Mandolinist Joe Walsh has just released his latest album of original music, If Not Now, Who?, on Adhyaropa Records, a collection that covers his wide understanding of modern acoustic music.
For several years bluegrass fans enjoyed Joe’s playing as a member of The Gibson Brothers, and these days he focuses his energies on his own music, and collaborations with fellow experimental acoustic players like Darol Anger, Grant Gordy, Matt Flinner, and others, plus his teaching duties at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He also offers mandolin instruction through Peghead Nation.
On this latest project, we find Joe on mandolin, mandola, and octave mandolin, surrounded by a bevy of top New England players.
As a taste, Walsh has agreed to share one of the tracks with our readers, Rosalind, which he wrote. Joe is on mandola with Grant Gordy on guitar, Matt Flinner on banjo, Karl Doty on bass, John Mailander on fiddle, and John Suntken on drums.
Joe says that he found this tune while working with students.
“Rosalind is a tune that came to life as part of a ‘tune writing’ ensemble I run at school. Every week the students and I each try and write a tune in response to a prompt, and I think this one came out after we looked at a bunch of tunes that I like to call ‘one idea’ tunes.
It’s amazing how many of my favorite tunes have melodies that develop one melodic idea for a whole section, maintaining the original seed while changing things enough to hold interest. As examples, Béla Fleck’s tune Slipstream comes to mind, or Gentle on My Mind, or the Tennessee Waltz, amongst countless others. Whether composing a tune or improvising on some chords, it’s good to remember this.”
It’s lovely tune which should appeal to anyone who enjoys melodic acoustic music, expertly played.
Have a listen…
Rosalind, and Joe’s full If Not Now, Who? album, are available now from popular download and streaming services online.
