We knew it to be true, but according to this UK "Mirror" report, so does Sir Paul. The former Beatle has recently discovered the magic of the mandolin, using the instrument to discover new chordal frontiers, and of course, soothe the soul. Most importantly, the dashing and distinguished 64 year-old, recently recovering from a bitter divorce is about to understand the instrument's profound but secret feature: chick magnet.

Think about it, "Norwegian Wood" with some cross-picking. Evan Marshall, and avid Beatle fan himself already has some tasty arrangements of several of the Fab Four's tunes on his 1990 recording Mandolin Magic.

Works for us.

Paul McCartney and the mandolin...

Posted by Ted at 05:35 AM

April 28, 2007 | Draleon Mods

Not usually prone to getting to caught up in instrument upgrades, we recently took the plunge with our revered Draleon Royale Gypsy Jazz Mandolin, refretting with larger frets and adding a custom pickguard produced by fellow Texas picker and wood hobbyist, Doug Edwards. (Great guy to work with!)

Doug did some fine work on this; it's a nice addition to an already incredible instrument. The larger frets are an improvement, too. We'll be documenting that shortly as we investigate aspects of auditioning "variables" in our Tips and Tricks section in the next couple days.

Pictures and discussion at the Mandolin Cafe Message Board: Royale Mods

Enjoy desktop wallpaper: Royale

Also, Andy from Century Strings tells us they just received four more Royales (two blonde, two classic sunburst) and expect more in May. Give us a shout if you need help hooking up.

Posted by Ted at 06:00 AM

April 26, 2007 | Spinal Tap to reunite

Spinal Tap is back and planning to reunite at Wembley Stadium in London, July 7 at part of the Live earth concerts scheduled worldwide. The 80's parody group of Nigel, David, and Derek (directed by Rob Reiner) were a part of one of the funniest mockumentaries, "This is Spinal Tap," ever produced about a rock band. Interesting that a group known for satire and exaggeration is being featured in an effort to hype global warming. Their new single: "Warmer than Hell."

Mando content: Stonehenge

More Tap

Posted by Ted at 08:33 AM

April 23, 2007 | Marco de Pinna on YouTube

Take some time for engaging Brazilian performances captured on YouTube.com; brilliant soloing on favorite traditional Choro classics from the Marco de Pinna Quintet. Marco wows the outdoor crowd with his Godin A8 and his professional friends in this casual but extremely proficient performance:

Santa Morena (Jacob do Bandolim)

Lamento (Pixinguinha)

Noites Cariocas (Jacob do Bandolim)

Bar Vinte (Sérgio de Pinna)

Brasileirinho (W.Azevedo)

Marco de Pinna is a professor, composer/arranger and brilliant performer (mandolin, violão, violão-tenor, cavaquinho and banjo) prominent and active in the Rio de Janeiro music scene. He has made a US appearance back in 1997 during the California Brazil Summer Music Camp, hooking up with Mike Marshall.

Thanks Marco!

Posted by Ted at 05:58 AM

April 21, 2007 | Fiddling with Mando

A fiddler weighs in on JazzMando material; New York friend, Alex Marcus swing/bluegrass fiddler weighed in on our website with some interesing thoughts for violinists:

"It occurs to me that part of what got in my way with improv in the past is the classical approach to learning scales and arpeggios that I learned when I was a child. These are presented in total isolation from one another (I'm thinking of my dreaded Carl Flesch scale book), and with no sympathy for the developing musician. Is their any point to practicing 10ths and false harmonics in the key of C before moving on to C#? Maybe all I needed is better guidance... and I did eventually begin to understand the connections between the keys on my own. But I really think that method book did more to stifle my creativity than anything else.

Anyway... are there any significant modifications to your method for a bowed instrument? I can't think of any... except maybe adding a note here and there in the exercises to keep the bowing consistent."

Thanks for the thoughts, Alex. His observations are relevant to viola and cello, or any 5ths tuned string instrument (although we haven't seen a lot of cello TAB lately). Site author, Ted Eschliman touts his years as a trombone major to understand phrasing (plectrist could learn a lot from their wind and bow brethren about this), and guitar studies for understanding the vertical nature of the instrument. Violinists certainly don't often have the chord opportunity to think vertically, so they are denied the opportunity to see harmonic patterns in their playing except in very advanced studies.

We'd like to hear more from you fiddlers on this issue. If you or a violinist friend have found similar treasure in the site, please weigh in. This might be a whole new market for us to serve.

Contact: JazzMando Feedback

Posted by Ted at 10:59 AM

April 20, 2007 | Fiddlin' All Around

A touching story in the Arizona Star about senior violinist/mandolinist Bob Borders, one of a couple dozen musicians in the Southern Arizona Old Time Fiddlers Association. A long but rich life including a stint in a World War and three marriages (twice widowed), a common theme or the glue in his social life appears to be his love for music. Accompanied by his mandolin-slinging bride of two months, at 85, he's an inspiration that a musical proficiency can follow and support you the rest of your life.

Read article: Fiddlin' All Around

Posted by Ted at 05:44 AM

April 19, 2007 | Dolaists: FREE cloth special!

"Clean Up Your Axe" Dola special: Spring has sprung, and that means open the windows and blow out the dust for a little spring cleaning. We're spotlighting our JD13 JazzDola Strings with an enticing but limited online special. With every purchase of proprietary JazzDola strings, we're including a FREE Silkweave Micro Filament Cleaning Cloth. This $5.00 value is the answer to a maiden's prayer for regular maintenance on any mandolin or mandola. Used by professional violinists and flute players world-wide, the microscopic pores pick up oils and grit that collect on the fingerboard, back, and face of your treasured instrument, too.

The JazzDola strings have been a hit, too. Thomastik lovers frustrated by the short scale of the 164 TI strings have found solace and sonority in these. Vintage instruments come alive and newer instruments find a new warm voice with the JD-13s.

Read more about the strings and take advantage of this limited online: Clean Up Your Axe Special

Posted by Ted at 09:33 AM

April 17, 2007 | Sugarland CMT Video Award

Big shout of congrats to JazzMando friend, Kristian Bush of Sugarland for the duo's "Best Video" award at last night's CMT Music Awards for "Want To." Kristian has been known to sling a few of our favorite instruments including an Ovation MM68, Epiphone Mandobird, and several fashion colors of Rigel G-110. The band's success has been relatively recent; although their popularity has only achieved critical mass in the last couple years, Bush is a long-time vetaran Nashville song crafter. Sugarland is on currently on an extensive USA tour.

View artist website: Kristian Bush

Kristian's mando gear

Posted by Ted at 11:05 AM

April 15, 2007 | Groovin' High

There's nothing better than a good Jethro YouTube video, and we just spotted one from an Austin City Limits Show from over 20 years ago with Jethro Burns, Johnny Gimble, and Tiny Moore. Eldon Shamblin can be seen in the background playing rhythm guitar. The show featured the David Grisman Quintet, and though he's not in this video segment, and very young pup, Mike Marshall.

The tremendous trio are in full stride in this one. A favorite Jethro line in the show after a rousing welcoming round of applause was when Jethro quipped, "Wow! I have'ng heard that much applause since I told my wife I was going to be gone for two weeks."

View Video "Groovin' High"

If you like this, pick up the classic Back to Back CD. (Highly recommended!)

Posted by Ted at 09:46 PM

April 13, 2007 | Marsalis weighs in...

Wynton Marsalis is, of course, no stranger to outspokenness and controversy. An interesting read about the overt New Orleans trumpet player and 46 year-old jazz stalwart, quick to disparage rap, hip hop, the influence of fusion & funk in the course of mainstream jazz, in this online Guardian Unlimited Arts article, "Shock of the new" by John Lewis. Marsalis speaks, no-holds barred, once again as the self-professed modern curator of the state of jazz. (Far be it from us to defend rap music, but to each his own.)

Interesting his latest CD, Plantation to the Penitentiary debuted in early March and one of the tracks includes a rap and flaming verbal social commentary. Even if it isn't mandolin-centered, we like to endorse and point people to new jazz CDs worth listening to.

Unfortunately, this will not be one of them.

Read article: Shock of the New

Posted by Ted at 02:54 PM

April 11, 2007 | Django in June Registration

John McGann tells us the mandolin slots at the New England Django in June workshops are filling up quickly. Don't kick yourself for missing this fabulous opportunity in the first comprehensive "music camp" in the US devoted to Gypsy jazz. Django Camp will be held on the Smith College campus in beautiful Northampton, Massachusetts from Tuesday, June 12 through Sunday the 17th, 2007 with offerings for guitar, violin, mandolin, accordion and bass. Along with Professor McGann (Berkelee School of Music), enjoy a stellar cast of musicians and clinicians in performances and Gypsy Jazz workshops.

For more information: Django Camp

Django in June Website

John McGann's website

JazzMando is a proud sponsor of the Django in June series.

Posted by Ted at 05:52 AM

April 09, 2007 | Pearls Before Breakfast

Taking the time to stop and smell the roses--better, to smell the violin rosin? This wonderful story is a great read about a train stop (L'enfant Plaza), a brilliant violinist(Joshua Bell), and the attention dynamics of a thousand plus commuters in a profoundly interesting social experiment. It's a long read, but worth the time.

Read Article: Pearls Before Breakfast

Special thanks to Mandolin Cafe Site Author, Scott Tichenor who brought this to our attention.

Posted by Ted at 06:07 AM

April 06, 2007 | Yank Rachell Website

JazzMando field reporter and fellow picker, Mike Butler has brought to our attention a great resource for all you mandolin blues fans, www.YankRachell.com. Sponsored by the Mandolin Society of Central Indiana (home of the acoustic performing ensemble, Mandolindy), this is a terrific compilation of pictures, stories, quotes, and biography of this influential blues legend.

News of an upcoming recording and Yank Rachell Tribute, final mix in the works, we hope to hear a release date soon.

View website: Yank Rachell

Posted by Ted at 01:51 PM

April 03, 2007 | Thinking Good Tone Part 1

Interviewing eleven of some of the greatest mandolinists playing today; and to get paid for it... We got the chance to pick up on their thoughts on the topic of tone while preparing for the April MandolinSessions.com article release earlier this month. Though it's a running theme in our archives, it was a great excuse to talk directly about producing tone with the likes of Don Stiernberg, Paul Glasse, Will Patton, and eight other amazing musicians, including David Grisman.

Some great ideas and the JazzMando research staff has been testing some of these terrific tips for ourselves with some amazing results!

Read the article: Thinking Good Tone Part 1

Posted by Ted at 10:17 PM

April 01, 2007 | Frank Vignola and the DGQ

News from Acoustic Disc, guitar virtuoso Frank Vignola has joined the David Grisman Quintet. At 22, having honed his chops in the New York jazz scene, Vignola made four records as band leader for Concord Jazz, and toured with high profile artists like Bucky Pizzarelli, Les Paul, Lionel Hampton, Donald Fagen, Queen Latifah, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Madonna, Mark O'Connor, Joe Ascione, and more.

This news really has our attention because of his previous and successful partnerships in acoustic string jazz settings with many other prestigious mandolinists, including as Jamie Masefield in MaMaVig, Matt Flinner in Gypsygrass, Seventeen year-old mandolin phenom Josh Pinkham, jazz fiddle prodigy and mandolinist Aaron Weinstein, and now David Grisman.

Read Acoustic Disc Press Release.

Posted by Ted at 09:51 PM