Andrew Collins Duo

ANDREW COLLINS DUO — LIVE AT MILLS HARDWARE!

Mando maestro Andrew Collins finds himself – through no actual fault of his own – at the epicentre of Canada’s burgeoning acoustic/roots music scene. He didn’t invent it – but he's certainly been a contributor, having co-founded seriously noteworthy Canadian bands like the Creaking Tree String Quartet, the Foggy Hogtown Boys and, more recently, his namesake Trio. That’s not to mention the fact that this prolific, robust performer – comfortable on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, mandola and mandocello – composes, produces, arranges, writes and teaches across multiple genres, including a popular collision of folk, jazz, bluegrass, celtic, and classical. As Collins gathers up innumerable JUNO nominations (5) and Canadian Folk Music Awards (7) won by his various ensembles, he’s zeroing in on the work he does with Trio-mates: fellow string guru Adam Shier, whose versatility shines through on guittar, mandolin and vocals, and in-the-pocket James McEleney holding it down on the bass, mandocello and vocals. Showcasing a dizzying number of styles and instruments on stage, Collins and Co. appear to live by the old adage, “idle hands are the devil’s workshop”, likely keeping them just ahead of his grasp. Bending and blending genres, these musical shape shifters land somewhere between the re-imagined worlds of Béla Fleck Newgrass invader David Grisman, and the legendary Yo Yo Ma! Andrew’s most recent release, The Rule of Three , was, serendipitously enough, nominated for three Canadian Folk Music Awards! In just a matter of weeks, he and his musical mates are poised to release, Retro , a treasure trove of Andrew’s signature tracks over the years with fresh arrangements and spirited trio interplay. From blazing bluegrass to jazzy waltzes and classical reinterpretations, Retro shows that great music evolves through honouring its roots. Retro , the sixth release by the Andrew Collins Trio – now in its 14th year as an ensemble – builds on Collins' 25-year discography, showcasing his distinctive compositional and improvisational voice on the mandolin within the New Acoustic tradition. Drawing on original repertoire from solo, duo, and collaborative projects, Retro reflects on Collins' early years while reimagining the material through the perspective of a more mature and seasoned artist. Recorded live off the floor, the album embraces a raw, transparent sound shaped by a deliberately classical approach to recording, mixing, and mastering. Stylistically, Retro adopts a decidedly old-school ethos, emphasizing direct melodic statements and open improvisation over excessively composed and intricate arrangements, with each piece thoughtfully reinvented to stand apart from its predecessor.

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“The level of musicianship is outstanding, as you’d expect from a serial award winner such as Andrew Collins. He must be one of the best mandolin players in the business” – Americana UK

“Collins is a staggering mandolin player, able to achieve extraordinary speed, variety and nuance, whilst also being equally fluent on mandocello, mandola, guitar and violin. And that’s just on this album: the band appears to switch and shape-shift between instruments and roles with absolute assurance and ease… phenomenally talented…” – Folking.com

“Nimble fretwork, old-timey, ragtimey, in the genial opening set from Canadian mandolinist Andrew Collins and his trio” – The Scotsman