Couldn't agree more. He is on an entirely different plane of existence. He's like the product of the perfect storm of a thousand factors all coming together. He's got musicality flowing constantly out of every pore on his body. I honestly don't think I've ever heard him actually miss a note (?) and I've binged on him a lot throughout the years. HE'S ALWAYS ON FIRE. Endless creativity, innovation, technique, song writing, energy, etc... the list goes on. Imagine how freeing it must be to pick up an instrument and say exactly what you want too. Complete domination over the fretboard and technical ability. That to me seems like the ultimate freedom
I keep coming back watching and leaving comments. He may be the best overall musician alive today. He understands theory that would make music majors say what? His ability to teach is something to watch. And using this performance as an example, he’s able to wildly at will intervie improve , time changes and signatures with ease I have never seen. He’s comfortable playing anything at ease. The part where he finger picks this is insane but it just shows his versatility. Quite simply he’s an absolute joy to watch what only a few can do.
never have i seen such command of an instrument, any instrument. and such amazing improvisational skill, and musicality. this guy is a genius. oh , wait, i guess folks at McArthur Foundation figured that out
@@adamkeenan5707 Um no, there’s some stiff competition there: Newton, Einstein, Shakespeare, Da Vinci, Bach, Art Tatum, Sondheim, etc. Let’s just go with best mandolin player.
Herbert Wells They’re all well and good but apparently Einstein went to his grave regretfully never having learned ‘Rawhide’ on the mandolin so who’s the real winner sir?
@@adamkeenan5707 Einstein was an exceptional fiddle player, apparently. Just by placing his bow on the strings, he could clear a crowded room in 15 seconds! Not many of us could do that.
His improv skills are well beyond badass. Flawless technique and he probably has no idea what or where he’s going to do until a few seconds before he does it. The hours of practice he has put into the mandolin has to be in the high 5 figures
God gave our generation possibly the best mandolin player to date! What an excellent snap-shot of Thile's improvisational ability. Makes it sparkle like no other I've heard.
Oh Lordy... Play on Logan ! I love Thile, sometimes. I love Mike Compton ALL the time. Evèr hear the harp player from Blues Traveller ? Awesome talent, but( Lord forgive me ) too, too much except in doses that could be absorbed .
How is it that Chris Thile doesn't have a signature Gibson mandolin yet? That'll blow new life in Gibson's Mandolin sales. Perhaps a mid priced simplified version would also be awesome for us less fortunate musicians who are unable to spend 4000+ dollars on an instrument :) .
Only chanced upon Chris Thile through being reminded of how I always listenened to Garrisson and all his amazing stories and auspicious guests.. Next Minute... The Pucnch Brothers and swathes of virtuosity (no less) coming out of all your hands...Many thanks..
Thanks, Steve, for this flash of mandolin moonshine. Chris brought Olympus and Kentucky to Floyd, just uphill from Franklin County, down across the Blue Ridge Parkway, and a few miles from the Woods brothers shop in Stuart and even closer to the Floyd Country Store. What a joyous place, a crossroads of America, a Mecca of music. And what a fine musician!
There's actually not a traditional reel in there... he starts with "Jessamyn's Reel," which is one of his his originals, and also plays the traditional "Rabbit In A Log."
@Stephen Bourassa Meh it's alright if it's a rock concert with a steady beat & loud drums. Bluegrass rhythm is hard enough for the musicians themselves to keep up with add the fact he's playing solo and chooses his own pace, I don't think he'd want the audience clapping along lol
normally I would agree, but as a musician it can be really annoying, especially if you are playing something solo like this. it locks you into THEIR beat (because let's be real, the audience won't follow him and know what he'll do next) and he can't do the nuances and tempo changes he normally would without it being a big cluster cuss.
If I'm not mistaken -- he had earlier said that anyone who brought him an unopened bottle of a fine whiskey (he named it, but I don't recall), would earn a special playing of a Bach Partita. I could be wrong, this may not the the time he did that. If one can drink normally, I agree with you -- no problem. It's only when the drug takes over, that it can ruin the voice (I believe). Don't believe we're seeing that here.
Yeah, thanks bud.... i was just using the 3/4-4/4 time as an illustration... not meaning to apply it to the Reel. He changes things up so quickly i don't think any audience could follow him... if you get my drift.
+DJ Grumbles It's typical for mandolinists to rest their hand on the bridge to give a nice contact point. It makes it easier to be precise with your picking when your hand isn't floating over the instrument.
I think musicians have a very special ability to draw adrenaline to couple up with their God given talent. Probably not so much energy from coffee ☕ or they might have to play part of the concert from a different location! Comedians on the other hand might be better off sucking on chocolate covered coffee beans instead of drinking coffee 24/7 By the way, what's your secret Jerry?
OK I look at the comments and listened to him but I just dont get it. It sounds horrible to me, I do not know why but I think the high pitch is what I don't like.
Roxana Müller You can't hear anything Irish because there isn't any. He says the word "Irish" at the beginning because he misunderstood a request for "Jessamyn's Reel", a tune from his album "Deciever." He then goes into some improv and then into "Rabbit in a Log."
audiobyrne I think you are rite, I do not listen to mandolin. I fined the high pitch and ''pingie'' sound not to be pleasant to me. This is the nature of music, we all like different things. I am not saying anything bad about this video, I'm just saying I don't get it.
He's insanely skilled, but when he does those long solos you lose track of the beat. He does his own thing and the "jig" part of it is lost. You can't dance to it.
ensemble88 that's the thing about seeing him solo. You kind of have to be along for the ride. But I do prefer him with nickel creek or punch brothers where the beat is always present.
A traditional irish reel on mandolin would sound like this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vzO9dMnTrLc.html Of course this is too simple for Chris Thile. He puts his signature on everything he plays and you hardly recognise the original.
I was just imagining someone who wants to learn some tunes for a traditional irish session and clicks on this vid because it says "traditional irish reel" ...
I was in a house band doing a touring show he was a featured artist on back in 2011. We were in a hotel bar in San Fransisco going in a circle playing songs and drinking. It gets around to him, and he played this very song and in very similar fashion. I jokingly said "now you're showing off". He just smirked and and said "but of course" and proceeded to play even crazier. He's a supremely cool very nice guy, who is also fully aware of how insanely godlike his playing is. God bless him.
+Joanne MacDonald You should, I've been blessed to play with/for a lot of incredible people both famous and unknown. As far as raw talent and technical skill, he is tops.
