Back to my Roots - Bluegrass Festival Time

Once upon a time - way back in the days when I started playing music, the only style I truly enjoyed playing was Bluegrass.   Unfortunately for the folks who had to listen to my hours of learning the craft, it was probably not pleasant as I figured my way around the fretboards of the mandolin and guitar.    One thing I always enjoyed was jamming with other Bluegrassers, a great way to get acquainted with the possibilities of the instrument I was playing.  

Over the years, I've drifted away from my Bluegrass beginnings - playing more Old Time, and most recently Irish Trad.   The structure of these forms is one of the things that attracted me, and by playing and performing both, made me a better all around musician.  And I'm havin a pretty good time playing both styles ( a lot of fun and great friends) - but I've had the feeling that I've lost a lot of my Bluegrass chops.    It's also been tough for me to find the time to get out to the festivals with all the things going on in my life.    We do have local jams, but they are not nearly as free form as the festival setting, and mostly seem like a song circle set up for performance.

Last night at the Mohawk Valley Bluegrass Festival up in Boonville, I got a chance to do some real jammin with a bunch of really good musicians, Bluegrass style.   It was a blast!   Mostly, it was a chance to let go of the structure of playing a specific tune, or break for a performance, and enjoy playing the mandolin!!!!   We played a bunch of stuff I've never done before, in keys that I certainly don't embrace, and mostly with folks new to me.    It all clicked.    The rhythm parts flowed out of my mandolin as I was able to find space around and supporting the vocals and leads.   And the breaks were just a freaking blast to let myself go - and for the most part they sounded pretty good.   The F4 held its own with 2 or 3 banjos in the jam.

After about 2 hours jamming , my back and hips were killing me and midnite had arrived (it was a long day of standing - did a set at the festival with a band, and also had MC duties) so I called it a nite.    

Might just have to find a Bluegrass Band in need of a mandolin player!   

A life of their own?

I'm convinced that acoustic instruments are alive.   I own a few instruments and each has its own personality beyond just appearance, sound, and playablity.  Some are very warm and welcoming, some cold and unapproachable at times, some just like an old friend you haven't seen in a long time - you are instantly connected whenever you get together.   For those of you who play a lot this may make sense.

It's funny how I can pick up one of my instruments and it feels great just to hold. plays like butter, and sounds great.   Then a few days later something between us just isn't right - it seems to be fighting me - not wanting to be played and not sounding the way it's supposed to.   

My main mandloin is a nice old Gibson - and it is also the most fickle of all of them.   Right now we have a great relationship going - every time I pick it up it plays and sounds great, and is just so easy to get along with.   The response is there for most anything I want to do, and the sound - wow!!! 

Just a few months ago I had to stop playing it for a while.   It was damn frustrating every time I picked it up.   The fretboard was uncomfortable, strings kept getting in the way of my fingers, and the sound was full of muted sting noise, clicks, and buzzes.  I don't believe I was doing anything different - must be the mandolin.    Anyway I didn't touch it for about two months, and when I tried playing it again, I first gave it a nice cleaning and a fresh set of heavier strings.   What changed I really don't know, but now I can put it down..........  

I have to say mandolins are the most fickle - my black Gibson also acts the same way - I went a long time playing it with no problems then it seemed like every time I touched it the sound was awful, and it was not fun to play.   I wish the two would be in sync so when one was mis-behaving the other would be good, but that's usually not the case.  It's almost like they are a couple of sisters - when one is mad at me the other is two.  

It's a darn good thing my main guitar doesn't act that way  - it's always ready, reliable, most playable, and always responsive.

Christmas Music

In about a week it will hit - non stop Christmas everywhere you turn.   Claire tells me that the stores are already decked out, so I plan not to go into any until I have no alternative.   Can't stand the Christmas commercialization.   So I won't rant about that, but instead, the good part - the music.

Yes - I like Christmas music a lot.   There is such a rich tradition of songs and tunes that is so ingrained that has come from years of listening.   Growing up in Oriskany NY, we lived right behind a restaurant, Trinkaus Manor.  The manor was a beautiful old mansion that operated as a restaurant and for years had the best Christmas light display in Upstate NY.   It was so bright my bedroom was never dark in the season.   What the Manor also did was play loud Christmas Music non-stop from dusk till about 11PM.   We had no choice but to listen in when it was lights out.    So for many of my formative years I listened to an aural barrage of Christmas songs and tunes for several hours a day from Thanksgiving until about mid-January.   At the time I hated it.

When I started playing seriously all those tunes remained in my head.   Some of the first stuff I played by ear was Christmas tunes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, First Noel, Jolly Old St Nicholas, Joy to the World, and What Child is This.   Since I've been playing I've also been drawn into listening to acoustic covers, and Christmas music in Celtic, Old Time, Finger picking, and Cajun styling.   Can't get enough of it this time of year.   But most of all I just enjoy the heck out of playing the tunes on the mandolin and having a good time arranging them my own way.   I've done some performing of Christmas stuff and it is a blast.   People aren't used to hearing it in an acoustic setting with mandolin, bouzouki, mandola, and other acoustic instruments. 

Last year I performed accompanying a reading of the Christmas Carol and had a hand in arranging the music - one of the most enjoyable gigs I've done in a long time.  Not only was the music a blast, but my daughter Kelly did the singing and I played with three good music friends Mike Hoke, Skip Mansur, and Mike Carroll.   The recordings of our practice session were good enough to make my Ipod.

So for the next month or so I'll be driving Claire crazy playing my Christmas stuff in the music room for my own amusement.  Fun - you bet. 

Come to think of it I may have to start a Christmas Band one of these days!