adjacent.

    Kirk

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  43. #24
    Registered User acharman's Avatar
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    I have a problem when someone wants to listen to "modern bluegrass" because it is not enjoyable to listen to the music of the founders of this genre without taking time to analyse the music or rather the musical style. I am not saying that acharman didnīt. My post is a general reflection.

    As with alll musical genres there is a development that is very noticable. Bluegrass diehards will argue that modern bluegrass "ainīt no part of nothing", to quote Bill Monroe. But tastes vary.
    Yes tastes vary. I am not a fan of traditional old-fashioned bluegrass but I do like some bluegrass adjacent or bluegrass influenced music. So I'm interested in sampling some contemporary bluegrass or developments from bluegrass to see whether any of that appeals and to see what common licks, phrases, approaches etc may be useful to me. Some of the suggestions above that I've listened to have been good - others a bit too Monroeish. Some of the current players may well have based their playing on Monroe but those that are copying that too closely are not likely to appeal to me. Modern players should be better for me to get inspiration from as they will already have assimilated the playing of Monroe and others and hopefully then added something of themselves. I'm sorry for all the Monroe worshippers but I don't like his playing nor do I like the undue influence he has held over the mandolin world. Yes he (and Scruggs and others who were arguably just as important in creating the sound) developed on music that came before them to create a new sound which does give him an important place in history. But if it is effectively a dead genre that has to do things in the same way or it "ain't no part of nothin" then I'm just not interested. So I am interested to hear where some contemporary payers may have been able to take the genre kicking and screaming against the gatekeepers.

  44. #25
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    Default Re: seeking modern bluegrass suggestions

    They call themselves an "indie-folk" band, feature a mandolin, and are not Monroe-Skaggs-y bluegrass...perhaps worth a try for you.

    I don't like Monroe either.

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