Instrumentals Vol. 2: Mandolin Mysteries
Adhyâropa, 2024
8/10
Listen to Instrumentals Vol. 2: Mandolin Mysteries
Jacob Jolliff picked up a mandolin at the age of 7, and was playing festivals by middle school, before being Berklee educated. Although he’s played in larger ensembles, here he focuses on his own work, and George Jackson, Ross Martin and Myles Sloniker join him for the occasion.
The careful and intricate string picking of “Vera” opens the listen with much attention to mood, as Jackson’s warm fiddle impresses, and “Los Angeles County Breakdown” follows with a swift and dynamic spirt that allows Jolliff’s mandolin acrobatics to shine.
Into the middle, the diverse “The Art Heist Suite” unfolds across 3 movements of quivering strings and meticulous plucking, while “Blossoms Will Run Away” embraces a distinct beauty of poeticism and romance.
“Silver Blaze” and “Twin Rocks” exit the listen, where the former benefits much from Sloniker’s bass via the dizzying climate, and the latter showcases a charming intimacy that uses Martin’s cultured guitar playing.
A record that borrows from jazz, bluegrass and country ideas, Jolliff and company bring a lot of richness and intrigue to this accomplished set of originals.
Travels well with: Nate Sabat- Bass Fiddler; 9 Horses- Strum