Box Elder Stomp, live from Java John's, 7-13-16

Box Elder Stomp (mp3) (pdf)

One more recording from my July solo mandolin night at Java John's. This one is a solo version of a tune that Contratopia recorded on our Smitten CD long ago in combination with another swing-style tune called Lucy's Stroll.

The Box Elder Stomp is a fairly straightforward blues in G. Playing it solo allows me to wander a bit, for good or ill, and I enjoyed playing the tune quite a bit that night. Special thanks goes out to the Mystery Whistler at the finish. (I think I know who you are but I don't want to reveal your identity to the world just yet.)

The sheet music presented here includes the lead sheet for both tunes. Check out the Contratopia recording for further guidance.

Thanks once again to all the folks who have been turning out for these solo mandolin gigs. I love doing them. The next one will be on Wednesday August 24, stop by if you are in Decorah that night.

Woodhaven, solo version live from Java John's

Woodhaven (mp3, solo version) (pdf)

Another live recording from Java John's last week. I played this tune as the final number of the evening. I originally posted a recording of the two part version of this piece back in July 2008 but it works fine as a solo piece also. 

The photo above was taken in August 2009 near Blanchard, Maine, not too many miles away from where this music was first written down. The recording was done with my now vintage Zoom H4 recorder using the built-in mics, direct to mp3 at 320kbps and lightly edited using an even more vintage version Sound Forge Studio.

Java John's, July 13, 2016 Solo Mandolin

A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (mp3) (live from JJ's)

I had yet another great time playing solo at Java John's in Decorah last Wednesday. I'll post the setlist below. I managed to play everything on the list except that I only played the slow movement of the Majo sonata.

I recorded the gig, audience conversations and all, for the first time. It's always enlightening to hear a live recording of yourself.

I've taken the unusual step of including a recording of a tune I didn't write this time. (If only I could write a tune one-tenth as good as this one!) It's far, far from perfect but I like the feeling of it and I think some readers may enjoy it also. I'm using a lead sheet but you can tell that I'm also improvising a bit.

(Hopefully you can get past the noise of the folks in the back of the room. They meant no harm, it's not a concert venue. There were several other folks listening quite intently though.)

Java John’s solo mandolin, July 13, 2016

Set 1
1. Swarbrick Sends a Tune to Iowa (Goodin) / O’Neill’s Favorite (trad.) / Flowers of Edinburgh (James Oswald, 1710-1769)
2. Oswald: Divertimento XI for solo mandolin
3. Scarlatti: Sonata K.90, 3. Siciliana - 4. Allegro (Domenico Scarlatti, 1685-1757)
4. French Creek Waltz
5. Sauli: Partita for Mandolin II, 1. Prelude - 2. Allemande - 3. Sarabanda (Filippo Sauli, c. 1710)
6. St. Louis Railyard
7. Telemann: Sonata no. 4 (1715), Allegro (G.P. Telemann, 1681-1767)
8. July 23, 2004 / July 1, 2004
9. Sauli: Partita for Mandolin II, 4. Corrente - 5. Gigue
10. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (Eric Maschwitz & Manning Sherwin)

Set 2
1. July Deer Tracks: July 1, 2002; July 2, 2003; July 8, 2013
2. Oswald: Divertimento XII
3. Lanterns On the River
4. Sauli: Partita for Mandolin II, 6. Gavotte – 7. Menuete
5. Playford Tunes (from the Dancing Master, 1651-1728)
6. Jigs: July 2, 2013 / July 11, 2005
7. Majo: Sonata per Mandolino e basso (Gian Francesco de Majo, 1732-1770)
8. Box Elder Stomp
9. Telemann: Menuets 1730 – no. 11 & 17 (p.66-67)
10. The Rights of Man (trad.) / Gilderoy (trad.) / Grace Hay’s Delight
11. Woodhaven