Max Device:


https://cycling74.com/2016/07/26/max-for-live-devices-in-max-anti-theory/#.V5kkvWcUWUk

Norman Blake nancy Blake fiddle cello

Norman Blake can play guitar like nobodies business.  But he's also an incredible multi instrumentalist.  As I've been diving into Norman's catalog more and more over that last few years, the tracks where he plays fiddle or mandolin have really started to stand out.  His fiddle playing is remarkable, and there's not a whole lot of video evidence I could find, so I was excited to see this one.  Especially since his wife (a phenomenal musician and multi instrumentalist herself) Nancy plays on it too.  Beautiful tune, beautifully played.  It is a little strange how Norman's beard spills over the top the fiddle, though. Just saying.

One of my favorite videos right now is Tony Rice playing the wonderful Norman Blake song, 'Church Street Blues.' Tony Rice's voice knocks me out.

Thank you MandoLessons!  Baron Collins-Hill is a fantastic teacher, and his online resource for Mandolin has been an incredible tool.  I just donated a bit (too little - hopefully more later), and he sent me a t-shirt.  If you want to learn mandolin, this is the place to start:

http://www.mandolessons.com/about/about-mandolessons/

Just picked one of these up:

http://www.critterandguitari.com/products/pocket-piano

It's amazing.  Put it through some guitar effects and this little critter has incredible depth.  It doesn't feel at all like a toy because it's actually metal and wood.  So much fun...

sloppy, awkward, slightly out of tune, and absolutely beautiful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hos21J2kAWQ

john prine is one of my all time favorites.

i don't think i've ever listened to a podcast (never interested), but i'm going to check this out:

http://artmusictech.libsyn.com/webpage

looks like great stuff.

since this is a blog nobody follows (and who can blame them?), it is now a repository for things of interest i stumble upon while searching the web when i should working...  basically it's a notebook for myself.  wow, that's pretty dorky.  does anyone say "dorky" anymore.  it doesn't matter, nobody is reading this...

despite being a folky country bum, i enjoy tinkering with electronic music and have just recently gotten into ableton live and max for live (more on this later).  this looks amazing and is going on my buy list:

https://www.ableton.com/en/blog/dub-machines-analog-delay-max-for-live/

http://www.surrealmachines.com/

**edit - purchased.  it's amazing.  crazy, like a roland space echo, it inspires musical deviations.  effects really should be like having another instrument on hand, and this one definitely works that way.  so fun.

Waylon

I've never understood why record labels don't release the entire catalogs of artists like Waylon Jennings, George Jones, or Roger Miller. I'm not talking about ten different "greatest hits" collections, but the actual original albums. Really, I guess it's all related to money and sales, but you'd think there would be enough of a market to re-release the albums of an incredible established icon like Waylon Jennings?!

German companies like Bear Family release entire volume recordings of Johnny Cash, Waylon, etc., but it's tough being able to afford the large lump sums of cash required to buy each volume. Plus, I really like owning the original albums in their original form, er... except on cd instead of vinyl, although I'd buy them if they were re-released on vinyl too.

I've been a bit obsessed with Waylon Jennings as of late. I've acquired a good portion of his catalog, but only through buying it on vinyl, in various collections, as well as getting a bunch from other sources (thank you blog-o-sphere). He was an incredible artist. Just have a look at this youtube clip from the Johnny Cash show:

Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line (Video)

Have a listen to a couple of early 60's songs:

Anita You're Dreaming

Loving Her was Easier (Than Anything I've Every Done)

More Waylon related material on the way...

Nilsson Jumps a Freight (July 3, 2007)

I still can't resist record bins. I used to collect, but kicked the habit years ago. I'd go to record conventions, lining up early, rushing in to madly flip through boxes and boxes of vinyl. Some people would throw their elbows out, so they could occupy two rows of records at once. It was rough and tumble, I got to tell you.

I was at a local antique store the other day, and saw a bunch of cardboard boxes of records stashed in the corner. There was some interesting stuff in there. I walked out with some great records by Porter Wagoner, Waylon Jennings, and The Buckaroos (featuring Mr. Brumely on pedal steel - look for a post in the near future). The strangest thing I picked up was a Harry Nilsson album on the Pickwick/ Capitol Label. It's called 'Rock N' Roll,' and appears to be a bunch of early recordings he did while working as a songwriter for Mercury and Tower. I could write forever about my love for Nilsson's music, and I'm sure if this silly blog keeps going, Nilsson will pop up a lot. If you've never listened to his music, go buy 'Nilsson Schmilsson,' or 'Pussy Cats' and be prepared to buy everything he's recorded. These two songs are posted for their novelty and rarity (is anything really "rare" anymore?) more than anything, but you can still hear his incredible voice. Both songs were written by Nilsson.

Born in Grenada:

Do You Believe:

Nelson Sings Nelson,

A couple of years ago, I worked with a woman who was a bit of a nutcase. She made all sorts of wild claims about her past. One of her stranger claims was that she was once married ("for a short spell") to the singer Ricky Nelson, and that one of the songson his album 'Garden Party' had been written for her. Seemed like too bizarre of aclaim to be hogwash, so I started doing a bit of research. Never found any proof either way, but I did discover some wonderful 70's era Ricky Nelson music. Here are a couple of songs off of his album 'Rick sings Nelson.' They were transferred off of vinyl, so please excuse the noise. The Stone Canyon Band is backing him, with Tom Brumley on Pedal steel (also plays on 'Garden Party'). Check out 'Garden Party,' if you haven't already. It's a fantastic album, and really his only early seventies album readily available on CD. Besides, it's worth it just for Brumley's steel playing.

California:



We've got a long way to go: