October 2009 Newsletter
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
photo by Nancy Giroux
GOOD AS GOLD
I'm still basking in the glow of a fantastic UK tour with Josh Ritter supporting Ray Lamontagne. All I can say is that I have heard the weep of my lap steel reverberate in the heavenly acoustics of the Royal Albert Hall, and I can now die a happy man.
The only thing that felt odd on this trip was traveling sans acoustic guitar, as opposed to the other 99% of the tours I do, or as I refer to them "Me And My Guitar Against The World Tour." Time in the trenches quickly forges an intense brotherhood, and while we don't have actual conversations, my guitar is often my only company and by far my most prized material possession. So many of you have emailed or sauntered up to the stage after a show to ask me about my guitar, I thought I would dedicate a newsletter to singing its praises.
My instrument was built by renowned luthier TJ Thompson from West Concord, Massachusetts. He was recommended to me as the guy who could help my 1947 0-17, originally conceived by Martin as a no-frills student model, keep pace with the rigors of the road. After a couple years of this dance, TJ suggested both our lives might be easier if he just built me a new guitar. I jumped at this rare offer, and he began by asking me what I liked about my 0-17 and taking measurements. Then he let me play a variety of pre-war Martins and Gibsons, and more measurements followed.
A year and a half later, the guitar was finished--sort of like a Martin 00-28 but with many variations on that theme. The back and sides are koa, tonally similar to my mahogany 0-17 but slightly stiffer and more resistant to variations in temperature and humidity. The top is Sitka spruce, made from wood that had been lying around the Martin factory attic since the 1940's. It has bear claw figuring and a sunburst finish that I am not ashamed to say made me tear up a bit when I saw it for the first time. There are lots of other cool details too, like the fretboard dots modeled after the stars in book The Little Prince, or the banjo tuners that extend behind instead of from the side of the headstock.
Of course, the ultimate measure of a guitar is how it sounds. With all the articulate highs of my former 0-17, a fuller bottom end, and a touch of Gibson mid-range honk thrown in for good measure, my Thompson is THE guitar of my dreams. I guess an even better measure of a guitar is how often other musicians ask if I'd like to sell it them. By that metric, my guitar is as good as gold.
P. S. If you want to see the guitar in action, the best way is to come to a show! You can also hear a good recording of it on this studio video of "Volunteers." If you're interested in getting in touch with TJ about building a guitar, you can email me and I'll put you in touch.
YOUTUBE UPDATE: There have been a bunch of new videos of my recent exploits posted to YouTube. You can check out a video of myself, Josh Ritter and Zack Hickman singing with Ray Lamontagne at the Royal Albert Hall here. You can also see some songs from last month's Darwin Song Project set at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival. Lastly, there are a few songs, including "Five Beer Moon," from a recent show at the Rose Garden Coffeehouse.
NEW RECORD: I'm excited to head up to Great North Sound Society in Maine next week to begin work on my 8th record. Zack Hickman will be at the helm once again, and I'll be joined by Jake Armerding (fiddle, mandolin), Charlie Rose (pedal steel, banjo, cello) and Neil Cleary (drums, quips, witticisms). All of us sing! All are multi-instrumentalists! It's gonna be such a glorious racket that we just might open up a portal to the ninth dimension by accident or something. It's too early to speak of an official release date for this project as of now, but I will post some YouTube videos and photos from the sessions as soon as I can. Stay tuned!
MP3 of the MONTH: In honor of this gorgeous season of decline, this month's track is a demo of "Everything In Ruin," a song we'll be cutting for the new record in a few days. It will be available for free for the month of October, so download away.
THE SHOWS:
Thu Oct 15th
Passim Center, Cambridge MA
I feel so at home at Passim that this legendary club feels like an extension of my living room. I'm honored to be here for a two night stand this month. For the first show, I'll be backed by Barnstar for my first-ever full concert of my songs interpreted by a bluegrass band. Expect the unexpected! New songs! Old songs made new! This will be a great night. Oh yeah, and for those of you who like to enjoy a libation or two with your music...the club now serves wine and beer! Strange how that makes me both sound and look better when I play there. Opening is one of my favorite new songwriters, Dave Godowsky, and I'm sure I'll sit in with him too. Check out the venue website to reserve your seats today.
Fri Oct 16th
Passim Center, Cambridge MA
What could be better than two nights at Passim? Two nights and two completely different shows at Passim! With wine and beer! And YOU! This night will be just little ole me and my aforementioned guitar...um, make that, guitars. I'll be doing songs from throughout my catalog as well as some brand new songs to be featured on my next record. That heavenly siren Margaret Glaspy will open, and I'm sure we'll sing something together as well.
Fri Oct 23rd
Folk on Mass House Concert, Lawrence KS
My only problem with this wonderful house concert series is that it is located a mere stone's throw from one of the best guitar stores in the country, Mass Street Music. I could practically shout my credit card number to the cashier from this venue, hosts Matt and Judy's gorgeously restored Victorian house. It's a great place to see a show, and reservations are required, so make yours today here.
Sat Oct 24th
Folk Salad House Concert, Tulsa OK
Tulsa Oklahoma, where they have no problem reconciling that there wasn't much difference between Woody Guthrie and Bob Wills...my kinda town! It's been awhile since I was in the neighborhood, so I'll look forward to playing some newer songs for everyone. Make you reservations online or call 918-361-3071.
Sun Oct 25th
The Depot, Norman OK
A few years back, this venue was my first headlining show in Oklahoma. I had no idea what to expect and was kind of blown away by the enthusiasm and familiarity with my music. I remember it was December and bleak and gray and cold, but the people were warm and welcoming. I hope for a similar reception the second time around. Reserve your tickets today by visiting the venue website.
SIDEMAN SECTION:
I currently have no sideman gigs scheduled for this month, but you never know where I'll pop up unannounced.
ON THE HORIZON:
Nov 6 - Palm Harbor FL
Nov 7 - Coral Springs FL
Nov 12 - New York NY
Nov 13 - Blue Bell PA
Nov 14 - Canton CT
peace,
mark
