Okay, I have been slacking… but only in regards to updating my blog (and buying a dresser for the lump of cloths on by bedroom floor). I’ve actually been quite busy with my new band (This is the) Squirrel Hunters.

For some time I have known that in order to get my playing to the next level, I need more reps and to be forced into sweating every detail. In other words, I need a band. As luck would have it, I have some good friends who’s playing I enjoy and who all have similar interest in improvement. Thus was born (This is the) Squirrel Hunters.

We recently had our debut… our maiden voyage… our, if you will, debutant ball (oh, and I will)…. The event took place at one of my favorite bars, the Roxbury Tavern. Tom, the owner/proprietor of the Roxbury, showed his TITSH colors by cooking up a fantastic squirrel stew in honor of the occasion!

It was a fine time to be sure. There’s work ‘o plenty still to do but it was a fine beginning. You’re welcome to see for yourself. There are a few videos up on YouTube, as well as a photo sideshow on the band site. Our next show is this weekend at the Brooklyn Bluegrass Festival in Brooklyn, WI.

Even if you’re not that into Bluegrass, I would think you’d find the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show DVD pretty cool. If you are even remotely into Bluegrass, then this DVD series is absolutely essential! I don’t think I can hype these DVDs too much… just go buy one and see for yourself. In addition to the many, many great tunes, they also included some of the original Martha White commercials… which are priceless!

My favorite mandolin player on this planet is Mr. Mike Compton. In an odd turn of events, I also consider him a friend. That he can suffer through with my playing and not throw up (not noticeably at least) is the finest musical honor I’ve achieved. This is a clip of he and I playing in Margaret River, Australia. You can find more videos and sundries over on that there YouTube…

Last week, at long last, it was decided… it was time to own a fiddle. A luck would have it, eBay was willing to accommodate my decision and lo and behold, my new German fiddle was dropped off at my door. The timing was especially convenient being that it was just before the temp plunged to -9˚, and two days before I leave for Australia for two weeks.

But after about an hour or so of messing around with it, I was disappointed that I’d still not mastered the instrument. I don’t get it… but I’m not giving up. Maybe I’ll have it all down in another hour or so. This will be helpful as I’m planning on taking up Golf soon and giving Tiger a run for his money this year.

Ten years ago today, the world became less funny.

I had the pleasure of filling in for the missing Bruce King at a recent New Pioneers show. Here's some footage from the show... and even more footage if you're crazy like that... or on YouTube if that's your thing.

The show turned out to be a bit of a Bluegrass-smack-upside-the-head. It reminded me that I've been spending a lot of time in the Old-Time world and neglecting the 'Grass. Message received.

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And please note, because Internet Explorer totally sucks, I can't embed quicktime safely any more. Please stop using Microsoft products where possible. I'd appreciate it.

Here’s one just for fun… This is my Hartford inspired (read: stolen) version of “Bring Your Clothes Back Home”. Not sure where he got it but it’s almost certainly an old Blues/stringband tune. The title may also be “Try Me One More Time”. Not sure. Surely there’s a crusty historian out there who would love nothing better than to shred their larynx berating me for my stupidity on the subject… uncle?

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I woke up feeling extremely funky this morning… I’ve been kinda couch-ridden all day and thus, mando playing. My mando is also feeling kinda funky today. Her strings are crusty and stale. Together in our mutual funks, we produced this odd little version of Evening Prayer Blues. A tune with a loose (extremely loose) lineage of DeFord Bailey to Monroe to Compton and then to me.

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Old Mountaineer is one of those fantastic, yet obscure Monroe tunes. I stole it (like so many things) off of Mike Compton. Interestingly, I learned it off of the bootlegs from a house concert in Madison, WI (before I moved here) and have since become good friends with Bobby and Lori, who had hosted that show. If you don’t have that show, you should… but you can find the tune on Stomp as well.

Sidebar: while I’m on it, I’l throw out a quick rant for bootlegs… Some musicians feel that bootlegs cut into their bottom line and/or don’t care for folks to hear their “off” shows. I understand these opinions and have no problem with it… except that I disagree with them. My favorite shows are live. Live performances offer a true look into a musician. The allow me to hear tunes that they’re working into a set or are playing off the cuff. Mistakes provide more depth in understanding their playing. Eg. how one handles a mistake in music, like in life, tells a lot about folks. Please, please, PLEASE… allow live recordings where applicable. When I listen to your show I will have already bought your records (which is why I’m listening to your live show) or open to checking you out (and if I like you I will almost certainly buy your record). ‘Nuff said…

Okay, rant over…

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I used “the folk process” to liberate this tune from a fantastic record by John Hartford and Jim Wood. It’s called The Bullies Have All Gone To Rest and I would highly recommend it. For the recording, I’m using a new toy called the MicPort Pro. Sounds pretty good… as does the Shure KSM32.

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