The Jazz Mandolin Project
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Experimental, improvisational jazz
Status:
Most recent release, Deep Forbidden Lake (2005)
See also:
Jazz Mandolin Project's Facebook page
Covers/own material:
Own, occasional covers
General comments:
They're a trio. One guy plays mandolin and banjo, one does drums/percussion, and the other plays bass. They use some other instruments too, but those are the main ones. They have two albums, 1996's self-titled album, and 1998's Tour De Flux, which was recorded live in studio. They play improvisationally, and I hear they're really good live. I think they're a really energetic group; this isn't soft jazz or elevator-type music at all. And you don't have to be a jazz fan to like them. I don't like very much jazz, but I like them a lot. I hear folk/country, rock, even some Latin influences in their music. I think they're serious about their music, but you can hear them experimenting and having fun. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Recommended first album:
Any
Recordings:
- The Jazz Mandolin Project (1996)
- Tour De Flux (1998)
- Xenoblast (2000)
- After Dinner Jams (2001)
- Jungle Tango (2003)
- Deep Forbidden Lake (2005)
The Jazz Mandolin Project
Release info:
1996—Accurate Records—ACCU-5020
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Jamie Masefield—acoustic and electric mandolin, charango, tenor banjo
Stacey Starkweather—electric and acoustic bass, effects, mellotron
Gabriel Jarrett—drums, percussives
Produced by:
Jamie Masefield
Comments:
This album seems somehow a bit less jazzy to me, pure jazz that is, I always think of it sort of as folk/jazz/pop. It's very good, a lot of fun, and a great showcase for the mandolin as not-just-a-folk-music-instrument. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Tour De Flux
Release info:
1998—Accurate Records—AC-5031
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Highly recommended
Group members:
Jamie Masefield—mandolin, tenor banjo
Chris Dahlgren—double bass, imbera, music box
Jon Fishman—drums, cuica
Produced by:
Jamie Masefield
Comments:
This is a live studio album. Recognizable sound bits include a sort of distorted musical box playing "Für Elise" on track 3. It's another good album with a lot of energy, and well worth checking out if it sounds at all interesting to you. (JoAnn Whetsell)
Xenoblast
Release info:
2000—Blue Note Records—7243 5 25251 2 6
Availability:
Wide
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Jamie Masefield—mandolin, mandola
Chris Dahlgren—upright & electric bass
Ari Hoenig—drums & percussion
Guest artists:
Trey Anastasio—guitar on "Hang Ten"
Produced by:
Jamie Masefield
Thanks to JoAnn Whetsell for work on this entry.
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