Noted mandolinist Peter Ostroushko has put together a sizable compendium of mandolin music for his new 3-CD box set, The Mando Chronicles.
The music is presented in a number of settings (solo, duet, trio and small ensemble), with each of the three discs focusing on a particular aspect of mandolin music: Americana, Old World, Classical & South American. Peter is joined by world-class musicians in these various genres for a mandolin tour de force running more than 3 hours.
The Americana CD covers bluegrass, old time, ragtime, swing, blues and jazz, with assistance from Norman and Nancy Blake, and several players with whom Ostroushko performed in the A Prairie Home Companion show band for several years.
European folk music is the theme of the second disc, Old World, starting with tunes from Ukraine, Peter’s ethnic homeland. Selections from Italian, Swedish, French and Irish folk traditions are also included.
The final Classical & South American CD features both Baroque and Classical compositions for mandolin or violin, from Vivaldi, Bach, Paganini and Beethoven, plus an Ostroushko original, and waltz and chore numbers from Puerto and Brazil.
Peter uses a total of six new and vintage instruments for these recordings, dating back as far as 1915.
The Mando Chronicles, released on Red House Records, offers a fairly comprehensive overview of the history of this eight string wonder, which serves such a crucial role in so many styles of music.
It is available from iTunes, Amazon, and the Red House web site.
