was reminded again why I loved this band so much back in the day. great vibes. long live YMSB!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
YMSB
last night our boys Yonder Mountain String Band rolled into Nashville and they put AHall to work. he sat in most of their incredible show. I used to drive 6 hours in the snow to see these guys, now I get to drink their Patron and rage-hippy dance right INSIDE the rail. so sick. this was my view, that's Todd Snider lurking in the back.
was reminded again why I loved this band so much back in the day. great vibes. long live YMSB!
was reminded again why I loved this band so much back in the day. great vibes. long live YMSB!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Infamous Krewe
Have you checked out Toubab Krewe?
Soul Brothers. We're trying to figure out how we can hang with these guys some more. The Infamous Krewe. Stay tuned.
Soul Brothers. We're trying to figure out how we can hang with these guys some more. The Infamous Krewe. Stay tuned.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Johnny Grubb joins Emmitt-Nershi Band!
If you know us, you may know that we're boys with the Emmitt-Nershi Band, Pandolfi was the original banjo player, and Railroad Earth. So it was with no small fanfare that we celebrated the announcement that former RRE bassist Johnny Grubb has joined the Emmitt-Nershi Band. Check out this press release from Johnny.
Long live Emmitt-Nershi Band.
Here's some ENB at Harvest Fest with some Stringdusters sprinkled in.
Long live Emmitt-Nershi Band.
Here's some ENB at Harvest Fest with some Stringdusters sprinkled in.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Everyone Deserves Music
Michael Franti and Spearhead put out an influential album titled Stay Human, a fictional account of "Sister Fatima" as told by two radio DJ's, one played by Franti. I say influential because a friend gave me that album and it didn't leave the CD player in my '84 4Runner for 8 months. An entire ski season was spent listening to this album on the way to and from the slopes everyday and it's melodies and messages are burned into my brain. I recommend this album to anyone seeking consciousness.
On the heels of this, Franti put out the incredibly titled Everyone Deserves Music. As can happen, I was so in love with Stay Human that EDM didn't really stand a chance in my mind and I only latched on to a couple of the tracks, Bomb the World being the most powerful. The title of the album, however, has always stuck with me and must be credited for an idea I've been nurturing for awhile now. The idea that music is for everyone, the creation of especially.
A long long time ago, before recorded music, everyone sang. Everyone played. Every house had some string instrument and at least one member who could play it. Music was participatory, if you wanted to hear it, you had to make it. Sheet music arrived before recorded music as a way for individuals and groups to recreate the music they'd heard on demand. Then recorded music arrived and with it, the concept of professional musicians and the basic right, responsibility even, to create music yourself, to participate in it on a visceral level was obscured by the idea that music was something that professionals did. To put it another way, good musicianship was easy to hear, you just had to put on a record, and with that, the discussion of what was good and what was not was elevated to a cultural imperative. We've been at it ever since with publications like Rolling Stone and Spin leading the charge.
As a result of the culture of professionalism in music, amateur musicianship is disappearing. Individuals who'd otherwise pick up and scrape around on a fiddle are intimidated. They're afraid to sound bad. Even teachers of music are reluctant to teach because they fear they can't help musicians "improve." But all of this misses the point. Music is for everyone. It's to be played after the work is done, it's singing while you clean house or cook, it's something to be done with friends without judgment. Everyone can sing, everyone can play, and it's goodness is not only determined by the quality of the tones, but the quality of the experience. Judged by this standard, it's all good! Everyone deserves music. Especially you. If you enjoy listening to music, you owe it to yourself to experience the joy of creating it as well as listening to it.
Here's the 'Dusters enjoying playing Magic #9, our Grammy Nominated tune.
On the heels of this, Franti put out the incredibly titled Everyone Deserves Music. As can happen, I was so in love with Stay Human that EDM didn't really stand a chance in my mind and I only latched on to a couple of the tracks, Bomb the World being the most powerful. The title of the album, however, has always stuck with me and must be credited for an idea I've been nurturing for awhile now. The idea that music is for everyone, the creation of especially.
A long long time ago, before recorded music, everyone sang. Everyone played. Every house had some string instrument and at least one member who could play it. Music was participatory, if you wanted to hear it, you had to make it. Sheet music arrived before recorded music as a way for individuals and groups to recreate the music they'd heard on demand. Then recorded music arrived and with it, the concept of professional musicians and the basic right, responsibility even, to create music yourself, to participate in it on a visceral level was obscured by the idea that music was something that professionals did. To put it another way, good musicianship was easy to hear, you just had to put on a record, and with that, the discussion of what was good and what was not was elevated to a cultural imperative. We've been at it ever since with publications like Rolling Stone and Spin leading the charge.
As a result of the culture of professionalism in music, amateur musicianship is disappearing. Individuals who'd otherwise pick up and scrape around on a fiddle are intimidated. They're afraid to sound bad. Even teachers of music are reluctant to teach because they fear they can't help musicians "improve." But all of this misses the point. Music is for everyone. It's to be played after the work is done, it's singing while you clean house or cook, it's something to be done with friends without judgment. Everyone can sing, everyone can play, and it's goodness is not only determined by the quality of the tones, but the quality of the experience. Judged by this standard, it's all good! Everyone deserves music. Especially you. If you enjoy listening to music, you owe it to yourself to experience the joy of creating it as well as listening to it.
Here's the 'Dusters enjoying playing Magic #9, our Grammy Nominated tune.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Fun with Fretboard Journal
We're in the midst of doing an interview for Fretboard Journal, so we've got a bunch of back-issues around. Late last night Jesse and I had a little fun with two pages...
can you name these pickers?
can you name these pickers?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Official Band Vehicle
In 1974, this baby rolled off the line. This afternoon I walked past it a block from where we're staying.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Pandolfi's Happy New Year video hits Sharpie Blog
The Sharpie Blog picked up Pandolfi's Happy New Year video and they're featuring it on their blog. Here's the original video:
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