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  <a href="/blog/blog/100193/mark-yodice-at-the-knitting-factory">Mark Yodice at the Knitting Factory</a>&nbsp;
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  <div class="message"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/270/2259/1600/Mark%20Knit%20Photo.jpg"><img src="//photos1.blogger.com/blogger/270/2259/320/Mark%20Knit%20Photo.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;  cursor: pointer;" /></a>        On Wednesday, January 18<sup>th</sup>, I parked my car on Broadway around 9pm and walked down a deserted <street st="on"><address st="on">Leonard Street</address></street> to The Knitting Factory.<span style="">  </span>Located in the Tribeca area of NYC, the Knitting Factory has three separate performance spaces on three floors.<span style="">  </span>Once the home of hip headlining acts and inspired avant garde Jazz and Rock, the Knitting Factory has lost its focus and has become like many other bars – booking whoever can draw an audience regardless of their actual musical abilities.<span style="">  </span>Interestingly, when the club booked on merit alone, it actually created a scene.<span style="">  </span>People knew that ANY night of the week they could catch great music there, and the club was always crowded. <span style=""> </span>Despite the current hit-and-miss booking trends I was headed to hear someone in particular so I knew there would be good music in store.  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Mark Yodice has been writing and performing on LI and in NYC for quite a few years.<span style="">  </span>His debut solo CD, “June Again”, was released in 2000 and contained original solo guitar compositions that gave a stylistic tip of the hat to adventurous guitarists like Michael Hedges.<span style="">  </span>Combining busy rhythms, an original melodic sense, and dense harmony achieved through the use of open tunings, Marks music immediately stood out.<span style="">  </span>The CD garnered positive reviews and airplay. <span style=""> </span>He has been keeping a bit of a low profile of late, teaching guitar and writing music out on LI’s <place st="on">East End</place>.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">This night Mark was performing in the Old Office, located in the Knit’s sub-basement.<span style="">  </span>Originally scheduled to play at 10 pm, scheduling changes had him eventually playing a truncated set at 11:45pm.<span style="">  </span>The Old Office was packed with people, apparently friends of another performer celebrating a birthday.<span style="">  </span>While waiting for Mark to go on I sat through one set of random sound collages performed on prepared guitar, computer samples &amp; cello; and another set of computer drum loop, keyboard, and guitar noodling.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The schedule changes forced Mark to omit some of the new songs he had originally planned on playing.<span style="">  </span>He also decided to have friend Scott Tweedie sit in on trumpet for all songs.<span style="">  </span>The previous bands were quite loud and the room was very crowded, however, everyone quieted down once Mark began playing – a testament to the subtle power of his music.<span style="">  </span>He began with “Lion Eats Tamer”.<span style="">  </span>This song has a jazzy harmonic sequence punctuated by some cool bass runs.<span style="">  </span>Scott Tweedie let Mark take the song in and then contributed some sparse solos on muted trumpet.<span style="">  </span></p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The second song was “Jamu, the Bewildered Buddhist”, a tune from “June Again”.<span style="">  </span>This song sports some complex rhythm playing.<span style="">  </span>Tapping, slapping and harmonics were combined in an aggressive approach that still managed to be very catchy.<span style="">  </span>Mark has a way of always using his prodigious guitar chops to serve the music.<span style="">  </span>With eyes closed you might think you were listening to a guitarist, bass player and percussionist.<span style="">  </span>As the song began a group of people from the back of the room edged their way up to the front of the stage to get a better look at how one person could be making all this music.<span style="">  </span>Scott entered again with long noted melodies atop the busy guitar part.<span style="">  </span>The trumpet playing complemented the guitar part and added contrast as well.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">After the 2<sup>nd</sup> song Mark handed the drum stool he’d been sitting on over to Scott and proceeded to play the remainder of the set sitting crossed-legged on the stage.<span style="">  </span>I later found out that the drum stool wasn’t steady enough and was throwing off his rhythm. He continued the set with “Glow” from his CD as well as a new song that doesn’t yet have a final name. <span style="">  </span>They were both well-composed pieces of music.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Mark ended the set with another new song.<span style="">  </span>This was a moody piece, slow and deliberate.<span style="">  </span>It began quietly and built in volume as it progressed.<span style="">  </span>Mark prepared the guitar by inserting a pen underneath the 12<sup>th</sup> fret of the 5<sup>th</sup> &amp; 6<sup>th</sup> strings.<span style="">  </span>This changed the pitch of the strings both in front of the pen (between the pen and the headstock) and between the bridge and the pen.<span style="">  </span>Mark made use of all of the sounds created in this way and Scott did some very tasty soloing.<span style="">  </span>It was a very open, contemplative piece of music, nicely done! </p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I later learned that the last song was the only one that Mark and Scott had actually rehearsed.<span style="">  </span>The changes to the placement and length of Mark’s set had him changing the song selection but still wanting Scott to sit in as much as possible.<span style="">  </span>Knowing how challenging Mark’s songs are I think Scott did a great job fitting trumpet parts into them on the spot.</p>  <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">All in all, despite some spiritless and self-conscious performances by the bands that preceded him and bumped his set, Mark and Scott played an inspired set where the focus was on the music.<span style="">  </span>It was worth the wait.<br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">(This article was featured in the April 2006 Issue of Aural Fix Communique)</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""><br></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style=""><br></span></p></div>
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    <p class="post-info"><span data-time="2006-03-13T12:39:00-05:00" title="March 13, 2006 12:39">03/13/2006</span></p>

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  <a href="/blog/blog/100194/scott-macdonald-custom-guitars-and-expert-repairs">Scott MacDonald - Custom Guitars and Expert Repairs</a>&nbsp;
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  <div class="message"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/270/2259/1600/SBM%20in%20shop.jpg"><img src="//photos1.blogger.com/blogger/270/2259/320/SBM%20in%20shop.jpg" class="size_orig justify_left border_" alt="" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; " /></a>Walking into the reception area of Scott B. MacDonald’s workshop I am always struck by how Scott makes me feel welcome and gives me his complete attention as I describe whatever my latest guitar problem is and wait for his advice. He’ll bring the guitar over to his workbench, check it out, and offer suggestions. The room is well lit, there are a few comfortable chairs, and an old ice-cream parlor type stool reserved for customers picking up guitars – Scott wants you to feel at home when you try out your new or repaired instrument.<br><br>Scott has been building and repairing guitars for 16 years in Huntington, Long Island. He has become well known for his custom guitars, vintage instrument restorations and repairs. He has clients all over the world. Having been authorized by Gibson, Fender, Martin, Taylor, Ovation, Gretch, and Tacoma for repair and warranty work, his workshop is always filled with guitars. He has a knack for addressing the underlying causes of guitar problems quickly. I’ve taken an electric guitar to Scott thinking I needed to spend money on new pickups only to have Scott say, “I’ll put new pickups in if you want, but I bet those pickups are fine and this wiring is what’s killing your sound.” Scott was right – he re-did the wiring and the pickups sounded great.<br><br>Although his extensive knowledge of both vintage guitars and modern guitar building suggests a man who works because he loves instruments, Scott told me there was something else that he found even more satisfying, “It’s not really about guitars, it’s about people.” He means it. When he says he builds ‘custom guitars’, he’s talking about instruments designed around the needs, spirit and personality of the musician, not just two or three designs that he cranks out over and over. Scott always strives to make a unique instrument for the PERSON who orders it. He insists on getting to know as much about each customer and their music as he can before design and construction begins. In the end, each instrument is as unique as its owner. He considers the whole personality of the musician ordering a guitar.<br><br>I’m a guitar player. I like guitars. I like it best when I pick up a guitar and it sounds and feels as good as it looks. Music is born when the right instrument reaches the hands of a creative musician. This is why I’ve become such a fan of Scott’s custom guitars. I haven’t had Scott build me one yet (although I do see a custom electric in my future…), but I have played a few that he’s built for others. They look and feel like something special, they sound great, and in the cases of a few LI musicians I know who own his guitars the instruments genuinely suit their music and playing styles. I think Scott gets high marks for hitting his goal of constructing guitars that fit the personality of the player.<br><br>Scott says that he’s seen tremendous growth in his business in the past few years as a result of the internet. I think Scott’s reputation for meticulous work and attention to detail might have something to do with it too, but he has recently re-vamped his website, <a href="http://www.customguitars.com">www.customguitars.com</a>. In addition to seeing photos of some of his custom guitars potential customers can now hear samples of what they sound like. They can also see video clips of Lucinda Williams and her band making good use of the Resonator Electric Guitars Scott made for Lucinda and her lead guitarist.<br><br>Scott builds custom instruments for musicians who play large venues and for musicians who play bars and coffee houses. He gives everyone the same respect and attention. Scott says it usually takes about a year to make an electric and fourteen months to make an acoustic. His prices are very competitive so before you shell out a lot of money for an assembly line instrument you might want to consider getting a guitar hand-made with your personality and playing habits in mind instead.<br><br>(Industry Insider column for April 2006 Inside Connection Magazine)</div>
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    <p class="post-info"><span data-time="2006-02-26T13:30:00-05:00" title="February 26, 2006 13:30">02/26/2006</span></p>

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<h2 class="heading-secondary heading-blog alt-font">
  <a href="/blog/blog/100195/a-review-of-spirit-dwelling-by-geoffrey-armes">A Review of “Spirit Dwelling” by Geoffrey Armes</a>&nbsp;
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  <div class="message"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/270/2259/1600/spirit.jpg"><img src="//photos1.blogger.com/blogger/270/2259/320/spirit.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" /></a> If you’re used to ‘New Age’ music referring to a lot of directionless noodling by people who haven’t mastered their instruments, maybe punctuated by samples of ocean waves and wind, you will be pleasantly surprised listening to Geoffrey Armes’ latest recording, “Spirit Dwelling”.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Geoffrey has already established himself as a singer/songwriter worthy of notice with his CDs “Green Love” and “Elemental Red”.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>“Spirit Dwelling” demonstrates that he’s also a gifted enough instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer to pull off an ambitious 70-minute, mostly instrumental, recording.<br><br>This will be a very long article if I comment on every song, so I will turn most of my attention to the first song.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>“Spirit Dwelling” begins with “Sun and Cloud.”<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>It starts with a low synth note – so deep and resonant you feel it as well as hear it.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>You have been alerted; you’re entering a different space.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Guitars enter slowly, arpeggiating an easy welcome.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>A flute plays in the background.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Nothing is rushed.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>The music takes all the time it needs to slowly unravel and you feel as if you have all the time in the world to listen.<br><br>Four minutes in and we haven’t even changed chords yet.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>In fact, there are no chords here, nothing to anticipate, nothing to rush towards.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Here, melodies intertwine, they come and go like the leaves drifting past my window as I write this on a November morning.<br><br>At almost six minutes into “Sun and Cloud,” percussion and electric bass create a pulse and harmonic foundation.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Indian and Middle Eastern influences dominate the guitar melodies.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Reggae/Dub influences are apparent in the groove.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Eventually the guitar and the groove give way to synth strings that suspend the mood and finally fade to end this eleven minute song.<br><br>This ain’t rock’n’roll.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>This ain’t the blues.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>This IS thoughtfully improvised world-folk-newage music that creates an atmosphere for introspection, meditation, or yoga – as the composer intended.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>In fact, Geoffrey subtitled this CD, “Music for Yoga.”<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>I think he succeeded.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>With this music playing I can let my mind wander as I listen, yet the focus of the musical performance keeps me focused and alert to each thought that enters and then leaves my mind.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>This music creates a perfect aural landscape for yoga practice. <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:+0;"></span>This is an important recording.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>It is unified.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>It maintains a definite sense of purpose from the first song to the last, from the first note through to the last.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>It is spacious and calming, but not sleep-inducing.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Songs with extended improvisations sit beside instrumentals reminiscent of Indian Ragas where modal melodies dance over pedal tones.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Some songs groove, some are built on a more open landscape, and some have obvious Celtic/Folk influences.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>This contrast makes for a positive listening experience.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>All of the music is engaging – not an adjective I would normally associate with ‘New Age’ music.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:+0;"></span>The recording’s sound quality is excellent.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Recorded at Geoffrey’s Village Recording, and mastered by Tom DeSisto, this CD sounds great.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Acoustic guitars sound warm and full, the percussion rings crisp and clear.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:+0;"></span>This is adventurous music that you should hear.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>You can purchase a copy at <a href="http://www.geoffreyarmes.com/">http://www.geoffreyarmes.com/</a>.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span>Then you can light a few candles, put the CD on, and bend your body into shapes like a pretzel.<span style="font-size:+0;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">(originally published in January 2006 Aural Fix) </p></div>
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  Next<span class='pagination-decoration icon icon-next'></span>
</span>
      <span class="last">
  Last<span class='pagination-decoration icon icon-last'></span>
</span>

  </nav>




</template></turbo-stream>