Exclusive Premium JazzMando "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" Shirt A tribute to a ground-breaking book... SPECIAL REDUCED PRICE! We're offering a limited run of black long-sleeve shirts for anyone wanting to sport a picture of the cover of Mel Bay's recent contribution to mandolin pedagogy, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin. Note the full-color printing is not inexpensive, and we've gone temporarily with a long-sleeve only until the northern lattitudes spring thaw. (If you'd be interested in a short-sleeve version later, or in Medium or Small sizes, let us know.) These stylish black long-sleeve Hanes "Anvil" 100% Preshrunk cotton shirts are adorned with a full size view of the book's cover, a chance for you to show off to your friends what you are studying, even when you don't have a mandolin in your hands. The dirty little secret of these: fashion experts know black is also very "slimming" and flattering; plus, the sleeves will also keep you warmer in the fall/winter season. "Slimming" color and contour Stylish ribbed sleeve cuffs Comfy Haynes 5.4-oz 100% preshrunk cotton Neck rib is seamless, and TearAway tag easily be removed Help support the site with a purchase of this premium shirt for yourself, and/or a friend. ORDER YOUR PREMIUM "GiJM" SHIRT FROM THE JAZZMANDO MERCHANDISE CENTER TODAY! Show off your good taste in fashion and mandolin pedagogy!... IN STOCK: NOW SHIPPING Shirts available in Large and Extra Large (tend to fit a bit smaller) $19.95 (plus $3.00 First Class Postage USA domestic; contact us for outside US rates). Limited XXL available for $3.00 more. Instructions : PREORDER NOW Select Size: Premium Large $19.95 black long-sleeve (plus $3.00 S&H) Premium Extra Large $19.95 black long-sleeve (plus $3.00 S&H) Premium Double Extra Large $22.95 black long-sleeve (plus $3.00 S&H) Limited Quantities Allow extra two weeks for delivery on XXL size Or: Contact us for snail mail adress to send check. We can ship non-domestic shirt orders for an additional $10.00 each. Countries we've had success shipping to include: UK (Great Britain) Ireland France Belgium Denmark Germany Israel Australia New Zealand Finland Norway Japan Sweden Netherlands If your shipping country is not listed above contact us prior to ordering. Clicking this will add $10.00 to your shopping cart. (Qualified) First-Class Mail© International Extra Shipping Charge $10.00 About the JazzMando Merchandise Center: Products offered in our Merchandise area are for the benefit of promoting the art of jazz mandolin. All profits are redirected into developing artists, underwriting and supporting concerts, and encouraging the proliferation of jazz mandolin pedagogy. Consider a purchase in the center an opportunity to help this cause and give to the ever expanding community of this art.
From the Dawg Collection by Eastman DG1 Mandolin Not long ago, American mandolinist pioneer David Grisman, known for his tastes in collecting and performing with exquisite vintage instruments, caused quite a stir when he was seen heralding an enigmatic silhouette on stage, something resembling more spacecraft than folk music implement. With a simple swipe of the mando-master innovator's pick, the broad Dawg music following was introduced to Grisman's enduring passion for the hand craftsmanship of worldclass builder Corrado Giacomel of Genoa, Italy. Popular veteran performer Grisman and the instrument maker have since forged a unique friendship and business relationship, offering this breakthrough design a widespread and immediate audience this side of the Atlantic. The original J5 model he currently sports bears a substantial price tag at $12,500; in addition a production capacity limited to approximately ten per year, both factors pose major acquisition barriers to all but the exlusive elite of professional players and dedicated hobbyists. The good news, however, is this partnership is now broadened to the mass market with its collaboration with Eastman Strings, inarguably one of the fastest growing manufacturers of mid-level mandolins, already having achieved a decade of acceptance and notoriety in quality orchestral strings production, as well as world renown acceptance in Jazzbox guitars. Eastman's first introduction in a larger experiment offering other reproductions of Grisman's personal collection is this joint effort, a mid-priced replica inspired and approved by Giacomel, the DG1. Suggested List Price at $3495, its street price will likely to be closer to $3K, a much more palatable acquisition for a broader market. The uniqueness of the instrument is not only in its looks and other-world cosmetic panache. Much like its older sisters in Eastman's 900 series, the AAA quality highly flamed maple is capable of a robust resonance; great volume is not an issue at all on this model. Where it departs is in the multitude of sensuous wood curves and alien angle, a myriad of hand carved bends and folds; it feels as good to hold as it looks to the eye. Physical balance is comfortable in playing, and any strap designed for a traditional scroll will have no trouble attaching to the functional, albeit abbreviated Giacomel scroll. There's a subtle beauty in the carved arching here that extends to the circumference of the rest of the top, elegantly mirrored on the back. We also like the aesthetics of the hand-bound ivoroid binding, a thin black line accentuating the instrument's extraterrestrial perimeter. The ebony pickguard nicely balances and complements the easy-access custom ebony tailpiece, great for quick string changes, a homogenous veneer repeated on the back of headstock. The F-holes exaggerate tradition a bit in center flare, but remain unbound, driving the eye instead to its unique outer body silhouette. If we had any negative concern at all with this instrument, it would its V-profile neck, an admittedly personal dislike. The thin pronouncement is slightly uncomfortable for a player preferring a flatter or rounded neck. . Tuners and headstock adornments are extraordinarily classy, from the high quality gold tuners, to the updated torch/flowerpot, to the wood-inlaid Dawg logo on the truss rod cover. Asian import instruments have penetrated the American market with substandard quality for decades, but Eastman has distinguished its name early into home and stage during its five year mandolin manufacturing by focusing its production on an upper scale, discriminating advanced-entry and mid-level market. The precision of joint fitting and deviation from cosmetic shortcuts is a charter that has served them well in establishing a reputation for premium quality at an affordable price. As mentioned earlier, the instrument is sufficiently loud, but not "chop" loud. It trades a definitive "cut" for a more reserved sweetness. Still, its capacity for roundness in the hands of the right pick and player allow for a wide variety of music, and would bode well for the classical and jazz mandolinist. A modest deficiency of authoritative lows might make it a more appropriate "blending" orchestral ensemble tool for some than solo stage, but for an instrument in this price range, certain concessions should be allowed. This is not the $12K instrument it replicates, and at its remarkable price point to expect anything different would be unrealistic. The DG1 came in a classic, oblong lightweight violin-style case, adequately protected from environmental intrusion or blow. We understand this is a limited production run, so any player interested would be prudent in visiting his/her authorized Eastman dealer soon. Manufacturer Website: Eastman Mandolins Information on original Giacomel J5: Acoustic Disc Recommended Eastman Dealers Acoustic Music Vibes Fiddler's Green Music Read up on other world class mandolin builders:
New from the Will Patton Ensemble, 6th St. Runaround. Will Patton, consummate Gypsy/Choro musician has wowed the mandolin world once again with his fourth masterpiece CD, "6th St. Runaround." Patton has recorded a consistent stream of signature "Django meets Jacob" music for over a decade, and this one further injects, as he confesses to his younger days "prowling around lower Manhattan taking in jazz every night" where he was inspired in paradoxically half-empty clubs by the likes of Bill Evans, Sonny Rollins, Art Farmer. Will muses, "James Moody at Sweet Basil, a late night set on a weeknight--there was a table of good natured hecklers behind us that led to a hilarious exchange from the stage--it was Cecil Taylor and his posse.... I felt like I was in jazz heaven." The title track "6th Street Runaround" opens with a hard-swinging resolve, immediately establishing the CD's agenda, with the subsequent "Parana" returning to Patton's familiar South American sound. What we really have been eagerly anticipating was his first meeting with Texas Swing/Bebop mandolin authority Paul Glasse on the project's 5th track, "Breakfast Feud." Though the two had only corresponded long distance prior, and are certainly kindred spirits, their "first contact" recording in Austin prior to Summer NAMM 2007 gave the jazz mandolin powerhouses a chance to exchange ideas and commit some excellent playing to hard disk. Glasse, just recovering from a broken wrist six weeks prior clearly "took one for the team" and was still able to coax his signature magic out of his Monteleone A5. It's an interesting study in mandolin sound; in the left channel with Will's classic Teens Gibson A (right for Paul's A); the results are blissfully subtle and ironically commanding for instruments both known more for their sweetness than their gravitas. Patton's interpretation of the Mercer/Van Huesen classic, "I thought about You," exemplifies his unique ability to fit in with the standard jazz combo, horn (clarinet here), piano, bass. The mandolin undeniably holds it's own within the traditional setting, as it does with the follow up Bud Powell bop familiar "Webb city" in the hollowbody jazz guitar/mandolin duo backed by rhythm section. The album, like the rest of the body of Patton's recordings, is a veritable laboratory of the mandolin's all-too-rarely tapped jazz potential. While Will's impeccable string improvisation skills dazzle, it's his structural sensibility that hits all cylinders on both cerebral and intuitive levels. Almost a folksinger approach to all of his craftily constructed songs, his original melodies are catchy and infectious. The project had been two years in the planning and though each soloist blows brilliant improvisation, the tunes are executed tightly with consistency and direction. The songs allow the players to breathe, yet the end result never betrays the ensemble's gestalt. Of particular note, daughter Anna's clarinet skills continue to mature and bring the next generation of the Patton genes to the microphone. Her sweet tone and classic jazz sensibility jibe well with the rest of "the boys;" it has to make a father proud. This is a great collection of songs, and is destined to take its place with his other three projects already in permanent rotation in our stack of most-played CDs. Selections: 1. 6th Street Runaround 2. Parana 3. Bess 4. Valse 29 5. Breakfast Feud 6. I Thought About You 7. Webb City 8. Bounce 9. Turbilhao 10. Nick's Tricks 11. Tournez a Trois Purchase: 6th St. Runaround Artist Website Read past review: String Theory Note: Will Patton has graciously contributed a song demo in our own book support page. If you're currently studying out of "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin," check out his interpretation of "Lydia O'Lydia" on the Webtracks page. Check out other new release artist recordings
Introducing Getting Into Jazz Mandolin 20835BCD from Mel Bay Publishing. NOW SHIPPING!!! Why Jazz Mandolin? The last half-century has produced an explosion of interest in guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and other string instruments. Once relegated to simple folk music, these instruments are now in their heyday of popularity, enjoying an exponentially expanding immersion into a variety of more complex styles, from blues to jazz, to a wide array of world ethnicities. Though rooted in nearly three centuries of European tradition, only in the last two decades the mandolin is just recently following closely on the heels of its more popular bigger brother, the guitar. From Cowboy chords, to Elvis, to Guitar Hero, the guitar of today is prominently main-stream, arguably surpassing the piano in status. The mandolin is poised to capture and captivate a similarly expanding market and popularity; all that has been missing is the published pedagogies necessary to equip the player to enjoy a broader array of musical styles. Until now... Jazz is the natural evolving starting point, with its complex rhythmic and harmonic structure; Mel Bay writer Ted Eschliman has developed a strategic method to take the advanced-beginner folk mandolinist into the richly verdant vocabulary of jazz. With this language at his/her fingertips, the player can dig deep not only into jazz, but other equally complex genres, including classical, Broadway, Brazilian Choro, and many other challenging musical styles. What this book offers: A clear, consistent course progression. The player starts with something already known (the Major Scale) and develops patterns that can be intuitively expanded. Jazz variations are introduced incrementally, and by the end of the book, the player should be relatively comfortable improvising. Clear language. Advanced music theory is explained with unpretentious prose, uncomplicated terminology and good humor. A mandolinist could simply play through all the exercises, and at very least, get more proficient with the fretboard, at best build some higher level jazz vocabulary. Supportive Audio. The 70-minute CD included gives audio examples, as well as limitless opportunity to practice and jam with the exercises. An additional web-based audio page on the JazzMando.com website, "Webtracks" offers expanded opportunity to hear and interact with even more sound tracks and professional artists' interpretations of the music and concepts. Tab and notation. Exercises are written in both standard notation and mandolin tablature to communicate proper fretboard positions. Fingering markings are included to suggest effective finger placement. What makes this book different from any other mandolin book? Though its exercises offer generous benefit to any mandolinist desiring better finger technique and fretboard familiarity, its focus is on the more complex harmonic vocabulary of jazz, but in a slow, non-threatening tack. It's comprehensive, but not cloyingly detailed, bogged down with esoteric trivia. It allows guidance, but also opens doors to nurturing further player self-discovery. It develops playing strength and discipline, but in a fun and entertaining manner. Eschliman has pioneered the revolutionary "FFcP" pattern method of moving scales and patterns around the fretboard. Mandolinists across the world are already using his unique movable system to supercharge their improvisation skills, and the book takes this systematic methodology to a whole new level, while simultaneously introducing advanced aural concepts. About purchasing the book through the JazzMando Merchandise Center: there are plenty of quality online retailers where this book is available. Understand the author still makes the same royalties whether or not the book is purchased here or through them. For a complete list of where these are available, the Mel Bay website lists their preferred vendors by volume status, Gold, Silver, and Bronze. These designations reflect stocking levels and commitment to other fine Mel Bay products. For the list, consult: Mel Bay Dealers We are offering the opportunity for autographed copies in exchange for a $10 donation to the Cool Mandolins for Kids program (further details, visit the Cool Mandolin Website). This is included in our shopping cart price. ($35 total) Don't feel obligated to have your book "defaced;" if you'd rather no markings, this is perfectly understandable! If you'd like a personal comment, use the contact form to request your text. Instructions: ORDER BOOK W/CD Choose autographed or unautographed copy ($10 from autograph will be donated to the Cool Mandolins for Kids Scholarship fund): 20835BCD with Author's Autograph $19.95 plus $5.05 s&h and $10.00 scholarship donation For text request, send us a separate message, contact after ordering. 20835BCD without Autograph $19.95 plus $5.05 s&h Or: Send $35.00 check payable to "Jazzmando" (no cash, please!) specifying Book with autograph, with your request, and your mailing address to: "AUTOGRAPHED 'GIJM' OFFER" JazzMando HQ 7341 So 35th Lincoln, NE 68516 (Drop us a note if you send a check, so we can be sure to hold one for you.) We can ship non-domestic book orders for an additional $10.00 each. Countries we've had success shipping to include: UK (Great Britain) Ireland France Belgium Germany Israel Australia New Zealand Finland Norway Sweden Japan If your shipping country is not listed above contact us prior to ordering. Clicking this will add $10.00 to your shopping cart. (Qualified) First-Class Mail© International Extra Shipping Charge $10.00 The Clark JM & book. Click for more about the Clark JM! About the JazzMando Merchandise Center: Products offered in our Merchandise area are for the benefit of promoting the art of jazz mandolin. All profits are redirected into developing artists, underwriting and supporting concerts, and encouraging the proliferation of jazz mandolin pedagogy. Consider a purchase in the center an opportunity to help this cause and give to the ever expanding community of this art. Don't forget to check out the latest audio updates at our web-based PROFESSIONALS SOUND LAB here on the JazzMando website, "Webtracks," including demo tracks by premier jazz mandolinist Don Stiernberg.
Why have six strings when five will do? We've been privy to a first-hand, up close encounter with the wicked cool transformation of a Gibson 6-string "Mandolin/Guitar" into a remarkable little 5-string mandolin, complete with jazz custom pickup. Ed Christian, honorary deputy JazzMando Staff Research Assistant and (full-time) English Professor out in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, tackled this boldly imaginative project with an admirable degree of success. First a bit about the Gibson M6 Mandolin/Guitar: to call this instrument a massive marketing gaffe might be a tad melodramatic, but certainly, an instrument whose manufacturer suggested List Price in the $5 & $6K range, typically streeting in the low $1K now, certainly hasn't hit its target. The concept of a mandolin body tuned like a high pitched guitar (all six strings) didn't exactly catch fire in the Nashville circuit; we're excited to see this transformed into something useful. From the Gibson website: The Gibson M-6 features an A-style mandolin body with a short-scale guitar neck that makes every guitarist an instant multi-instrumentalist. The M-6 is tuned an octave higher than a standard guitar, so that the high E-string matches the highest open string on a mandolin. Guitarists can get the tone of a mandolin without having to adapt to a different tuning." One word: "Why???" Professor Christian's courageous vision was to first change this wood and steel abomination from a 6- to a 5-string. In order to do that, first he had to address the tuning tension balance issue of floppy C versus taut E string. This is a perpetual challenge for the 5-string designer to pull off (pun intended), but one of the most effective solutions in our opinion is the Fanned-Fret system. Throwing all caution to the wind (and exploiting the instrument's extended fingerboard width), he removed the fretboard, calculating the math for appropriate tension and intonation and installed .080 fretwire, eventually settling in on a 14-1/2" scale on the E and 15-3/4 for the C. Note this really makes the instrument more of a mandola with an added E than a mandolin with a C, and frankly, the instrument is approached more effectively mentally when played that way. (Frame this as a short scale mandola with an extended upper register.) This also lends itself better for jazz; comping and chord melody always sounds better in this register any way. After achieving success here, his next step was to add a Benedetto sytle jazz pickup, settling on a terrific sounding Kent Armstrong designed for this kind of tonal character. Using a larger guitar size model worked for two reasons: 1.) the fretboard is already wider, and 2.) the angled position required more area. The floating pickup was jury rigged to some homemade ebony inserts, and emits some amazing warmth and response (very hot magnetically) for sustain and rich fundamental. That he used the JD13 Jazzdola Flatwounds for the wound doesn't hurt, either. We ran this through a Fender Blues Jr. tube amp, but Ed also recommended his more "acoustic-true" AER acoustic amp. It would be safe to say the fanned-fret system quite effectively resolves the usual 5-string problem of having the C string be either too loose or too fat. Intonation concerns are pretty much moot; with the bridge at a slant like the frets (and nut), each string is completely in tune (equal temperament intonation, of course) throughout the fretboard. You really get the best of both worlds, an incredible compromise with a near-mandola scale on the bass side (16"), and less reach on the treble side (14") all in the same instrument. Is the fanned-fret scale easier for a mandolin player to play than a jazz mandola with a complete 16" fretboard? This particular instrument would be an unfair comparison; probably yes with an overall narrower fingerboard, but again this was quite an extraordinary reach across E to C on the M6. A player with longer fingers might prefer this, however. Really, the only problem we had was with the wider fretboard, but the fanned frets really help mitigate the reach. Consider the way the human hands are with a built in fan already; this makes huge sense. The fanned fretting by itself only takes MINUTES to adjust to. Anyone playing this for the first time will be very surprised just now instinctive the feel is; if anything, we recommend given the opportunity, you close your eyes and just play. Watching your fingers is unexpectedly counterintuitive visually. This was an impressive endeavor; hats off to Ed and his willingness to tackle this monumental project; armed with only a shade-tree mechanic's experience and some "measure twice, cut once" cunning, he's been able to make a true marketing misfit into a worthy contender for any aspiring jazz mandolinist. Other than an extra hole in the headstock, and some minor file mishaps on the fretboard edges, the luthiery is quite admirable. We couldn't help but notice the case it came in. Fresh from the June Mandolin Symposium in Santa Cruz, he was able to create a valuable heirloom with signatures from some of today's most amazing front line musicians. See how many names you can identify: Nice work, Ed!
SORRY, SOLD OUT. Check out our latest shirt, the "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" Long-sleeve. Short-sleeve (Ash colored) Hanes double-stitched fabric, 100% Preshrunk cotton, these shirts are adorned with a terrific tilt view of the Clark JM, larger than life in four-color print. "CLARK JM" SHIRT NO LONGER AVAILABLE. Yours for only $20.00 (this $20.00 includes First Class Postage USA domestic; contact us for outside US rates). DISCONTINUED n/a A year in the making and now available for any aspiring JazzMando fan, or any mandolinist seeking rich tone, lasting sustain, and comping crispness, we collaborated with world renown Idaho builder, Austin Clark to offer the world a truly unique instrument.(Read more about the Clark JM here: JazzMando Review.) Read the story here: Clark JM Review. Check out our latest shirt, the "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" Long-sleeve:
Austin Clark Clark JM Two-point We're proud to have worked closely with some excellent premium mandolin artisans since the beginning of JazzMando back in 2003. There some very good choices out there, but when it came time to collaborate with a builder on a signature series jazz mandolin, it was the experience with the craft of Austin Clark in the summer of 2007 with his Two-point (read review) that ultimately led us back to his bench to partner on a signature "JM" line of mandolins. Even that "stock" instrument (very much a stretch of the word, as he is prone to intense individualization with each customer), we could tell Austin was on to a clear, vibrant instrument voice that would serve our readers well. Really, there wasn't a lot we wanted to add to the total package, outside of some esoteric cosmetic touches, such as the "Jethro" panache with the block inlay, gold hardware for additional premium elegance. We were already hooked on the Cherry Cola-burst finish that complemented the tortoise binding at every point and curve. We loved Clark's sense of line, how effectively it was expressed with the thin white inside black binding, and then mirrored by the pickguard. From there it was a matter of achieving an efficient plug and play stage sound and further traversing his tonal journey in the pursuit of crisp sustain with an emphasis on string fundamental necessary to propel line. His sonic blueprint was already underway; he merely needed a loud and visible cheerleader. After the field research on the inaugural Clark JM, we are ceremoniously waiving the pom poms for him. Let's start with Austin's woods. The topwoods he generally selects are very similar visually, a very tight grain count and a smooth look. For those preferring a timbre edge, Red Spruce has a brighter, more cutting tone, Engelmann tends to be on the warmer side. The Engelmann he chose for this JM was just what the Doctor ordered, a well-balanced crispness without losing the fundamental aural body. (Inside information; we were told he's energized about a recently acquired two-year supply of the surprisingly dense material, so it might be prudent to get an order in now, if this is a direction you'd like to go.) If we had been looking for a bright, vintage sound, he would have recommended sugar maple for the back. Otherwise, he typically works with Bigleaf maple, or its rich round tone. Admiring the above "quilting," it is as beautiful to the eye as it is to the ear. We mentioned the visuals we were striving for, and you can see by the pictures below, the block inlay is striking, but we also appreciate the pedagogical visual reference bonus. We don't endorse staring at the fretboard continuously while playing, but the ability to see the fret positions has its benefits, especially on the upper positions. Click all pictures for close up. Of course, we requested a moderately radiused fingerboard for playing closed position chords and melodies comfortably; standard for the builder is a compound radius from about 11" at the nut to 20" at the bridge. We also requested his standard neck width, 1-1/8 inch, and an ever so slightly more oval profile (vs. triangular) than the earlier Two-point model for the neck. We are pretty firm on avoiding an adjustable truss rod because of impending weakening of the rod channel, which gave us the carbon fiber neck reinforcement. (He will do either; we just opt for 21st century technology when possible.) Note, we still had the "JM" signature inlay where the rod cover would have been. It was as good a place as any to discriminate the model from Austin's other Two-points, or any other competitive options. The tuners he chose to adorn the headstock are the new "Elite" black button tuners, though initially on the stiff side, work very well. (Better tight to start than and let time loosen them up over time.) A weighty consideration for the JM over its predecessors was the opportunity to build a mandolin around the pickup for maximum, no-fuss "plug-in" stage playing. We were impressed with the sound of the K&K inside of several Larivee guitars, and worked with Dieter at K&K with options for best placement. After experimenting on an open back A model custom built for this kind of investigation, it was determined placement just outside the tone bars would be best. We insisted the initial JM would be maximized for stage performance, although the ability to have one built without is still an option. Again, better to put a pickup in and design around it than agonize over aftermarket alternatives. (Read more). Like its predecessors, G and D strings are solid for meaty 3-note chording, and the E and A courses from 3rd to 10th frets yield a bell-like purity, soft on "ping" but potent with sustain. This makes melody effortless and intuitive with this instrument; Clark seems to have even further mastered the mechanical elements of wood and string that capture and deliver this. It would be disingenuous to suggest we had anything to do with his abilities to hone this; his design ideas were already pretty much in place. Now he's able to duplicate it in succeeding JM models. Let's be clear about the "JM" designation of this series. From a marketing position, labeling this with a "Jazz" moniker might be presumptuously narrow, so we opted for something a little broader by using just the two initials for a logo. Austin voiced the instrument for the JM11 flatwound strings especially, but string with J75 strings, it's capable of a penetratingly rich Celtic crunch--a string construction with a tad more decay. This is one you can feel confident and comfortable playing not only jazz, but any style of music where you want to be able switch between strong fundamental prowess for melody, and a composite of crisp definition and complexity for accompaniment. If you're going to sling a premium instrument that sounds good, it might as well look good, and once again, a complete package here, including the aforementioned ebony binding, black/white/black inlay, gold hardware (including custom easy-access James tailpiece), Mother of Pearl nut, bound ebony tailpiece, block inlay, and our favorite, the JM inlay on the headstock to commemorate the monumental collaboration. Speaking of the collaboration, we tried to keep the price as economical as possible, at least within "Premium builder" range. That you can get all these features for around $4000 is nothing less than amazing, and no doubt won't stay that low. No financial interest on behalf of JazzMando.com, but we encourage you to contact Austin directly to see how you can get on the list for a JM Series mandolin, or at least something very similar from this world-class builder in a premier instrument: Builder Website Contact: Austin Clark Read up on other world class mandolin builders:
Spotlight: Almeria New from Fernwood, Almeria. The bowed-string family of instruments has yielded several hundred years of rich textural notoriety, from simple string quartet accompaniments, to orchestral scores, to today's big-screen cinematic media ambiance. In contemporary music culture, we immediately think of the string "pad," an underlying atmospheric sonic palate generated by a violin section, deepened by the additional timbre of cellos and basses, even the last quarter century of synthesizer technology has embraced and imitated the sound, granted somewhat artificially. What few arranger/composers have done is embraced the bonus subtlety of plectrum, the layered articulation of multiple plucked instruments like mandolin or guitar, let alone its more exotic relatives like Bouzouki, Ruan, or Sitar. What the two pioneers of cinematic sound Todd Montgomery and Gayle Ellet offer in their recent release, Almeria is a truly stunning and unique array of soundscapes in a "pan-cultural" approach to composition. Self described as "pastoral and psychedelic," their style blends a traditional American acoustic sound with starkly contrasting elements of global influence, including Irish, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Middle Eastern. It's cowboy, it's jazz, it's Oriental. Despite the extreme diversity, the music of Fernwood is far from confusing, and after listening to the tracks several times, there is a consistently clear, signature compositional identity. Like the casual beachcomber can hear the sound of the ocean when placing a stray seashell up to the ear, any who listen to this pleasant music can hear their native Southern California (Malibu) geographic setting in their work. It's "no-pressure" art that does not extrovertly "sell," it casually assimilates and charms. The CD opens with "Sandpiper," major 7th arpeggio cross-picking injecting a reflective, pastoral mood, the opening theme repeated in Rondo form. The extraordinary slide bouzouki lends a linear feel against the rhythmic pulse heard repeatedly throughout the project, and intensely in the subsequent "Open Seas" as the "gallop" of lower strings conveys its title, as if a sailboat were bouncing of the waves at a high, but steady clip. We are treated to a bittersweet sitar in "Crow," the gentle melancholy harmonic construction woven over a peg-legged 5/4 time. From there, the harmonium is featured in a Balkan "Hungarian Holiday" with what might profess dissimilar voices, a sitar and Rhodes piano, but the duo work it into a convincing textural whole. The haunting melody is consistent and memorable throughout the whole song. The two are expert at crafting fresh, yet recognizable thematic material, and use tremolo effectively as an intense energy builder, especially in the Greek and Irish zouks over the backdrop of rubato arpeggiated plectra and lilting Rhodes piano in "Athenia." One might consider the music of Fernwood predominantly modal, were it not for their exploitation of continually evolving shifting tonal centers. The Lydian (raised 4th) vocabulary betrays the "Americana" of "Makena" and "Ruidoso." (Having never actually been to Ruidoso, New Mexico, we're not really sure what the geography is like but from the scoring we get a glimpse of "Old West" a playful horsewhip of strings and hoedown humor. We assume it's nestled in some beautiful forested mountains, with lots of fresh clean air.) It's the slide/plucked Irish bouzouki telling the story in "Crane," and the curious sitar counter point supports and contrasts at the same time, over the backdrop of a punctuating acoustic guitar. "East Window" is yet another songscape with its own intimate story; melancholy major 7th chord progressions snuggled into descending chromatic lines paint a picture of deep and personal introspection. Montgomery and Ellett are undeniably expert at crafting clever texture, the contrast of Rhodes piano and sitar on "Pelican," and the jazzy upright bass texture betrayed by the introduction of tremolo of Chinese ruan on "County Line." Arguably, the most intimate of all the tracks, this gorgeous lullaby, "Nightingale" moves slowly but deliberately, fingers and plectrum wringing tone out of each note, Chinese ruan over dulcet Rhodes. It's a great way to sensitively end an inexhaustibly varied compilation of textures and timbres. The whole project is performed flawlessly and multi-tracked by these talented individuals. It's confident and flashy, but never overtly flamboyant. We look forward to hearing more! Selections: 1 Sandpiper 2. Open Seas 3. Crow 4. Hungarian Holiday 5. Athenia 6. Makena 7. Ruidoso 8. Crane 9. East Window 10. Pelican 11. County Line 12. Nightingale Purchase: Almeria MySpace Page: Fernwood Artist Website Check out other new release artist recordings
Order the book in our JazzMando Merchandise Center. Book shipping date: TODAY!!! Note: Because of the 70 minute audio space limitation on the book's CD, we were limited to running the full exercises of the Major and Minor 'ii V7 I' patterns to only the first of the set of four; each subsequent one was excerpted. As a bonus we are offering full accompaniment tracks on all eight of these (without mandolin), as well as the Turnarounds accompaniment tracks here in an MP3 format. EXTENDED WEBTRACKS ACCOMPANIMENT Audio: Additional background tracks for the book's exercises Extended Major 'ii V7 I' Jam tracks GUITAR ONLY (John Eubanks/Guitar) Page 63: 2nd FFcP Bb Major 'ii V7 I' Page 65: 3rd FFcP C Major 'ii V7 I' Page 67: 1st FFcP A Major 'ii V7 I' Page 69: 4th FFcP D Major 'ii V7 I' Extended Minor 'ii V7 I' Jam tracks GUITAR ONLY (John Eubanks/Guitar) Page 71: 1st FFcP Am 'ii7b5 V7 I' Page 73: 2nd FFcP Bm 'ii7b5 V7 I' Page 75: 3rd FFcP Cm 'ii7b5 V7 I' Page 77: 4th FFcP Dm 'ii7b5 V7 I' Extended Turnaround Jam tracks GUITAR ONLY (John Eubanks/Guitar) Page 89: 3rd FFcP Turnaround G Page 90: 2nd FFcP Turnaround F Page 91: 1st FFcP Turnaround Eb Page 92: 4th FFcP Turnaround A We are also offering additional examples of some of the above (along with the Dorian Patterns and How High the Minor 2nd with guitar and bass accompaniment. Feel free to load these to your MP3 player and jam to your heart's content! Extended Dorian Patterns; Circle of 5ths (John Eubanks/Guitar, Jesse Boyd/bass) Page 35: Dorian Patterns (fast version) "How High the Minor Two" Accompaniment (John Eubanks/Guitar) Page 61: How High the Minor Two (fast version) Extended Major 'ii V7 I' Jam tracks (John Eubanks/Guitar, Jesse Boyd/Bass) Page 65: 3rd FFcP C Major 'ii V7 I' Page 69: 4th FFcP D Major 'ii V7 I' Extended Minor 'ii V7 I' Jam tracks (John Eubanks/Guitar, Jesse Boyd/Bass) Page 71: 1st FFcP A Minor 'ii7b5 V7 i' Page 77: 4th FFcP E Minor 'ii7b5 V7 i' Extended Turnaround Jam tracks (John Eubanks/Guitar, Jesse Boyd/Bass) Page 90: 2nd FFcP F Turnarounds Page 92: 4th FFcP A Turnarounds The book contains five original tunes to introduce specific pedagogical concepts, including modal improvising, advanced blues, and shifting tonal centers. In preparing the accompanying audio CD, we thought in addition to the demo tracks of the exercises and the song jam tracks, it would be helpful to hear an "end product," complete performances of these in a "real life" context. No one better to do this than Don Stiernberg, personal mentor and consummate jazz mandolin professional. Three of the following are from the instructional CD, with the two additional "bonus tracks" we had to leave off because of space limitations. Enjoy! Demo Song Tacks (Don Stiernberg Guitar and Mandolin) Page 33: Lydia O' Lydia Page 36: Dorian's Grey Page 84: Chick'n Apple Scrapple Page 102: Yes, I'll Always Be There Page 107: Fascinatin' Doll The following is a work in progress; we've enlisted the contributions of some of the world's best mandolinists in presenting their interpretations of the five song tracks. As these (and others) are submitted, we'll post them. Keep checking back with us! PROFESSIONAL'S SOUND LAB Audio: Other Artist's Interpretations GIJM songs (Pages 33, 36, 84, 102, 107) Will Patton: Lydia O' Lydia; Artist website Mark Wilson: Fascinatin' Doll; Artist website Mark Wilson: Dorian's Grey Don Julin: Chick'n Apple Scrapple; Artist website Don Julin: Lydia O'Lydia Ken Olmstead: Lydia O' Lydia; Artist website Craig Schmoller: Lydia O' Lydia; Artist website Jamie Masefield: Yes, I'll Always Be There; Artist website Jamie Masefield: Chick'n Apple Scrapple Michael Lampert TBA Scott Tichenor TBA Shelby Eicher TBA Bryce Milano TBA Wayne Fugate TBA Josh Pinkham TBA Dix Bruce TBA Gerald Jones TBA Others TBA Accompaniment CD Trivia Solo Mandolin Tracks (1-11, 15-22) recorded by author on Phoenix Jazz Mandolin, Arrow Jazzbo 4-string, Rigel (blueburst) CT-110, and Mix New-Mad a5. Accompaniment for 13 and 23 recorded on Old Wave Solocomp JM (Jazz Mandola). 'ii V7 I' Majors, 'ii7b5 I' Minors, and Turnarounds (24-31, 31-36) recorded by author, guitar accompaniments John Eubanks. Katrina Allstars--New Orleans rhythm players(12, 14, 32, 37, 38): Mandolin (except 37, Ted Eschliman): John Eubanks Piano: Michael Pellera Bass: Jesse Boyd Drums: Herman LeBeaux Recorded and Engineered by Tim Stambaugh at Word of Mouth Studios , New Orleans Don Stiernberg, Guitar and Mandolin (39-41) Recorded and Engineered by Steve Rashid, Woodside Avenue Music Productions Final Mixes and Master, Tim Pratt, Grouchy Peanut Studio, Lincoln, NE
Walt Kuhlman Gypsy's Music Octave Mandolin Our first contact with Walt Kuhlman was a pleasant surprise. Fronting a modest but very thorough array of flat top mandolins at the Winter NAMM Show in California in 2007 with his original partner at Gypsy's Music, Juan, we were impressed by the variety of delectable woods displayed by the fledgling business, with their simple design and dazzling sound. Though early out of the gate with mass production, it was obvious he had come up with a formula of quality that could be beautifully hand-crafted, and duplicated without being prohibitively costly. Delighted to see this product still come out of the US, we knew Gypsy's Music was on to something, and tackling a very much under-served niche market. There's something primal about a flattop instrument. Devoid of scroll and complex arching, there remains a subtle beauty in their arguably anti-modern minimalism. Wood. Strings. Tone... We ask, what more does one really need, as long as those there elements are there in force? Not too long afterwards, Walt introduced a highly successful Mandola version, as well as created a custom ten-string for our friend and director of the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, Linda Binder. Succeeding this came their Octave Mandolin and it was time to pony up. Walt was contracted to create in our words, something Spartan in cosmetics, but functionally rich with tone. We're happy to say we weren't disappointed; this Gypsy's Music OM was magnificently affordable, comfortably playable, and robust with bold tone. Early into the build, Walt wowed with preliminary pictures of a carefully chosen, expertly book-matched American Black Walnut for the back. Not only cosmetically stunning with flame, today it packs a vigorous volume, round with low end and powerful in dynamic range. The instrument overall does not have to be pounded to be loud, and if we issued any warning about playing these instruments, it would be to spare the hammering, there's far too much subtle beauty to milk out of the body. Our request, we had the instrument strung up with D'adarrio Electric Guitar Flatwound Chrome Singles (12, 24, 35, 45), and though that may seem light to many, the custom set works spectacularly well for jazz and classical playing. We have yet to experiment with a 48 gauge G string (Walt's personal recommendation); this might yield even more low end. Cautioned that this might not work well for heavy-handed "clawing," we have to agree this set-up would likely disappoint the drone, open string (or alternative tuning) player. You'll notice a rather unique "secondary bridge" system and customized hand-machined brass-plated tailpiece. An easy-to-string set-up is always a preference here, but we still have the jury out on the bridge set. The idea is to free unwanted bridge vibration; though we were initially apprehensive about the reduction of break angle on the strings south of the bridge, it has proven a non-issue. Plenty of string pull on the bridge, we have none of the anticipated string flop. Another rationalization of this bridge design was to pull the tailpiece completely out of the playing area, which it definitely does for the player with a wilder, wandering picking hand. Back to the woods, the Spruce top complements the warmth of the back with a crisp projection. It's pretty, and with Walt's unique bracing cedes a balanced, yet vigorous sound. Again, we prefer the lighter strings which makes chording much more comfortable. The maple binding is tight and clean, good attention to detail. One of Walt's building techniques is the heel block and its stacking, very similar to classical guitar design, saving cost to the end-user but more importantly, lending strength to the neck and headstock. The front of the headstock is plain but cosmetically clean, and his use of reliable Grover Tuners adds exponential value over imported product. Another shot of the heel gives you a glimpse of a simple, but excruciatingly clean maple binding. The wood on wood trim adds to the earthy folk panache of the instrument, complementing while containing the two contrasting woods of top and sides. This instrument boasts of exceptional value. If you're looking for something that doesn't break the bank, yet still offers proud and robust tone, reliable tuners and sound construction, and an added bonus, handcrafted in the US, a Gypsy's Music instrument is worthy of strong consideration. With this sensible construction and uncompromising quality, we expect to see these instruments continue to make there way into the domestic and discerning global market. Builder Informaton: Gypsy's Music Walt Kuhlman - Luthier Gypsy's Music, LLC 7122 East 5th Avenue Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 429-7711 waltkuhlman@gmail.com Web Contact Bach Cello Suite: Prelude (Octave Mandolin Demo) Read up on other world class mandolin builders:
LABELLA JM10B JAZZMANDO STRINGS New for Mandobirds and solidbody electric mandolins!. Exclusively at JazzMando.com for $15.95 a set (Mfg. List Price $20.95). Shipping included! (Continental USA customers, international orders see below) Jazzmando Flatwound Ball-end Strings for Jazz, Swing, Rock, Blues. New: Introduced April 2008! About the JazzMando JM10B Set: We've had incredible success with the Thomastik Ball-end Thomastik TI strings with discriminating electric mandolinists. Yet, if there were any consistent criticism of the TI's it remains price, and with the recent plummetting value of the Dollar vs. the Euro, this doesn't promise to get any better soon. JazzMando has had the opportunity to work with Labella Strings to develop a ball-end version of the widely popular JM-11 loop end strings. Strung low and light, these flatwound steel strings are just what the doctor ordered for the player who plays in closed position more than open strings, as in Jazz, Swing, Rock and Blues music. Like the JM11 Flatwound Mandolin sets, these give you maximum tone in the treble but facility and harmonic fundamental in the bass range with the slightly stouter 35 gauge G string. In the interest of tone and flexibility, the E course is a .010 for effective soloing. We've opted for the standard plain .014 A and 024 wound D. Chromatic music styles demand good closed finger control, and this combination should help the player avoid fatigue without sacrificing tone. The polished Flatwound have a much closer, tighter wrap which resists corrosion and wear from oxidation and player perspiration. The steel alloys lends a crisp "punch" for a "bell-like" attack and articulation acoustically and magnetic drive with an electric pickup. Player comfort from the smooth strings makes these feel as great as they sound! Though designed for Jazz, these will also work well for the progressive Rock and Blues musician. What else makes JazzMando Strings special: You already knew strings will wear from playing. Skin oils, picking, and longterm vibration cause the string to decay and lose tone over time. What you may not be aware is oxidation in the package has the same residual effect! Other brands of strings hanging on a store shelf can be purchased new, but suffer the hidden effects of months, if not years of deteriorating right in the package. Labella's proprietary four-step process, including "<spanclass = "darkblue">Tarnish Proof Technology" means your strings are delivered factory-sealed, freshness second to none. JazzMando order procedure takes this a step farther, ordering in smaller case quantities to assure maximum string vitality. (Not recommended for Ovation mandolins) Click to order: Note: Packages come in 8-strings sets. If you have a 4-string instrument, you will be buying a set of four and a spare! Buy in TWOs and save! $28.75 for two sets of eight. Better to have a spare set anyway... .010 plain .014 plain .024 wound .035 wound Labella Custom Gauge Flatwound Ball-end Acoustic Electric Mandolin Strings JM10B (med-light) $15.95 (Single set of eight only) String orders generally will ship the same day, First Class USPO. OR: Send $15.95 for each set with the request for the Strings, and your mailing address to: JAZZMANDO JM10B STRINGS Attention: Ted Eschliman c/o JazzMando 7341 So 35th St. Lincoln, NE 68516 NOTE: $28.75 if you'd like two sets. If you are from outside the US, you might qualify for a special low $7.00 charge for USPS First-Class Mail© International. If you have purchased from us before and this shipment needs to go international, you can add USPS First-Class Mail© International to your shopping cart from this page: USPS First-Class Mail© International information How Great Thou Art (Mandobird Demo) Hear and view them in action: Mandobird demo. Need a good pick, too? Check out the new JazzMando Signature ProPlec Pick. Also, celebrate your discovery of JazzMando with our newest JazzMando T-shirt! Here's where you can get one: Clark JM Shirt. About the JazzMando Merchandise Center: Products offered in our Merchandise area are for the benefit of promoting the art of jazz mandolin. All profits are redirected into developing artists, underwriting and supporting concerts, and encouraging the proliferation of jazz mandolin pedagogy. Consider a purchase in the center an opportunity to help this cause and give to the ever expanding community of this art.
The Mechanic's Corvette James Condino As a child I spent my summers working in the various marinas around the junction of the St Lawrence river and Lake Ontario. I just took it for granted that everyone spent their summers riding around the water in beautiful old mahogany runabouts- Chris Crafts, Hutchinsons, Rivas and the like. One of the fellows I worked with was a mechanic who drove the most beat up and road weary Corvette I had ever seen. When I asked him about fixing it up, I got a short story on how he was always working on so many other folk's cars that by the end of the day, he had enough. As long as his ran, he could muscle his way through the rest. A lot of luthiers are the same way. Whenever someone comes by my shop for the first time visit, they always want to know where my huge collection of great instruments is. Since I build them all day long, my closets should be bursting with instruments. Yet, when I ask almost every one of my luthier friends the same question, we all get a laugh. As a whole, most luthiers only have one or two instruments around, if that. They tend to be the ones that are only in some various stage of (in)completion or that never made the cut to go out the door, just like the mechanic's corvette. Case in point; here is my "Road Warrior" mandolin on one of my benches straight in from my daily cycle commute. That's right, just strapped on to the outside of my backpack. It rained a bit on the way in today, so I pedaled harder and got a good draft of wind flowing to keep the droplets from gaining too much of a stronghold on the outside of the case. The case handle fell off on a river trip a few years ago, so I improvised with a bit of cordilette out of the rescue kit; more comfortable than the factory issue... That's a new 3/4 double bass body in the background along with a couple of mandolin shells. The road warrior is the shop test rig. Just over two years old, it has been down 300 miles of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon by raft twice, ridden the Amtrack from Seattle to San Diego, battled public busses and a rough hurricane season in Baja where the heat and humidity melted the fingerboard off the neck (the entire neck melted off my wife's 1880s fiddle!), been left out in the desert sunshine by accident and got so hot that the shellac completely melted into the case fur, survived a cross country move, held up to approximately 500 days of bicycle commuter abuse, and countless festival jams, late night pub sessions, and band practices, and yes, post consumer alcohol has damaged the French polished shellac finish on more than one occasion. The folks that know me well understand that when I say, "I'm field testing an instrument", I don’t mess around. I once carried my guitar overland strapped to the back of my pack in a customized gig bag for 50 days into the Mt Everest basecamp at right around 18,000 foot elevation. In the last ten years, I've broken two cases and one guitar through the case from taking them with me while working on commercial river trips. At last count, I had over 5000 miles on one of my guitar drybags when I retired it. Being two weeks down into one of the southwestern river corridors and being able to play music at night in the slot canyons with your friends is amazing... Notice the fancy custom fitted old shop towel inside to hold things down while bunny hopping curbs. Shop test rig? Whenever I have a new idea that I'm working out for the next order, the Road Warrior gets the first round of action. This instrument started life as the New Century model on my website. Here is the original back strap from the first headstock--a snakehead. A while later I was working out this new design, so the snakehead came off and the new one was V-joint grafted and then the graft was hidden within the headplate caps. This happened after the snakehead neck was replaced from the Mexico trip. You should see a ten string variation of this in about six weeks. In addition to the ports, it has a nice taper that I like a lot. The tuning machines are the demo set of Elites that I wrote about a few months ago in Mandolin Magazine, going through their daily paces for my test evaluation. I'm working on getting a new set of Alessi's custom made, so these might get bumped soon. I know the nut is looking a bit rough; I can't seem to toss out any worn Mammoth Ivory blanks, so I usually shim them a bit, recut them, and get another year use out of them. The logos and inlay never go on until someone writes the check for an instrument and we settle on the details; the same is true for colors. This instrument has been finished twice, and will most likely get done again next month when I run it side by side with a couple of other mandolins. More practice runs for the paid instruments. You can see the rough cut of the new bass side soundholes coming out of Top #2. This one is Adirondack Spruce, approximately 104 years old and was salvaged from a barn in upstate New York. Fingerboard #2 currently at 29 mm wide nut. The sideports have been there all along. Everyone has their own opinions on sideports. I've been using them pretty consistently since 1995. I have them on all of my own personal instruments, including the upcoming double bass. Makes me smile, smile, smile... More ever-changing bridge and tailpiece ideas. You can see how I got frustrated with the tiny tailpiece string holes and took my Dremel tool to the slot and opened it up so that you could remove and replace the string without crimping the loop. I think this is Bridge #3 or 4. The saddles have been ebony, striped ebony, and bone. Another angle of the bridge backside. I spend a lot of time trying to get just the right cut and figure for that one little piece some days. Nice coarse cut soundholes and handwritten inside label... The sixth mockup of the floating pickguard design along with a nice clean fitting Neck #3. The low profile button shown with a few "road diggers" and the classical guitar influenced wooden binding mitres. By this point there is not much left of the button, having been through two back removals and brace design changes, and several re-neckings. The neck replacements usually get finished to match the rest of the body, but within a month or two, they always seem to have been tinkered with and the profile changed. So what's a shop rig? It's an ever-changing test rig that morphs around depending on the new ideas floating through the shop. Parts changes happen more often than string changes. It is a loaner for my best customers who come by to get one of their favorite mandolins worked on for a while or during a major restoration, it is used on recordings, it gets in a quick "Whiskey Before Breakfast" medley busking downtown outside the shop at lunchtime, it runs rivers, climbs mountains, sings in deep desert canyons, and stays up late at night howling at the moon with my rowdy picking friends. It is also one of only two working mandolins that you can regularly find in operation at my shop. The Cricket is number two, but that is a different animal altogether. At least once a year I go through my entire pile of fine woods, pull the best set from the pile, and build a beautiful instrument just for myself so that I can have a nice finished example around for interested customers to check out. Within a couple of months, someone makes me an offer that I can't refuse, and I'm back with the Road Warrior slung on my backpack with some new pickguard design, outpacing cars in downtown traffic... living the dream in the luthier's life... j. condino Website: www.condino.com Read more about The Cricket!
Spotlight: Classics of the Brazilian Choro
"Classics of the Brazilian Choro--You are the Soloist" series w/CD Publisher: Global Choro Music Corporation Incorporated in the State of California in October 2006, Global Choro Music Corporation was created with one major aspiration and goal: to have the Brazilian Choro promoted, recognized and played in the whole world. The series "Classics of the Brazilian Choro--You are the Soloist!" was the initial project proposed to materialize this dream. The purpose is to allow professional, amateur musicians and students throughout the world to meet the Choro based on the incomparable experience of performing the songs themselves accompanied by a Choro Ensemble. We had the pleasure of stumbling onto these books at the Winter NAMM show in January of 2008. These are the fruits of an intense love for the rich tradition of Brazilian Choro and are are play-along albums for the flute, clarinet, mandolin and saxophone. President and Founder, Daniel Dalarossa describes his three motivations in providing the materials as 1.) bringing pleasure to the musician and others (Choros are delightful songs to play), 2.) offering a virtual ensemble experience (the musicians on the CD are accomplished and well-versed in the nuances of the music, and 3.) preserving the verdant aural heritage through a written format (these have been performed and passed down for many generations (since the early 19th century), but documented in notation only in the past few decades. In addition to the songs, a brief biographical history of the composer gives context to the music. We already have in our own library, the three book series, O Melhor do Choro" Vols. 1-3, as well as Mike Marshall's Brazilian Choros book, but these books would be a wonderful addition because of the accompanying CDs. Playing along with a true incarnation of the recognized choro band, the 6- and 7-string guitars, the cavaquinho and the pandeiro, one can immerse oneself into the deeper dimension of ensemble authenticity, without having to leave the house. This really does make a musician play with more energy in practice, as well as sharpen skills for the eventual day of participating in a live band. One bit of warning, these are more appropriate for the intermediate/advanced player. Tempos are quite brisk, and not infrequently, the written notation takes the mandolinist above the 7th fret. Since these aren't written specifically for mandolin, no tablature is included. Still, if you are capable of some decent sight-reading skills, the books are magnificent fun. We reviewed the first two books, Nazareth Book 1 & 2, and look forward to the upcoming release of the Jacob do Bandolim book in the not-too-distant future. We should also mention the books are supported by valuable online resources from the company website. Particularly helpful are the chord fingerings, and these can be retrieved (along with guitar and cavaquinho) online. Also helpful, instructions on how to change tempos and/or key through the use of Audacity PC software. Nazareth Book 1: Songs $29.00 Ameno Resedá Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho! Odeon Eponina Escovado Está Chumbado Expansiva Favorito Matuto Tenebroso Batuque (bonus track) Nazareth Book 2: Songs $29.00 Bambino Brejeiro Perigoso Carioca Confidências Escorregando Faceira Nenê Ranzinza Topázio Líquido Ouro Sobre Azul Website: Global Choro Music Corporation 859 Corporate Way Fremont, CA 94539 Songbooks also currently available: Ernesto Nazareth Vol 3, and Chiquinha Gonzaga
Spotlight: Access AC3MN11 Rectangular Mandolin Case
Access AC3MN11 Rectangular Mandolin Case Answer to a Maiden's Prayer... As JazzMando has pursued promoting mandolins with non-traditional body shapes over the past five years, one of the toughest peripheral issues has always been for cutting-edge builders to find a well-fitting case that's mass produced. Plenty of opportunity for quality custom cases out there, but a premium price tag always accompanies these, and until now, there has been little on the commercial market to cover these needs. We hooked up with Marty Harrison at Access Cases three years ago, and were thrilled to see a prototype rectangular nest case in his NAMM exhibit that would be adaptable to a number of body shapes, not only the popular F- and A-body mandolins, but two-point and guitar bodied. This seemed to be an answer to a maiden's prayer, but internal production snafus tabled this project until Winter NAMM in January of 2008. Access Stage Series Cases are in three levels, Stage 1, 3, and 5; originally this case would have been brown and in their most expensive line, but they opted to market it in the mid-level Stage 3 Series. For all practical purposes, other than the brown color and gold hardware, the final product is the same, the pebble black exterior and nickel hardware adorn a very well made, multi-ply wood rectangular body. Professional in the sense that latches and hinges lock snugly, and an ergonomic hefty handle making it easy to haul to a gig, we think it's street price of around $105 (list $159) make it an exceptional choice. Add to this the fact that it fit almost every mandolin we tried, this case has been a long time coming. We should mention for those who don't need the assurance and protection of a hard wood case, their AB1MN1 Access Gig Bag is another highly recommended, inexpensive option. These are magnificently sturdy; a thin but rigid core surrounds the instrument inside the fabric and street priced at a meager $46.00. Back to the hard case, we were impressed with the inside as much as the outside, its plush interior utilized a more universal fitting rectangular inside nest with accessory compartment, and a removable (Velcro) pad that when inserted fits the headstock of shorter instruments. We were able to test several instruments; some that were known to be quite difficult to get cases for. We've already had several small builders inquire about (or already purchase) them. Of course an A5 is no problem. Our Mix A5 fit very well: With proper padding, even the 2-point Phoenix Jazz fit adequately. It would fit even better with another 3/4" plush under the body to level it with the neck holder, but it still worked. Anything less than a 2-1/2" deep body (solid body electrics, for example) might require this padding. As mentioned, there is a removable cushion that can be adapted. Interestingly, this is the first hard case we've found that would fit the oddly shaped but widely popular electric Epiphone Mandobird. If this insert is removed from the headstock area and placed under the body, there is not only enough support to balance the body, but it frees up space for the elongated headstock area to fit securely in the neck cavity: We were also thrilled to see this case fit three guitar body mandolins, the Draelon Royale, the Arrow Jazzbo (snugly), and a custom built Richard Jones hollowbody. You can also get a better idea of the rest of the internal dimensions: Keep in mind the padding may be easily removed from the headstock cavity; it's attached with Velcro. Rick submitted this picture of the Spartan accessory compartment (afraid you can't fit a set of strings in there--would like to see an increase the cavity to 4-1/2" to fit a set), and this also shows the comfortable grip handle. All in all, we are very impressed with this new case. Some might prefer a "shaped" case, but a rectangular is not that much heavier, and you can carry a few extra goodies, tuners, picks, strings (under the headstock) conveniently. Although it could probably be added, we would have liked to have seen hooks for a strap attachment on the exterior. The other suggestion is an extra foam pad for the thinner bodied electric mandolins, if not as an extra with the case, at least as a matching aftermarket add-on. We are delighted to see this case hit the market, and we expect to see some more small builders thrilled to finally offer their customers an affordable, fully functional deluxe case option. Company website: Access Bags and Cases Purchase: Dietze Music
Eva Scow/Dusty Brough Sharon by the Sea Released at the tail end of 2007, "Sharon by the Sea," featuring the multiple talents of Fresno California based mandolinist Eva Scow (pronounced EH-va Skow) and guitarist Dusty Brough, is arguably one of the freshest, most impressive "New Acoustic" projects we've heard in a long while. Dazzling harmonies, intricately woven sonic textures all recorded with tightly disciplined focus, make this CD instantly likable, inexhaustibly absorbing, even after the 7th spin. The duo takes center stage midst an intriguing ensemble of rhythm players, including a fascinating assortment of supportive percussive elements including tabla, pandeiro, tan tan, & cuica (John Martin III), along with upright bass, swirling violin and cello. (Eva & Adam Scow, Mark Summer consecutively). We hear an endless spool of ever changing fabrics, yet throughout the whole project, a powerfully compelling compositional consistency remains. Eva's mandolin skills are as impressive as her writing. Clear execution, the young 19 year-old plays with the nuance and finesse of a musician twice her age. Her frighteningly good talent is magnificently complemented with the equally adept guitar proficiency of co-writer, Dusty Brough. Her music is somewhat evocative of the music of Mike Marshall and his propensity to continually blaze music style frontiers from all over the world, the artists had the privilege of recording the entire CD in mandolin superstar's personal studio. In her words, "we were handed the keys." The first track "Bird With Beastlike Qualities" opens the CD up with some smart, down-to-business Flamenco-tinged Choro "Nouveau." Playful yet concurrently serious, we're instantly introduced to the duo's ability to interact and complement each others' playing. A few atmospheric sound effects make the song experiential and ambient, without being cloyingly "New Age." Aptly named, "Theoretically Speaking," introduces itself Choro in nature and pedagogically etude-ish (like something a musician might study out of a method book), but gradually journeys, exploring both passionately and cerebrally with its oft Lydian modality and Debussy-like whole tone runs. Brilliantly performed, the duo bask in tightness and precision. Following up with a contrasting relaxed feel, "Utah" takes an easily internalized tune and dresses it nattily with an almost Reggae-like rhythm, weaving its systematic structure with spontaneity midst the tight foundation. "Rodolfo" similarly, is hauntingly "ear-worm" melodic in character, the sort of song that sticks in your head hours later, yet comfortably so. Solos are beautifully accompanied by Eva's harp-like background arpeggios, supported with lyric violin and cello lines. Her right hand/left hand coordination is masterful; and it's a credit to her musicianship the way she seamlessly treks in and out of single-note sustain and tremolo; toothpaste tube-squeezing sustain intermittently complemented by her passionate tremolo. Even with the amazing left hand focus, her right hand articulation is as clean as it gets. "Pica Pica," a bold Venezuelan waltz, allows the duo take regional convention on headlong. Uniform articulations on the part of both players during the head are followed up by stunningly clean soloing. What's inspiring is how Eva delivers her phrases with confidence and bravado, but is still able to wrap it warm and feminine; bold sans the brash. A refreshing comic relief moment, the brief 44 second "Best in Show" is like a spoonful of lime sherbet midst a seven course meal, a cleansing of the palate, with its harmonic camp and brush percussion backbeat frolic. The title cut "Sharon By the Sea," deftly demonstrates musical ying and yang, upper fret mandolin versus lyric cello baritone, sustained string pad and plectrum. What's truly fresh is the introduction of Fender Rhodes piano, a too-long ignored staple of the Chick Corea era, and the melding of mandolin/Rhodes is truly one of magic. "Sketches of Terry" is probably the 2nd most "Choro Nouvea" in structure and attitude. 21st century chordal vocabulary with acoustic instruments, the blending of a folk glossary with complex jazz chords is a shimmery eloquence, especially in the extended solo cello section. The brilliant Fender Rhodes of Javon Davis reprises again in "Gateway Chronicles;" it's interesting to note the similarities of expression and magic chemistry between mandolin and the "vintage" Rhodes, the swirling ethereal sustain capped by the occasional "dirty" of slapped tines and frets. It would be great to here these two instruments together in other ensembles more frequently, especially played as magnificently here and in the subsequent final track, the conversational "Saturday." Vibrant with a driving ride cymbal, the compound meter interlude gives Scow a chance to strut her R&B electric chops, with some interesting licks evocative of Diana Krall's guitarist, Anthony Wilson (a perennial JazzMando fave). This CD is ground-breaking, and we predict the beginning of a long and remarkable career for these musicians. Eva Scow is one we intend to watch carefully over the years. Selections: Bird With Beastlike Qualities Theoretically Speaking Utah Rodolfo Pica Pica Best in Show Sharon By the Sea Sketches of Terry Gateway Chronicles Saturday Genre: Latin Jazz Released: December, 2007 Purchase: Sharon by the Sea Artist Website: Eva Scow Myspace Check out other new release artist recordings