Jaded Mandolin by Jaded Mandolin

They do a terrific job of respecting their traditional material without embalming it."

The quartet formed in March of 2005. It was a twist of fate that brought them all together with their instruments one afternoon. Everything seemed to click, and since then the band has been making a name for themselves in the Boston folk scene. Through frequenting open mikes, a following quickly began to develop. After a debut performance in May at the Nameless Coffeehouse, the band's identity took shape. They impressed booking agents all over Boston, especially Maureen Leblanc of the Nameless: "Among Jaded Mandolin's major strengths are faithfulness to the tradition of the music they play and a firm footing in the future of that music. Members Eric McDonald, Michael Vitale, Adrian Rigopulos, and Molly Pinto-Madigan play and sing traditional material, as well as original songs, with energy and joy. Vitale's song, "Echo of a Lamentation," is reminiscent of something found in some dusty old Zen hymnal. Regarding adversity and the skill of learning from it, Pinto-Madigan plaintively sings, "In the echo of a lamentation, There you'll find joy quietly waiting. Even though the shadows do fall, The light that brings them will drive away them all." Jaded Mandolin is good medicine, for hard times."

With a number of songs under their belt, they plunged forward, interpreting bluegrass their own way. The achievements they've made already are impressive. Armed with a six song homemade demo, they spread their music all over Massachusetts, playing for whoever they can whenever they can, and have gained a musical maturity few teenagers can boast of. Live they are both electrifying and soulful, with an impressive repertoire of music that will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

Each member of the band has a rich musical history. They all play or have played in the Family Folk Chorale, a Boston based intergenerational chorus, and with that group have shared the stage with Tracy Grammer, musical partner to the late Dave Carter, who has greatly influenced all the members of Jaded Mandolin. As former members of Iridium, the band has opened for The Resophonics and dipped their toes into the world of gigging. Individually, each member of the band has a wide variety of accomplishments. Molly Pinto-Madigan sang the Summer Revels in 2005. She has played classical piano for many years, and has been a member of the National Fraternity of Student Musicians since 2004. She has also studied violin, drums, guitar, and pennywhistle and sung in multiple musical theatre productions. Eric McDonald is the lead singer/rythm guitarist of the rock band Waka Waka, which was a semifinalist in the 2004 WBCN Battle of the Bands. He is also is part of the trio Talaria, with his sister Justine and Jaded Mandolin fiddler Michael Vitale. Michael was trained classically, and has been a member of various orchestras at the New England Conservatory of Music. He has played fiddle for the Church of the Redeemer, the PALS childrens chorus, many singer/songwriters and countless others. Adrian Rigopulos plays bass in the Eliza Moore Band, sang in the PALS childrens chorus until he wasn't considered a child anymore, and plays in GBYSO (Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra). He has also played electric bass and drums in various situations, including three years with Waka Waka.

Jaded Mandolin cannot fail to make an impression. Here's the impression Susan Master, former host of Springstep's Folkal Point series got: "I first heard Jaded Mandolin when they opened for the Resophonics. Opening for the Resophonics is no small feat. Besides being superb individual musicians with exceptionally high energy, they have worked and played together for years, honing their talents. My surprise came when some teenagers filled the stage, grabbed my attention quickly and raised the roof. Each member of Jaded Mandolin adds his or her own energies and talents to stand and deliver a blend of bluegrass that builds on what they've heard to create something worth listening to, entirely their own."

The future of Jaded Mandolin is bright. Filled with determination and positive energy, as well as musical talent, they are poised to become a mainstay on the local scene. The debut cd was released in August of 2006 to s full house at Club Passim in Cambridge.

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