International Mandolin Spectacular

Chicago mandolinist Don Stiernberg returns to host another International Mandolin Spectacular. Don's guest this time is his longtime friend Carlo Aonzo of Savona Italy. The idea for this reunion was a double trio concert, as both mandolinists have recently released recordings with their respective working trios, each project a mixed bag of mandocentric numbers rendered in the mandolin-guitar-bass format. After each trio performs, all six musicians will certainly gather onstage and converse in the universal language of music. The concert is a rare opportunity for these musicians to meet in Chicago and explore and display the possibilities of the mandolin, their trios, and styles of music from A (Aonzo) to Z(jazZ).

Don Stiernberg Trio

While still in his teens, Don Stiernberg learned to play the mandolin from the innovative and influential virtuoso Jethro Burns. Jethro referred to Don as his "graduate student", hired him to play in his band, and guided him to a career as a professional musician which has already lasted for decades.

A leading exponent of jazz mandolin style, Don has nine recording projects of his own and appears on many others by a variety of artists in all styles. The most recent of these is "Good Numbers", a jazz CD by the trio. The numbers include standards, jazz tunes and one original. The trio includes two renowned Chicago jazz musicians. Guitarist Andy Brown is known for his brilliance with all facets of guitar playing in this style-accompaniment, blazing solo lines, and his own unique chordal style. Jim Cox is everyone's favorite bass player, with performance and recording credentials ranging from Earl Hines to Judy Roberts to Marian McPartland to Rosemary Clooney and countless others. The trio has performed from Portland east to Portland west as well as overseas visits to festivals in Germany and Brazil. Their style might be described as swinging interpretations of accessible jazz material played acoustically on mandolin(and occasional vocal), guitar, and bass. Or, in short, Good Pickin' on the Good Numbers.

Carlo Aonzo Trio

A musical journey from the Italian tradition to jazz, from classical music to bluegrass: from Europe to America and back…

The Carlo Aonzo Trio offers a voyage through European and American music, revisiting songs chosen from among the international evergreens. The music, which can be offered in different combinations, encompasses a variety of musical genres, from bluegrass to folk dances, from soundtracks to jazz and Brazilian music, from Italian melody to a review of the classical repertoire. Aonzo and his group take the listener on a "mandolin journey" to discover, in the company of this amazing instrument, the common roots of music.