Happy Birthday Jethro!
Everytime March 10th rolls around, we are compelled to pay homage to the great mandolin legend and personal hero, and especially this year for what Read more»
Zdravitsa plays the Beatles
A little lip-syncing, or more accurately pick-syncing with members of this Russian balalaika orchestra under the direction of Andrei Krasnikov. (More members are actually on Read more»
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"Good improvisation communicates harmonic progression melodically. Effective melodies manipulate harmonic content through the use of guide tones and preparatory gravity notes, masterfully woven in systematic tension, release, and transparent harmonic definition."
New website facelift from the Music Link, creators of the Paris Swing mandolins and recently "The Loar" series guitars and mandolins. Included in the mandolin section is an interesting 5 minute video tour of the design philosophies of their flagship hand-carved LM-600-VS Florentine model.
Theloar.com has 360-degree views of all mandolin and guitar models, detailed views of unique specifications, and a user-friendly "Buy It Now" feature that leads visitors directly to an online store's product page for purchase. The website also has a slideshow illustrating the hand carved process, as well as a video walk-through of each instrument's features and sound by Travis Atz, The Loar’s Director of Product Development.
September 27, 2008 | It's out! Getting Into Jazz Mandolin...
At long last, the waiting is over. The UPS truck left Mel Bay's warehouse yesterday with our first batch of "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin," and those that have already preordered should be seeing their copy in a week or less. Eighteen months of writing, and another three and a half years to wait in the que at the world-renown educational publisher; we hope to ship the middle of next week.
From the Mandolin Cafe Official Press Release: "Pacific, Mo. -- Mel Bay Publications, Inc. has announced the release of Ted Eschliman's new book, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin, 112-pages complete with music in standard notation, tablature, CD and web-based audio samples from JazzMando.com, Eschliman's personal mandolin web site.
No longer confined to basic folk genres, any mandolinist aspiring to a broader comprehension of music, including swing, blues, pop, choro, broadway, and even classical can expand their playing through a working knowledge of jazz fundamentals.
Getting Into Jazz Mandolin takes four uncomplicated fretboard patterns (FFcP) and drills a physical familiarity into the player's fingers, softening the fear of upper frets and prepares for the harmonic alterations necessary for effective and intuitive playing of more complex contemporary music.
A brief introduction into modes, the player is eased into jamming with audio accompaniment (CD), and eventually an initiation into the most fundamental jazz chord progression of all, the 'ii V7 I' pattern. From the horizontal (melody) to the vertical (chords) and back, the results are a both instinctive and physical grasp of tonal centers and the improvisational fodder of effective performing.
An emphasis on pinky strength, finger control and sustain, the book's exercises also develop the player's concepts of tone and melody. Further supportive resources including MP3 audio tracks are also available on the internet."
Note the book is currently available for preorders at most of the bigger popular online book retailers (Googling the title might yield some even at a discount). Elderly Music has committed to a heavy stock, also, but if you'd like to support this site, we are offering two versions, one unadulterated for $25 including domestic shipping, the other option $35 for an autographed version, with $10 being donated to the Cool Mandolins "Mandolins for Cool Kids" scholarship fund. (International orders available to many countries available for an additional $10.) Thanks for all of you who have waited so patiently.
Don't forget to check out the support page with additional audio tracks, Webtracks, including some versions of the material recorded by the world's top mandolinists. Tell your favorite artist he/she needs to add a track here, too!
Of note: Yesterday September 24th marks the two-year anniversary of the announcement of the creation of New Millennium Mandolins. A collaborative effort between Peter Mix, Will Kimble, and Clear Carbon & Components came to fruition in the form of the first "mass market" carbon fibre A5 mandolin. Since the introduction of this instrument, an Oval-hole version came soon after, and last year's follow-up of a Kevlar-infused Florentine body complete with modified scroll, achieved rave reviews, including the company's "Best in Show" honors at the Summer NAMM show in Austin.
Ironically, the company's product was initially touted for its merits as a roadworthy, resilient instrument boasting of an "alternative material" capable of standing up to duress of temperature and humidity extremes and rapid changes, always a peril with the traveling professional. What soon became common knowledge among players worldwide over the next few succeeding months was that the instruments with their world class design and construction boast of a playability and acoustic qualities highly competitive with other traditional instruments in an even higher price range.
During the Summer 2007 NAMM show, exhibitors complained of the harsh, rapid climate change as the hall's air conditioners in the extreme Texas summer climate kicked in the first day. Manufacturers' reps and technicians scrambled to retune their instruments prior to the onslaught of vendors at the opening of the show, while the New-Mad display staff relaxed with Cappuccinos and jammed on player-ready, completely tuned instruments.
We enjoyed reviewing one out of the initial batch of Mix A5 prototypes and not long after, acquired a personal one for "extended field research." The instrument has stood the test of time, providing stellar stage performance and plugged-in moxy. Read review: JazzMando New-MAD Review
Sometimes in order to grasp what is right, we have to fully understand what is wrong. In the elimination of bad habits or improper technical flaws; we uncover the best way to produce good tone. We recently unearthed an archived "Tips and Tricks" column for you to explore entitled, "Cataloging Bad Tone."
Five issues we investigated in this November 2006 entry: *Missing, not milking the sweet spot with the fretting fingers
*Inaccurate pick timing (RH/LH coordination)
*Choking or failing to hold the tone through to the start of the next note.
*Running out of gas, prematurely losing phrase intensity
*Tepid pick stroking, lack of "follow-through."
These are all profoundly significant factors to eliminate in the pursuit of good tone. Developing practice habits that minimize these common mistakes will have a major impact on your ability to produce the best sound possible out of your mandolin.
September 21, 2008 | Mike & Ham in Cape Cod: Video
An exclusive video glimpse into a special New England performance by mandolinists extrodinaire Mike Marshall and Hamilton De Holanda at their recent Cape Cod performance (Sept 6th, 2008) on Juniper Point in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Competing with the remnants of Hurricane Hanna battering the windows in the background, this particular selection was a medley of Hermeto Pascoal's "São Jorge"(recorded on the duo's recent "New Words" release) and a lovely Americana piece composed by Bela Fleck, "Big Country" recorded in 1997 by Marshall, Bela Fleck, and Edgar Meyer (Uncommon Ritual). North meets WAY south in this moment of calm musical intimacy through the storm outside.
Special thanks to our good friend and Special JazzMando East Coast Research Assistant, Larry Sherman for capturing the moment:
September 19, 2008 | Hipsters, flipsters, and finger-poppin' daddies
Fifties' Poet/Philosopher Lord Buckley was considered an "accomplished cultural assimilator." The mustached cult-icon story teller was famous for taking well-known soliloquies and dressing them up in street language, and in the case of William Shakespeare's Mark Antony famous "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears..." he recited the speech in the language of a jazz hipster.
We thought you'd get a kick out of this, and if it's been awhile since you studied this in your sophomore English Lit class, we've repeated the original prose below.
Hipsters, flipsters, and finger-poppin' daddies,
Knock me your lobes,
I came to lay Ceasar out,
Not to hip you to him.
The bad jazz that a cat blows,
Wails long after he's cut out.
The groovey is often stashed with their frames,
So don't put Caesar down.
The swinging Brutus hath laid a story on you
That Caesar was hungry for power.
If it were so, it was a sad drag,
And sadly hath the Caesar cat answered it.
Here with a pass from Brutus and the other brass,
For Brutus is a worthy stud,
Yea, so are they all worthy studs,
Though their stallions never sleep.
I came to wail at Ceasar's wake.
He was my buddy, and he leveled with me.
Yet Brutus digs that he has eyes for power,
And Brutus is a solid cat.
It is true he hath returned with many freaks in chains
And brought them home to Rome.
Yea, the looty was booty
And hip the trays we weld(?)
Dost thou dig that this was Caesar's groove
For the putsch?
When the cats with the empty kicks hath copped out,
Yea, Caesar hath copped out, too,
And cried up a storm.
To be a world grabber a stiffer riff must be blown.
Without bread a stud can't even rule an anthill.
Yet Brutus was swinging for the moon.
And, yea, Brutus is a worthy stud.
And all you cats were gassed on the Lupercal
When he came on like a king freak.
Three times I lay the kingly wig on him,
And thrice did he put it down.
Was this the move of a greedy hipster?
Yet, Brutus said he dug the lick,
And, yes, a hipper cat has never blown.
Some claim that Brutus' story was a gag.
But I dug the story was solid.
I came here to blow.
Now, stay cool while I blow.
You all dug him once
Because you were hipped that he was solid
How can you now come on so square
Now that he's tapped out of this world.
City Hall is flipped
And swung to a drunken zoo
And all of you cats are goofed to wig city.
Dig me hard.
My ticker is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And, yea, I must stay cool til it flippeth back to me.
From LORD BUCKLEY IN CONCERT, Demon Verbals
Transcribed by Earl Rivers
Original Shakespeare: ANTONY Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault,
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest--
For Brutus is an honourable man;
So are they all, all honourable men--
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
He hath brought many captives home to Rome
Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:
Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?
When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honourable man.
You all did see that on the Lupercal
I thrice presented him a kingly crown,
Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?
Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke,
But here I am to speak what I do know.
You all did love him once, not without cause:
What cause withholds you then, to mourn for him?
O judgment! thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason. Bear with me;
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar,
And I must pause till it come back to me.
First introduced in 2002, we've made the FFcP method a cornerstone of our strategies in fretboard familiarity and tactile adaptation. From the FFcP introduction, "The perfect 5th tuning of the mandolin offers a truly unique opportunity; moving a scale or pattern up a string or two, up several frets, yet easily maintaining the relation with only four possibilities, a scale based on fingers 1, 2, 3, or 4. This is the whole basis of the FFcP approach."
We have the first two lessons repeated in the Mandolin Cafe Lessons section, and of course, the bulk of all 120 pages of "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" incorporates this perception of the frets. If you have been introduced to the first lesson and have spent more than a few months on these exercises (it takes this long!), you're ready to move into some of the more advanced studies. Visit our FFcP Survey Page.
In conjunction with the impending of the release of "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" later this month, we're privileged to introduce yet another MP3 file to our support page "Webtracks," with the addition of Mark Wilson's interpretation of "Dorian's Grey." Similar to the track we mentioned earlier this month submitted by New England jazzmeister, Will Patton (Lydia O'Lydia), Wilson's track is from a lesson in the chapters on modal improvisation extracting and developing potential material from the Dorian mode.
You don't have to be a propellerhead to enjoy the soundtrack music of the now defunct Sci-Fi series, "Firefly." It's a shame that Fox Studios didn't really get this show, and the must-have DVD collection testifies it was truly a remarkable production, a cast of nine totally diverse characters, working together for a common cause, reflected so well in the background score itself. Set 500 years in the future, the crew of Serenity, a model of transport-class spaceship known as a Firefly, under the command of Captain Malcolm Reynolds, flies the outskirts of settled space, avoiding the ruling power of the Alliance, and picking up whatever jobs they can find.
Combining the American West langauge of acoustic "Cowboy" sounds, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, the futuristic setting also infused many Asian acoustic instruments and blended a unique interplay of East meets West. Listening to the score is as much a pleasure as watching the captivating scenery, acting, and intriguing plot. Even if you aren't/weren't a fan of the series, we recommend acquring the soundtrack CD of the show!
Some refreshing new acoustic music from Oklahoma-based producer/guitarist Brad Ford and mandolinist Dewayne Grissom in their latest release "Second Wind" in their Mandolin Project. Touted as "Contemporary mandolin music that blazes new paths into uncharted musical territory, with elements of jazz, rock, bluegrass, and more," the duo present a dynamically fresh new sound in ensemble settings of acoustic instruments including banjo and violin. Influences they attribute to their sound include, Seals & Crofts , David Grisman, Jean-Luc Ponty, Santana, and the Allman Brothers.
Audio samples are available on their website and at CDBaby:
The work of Johathan McClanahan has appeared on our radar before. We mentioned him a year ago in a September What's New report. His four very distinct models, "Witness", "Descending Dove," "Via Dolorosa," "Trinity" are all a deep and profound profession of his faith, beautifully illustrated in a Nashville Public Television "Crossroads" documentary posted online at the WNPT.org website. Go to the Tennessee Crossroads "Program Info" page and scroll down to number 9 in the Episode 2207, for "Mandolin Maker."
Brilliant guitar picking by Gypsy Guitar Masters in the latest entry in the Djangobooks video collection from Mozes Rosenberg, Stochelo Rosenberg, Romane, Richard Galliano, and more! You'll definitely want to listen to this with your best computer speakers or headphones.
In addition to these, he's favored us with a terrific audio interpretation of one of the "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" five song tracks, "Fascinatin' Doll," a derivative tune based on the chord changes of Ellington's "Satin Doll." In the book we scrutinize Tonal Center changes during the song's lesson, but with the book about three weeks away from release, we just want to tease you with his audio contribution. Sit back and enjoy Mark's newly acquired five-string electric mando:
You've probably noticed a little remodeling around the website. Not like we've torn out any walls or added any rooms, more like we've rearranged the furniture and freshened the pictures on the walls a little. With the advent of the release of the Getting into Jazz Mandolin book later this month, we wanted to move our "Webtracks" online support in a little more prominent position and not far below, our radically new approach to fretboard familiarity, the "FFcP" resource page.
You can click through some of the other banners for the Free Downloads, Builders, and many other long-time popular features, but we hope you're taking advantage of our weekly Tips and Tricks feature. If you aren't hooked up to an RSS feed, you would be well served to have this delivered to your computer regularly. We also keep the latest three "What's New" articles in the upper right hand side of the front page, but also be aware these don't go away and you can browse through our archives at any time.
Enjoy the site, and if you ever have suggestions or ideas for our research staff to investigate, let us know!
Disclaimer: In the 'Information Age' of the 21st Century,
any fool with a computer, a modem, and an idea can
become a self-professed 'expert." This site does not
come equipped with 'discernment.'
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September 29, 2008 | New from "The Loar"
Dorian's Grey
