Mike Marshall (born Michael James Marshall, July 17, 1957 in New Castle, Pennsylvania is an American mandolin player and multi-instrumentalist who grew up in central Florida and now lives in Oakland, California. Marshall has been a part of New Acoustic Music since the early 1980s. He has performed and recorded with many musicians in a variety of styles, including bluegrass, classical, jazz and Brazilian music. In addition to several instruments within the mandolin family, Marshall also plays the guitar and violin.
Marshall has recorded and toured with other contemporary acoustic musicians such as David Grisman, Tony Rice, Mark O'Connor, Stéphane Grappelli, Darol Anger, Barbara Higbie, and Jerry Douglas. His two recordings on the Sony Classical label: Uncommon Ritual with banjo innovator Béla Fleck and bassist Edgar Meyer; and Short Trip Home with violinist Joshua Bell, mandolinist Sam Bush and Meyer were both on the Billboard Classical Music charts.
Mike Marshall is much like Mark O'Connor, a virtuoso on several string instruments, an innovative composer and arranger who refuses to be pigeonholed stylistically, and also an alum of David Grisman's band. Numerous Grisman alumni turn up on this 1984 release, including violinist Darol Anger, bassists Todd Phillips and Rob Wasserman, guitarist Tony Rice, and even Grisman himself, along with dobro player Jerry Douglas, Bla Fleck on banjo, violinist David Balikrishan (who would later co-found the Turtle Island String Quartet with Anger), and pianist Barbara Higbie. Marshall sticks primarily to mandolin on this mostly progressive bluegrass date, though he's also heard on mandola, mandocello, violin, and guitar. Highlights include the funky original "Gator Strut," "Ravel" (a solo effort featuring the leader overdubbed on several instruments while adapting a theme by the French Impressionist composer), a joint arrangement with Anger of John Coltrane's infrequently performed "Giant Hornpipe," and a brilliant interpretation of Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight." ~ Ken Dryden
Mobile Fidelity has chosen Mike Marshall's Gator Strut to introduce its Discovery Series of Hybrid SACDs. It's a classic collaboration of the current generation of virtuoso instrumentalists forging new directions in a vital musical style influenced by the worlds of Jazz, Classical, Folk, Blues, Country music, and acoustic music from around the globe. Originally released on LP and standard CD in the very early days of digital, Gator Strut was in serious need of a sonic upgrade. As usual, Mobile Fidelity has extracted every ounce of musicality from the original analog master tape to finally allow listeners to hear the incredible music contained on this remarkable recording! Gator Strut's title track alone will amaze you and is worth the price of admission alone. Trust us on this one! - Music Direct
Mike Marshall's selection of tunes for Gator Strut come from pens as diverse as Bach, Monk, Ravel, Coltrane, and Lennon & McCartney. While the arrangement for the familiar songs are tantalizingly brilliant, it's Marshall's originals that are the standout cuts, showing off the writing and playing of his fellow master musicians. The upper echelon of Americana is here: mandolinist David Grisman, Bela Fleck on banjo, guitarist Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas on dobro, Darol Anger on violin, and bassists Rob Wasserman and Todd Phillips. Marshall proves any string instrument is within reach of his tremendous talents with breathtaking turns on mandolin, mandocello, mandello, guitar and violin.
Gator Strut was impeccably recorded and originally mastered in 1984 by the esteemed George Horn at Fantasy Records in Berkeley. The MFSL mastering gives you a real representation of the natural tonality of real acoustic instruments. On the title cut, listen as the percussive effect of the bowed bass and cello cut through the mix; you can practically feel the bow on the strings. The larger body of Marshall's mandocello floats in the center of the soundstage with a startling sense of realism. Marshall plays all four parts in an excerpt from Ravel's 'String Quartet in F' and his arrangement of Bach's 'Partita #3 in E Major' is a gorgeous interpretation for solo mandolin. Monk's 'Round Midnight' and Coltrane's 'Giant Hornpipe' feature Darol Anger's incredible violin playing at the forefront. On the Beatles' 'Because,' from Abbey Road, Marshall and David Grisman's mandolin prowess is well evidenced. From start to finish, this limited edition Mobile Fidelity SACD is incredible.
MFSL, also known as MOFI, properly known as MOBILE FIDELITY SOUND LAB was the grandfather of all audiophile labels. Their LPs and CDs were highly sought after by audiophiles, because, quite simply, they were the best available at the time (most still are).
Unfortunately the original MFSL company no longer exists. Thankfully, others have taken up the audiophile gauntlet, using the MFSL name to issue high quality, great sounding CD product...this is one such title...FACTORY SEALED no less!!
This listing is for a very rare audiophile Hybrid SACD title! It is OUT OF PRINT - a FACTORY SEALED HYBRID SACD (can be played on ALL SACD and CD Players), PRESSED and ISSUED by the MFSL {MOFI} company, of a highly collectible title from their music catalog, featuring -
Mike Marshall
Hybrid SACD Title -
Gator Strut
Featuring -
Mike Marshall, guitar, mandocello, mandola, mandolin, violin
Mike Wollenberg, Tony Rice, guitar
Jerry Douglas, dobro
Bela Fleck, banjo
David Grisman, mandolin
Darol Anger, violin, cello
David Balakrishnan, violin
Barbara Higbie, piano, synthesizer
Rob Wasserman, Todd Phillips, bass instrument
Track Listing -
1. Dance of the Planktons
2. We Three
3. Gator Strut
4. Chief Sitting in the Rain
5. Ravel - (excerpt from String Quartet In F Major)
6. Giant Hornpipe
7. Because
8. Scotch and Swing
9. Bach Partita #3
10. Ybor City
11. Round Midnight
12. Gator's Dream
13. Wake Up
14. We Three (Reprise)
The Hybrid SACD is from the rare MFSL series of audiophile HYBRID SACD/CDs (out of print).
-
Hybrid SACD catalog # UDSACD 7001
-
Utradisc UHR - Gain 2
-
Direct Stream Digital (DSD)
-
Original Recording - released in 1987 on Rounder Records, released by MFSL in 2004
Hybrid SACD made in the USA
The Hybrid SACD, JEWEL CASE and INSERTS are all assumed to be in MINT overall condition as this item is actually FACTORY SEALED!
This Hybrid SACD is an audiophile quality pressing (any collector of fine MFSL, half speeds, direct to discs, Japanese/UK pressings etc., can attest to the difference a quality pressing can make to an audio system).
Do not let this rarity slip
by!