1) Harvest Time (Mike Marshall, Rotagilla Music, BMI)
2) Desvairada (Garoto)
3) Goldberg Variation No. 1 (J. S. Bach, arr. Mike Marshall, Chris Thile)
4) Scrapple from the Apple (Charlie Parker, Criterion Music Corp., ASCAP)
5) Fisher's Hornpipe (Traditional, arr. Mike Marshall, Chris Thile)
6) Stranded in Kodiak (Chris Thile, Southern Melody, BMI)
7) The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers (Steve Kuhn)
8) Hey Ho! (Mike Marshall, Rotagilla Music, BMI)
9) Something Quite Trifling (Mike Marshall, Chris Thile)
10) What a Blast! (Mike Marshall, Chris Thile)
11) Shanrock Shore (Traditional, arr. Mike Marshall, Chris Thile)
Review by Bill Yates, Roots66.com
Mandolin aficionados rejoice! Mando magicians Mike Marshall and Chris Thile (of Nickel Creek) have joined forces to produce an album of tunes from the likes of Charlie Parker and J. S. Bach, to Marshall and Thile themselves plus a few extras. Marshall was a member of the original David Grisman Quintet in 1979 and later formed the Montreux Band with Darol Anger. In 1986, he formed The Modern Mandolin Quartet. The busy Marshall is also a member of Psychograss and the Darol Anger- Mike Marshall Band. Chris Thile is a founding member of the popular bluegrass group, Nickel Creek. Both are outstanding instrumentalists.
Marshall's varied "Harvest Time" starts off the recording. "Desvairada", by Brazilian guitarist Anibal Augusto Sardinha, a.k.a. "Garoto", is an interesting piece. Johann Sebastian Bach's "Goldberg Variation No. 1" is an arrangement of the first of thirty-two variations on a theme Bach wrote for the two-manual harpsichord. Marshall and Thile have made a transition to mandolin and mandocello of which I believe old Johnny Bach would have approved. The jazzy "Scrapple from the Apple" is from saxophonist Charlie Parker who, coincidentally, died the same year as Garoto, 1955. "Fisher's Hornpipe" is a traditional piece from the British Isles.
Thile's "Stranded in Kodiak" is a quiet piece with a kind of arctic feel. Marshall plays mandocello here. "The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers" is an extended piece by the jazz pianist, Steve Kuhn. Marshall's "Hey Ho!" is a quite varied, colorful composition. In place of all these complex works, how about "Something Quite Trifling"? It's not quite as simple as it sounds. "What a Blast!" Agreed. The traditional "Shanrock Shore" is rendered with a very delicate, music box pizzicato.
Marshall and Thile certainly demomstrate the mandolin is not just for strumming or taking its part in a bluegrass band. Their expert musicianship is amply displayed in the selection of pieces from classical to jazz to their own compositions. They are excellent arrangers to boot. Follow Marshall and Thile in their separate careers, they have much more music to give. And hope they get together again!
Copyright 2003 William Theron Yates
4/18/03
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