Andrew Collins
Little Widgets
© 2005 Andrew Collins (061297645862)
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Original instrumental acoustic roots music.
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"Andrew has obviously done his homework on the music that he loves. Many of us in the modern string band field were beginning to wonder if our music was just a blip on the music map, but in the last couple of years, we have encountered a whole new generation of extremely talented young people who are getting ready to take this stuff to the next level. Andrew suddenly seems to be one of the major players in this field; both his concept and execution are original, while leaving no doubt as to his stylistic roots. He also seems to have a crucial something extra, the ability to lead and bring out a collective focus which will produce lasting inportant work that connects with the rest of the musical world." Darol Anger
"Little Widgets" is the debut solo-release from Canadian mandolinist and newgrass proponent Andrew Collins of the Creaking Tree String Quartet and Foggy Hogtown Boys. This is a much anticipated follow up to his duo release, with Marc Roy, 'Likewise'.
Little Widgets is a compilation of eleven instrumentals that feature Collins as composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, mandola, mandocello, guitar and fiddle), featuring nine originals, plus one Bach cello suite and a traditional tune.
Andrew is joined on this recording by long-time musical associates John Showman (fiddle), Andrew Downing (bass), Brad Keller (guitar), Brian Kobayakawa (bass), Marc Roy (guitar), Chris Quinn (banjo) and Chris Coole (banjo).
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ThreeStarSmash.com review
author: Luke RoundaIn space, no one can hear you scream–an age old adage rarely adhered to by Hollywood. After all, with no sound in space (and no fire either, for the most part…), how can space scenes and battles in the sky possibly be enthralling? The short-lived but well-loved science fiction television series Firefly had the answer: mandolin. Like Cowboy Bebop, which employed jazz & blues courtesy of Yoko Kanno and her band the Seatbelts, the formula seems to work rather well: roots music against a void of stars and human drama. Purely from a music listener’s standpoint, though, the void is being filled, not emptied. Jazz, blues, bluegrass: yesterday’s pop is today’s underground. There are gems in every genre of music, but those gems can be especially shiny to listeners who only rarely step outside their comfort zone of rock and pop. “Little Widgets” is a delightful set from Andrew Collins, a modern “newgrasser” with his thumbs simultaneously on the pulse of new and old worlds. The mandolin is his calling card, but mandola, mandocello, guitar and fiddle also feature in this self-composed, produced and performed disc, showcasing Collins’ impressive ability in every area. All eleven songs are instrumental, and vary in style from upbeat, fast-paced and incredibly enjoyable newgrass (”Little Widgets,” “Sunlight At Midnight,” “Pendleton Murray”) to jazz (”Blue Ming”), to more old timey ‘grass cuts like “The Yellow Barber.” It becomes clear that Collins can easily claim virtuoso status from the very first notes of “Little Widgets,” a lightning-paced mandolin picker; the mando is soon joined by a scratchy, rootsy and loveable violin. The fiddle shrieks and croons on “Sunlight at Midnight,” a tune which comes off both slow and fast, exhibiting the dynamic range of acoustic music (something to which current, over-compressed, radio & iPod-bound generations have little exposure) and Collins’ indisputable talent as a composer. If fast-paced isn’t your bag, there are alternatives: a Bach cello suite (”Prelude from Cello Suite No. 3″), the bucolic, harmonic-laden lullaby “Bottom’s Dream,” or appropriately-titled “Riding Off Into The Sunset” are all winners, too. The clear standout, though, is track three, “Pendleton Murray,” which conjures images of hayseeds chasing hound dogs via effortless mando plucking and near-ethereal violin swaying. Oddballers, this is your game. ‘Grass fans, you’re sure to dig it, too. Yahoo for “Little Widgets”! Fans of “oddball” instrumental virtuosos might also appreciate the wonderful Ba Cissoko, who channel Hendrix’s ghost via the kora, a 21-string lute from Africa.
Excellent!
author: kThis CD is a fantastic collection of tunes that range from bluegrass, newgrass and jazz to swing and classical. Andrew's mandolin style is somewhere between Chris Thile and Matt Flinner so I highly recommend it to fans of these players.
Cool mandolin blueprints!
author: CristinaI love the music on this cd - it's all I hoped for. I'm a big fan of Chris Thile and this music has a similar style. I bought this cd after getting to listen to most of the tracks on Cool Mandolin's website - thank you for letting your songs be played so that we could "preview" the music. I'm glad I bought the cd! Very cool cover to the cd, by the way (the mandolin blueprint) - I have it hanging up on my wall now. I am learning to play mandolin and your music is inspiring.
A brilliant, original, eminently listenable CD from a talented young musician
author: Cathy Boyd-WithersThis CD is amazing. I never get tired of listening to it and it gets better each time. Andrew is, quite simply, a virtuoso on the mandolin. His talent, creativity, orginality and passion for the instrument shine through on every track. If the mandolin isn't already your favourite instrument, this CD will convert you!
This is an awesome cd!
author: Laura LederAndrew Collins is a first class mandolinist. Little Widgets is now one of my favorite CD's. Each song has a unique sound..from bluegrass to jazz. You'll be hooked from the first song.
- author: Ralf Rodl
I purchased the CD to hear someone play a Heiden mandolin with competence, as I now own one of Michaels instruments myself. Now I am also a big fan of Andrew. Innovative melodies and great picking on every track. I am playing this CD very often.
Well done Andrew!
author: Craig MurrayI love this album. It is extremely diverse and highlights Andrew’s fantastic composing and performing skills. Little Widgets firmly establishes Andrew as a world-class performer and composer of acoustic music. Andrew Collins is without a question in the same league as the multi-instrumentalist giants like Mike Marshall and Mark O’Conner. Buy this album – you won’t be disappointed.