For the past couple of weeks I’ve had the good fortune to be running around Australia with mandolinist Mike Compton. This was especially nice as I missed the last few weeks of snow and cold, and instead, was enjoying Australia’s summer of blue skies and 80˚ weather. I joined Mike onstage for a few numbers each night and was able capture a bit of video from the show in Margaret River, Australia. To say the trip was absolutely fantastic is an almost criminal understatement!

The International Bluegrass Music Museum has now opened registration to its 2008 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp. This popular, internationally attended camp coincides with the anniversary of Bill Monroe’s birth (he would have been 97 on September 13). Dates for this year’s camp are September 12-14.

Most of the full weekend of events will take place within the Museum, located at 117 Daviess Street, on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Owensboro, Kentucky. Campers will find themselves learning the performance style of this legendary musician, while being in a welcoming yet rarified environment surrounded by the history, artifacts, and collections of bluegrass music from around the world.

The Monroe-Style Camps have been designed for Monroe enthusiasts with a desire to immerse themselves in–and to assimilate–the highly acclaimed and unique performance style of the “Father of Bluegrass Music.” The 2008 Faculty includes these world-famous mandolinists: Richie Brown, Mike Compton, Bobby Osborne, Frank Wakefield and Butch Waller.

With a curriculum that focus on Monroe’s tone, historical influences, nuances, rhythm chop, implied melodies, right & left hand technique, utilization of blues music, translation of traditional fiddle tunes to mandolin, and the art of the waltz, this specialized camp is heaven to any mandolinist or budding mandolinist with an interest in Bill Monroe.

The camp also features an All-Star Faculty Concert wherein all five instructors will be accompanied by singer/guitarist, Tom Ewing. Ewing played with Monroe as one of his “Blue Grass Boys” from 1986 until 1996.

New to the camp this year is a field trip to the historic music barn in Monroe’s birthplace; Rosine, KY. Campers will enjoy a fish fry at the General Store next door to the barn, pose for a souvenir group photo, then join in a giant jam session with scores of musicians who attend the Barn jams on Friday nights.

More information as well as 2008 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp Registration Forms are available at Bluegrassmuseum.org or by calling 888 MY BANJO.

The Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra will be performing this Saturday at the Stoughton Opera House with special guest Mike Marshall. The Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra started in 1900 as a group of musicians who enjoyed playing together and has since evolved into what it is today: musicians dedicated to playing traditional American mandolin orchestra music.

If you are like me and have no idea what that really means, here is what I came up with: In the 1890’s, Orville Gibson came up with an innovate design for mandolins, which had traditionally been lute-like. Gibson designed a pear-shaped A-style mandolin and a fancier Florentine style mandolin. To market his new styles of mandolins, he decided to design an entire family of mandolins, each with a different size and sound. To promote all of these mandolins, Gibson came up with the idea of a mandolin orchestra. The idea worked as Mandolin orchestras became popular in the early 1900’s, and most of these players bought Gibson mandolins. (Check out the full article by Lee Griffith.)
The performance is at 7:30pm on Saturday evening.

Being that it was the instrument of choice for the Father Himself, it’s not surprising that there are so many fine mandolin players in Bluegrass. But inquiring minds want to know… who’s your favorite? And feel free to leave a comment with your own write-in nomination.

 Loading …

Bassist Edgar Meyer and Mandolinist Mike Marshall play the Wisconsin Union Theater, Wednesday, October 10th at 8pm. Both are absolutely fantastic players and should not to be missed! They will play an eclectic program featuring classical music, bluegrass, Brazilian tunes and their own compositions. General public tickets start at $18. UW-Madison student tickets are only $10.

You can also have a listen to a sample of their music.

Jim and Nancy Nikora will be hosting two fantastic mandolin workshops at their home in November. They are still working out the final details for the Carlo Aonzo workshop which will be on Sunday, November 4th. So check back or contact Nancy for more information.

The Mike Marshall workshop will be on Saturday, November 17th from 10am-1pm. The cost is $50. You can RSVP via email or phone call, but reservations are not confirmed until payment is delivered to Jim and Nancy. Reservations confirmations are on a first-paid basis so get your checks in! They plan to comfortably accommodate 12 participants and will provide coffee and juice before the workshop. Folks can arrive as early as 9:30 to settle in and mingle before getting down to business with Mike.

Reservations (and checks) to:
Nancy or Jim Nikora
41 Rough Lee Court, Madison, WI 53705
Phone: 608-233-0150
Email Nancy or Jim

Curly Seckler will be appearing with The David Grisman Experience in San Francisco at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park. Curly is a pioneer of Bluegrass and a personal favorite. He played with Flatt and Scruggs, Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass, as well as fronting his own band for many years.

Of interesting note (especially to mandolin players and historians), David Grisman was recently able to purchase Curly Seckler’s old F-2 Gibson mandolin - the instrument Curly played all through his tenure with the Foggy Mountain Boys! It is being restored by Gibson and may be ready in time for the festival.

Some people probably enjoy living under a rock, but if you’re not one of them, then perhaps you’re familiar with the Masterful Mandolin Musings of Mr. Mike Compton. If not, sit back, turn your ears on, and take a peek at the following video lesson.

Old Mountaineer is one of the more obscure Monroe tunes and a personal favorite of mine. Mike often plays it as a solo number during his shows and I prefer it this way to the original band version. It just seems to let the tune breath better this way (YMMV).

Now, I’m not going to pretend this is an easy tune… ’cause it ain’t. This is some seriously advanced stuff! So if you’re up for climbing this mandolin mountain, bring your own oxygen. Or just enjoy watching a master at work…

Mandolinist Butch Baldassari was recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and will begin chemo and radiation treatment this week. As one might imagine, this will be extremely stressful and costly. The Mandolin Cafe has set up a support fund for Butch. Folks that would like to contribute can do so there. Butch can also be reached at the following address:

Butch Baldassari
125 43rd Ave. N.
Nashville, TN 37209

The 3rd Annual Midwest Mandolin Festival will be held June 2, 2007, at the marina at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis. 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Admission to the festival is free with paid admission to the park. This event is presented by the Mandolin Society of Central Indiana and sponsored by Frank’s Violins and Mark’s Fret Shop.

There will be a wide variety of acoustic music (including Bluegrass) featuring the mandolin, in a beautiful park setting. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket and pack a picnic lunch. Folks from out of town will find many things to see and do in Indianapolis.

Renowned mandolin builders Will Kimble, and Ben Wilcox (BRW) are planning on attending the festival (not guaranteed). You’ll have a chance to meet and talk with Will and Ben, and perhaps see some of their recent mandolins!