December schedule

Yesterday, I posted our rehearsal schedule for December. We'll be rehearsing on December 3 and 10, and then taking December 17, 24, and 31 off.

Sometimes in the past we have had an unofficial gathering to play some Christmas music on the last Monday before Christmas Eve. If someone wants to organize such a gathering, it's OK with me, but I won't be available on December 17.

Roster pictures

I've been adding people's pictures to the MMO roster. When I get a picture, I make the person's name into a link that points to the picture. So far, I have pictures of Jean, Steve, Ronda, and me. If the rest of you will send me small photos by e-mail, I'll add them, too.

Here's the link to the roster: http://www.mindspring.com/~lonzoh/roster.htm

Andy Statman at Cedar Cultrural Center

I was recently at the Cedar Cultural Center. They announced that Andy Statman (Mandolin and Clarinet Player) will be coming in early April 2008 for a performance. Andy Statman does very few performances outside of New York so this will be a rare opportunity to see and hear him play.

Kevin R Le Voir

Information on Shifting

Jazzmando has some interesting materials on Shifting (something I'm working on ).

Check out "A Handbook for Teaching Shifting to the Intermediate Violin Student" (look for Handbook1.pdf and Handbook2.pdf on Rami Kanaan's web page.

Dotty

S.S. Stewart Journals from 1890s

In case you missed it, there was a recent post on the Mandolin Cafe site about the University of Rochester digitizing the S.S. Stewart Banjo and Guitar Journal from the 1890s. I took a quick look at some of the old issues and found lots of mando content. The December 1899 issue has an article by Pettine. Be patient, they take a while to load, even with a high speed connection.

https://urresearch.rochester.edu/handle/1802/2586

Re: Northern Latitudes

Thanks for sharing this Tedd--you guys sounded (and looked) great! That's a very cool thing they're doing at babybluearts.com.

Northern Latitudes

This falls in to the shameless self promotion category. Check out the NLMQ at http://www.babybluearts.com/.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Kaufman's mandobass for sale

Some of you have probably seen this already. Steve Kaufman has a Gibson mandobass for sale. He's asking $4300. There are pictures and more information at
http://www.acoustic-kamp.com/1919_jseries_mandobass.htm

Bluegrass jam in Ham Lake

I got some information via e-mail from Joe Walters, who is organizing a bluegrass jam session. He asked me to spread the word. Here's the information:

Open Bluegrass Jam

When: 2^nd Friday of every month starting November 9^th.

Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm

Where:

Glen Cary Lutheran Church,

15531 Central Avenue ( HWY 65)

Ham Lake, MN

This is a new Jam starting in November. It will be open to all levels of musicianship. Acoustic only. We will be playing some bluegrass, some gospel, some gospel bluegrass, maybe a little old time country, whatever the mood strikes.

The jam is being held in conjunction with a community dinner. The diners will be a different room, but within earshot of the jammers.

For more information, please visit:

www.folkjam.org

www.glencary.org

or call Joe Walters at 763-441-0910

letitsno@comcast.net

No rehearsal November 5

There is no MMO rehearsal on November 5. There is a devotional program at the Baha'i center that evening. The event organizer asked for some contemplative mandolin music. I decided, since some key players could not make the gig, and since the notice about the program was relatively short, to do the program with a quartet. Of course, anyone who wants to hear the music or attend the devotional program is welcome to do so. The music starts at 7:30 and the devotions around 8:00.

Goldfinger mp3 practice files

I posted mp3 practice files for Goldfinger on our current tune list. The files (part 1 and part 2) are a recording of a performance by the Denver Mandolin Orchestra.

The tune list is at http://www.mindspring.com/~lonzoh/0708tunes.htm

Band Together Photo

The photo we took on 10/22 is now posted on the Mandolin Cafe. Go to the Butch tab in the What's Happening area and then to the Band Together for Butch tab. There is a slide show of everyone who has submitted a photo. I also e-mailed a photo directly to Butch.

mandolin virtuoso

Has anyone seen this amazing mandolin player?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddeVs_K1ha4&mode=related&search=virtuoso%20music%20classical%20mandolina%20domra%20bumblebee%20bee%20%D0%A8%D1%83%D1%88%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%20%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BC%D1%80%D0%B0%20%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0

If it doesn't come up hyperlinked, go to YouTube.com and search for Caprice 24 (Variations) Paganini-Lukin S. He also plays "Flight of the Bumble Bee" - amazing! You have to watch this all the way thru!

Blog out.

new MMO member?

I'm still trying to get Jozef from work to join our group. He plays both classical guitar and mandolin. He talked about joining a few months ago, but his daughter from Slovakia was here. Now she has returned and he has more time, although he works many hours as a mechanical engineer here. Maybe we could persuade him to play guitar so that Dave could have a back-up. He just e-mailed me and said he will bring both instruments. I think he wants to see the music for both guitar and first mandolin. I think he was in orchestra when he lived in Slovakia - not sure if it was mandolin. He came to the party at Dave & Linda's.

Blog out.

Practicing three against two with Weird Metronome

Some of the tunes on our current tune list feature a rhythm of three against two, with one part playing three notes while another part plays two notes. The Weird Metronome is a good tool to practice that rhythm.

Try this: In the Weird Metronome, set voice 1 and voice 2 to contrasting sounds, such as acoustic snare and hand clap. Click on the "custom" button and enter (12)02120 in the box next to the button. Set the tempo to 350 or so and hit the Play button. Listen to it for a while. Try playing along with the snare or the clap, and then switch to the other. Practice until it's easy to switch from one to the other smoothly, or until the drumming drives you nuts.

The Weird Metronome is available for free from http://www.pinkandaint.com/weirdmet.shtml

Mandolin Instruction

To all -

I thought I would use this forum to announce that I am now teaching mandolin.

I'm trying to fill a void in the Twin Cities by offering classical technique instruction.

While classical technique and music will be my focus, I'm also working with a couple of students who just want to get started.

If you know of anyone who might be interested, they can contact me at my e-mail or home phone (both of which are on the MMO roster).

Goldfinger midi

I have a midi file of Scott Johnson's arrangement of Goldfinger. There's a link to it on the MMO 2007-2008 tunes list, or you can go directly to
http://www.mindspring.com/~lonzoh/goldfinger.mid

It's fun to play along with it. Give it a try.

Band Together for Butch

I just received a very nice thank you note from Butch and Sinclair Baldassari for the money and well wishes the group sent to him. As a thank you they sent wrist bands for us that say "Band Together for Butch". I would like to try and take a photo of us all wearing the bands next rehearsal and sending it into the web site on Mandolin Cafe. I'll bring my camera.

Adding a photo

Just figuring out how to add my photo to my profile. Looks like you have to add it in a post first and then use the html code from that post to link your photo to your profile. Here's the help link: How to add a photo

Reh @ Falcon Heights church October 15

Our rehearsal on Monday, October 15, will be at Falcon Heights United Church of Christ. (October 8 will be at our usual location.) I'll put directions on the web site soon.

Where No Mandolin Has Gone Before

Hi everyone,

I'd like to play "Where No Mandolin Has Gone Before" next week (October 8). It's a mandolin orchestra arrangement of the original "Star Trek" theme. If any of you have it in your stacks of MMO music at home, please take it with you Monday.

Lon Hendricks

MMO’s Blog!

Hello everyone! Here is the MMO blog. With this setup we can, in addition to communicating with each other, can add tune lists, pictures, video snippets and, you’ll notice on the right, we can even do “polls” and have people respond right in the blog. I've got it set up as a “private” blog so only MMO members that are invited to the blog and sign up can view or post. Let me know what you think :o)