Acoustic Guitar Legends: John Fahey & More!

I just got my December issue of Acoustic Guitar in the mail, it should be hitting the stands any minute now and this month looks to be a hat trick for the Delta-Slider crowd.
Up first is a John Fahey lesson.  You can read it online and watch the video lessons here:
Acoustic Guitar: Acoustic Guitar Legends: John Fahey Lesson

That covers the American Primitive.

Next up is Mississippi John Hurt, that covers the blues!  Who doesn't want to learn to play like John Hurt? Acoustic Guitar: Acoustic Guitar Legends: Mississippi John Hurt Lesson

And rounding out the triple threat is a Paco de Lucía lesson!  Holy flippin' Phrygian scale, Batman!  I love when flamenco gets a little love from a big boy guitar magazine.  Here in the States that is uncommon. Be sure to check out the video lesson for this one just to see the old-school flamenco guitar.  Acoustic Guitar: Acoustic Guitar Legends: Paco de Lucía Lesson    How about that head stock with the friction tuning pegs?  Sweet!

That covers my favorites but AG isn't done, there's also lessons in the style of Norman Blake, Ani DiFranco and Paul Simon.

And look! A review of "Beyond Berkeley Guitar!" Acoustic Guitar: Various Artists, Beyond Berkeley Guitar

It's nice to see an issue of AG with so much Fahey and Fahey-related material in it.

And since the holidays are fast approaching there's a nice arrangement of "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" by Happy Traum with a free TAB download.  Acoustic Guitar: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

By the way, I'm not getting anything to hawk AG magazine.  I just thought this was an exceptional issue that you might be interested in.

Yair Yona - Official Bootleg #1

Yair Yona has released "Official Bootleg #1" on his BandCamp page and I for one, am delighted that he is indicating that it will be the first of more to come.  Two reasons; I get to hear some of his material from the "Remember" release in a solo setting and I get to hear him live.  A nice bonus since I'm not travelling to Israel anytime soon!  Here's the official description.

"Official Bootleg is a set of recorded live shows that is given for a free download. You can also purchase it for any price you think is right"

This is a solid eight cut performance with four cuts from the afore mentioned "Remember" release and four other songs that make this set very desirable for a Yona fan.  First there is the excellent performance of "It's Not The Heat (It's The Humidity)" that I believe is slated for the second release.  In addition there is a 12-string nod to Glenn Jones and the alternately frantic and sweet "Mad About You" and rounding out the set is a lovely version of the classic Angie.

Visit Yair Yona's BandCamp page.  You won't regret it.

Did I mention it's free?

BUY Yair Yona from EMUSIC

Delta-Slider Radio? More Thoughts

Update - Really just one new thought.  What about a podcast once in a while?  A show that you can play on the computer, download from iTunes, play on your mp3 player...???

Hey loyal readers.  I need your input!  I’ve been thinking of starting up an Internet radio station on Live365.com that would, of course be focused on the type of music I usually feature here on the blog.

Since it is the type of set-up that pays the royalties and all that jazz I can play anything and everything you and I want to hear.  American Primitive, blues and even flamenco.  I know, weird mix.

But I have a lot of questions.  And that’s where you come in.  Please, please, please give me some feedback on this.  I don’t want to put a ton of work into this thing and then have it broadcasting to a vacuum.  I need to know if you would go to the site, sign up (free) and listen to the station.

Here's some things I would like to hear about:

Have you ever heard of Live365?  Is there a better site?

Do you already listen to Internet radio?

If so, is it working for you or are you looking for something better?  What would ‘better’ be to you?

Would you listen for free?

There is also a VIP membership (for a fee, of course).  Will you pay to listen to Internet radio?

If you are a musician with unreleased music, would you be interested in having your music played on this station?  

I’m looking for answers to these questions and any general feedback about this idea that you might have.

Leave me a comment with your thoughts.

Want to discuss it with me?  Send me an email delta_slider AT yahoo.com

Or…just vote on the survey on the sidebar of the blog.  Note, if you are reading this in and email of a feed, bless you, you can click on over to the site to vote quickly and anonymously.

Looking forward to the responses and thanks!

Shane Speal - The Jug Fusion Sessions

Frankly I thought this would be a lot more raw, hill country style playing.  However, there is some good stuff here and I have to give Speal a lot of credit for throwing even the kitchen sink into this.  There's straight-ahead rock, there's kazoo, solo instrumental to full bands, swing pieces, Eastern influences.

I've always wanted to build one of these guitars.  Speal has a great site full of plans and forums and all kinds of tips on building anything from the simple to the advanced.  And it doesn't stop with guitars, there's violins, lap steels, banjos and ukes too.

Go here to download the free album: Shane Speal - The Jug Fusion Sessions

Don't forget to leave a comment/vote on the Delta-Slider Radio Post!!!

Big Lazy

If you are a fan of surf guitar, twang noir, crime jazz or whatever other tag you try to slap on these guys...you need to check this out.  These guys have been around a plenty long time but I want to put up a post because they are SO DAMN good!!!

This is a trio of electric guitar, stand-up bass and drums.  The guitarist generally plays in a very tremolo and/or reverb drenched tone and has a sense of timing that is exquisite!  In a matter of a few bars of a song he has the notes rolling of the guitar smooth and sweet and with that one note left, that one note you know needs to be played to finish up, he leaves you hanging just the right amount of time.  It's also not unusual for said guitarist, Stephen Ulrich to drag the time just a tad and it is just so perfect.

Check out Curb Urchin to see what I mean.



Ain't that just great?

Go to their MySpace to hear more.

Go to their site to buy.

This Youtube video has Curb Urchin at about the 4 minute mark. Great song!

Don't forget to leave a comment/vote on the Delta-Slider Radio Post!!!

Mark Lemhouse's Camino Deluxe - Willamina

Lemhouse is a bit reluctant to slap a tag on his music, but I think it's pretty obviously a bit of roots rock, rockabilly, blues and a lot of attitude.  That last bit gives it a great edge, I want to call it Punkabilly.  Call it what you like, it's not too surprising that Lemhouse has arrived at this point with his music.  As much as I still LOVE his blues release, Big Lonesome Radio I could see he was heading in a more contemporary direction.  It's a bit short, clocking in at just under 15 minutes but hey, he ships it fast and the shipping is included in the U.S.

Sound good?  Buy it HERE.

Don't forget to leave a comment/vote on the Delta-Slider Radio Post!!!

The Black Oil Brothers w/ Bethany Saint-Smith - American Honey

These guys are always turning out good quality blues at a price you can't refuse!  And now they've added Bethany Saint-Smith to the mix.  A singer and songwriter they met on tour in New York city.  Saint-Smith gets all the vocal work on this seven song EP, and makes the most of it!

The EP is titled  American Honey  Guitarist Tony Manno says: "a tribute in name of sorts to Wild Turkey's American Honey whiskey, which helped fuel the weekend-long recording session that produced these songs."

Love how this set ends on the sparse "Avenue A" with the siren and thunder in the background.  If you live in the Chicago area, be sure to check these guys out!

John-Alex Mason & the Jook Joint Thunderclap

I think I first saw John-Alex Mason playing solo reso guitar in a coffee shop in a suburb of Denver.  I had no idea who he was, but I was signing up for the email list and filling the tip jar in no time.  This cat can play the blues.  He has since expanded the performance to a Richard Johnston style of playing, the one-man-band with floor mounted drums.  And this latest development!  This is a great sounding project with some great musicians: Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm, Denver's own  Lionel Young and Gerry Hundt (who plays mandolin blues, love it!) and Cody Burnside adding some interesting aspects to this body of work. Put them all together for the Jook Joint Thunderclap!!!
Check it out in the player!!!

So John-Alex Mason is running an interesting sort of campaign here, this project needs some funding to get off the ground.  Click HERE to find out more.  And if you liked the stuff you hear, you must visit his KICKSTARTER page to see how you can help.  The project needs  funding and there's a deadline.
Check it out!!!  If the project doesn't fund, you owe nothing.  I'm in, are you?

John Fahey - The Fonotone Years [1958-1965]

Five CDs + book coming in 2011.