Incredible: Modern Mandolin Quartet and Tim Weed

Tonight, I drove myself into the far reaches of Western Marin County to hear what I expected would be a fine evening of music. It turned out to be an amazing experience of virtuosity and warmth played to an appreciative audience.

The show, at the Dance Palace in Point Reyes Station, opened with Tim Weed, who is to regular banjo plucking what Beethoven's 9th Symphony is to Chopsticks. Even the great Flatt & Scruggs got nothing on this guy. The complex and classical passages that leap off his fingers wowed the crowd--including me. I have heard bluegrass picking and I've heard classical masterpieces. This lean, youthful looking man with a full head of white hair delivered both.

Tim played solo at first--including a fine Spanish style composition. He plays enough notes per minute for five people. He then called up his significant other, who played a wonderful Indian tamboura. It's the drone accompanyment heard in Indian classical music. Who knew that the humble banjo could sound like an Indian sarod? It was spellbinding.

Then, before turning over the show to the Modern Mandolin Quartet, Tim brought up Dana Rath, a founding member of that group and ace mandolinist, for a gorgeous duet.

Then, the Modern Mandolin Quartet settled in. They can play chamber music--because they replicate the normal string parts. Instead of two violins, a viola and a cello, they use two mandolins, a mandola and a mandocello (which looks about the size of a guitar). The group includes Dana Rath and Matt Flinner on mandolins, Paul Binkley on Mandola and guitar and Adam Roszkiewicz on mandocello and guitar. They formed in 1985 to introduce the mandolin family to more people and to commission new works for the instruments. They began recording in 1988. Many recordings have followed.

They performed a couple of incredible selections, then broke for a friendly intermission. That gave me a chance to acquire a CD of Tim's (he autographed it for me and we spoke for a couple minutes) and one of the quartet. It's from 2004, but they are going in to record a new one soon. It will include Dvorak's American Quartet, part of which the group set on fire in the second half of the program. That second set started with Bernstein's "Cool" and went on to include a few pieces that the group has played for many years, and the exquisite Pavanne by Gabriel Faure. They played the Flower Duet from Lakme--an opera--gorgeous!

At the end, they brought Tim back and they played some amazing Bill Monroe bluegrass music. Then, as an encore, Tim set them up in a "jam" that gave the show a triumphant finish.

The intimate venue meant you could meet and get to know the performers a bit. I will definitely follow these artists, and hope you will, too.

Great Music with Barbwyre and Stadler Gibbons Band

What an incredible evening I had last night, listening to Barbwyre and Mike Stadler and Mary Gibbons with the Stadler Gibbons Band. It all happened at The High Street Station, an intimate restaurant and music venue in central Alameda, California.

Barbwyre (photo on left) opened, and got the evening moving with their "country funkgrass" sound (as described by master mandolinist (and guitarist) Dana Rath. Other fine players in Barbwyre include Jon Mitguard on pedal steel, dobro and guitar and Rob Wenig keeping the bottom moving perfectly with his beautiful Mike Tobias Design six-string electric bass.

Barbwyre features duet singing with Dana and Jon, but their instrumental pieces are especially tasty too. The trio feels seems very familiar with each other and appear to be enjoying themselves onstage. The sound was clear, clean, quick and never too loud. It feels like more than just three people playing, too--a remarkably full sound for a trio.

Jon Mitguard is an incredible pedal steel and dobro player, and we were fortunate that he is a part of both bands.

When the tall Mike Stadler and his diminutive singing partner Mary Gibbons (small in stature, big in fine voice) started their set, they brought in Chuck Irvin, with his warm upright bass playing. They played country, bluegrass, and even some vigorous Texas Swing. They added in a drummer ("from San Diego") who carried with him only a drumhead and brushes and it made a surprisingly huge impact on the rhythm.

I was especially happy to hear two songs by Hal Ketchum--a favorite performer of mine and my wife's, done in a lively way that maintained the original song but added special Mike and Mary (and Jon and Chuck) touches.

The High Street Station is a venue that seems to improve every time I go there. My band, Red Paint, has played a few pleasurable gigs there and the room has a nice, cozy, welcoming feel to it. And, you can get tasty fare, coffee and snacks, and beer and wine.

I was able to meet some of the musicians, especially my conversation with Barbwyre's Rob Wenig. I'll definitely be seeing them again--and highly recommend you check out the High Street Station soon. They have many acts coming through, and the cover charge is minimal for what you get.

Dana Rath, Barbwyre's virtuoso mandolinist, is also a founding member of the Modern Mandolin Quartet. Founded in 1985, they have recorded four albums. They will be playing with Tim Weed in Point Reyes, California on Friday, July 15th.