Mandolin Cafe Front Page Archive

If you missed something from the Mandolin Cafe front page you'll find it here. Since some of the information we link to is external please understand that as these links go bad they will be removed.

Previous years: 2010 | 2009

2011 Front Page Highlights

December 30

• Make it a New Year's resolution to subscribe to the Mandolin Cafe MP3 podcast. We've prepared a special video tutorial on how.
• From a jazz perspective: JazzMando.com's 2011 Year in Review.

December 26

• Wish we'd thought of it: the mandolin themed oval country code sticker.
• Happy 11th birthday to the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou?
• An annual event: our Year in Review, looking back at 2011.
• An affordable Loar for your desk: the Mandolin Archive mousepad.
• Used by University of Portland's Portland Magazine, a Lawrence Smart mandolin photo.
• New classical mandolin from Richard Kriehn on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• JazzMando.com's last minute shopping tips.
• A cut from the new recording by the Punch Brothers due out in February.
• You might not be the best dressed mandolin player in one of our Cafe t-shirts, but it's unlikely they're bad enough to get you on The Learning Channel TV show What Not To Wear.

December 21

• A video tutorial: how to subscribe to the Mandolin Cafe MP3 podcast.
• Sad: founder of the San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival passes away.
• Kudos to JazzMando.com for this piece remembering the late Gary Palsmeier, a good friend of the Cafe.
• Stay in touch with Peter Wernick's jam camps and Wernick Method Classes by joining his mailing list.

December 16

• The wait is over! Mike Compton Rotten Taters, a remarkable collection of original and solo material.
• Another great holiday gift opportunity perfect to the musician: Elderly Instruments gift certificates.
• Even more interesting Christmas music ideas courtesy of our forum.
• Some solid recommendations from our forum when looking for the music of Turlough O'Carolan.
• December 14: let's all wish a happy birthday Brazilian choro legend Jacob do Bandolim who recorded a wealth of great music before passing away in 1969.
• Now there's a nice idea for your musician friends for Christmas: Blue Chip Pick gift certificates.
• New Christmas music from Adam Phillips on the Cafe MP3 page.

December 11

• A terrific recording released on this date in 2002 that should be a part of every serious mandolinist's collection: Will Patton's Peripherique. It's the BOMB!
• Enjoyable: Pickin' and Trimmin', a short documentary about bluegrass in a North Carolina community.
• Have a swinging Christmas! New music for the holidays from Brian Oberlin, Solo Swing Christmas. Hear a cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Being released in January: Tony Rice - The Bill Monroe Collection, available for pre-order.
• A great old jazz mandolin disc newly available in MP3 format: Don Stiernberg's Mandolin Restaurant.
• JazzMando.com revisits one of their favorite Christmas collections.
• Celebrating 11 years since its release: the soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou.
• Looking ahead: March Mandolin Festival 2012.

December 7

• A new Christmas recording: Novel Arch, December. Hear a cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Still looking for Christmas stocking stuffers? Check out our gear recommendations.
• Need to pick up some mandolin themed greeting cards for Christmas? We here to assist. Here they are from our CafePress store.
• An exceptional new release: A Mandolin Christmas with Karen Mal and Will Taylor.
• New: Skaggs Family Christmas Volume 2 that came out a few weeks back. If you like it, there's also a Volume 1 as well.

December 2

• A great holiday gift for your musician friends (or for you!): an Elderly Instruments gift certificate.
• Appears there has been a major overhaul to the web site for Mandolin Brothers.
• Andy Statman's Old Brooklyn reviewed by JazzMando.com.
• Five great recordings familiar to us were originally released on November 31.
• Out now! Richard Thompson's terrific mandolin laden re-release Strict Tempo.
• That's not a 1915 Gibson mandolin, that's a pumpkin!
• Meet a talented musician, educator and innovator: Joseph Brent Interview.
• New from Hal Leonard Publications: Bobby Westfall's Pop Classics For Mandolin.
• We've announced the winners in our subscription giveaway to Mike Marshall's School of Mandolin.

November 25

• Preview clips of David Grisman's Acoustic Christmas available on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Very cool: sheet music for Bill Monroe's Kentucky Waltz.
• Music just waiting to be made: Bruce Harvie and The Sandfleas, Overhead At Darrington, fiddle tunes arranged for surf-style electric mandolin. Hear a cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Now officially available: Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration: Live At Bean Blossom.
• Music just waiting to be made: Bruce Harvie and The Sandfleas, Overhead At Darrington, fiddle tunes arranged for surf-style electric mandolin.
• A bargain! Sarah Jarosz's marvelous Follow Me Down on sale for only $5.99 on amazon.com.

November 19

• 20% off new books through November 22 from Elderly. Enter Coupon Code 29966 at checkout.
• Looking for a list of great mandolin Christmas music and books? Check out this list.
• A great recording released Nov. 18, 1997: Old & In The Way, Breakdown.
• Effective immediately we have rescinded our policy on not allowing Classified Ads that point to eBay and Craig's List. Reasons behind this change.
• New music from John Goodin: Mandolin Tunes. Hear a cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• 5 bucks doesn't buy much these days but it'll get you a ball cap from The Loar.
• New from Petimar Press: Bebop Scales for Mandolin and Violin. Free download but with a shareware suggested donation which we recommend.

November 13

• November 15, 1991 marked the date of an important release: Acoustic Disc's Jacob do Bandolim: Mandolin Master Of Brazil.
• New from Mel Bay Publications, Inc., Joe Carr's School of Bluegrass Mandolin Book/CD.
• First timers: enroll before year-end for Mandolin, Fiddle, Banjo Camp North, receive $100 discount.
• According this online interview, Chris Thile says he's preparing a solo Bach recording.
• New music in DVD: Low Country Jazz.
• New music: Joe Brent Plays Nocturnes and Caprices by David Loeb. Hear a cut on the MP3 page.
• Another Monroe centennial compilation! Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration - Live at Bean Blossom.
• Check your email. We've contacted all 25 winners in our Acoustic Disc CD Giveaway. Thanks to everyone that entered and congratulations to all of the winners.
• A thing of true beauty: the only known July 9, 1923 Fern Loar mandolin, and it's for sale at Gruhn Guitar in Nashville.
• New music from Joel Hobbs: Good Dogs Always Eat.

November 7

• November 7, 2010... did you catch our Don Julin Interview published on this date last year?
• The soulful Satisfied, with David Grisman & John Sebastian was released on this date in 2007 by Acoustic Disc.
• A new instrument historical book by Bob Carlin: Regal Musical Instruments: 1895-1955, the Chicago instrument manufacturer. Also available for pre-order from amazon.
• Avi Avital signs on with Europe's major classical label Deutsche Grammophon.
• A major change for IBMA: Dan Hays resigns as the organization's Executive Director.
• Now available in blue: the Limited Edition JazzMando.com V-pick.
• Looking ahead to 2012 in London: The British BMG Federation Rally 2012. Workshops, concerts and more.
• Looking for some Christmas resrouces? Check our historical database where almost everything seems to ends up.

November 2

• A nice article on Chris Thile from the Austin Chronicle Blogs: Punch Back.
• Chris Acquavella has announced a brand new solo classical mandolin release entitled Praeludium. Hear a cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• From JazzMando.com: a look back at Nickel Creek five years after their disbanding.
• Pictures and commentary from this past weekend's Festival Mandolines de Luel 2011 in France.
• Courtesy of The New Yorker: "I'm trapped in an elevator — wait, it gets worse."
• Great news: Richard Thompson's Strict Tempo being re-released (proving what a great mandolin player he is).
• At the risk of creating more unwanted angst among the bluegrass community, it's time we shared this link about the bluegrass autoharp.

October 31

• Groovy acoustic music: Shady Grove, Grisman & Garcia released October 29, 1996.
• Opinion: this Collings MT2-O Oval Honey Amber is the mando equivalent of a Victoria's Secret supermodel.
• Congrats to Ricky Skaggs who picked up Entertainer and Musician of the Year at this year's ICM awards.
• Spectacular. In case you missed it earlier, pictures of Elderly's 1904 Gibson Octave Mandolin that's for sale.
• A new web site look for JustStrings.com.
• We concur. The Planet Waves NS Mini-Headstock Tuner rocks.
• Now officially released (October 24): Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Stuart Duncan and Edgar Meyer, The Goat Rodeo Sessions.

October 25

• January, 2012: Punch Brothers have posted six new European dates including London, Paris, Amsterdam.
• The contents of the Fall issue of Mandolin Magazine.
• New music: Dagger Gordon and Colin Gordon - Like Father / Like Son. See our Dagger Gordon interview.
• A second stolen mandolin recovered!
• A phenomenal Sam Bush recording released October 20, 2009: Circles Around Me.
• California Bluegrass Association Winter Camp registration is now open. John Reischman, Roland White & Caleb Klauder (Foghorn String Band).
• In a world sometimes filled with bad news, here's some good: a stolen Lawrence Smart mandolin reported in our Classifieds has been found.
• Exceptional new music from the Swamp Nots. Hear them on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Looking for content about Chris Thile? Check out the results from This Day In History.

October 20

• Possibly the most widely purchased mandolin on the market right now, the Collings MT.
• Test your mandolin ID and win a $1,000 gift certificate from Mandolin Central: Tony Williamson's new recording Lloyd Loar Mandolins.
• Through October 26, 20% off all strings at Elderly Instruments. Enter coupon code 87578 at checkout to receive your discount.
• Funny: I'm sorry, I can't come to bed, something's wrong on the internet.
• Heavily discounted on amazon: T Bone Burnett Presents: The Speaking Clock Revue. Includes live Punch Brothers' Rye Whiskey.
• New music from Jim Nollman, The New Old Time featuring "deconstructed fiddle tunes." Hear a track on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Of interest: Laurie Lewis' new recording Skippin' and Flyin' is now out.
• From The Brooklyn Paper: Andy Statman channels his borough for new LP.

October 17

• Strings and Beyond has announced a 10% off everything Harvest Sale in their online store. Enter coupon code harvestsale at checkout.
• A beautiful project published Oct. 17, 2006: Mike Marshall and Hamilton de Holanda released New Words (Novas Palavras).
• Join Sam Bush in the studio and study record production at MPI this coming December 9-11 as he records material for a new album.
• Lots of great music and video on the official Sarah Jarosz YouTube channel.
• Being released October 25, Andy Statman's long awaited star-studded double CD Old Brooklyn. Pre-order.
• A nicely done Sunday morning news interview from her hometown area newspaper: Sierra Hull ready for next step.
• 2012 Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide has information on mandolins, ukes, banjos, etc. Also available from amazon.
• Weekend window shopping: drink in this beauty... a Collings MT2-O Oval Honey Amber.
• Jesse Cobb, a founding member of The Infamous Stringdusters left the group recently and has announced he is accepting mandolin students via Skype.
• Cool: the Kindle Fire full color version is coming in November. Increasing amount of mandolin content available for these. A bit of iPad look to it we'd say.

October 14

• Insanely great design if you ask us. The Cooperstand Pro-Mini gives us AAS (Accessory Acquisition Syndrome).
• New blues from Bert Deivert on the Cafe MP3 page.
• In Dawg we trust.
• Audey Ratliff has turned his web site upside down and created a new one.
• A new solo release of mostly original compositions from Cheryl J. Watson: Watertown.
• Two new girlfriends. Ladies, you're looking lovely.
• Kudos to the University of Iowa Digital Library where a search for Lloyd Loar or mandolins always turns up some fascinating historical content.
• Registration now open: 12th Annual Carlo Aonzo New York City Mandolin Workshop.

October 11

• Check out this quiet corner of the Cafe most don't even know exists: are you a teacher looking for students, or a student looking for a teacher? We have both and more.
• New Brazilian music from Michael Zisman's Americano Social Club on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• Two Statman recordings published this date in 2006.
• The Steep Canyon Rangers are IBMA's Entertainers of the Year. Read about them in an interview with Mike Guggino of the Steep Canyon Rangers.
• A second opinion and not surprisingly an enthusiastic review of Andy Statman's Old Brooklyn recording from Audiophile Audition.
• Sad: one year ago Alison Stephens passed away. Less than two years ago we ran this feature interview with her noting her role as a cancer survivor.
• New music from The Honey Dewdrops on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page. Subscribe to our MP3 podcast.
• An update from Joe Spann regarding an interview with him that just appeared in Vintage Guitar Magazine.
• The 38th anniversary of the recording so many emulated: Old & In the Way.
• Pictures of the new K-5C Gibson Mandocello.
• Literally found under the bed, or a story similar: this incredibly pristine 1924 F-4 posted in our forum.
• Congrats to Sam Bush, 2011 CMA Awards Nominee for Musician of the Year.

October 7

• Published on this date (Oct. 6, 2005): Paul Sparks' The Classical Mandolin.
• Coming October 24, available for pre-order: The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer and Stuart Duncan.
• Interesting portable stand for mandolin (violin, uke) we'd not seen before: the Cooperstand. Get it: amazon | Elderly.
• Meet Brendon Bussy who just completed this remarkable soundtrack using mandolin.
• Great sample cuts on Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, Live At Mechanics Hall, released by Acoustic Disc on this date in 2004.

October 2

• Congratulations to Jeffrey in Pennsylvania, winner in The Loar LM-500 Giveaway!
• New music from Ruth Roshan and Tango Noir on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• PBS airs a new documentary entitled Prohibition and the music of The Montana Mandolin Society makes an appearance.
• Applause: Colorado Case Company Supports National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
• In Europe, a major mandolin event for October: Festival Mandolines de Lunel.
• New music from Jefferson Louvat and Thierry Massoubre on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Interesting title that's new to us: Just for Fun: Rock and Pop Mandolin.
• From American Public Media: True Songs: A Centennial Celebration of Bill Monroe. Available for your listening pleasure now.
• Congratulations to Adam Steffey, named IBMA's Mandolin Player of the Year.

September 30

• A reminder of the Tim May and Dan Miller improv workshop tour starting this Saturday!
• Amusing: Chris Thile on How to Make a Drink for Yo-Yo Ma.
• Check out our busy Song-A-Week Social Group. 631 members and growing!
• Released this date 2004: Bluegrass Journey.
• A note that brings us sadness: Sale of the late Alison Stephens instruments.
• Contains mandolin info: 2012 Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide publishes 10/1.
• Just out: Crowe on the Banjo. Yea, no mandolin, but J.D. is the man.
• A great recording: The Del McCoury Band - Old Memories: The Songs of Bill Monroe.

September 24

• Strings and Beyond is celebrating World Peace Day with free shipping. Works for us.
• Tom Ewing's book The Bill Monroe Reader published this date in 2000.
• Joe Carr visits with our forum members about his new Bill Monroe mandolin book.
• Got a mandolin? Getting into the blues? Inspiration is just a mouse-click away.
• What should be an important new book: Play Like A Legend - Bill Monroe Tunes & Songs for Mandolin. Purchase: Mel Bay | Elderly
• Not sure that many know, but funny: Who really knows what a mandolin is?
• Finally, a clip-on tuner that stays hidden: Planet Waves NS Mini-Headstock Tuner.
• Great video: a Kickstarter campaign for a John Hartford documentary.
• See where Tim May and Dan Miller workshops are being held in Oct. and Nov.
• For this, he deserves being on the Cafe home page: Drug court ordered for mandolin thief.

September 19

• Jim & Joy McReynolds annual Full Moon Pickin' Party, October 11, Gallatin, Tenn.
• Looking to locate some Bill Monroe tribute recordings? Here's a way: check out the related link inside This Day in History.
• Released Sept. 19, 1974: Big Bad Mama with Angie Dickinson & music by the Dawg!
• Good for music research or just some great free music: This Day In History NPR search.
• Wow, that's darn cool: Planet Waves NS Mini Chromatic Headstock Tuner.
• In the West... check out these October mandolin & guitar workshops. Packed!
• Walnut Valley Festival mandolin contest winners: 1st, Solly Burton; 2nd, Peter Danzig; 3rd, Andrew Hatfield.
• Help out a journalist by helping answer this Bill Monroe question.
• Two podcasts covering the Lacey Act and CITES: WNYC interview and from Fretboard Journal. A nod to FBJ for links.
• ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass has announced their sponsorship of the 2011 IBMA Awards Sept. 29 in Nashville.
• Includes previously unreleased 1965 Monroe interview by Ralph Rinzler. Dawg Plays Big Mon - Happy Birthday Bill Monroe.

September 15

• Mike Compton on the mandolin: It's 'not about the number of notes.'
• From NPR Music: The Influence Of Bill Monroe On A Half Century Of American Music.
• One of our favorites released two ago today: Ricky Skaggs' Songs My Dad Loved.
• Bradley Klein's NPR audio feature celebrating the Father of Bluegrass Music, Bill Monroe: Celebrating The Father Of Bluegrass At 100.
• Ger Mandolin Orchestra project: Concert in Góra Kalwaria, Nozyk Synagogue, Singera Warszawa Finale. Orchestra on Facebook.
• Coming Sunday: a feature interview with a talented member of the mandolin and guitar community. Enough eye candy in this one to make your eyeballs gain weight!
• For the serious bluegrasser: BMP Magazine The Bill Monroe Tribute Issue.
• The latest newsletter from The Mandolin Store is now online.
• New music available for pre-order for the holidays: A Skaggs Family Christmas Volume Two.
• Happy birthday to John McGann. Check out our recent feature interview with him.

September 11

• In Thile time, more like 100 years ago. His recording How To Grow A Woman From The Ground was released by Sugar Hill Records on this date in 2006.
• More great new music. Frank Wakefield: A Tribute to Bill Monroe.
• Stick around for the slide show. Now that's one sexy mandolin! Wipe your drool, please.
• Amusing... or maybe just an example of poor taste for a newspaper. You decide: Excuse me, please, from Bluegrass celebration.
• Photos from this year's Monroe Style Mandolin Camp this past weekend in Owensboro.
• Celebrating its 10th anniversary today, a real mandolin players documentary: Grateful Dawg.
• Our giveaway mandolin, The Loar LM-500 from a retailer's perspective.
• A very nicely done NPR audio interview with various personalities about the music of Bill Monroe prior to his 100th birthday.
• Nice write-up/review of the Thile/Daves gig in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• "I could've gotten an MBA but I decided to play the mandolin instead." Mandolin master Tom Corbett brings bluegass to Newbury Park.
• Not a mandolin in sight, but hard not the like the 2012 Martin Guitar calendar.
• Michael Daves won't be with Chris Thile on their upcoming UK tour due to family illness. All existing shows will be Chris performing solo.
• Best video we've seen in awhile: Close Kin: A Reunion of Bluegrass and Old-Time.

September 5

• Via Mike Marshall, an important event you'll be hearing more about soon: reformed Ger Mandolin Orchestra performs in Poland.
• Some user evaluations from our forum about the new JazzMando custom v-pick.
• One of the great recordings of our time was released exactly six years ago today: David Grisman's Tone Poets.
• New music from Monticello Drive on the Cafe MP3 page. Interesting note: entire band (except bass) plays Weber instruments.
• Published 5 years ago: Will the Circle be Unbroken: Country Music in America.
• Today is a good time to check out Mandolin Cafe On Demand Lessons!
• Some Thile & Daves ink from annarbor.com before their appearance at The Ark.
• Aaron Weinstein is offering private lessons at this year's CMSA Convention in Baltimore. See JazzMando.com announcement.
• Outstanding workshops: Tim May and Dan Miller on the road soon. Recommended!
• Great new collection in honor of his 100th birthday: Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration: A Classic Bluegrass Tribute.
• A new product from JazzMando.com: the JazzMando V-pick.

September 1

• More pictures of the winning instrument in our Design A Weber Giveaway that ended April 15. Beautiful mandolin!
• A curious title we stumbled upon: How Bluegrass Music Destroyed My Life.
• Published eight years ago today: Rural Roots of Bluegrass: Songs, Stories & History.
• The amazing drawing power of the mandolin. We knew that.
• Sure, works on electric guitars, but the ultimate test will be when they integrate auto-tuning into a mandolin.
• Speaking of giveaways, here's the winner of our previous one with his new Weber. Wow!
• Just out: The Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration: A Classic Bluegrass Tribute. Purchase: From Elderly | From amazon.com.
• Published a year ago, one of our favorite interviews: 10 Questions for Jody Stecher.
• Possibly all of the mandolin chords you'll ever need are on the Mandolin Cafe coffee mug from the Cafe's CafePress store.
• From our Design A Weber Giveaway. The winner's mandolin has arrived!
• From boston.com about Sierra Hull: Graduating to next phase of her career.

August 25

• Chris Thile & Michael Daves perform Paste videos live from Newport.
• Stumbled upon it by accident. Didn't hear a peep about it when it was released in 2010: Jam Session featuring Thile, Vignola, Sutton, Burr, House and O'Connor.
• This year's 6th Annual Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp is officially SOLD OUT. Good news!
• 16 new TablEdit tunes have been added to the database thanks for the work of Will Harmon.
• An important (some say a bit academic) book on bluegrass published this date in 1992: Robert Cantwell's Bluegrass Breakdown.

August 20

• One of the great Dave Grisman instructional collections has just been made available for Mandolin Cafe On Demand Lessons. 6 CDs to instruct you.
• Happy birthday today to one of the great original mandolin innovators, Andy Statman, born August 21, 1950.
• New music from the guitar and mandolin duo Natty Boh on the Cafe MP3 page.
• It was a good one! Published a year ago, our interview with Ronnie McCoury.
• The Loar and Mandolin Cafe are combining efforts to give away an LM-500 The Loar Golden Age Mandolin on the Mandolin Cafe. Registration commences September 1!
• New from Allan Alexander: The Celtic Gig Book for Mandolin Book/CD. Sample sound files available.
• A very rare bird, this 1980 Ellis F mandolin, blond, for sale. Just landed at Fiddler's Green in Austin.
• The International Bluegrass Music Museum is looking for 5 students to round out this year's Bill Monroe Style Mandolin Camp, September 9-11 in Owensboro. » Sign up | » Camp forum discussion.
• Being released this Fall: Chris Thile, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan, The Goat Rodeo Sessions. Available for pre-order from amazon.
• Nominees Announced for International Bluegrass Music Awards. See our own vote.
• Banjo players got Deliverance, mandolin players got Corelli's Mandolin, released on this date, August 17, 2001.
• New original music from Fred Redekop & Jay Taylor on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.

August 15

• Paste Magazine names 50 Musicians Worth Following on Twitter. #30, Chris Thile. We concur.
• New music from the band Grupo Falso Baiano on the Cafe MP3 page.
• We like the instrument selling tips Ted Eschliman put together at JazzMando.com.
• New music from Danny Smith on the Cafe MP3 page. First project featuring a Mix carbon fiber mandolin!
• We just had our 50,000th ad posted on the Cafe Classifieds, quietly, just the way we like it.
• New original music from Canada based Shirin Delsooz on the Cafe MP3 page.

August 10

• An announcement of new faculty at Berklee College of Music Impressive!
• Five stars on amazon.com: Louie Bluie: The Criterion Collection re-released a year ago.
• Seems like 100 years ago in Thile time: Why Should The Fire Die? released 6 years ago by Nickel Creek.
• August 10, the birthday of the King of Bluegrass, Mr. Jimmy Martin. Rest in peace.
• Announcing the Bluegrass Taser, for those times when someone's calling something bluegrass that ain't.
• Congrats to Bobby Osborne, 47 years in the Grand Ol Opry (Aug. 8). Check out his music and our interview with him.
• A John Reischman & Loar video from Fretboard Journal.

August 6

• An important Bill Monroe book published two years ago: I Hear a Voice Calling: A Bluegrass Memoir.
• New music from Cheryl Watson on the Cafe MP3 page.
• For those interesting in the lawsuit Gibson has filed against Saga (no mandolin content), a PDF of the legal document.
• New from Mel Bay by Joe Carr: Modern Mandolin Method Grade 1 and School of Mandolin: Bluegrass Classics.

August 1

• An interesting read from a year ago today: our interview with the owner of Bill Monroe's mandolin headplate.
• A reminder for those in the Midwest: Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg concert and workshop Aug. 5 near Wichita.
• Sad: 5 years ago the mandolin community lost Charlie Derrington in a tragic accident.
• Published six years ago today: Neil V. Rosenberg's Bluegrass: A History 20th Anniversary Edition.
• An interesting discussion on our forum: When musicians are asked to "donate" their music.
• Check out this amazing list of mandolin camps, clinics and workshops for August before summer closes out.
• 10 Questions for John McGann, the central figure behind the outstanding mandolin program at Berklee College of Music.
• Choro madness! The new Songbook do Choro Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 to go with the already available Vol 1.
• Five UK tour dates starting September 13 have been posted on the web site of Chris Thile and Michael Daves.
• The contents of the Summer issue of Mandolin Magazine with a feature article on Jesse Brock.
• New from Mel Bay Publications, Inc.: Joe Carr - School of Mandolin: Bluegrass Classics.
• Bluegrass has made living, life for Skaggs, from the Evansville Courier Press.
• New music for mandolin and guitar from Emanuele Cappellotto and Gianluca Sabbadin: Four Clockworks for Mandolin & Guitar.
• Direct from the Dawg: handpicked instruments from the Eastman Dawg Mandolin Collection for sale at Acoustic Disc.

July 26

• Happens August 6 near Longmont, Colorado: the Colorado Mandolin Festival.
• New music from the band Millbranch String Theory on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• We think everyone should read the remarkable story behind the Collings Pete Huttlinger Signature OM1 guitar.
• Bluegrass' premier indoor festival is just around the corner and this year's event celebrates the 100th birthday of Bill Monroe.
• The preview tracks to this collections are impressive: Hamilton de Holanda & Yamandu Costa - Live!.
• From This Day in History: check out all things John McGann. Now serving 1112 mandolin related events.
• Now there are two historic David Grisman recordings being digitally re-mastered from the original releases that will be available soon.
• Didn't get to Telluride this year? Get in line with the rest of us. You can pay a virtual visit via this article from the web site Pop Matters: Play Me Some Mountain Music: The Telluride Bluegrass Festival 2011, Part 1.
• Mike Marshall and Don Stiernberg will be on the staff of this year's European Guitar and Mandolin Academy, November 7-11.
• Photos from the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville courtesy of JazzMando.com's Ted Eschliman.
• Weekend window shopping: "The Black Knight," this spectacular Collings MT Mandola in black gloss.
• The folks at Acoustic Disc have announced 20% off all CDs as part of their Summer Sale. Enter code 2011 at checkout to receive your discount. » Get there now!
• From the Mandolin Cafe Blog: 10 Things You Might Want To Know About The Classifieds.
• Mike Marshall forwarded this interesting clip: Shalom Aleichem - The Ger Mandolin Orchestra Project.
• Good news: David Grisman's Quintet '80 recording digitally remastered from originals coming soon.
• Ends Sunday, July 24: take 20% off all the price of all Mel Bay Products available from Mandolin Cafe On Demand Lessons. Enter coupon code melbay20. Offer good only using Mandolin Cafe On Demand software.
• "Those were some mighty powerful royalty checks," Bill Monroe was quoted as saying. On July 19, 1954, Elvis Presley released Monroe's Blue Moon of Kentucky which came to be a hit single.

July 18

• New music from Brian Oberlin and Josh Feinberg: bass+mandolin - Onward.
• International Bluegrass Music Museum launches the Finish the Film Monroe Documentary Project.
• It's the 15th anniversary of the release of an all-time classic: Bluegrass Album Band 6.
• Happy birthdays to Mike Marshall (July 17) and Ricky Skaggs (July 18)!
• Proving there's always hope for stolen instruments: Alan Bond recovers an old friend.
• The cover of the Summer, 2011 issue of Mandolin Magazine featuring Jesse Brock.
• Must reading for vintage Gibson students: Darryl Wolfe's thoughts on Joe Spann's Gibson book.

July 15

• July 13, 1978 was the release of King of the Gypsies, with cameos by David Grisman (he did the score) and Stephane Grappelli. And what a cast! See the movie trailer. Also available as an amazon instant video.
• Pinecastle Records has just announced a real gold mine of great music from The Reno Brothers, Larry Stephenson and The Rarely Herd just re-issued to digital.
• Happy birthday to Rhonda Vincent, first lady of bluegrass!
• Impressive article and interview with Ricky Skaggs about his upcoming new release, Country Hits: Bluegrass Style.
• Interesting news: bluegrass legend Jesse McReynolds now endorsing The Loar brand mandolins. Jesse is styling in his cool hat and hip clothes.
• Two new Joe Carr authored books out on Mel Bay: Reading Standard Music Notation for Mandolin and Fiddle and School of Mandolin: Rhythm Changes Book/CD Set.
• New music from Ricky Skaggs: Country Hits Bluegrass Style. We've had the pleasure of previewing this spectacular recording. Highly recommended!
• Good deed: our lead forum moderator Ted Eschliman helps a school replace stringed instruments lost in a fire.

July 11

• We've just completed an extensive overhaul and content addition to our This Day in History database. Search 1,093 mandolin related historical events.
• Spiffy new packaging, same great strings, and free Jupiter Polishing Cloths when you buy JM11 mandolin strings from JazzMando.com.
• Released July 10, 2007 Bobby Osborne's Bluegrass Melodies. Read our Bobby interview from January.
• Happy 82nd birthday to Jesse McReynolds. Revisit our interview with him from earlier this year.
• Rest in peace. Legendary bluegrass fiddler Kenny Baker has passed. Truly one of the greatest.
• No one is running to the bank, but... Say What? Thanks To Digital Music, Album Sales Up For The First Time Since 2004.
• Gibson is suing Saga over bogus guitars (Saga manufactures Kentucky Mandolins). An industry insider we spoke with said Gibson has a case.

July 8

• Choro, just added at Elderly: Metodo do Bandolim Brasileiro.
• New music from the Michael Hitchcock Trio on the Cafe MP3 page.
• New from Mel Bay: School of Mandolin: Rhythm Changes Book/CD Set, by Joe Carr.
• New from Joe Carr on Mel Bay: Reading Standard Music Notation for Mandolin and Fiddle.
• Elvis recorded Monroe's Blue Moon of Kentucky on July 6, 1954. Monroe is reported to have said fondly: "those were powerful royalty checks."
• Andy Statman plays mandolin and clarinet on this new disc from the Frank London Klezmer Orchestra. Highly recommended for Klezmer fans.
• Sign up win a Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen House concert. Frank does the cooking and music, Music City Roots does the rest.
• New music from the Dawg: David Grisman's Folk Jazz Trio.

July 4

• Happy birthday to our friends at Elderly Instruments. They opened for business on July 5, 1972.
• Charlie Monroe was born on this day (July 4) 1903. People forget how much great music he recorded.
• Meet the architect of the Mandolin Archive in our feature interview 10 Questions For Dan Beimborn.
• Our thoughts are with bluegrass fiddle legend Kenny Baker who is in the hospital after suffering a stroke.
• This Fall's schedule for the 6th Annual Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp.
• The new Bobelock "Arrow" Fibreglass Mandolin Case reviewed by JazzMando.com.
• A very happy 65th birthday extended to one of the second generation mandolin greats, Jimmy Gaudreau.
• Dude, your police mug shot might make a suitable Facebook profile picture. That's what you get for stealing a mandolin.
• Today's free Acoustic Oasis MP3 is Cold Hard Business (click the "Free" bone) from David Grisman's Folk Jazz Trio new release.

July 1

• Bit of diversion for you, this blog posting from the web: My unrequited love affair with the mandolin.
• The editors at The Old-Time Herald have shared a feature article on mandolins with us and it's available right here.
• The Modern Mandolin Quartet has announced performances scheduled for July as mentioned in our Matt Flinner interview.
• Wow. No mandolins, but The Guitar Collection: Solidbody '54 Edition is priced at close to $1K. Available in the fall.
• In the UK? Check out the dates for Sarah Jarosz and band in concert. That girl is on the fast track to the top!
• Great news: this stolen mandolin in Europe now back with its happy owner.

June 27

• Progress on the Design a Weber Instrument Giveaway win: the mandolin after neck fit.
• Clearance sale on JazzMando.com flatwound strings. Same strings as a newer packaging scheme, only cheaper.
• More discounts to save you $$. StringsAndBeyond.com are offering 10% off all orders today to celebrate summer solstice. Enter coupon code sunnyday.
• Published a year ago this week: Adam Steffey's My Approach To Bluegrass Mandolin DVD.
• Canadian Cary Fagan has been at it again. Author of the mandolin themed Valentine's Fall, this past March he ventured into bluegrass land again with Banjo of Destiny.
• Santa Cruz newspapers gives a shout out to the 8th Annual Mandolin Symposium, now under way.
• Classical great Avi Avital has a new Facebook page.
• Pay a visit to the new and rapidly expanding Mandolin Cafe amazon aStore.
• Might not be your thing but we like it: Moody Bluegrass - Two... Much Love.

June 23

• A newly discovered video clip of Bill Monroe from 1986 has just been discovered.
• A good deal: Sarah Jarosz's Follow Me Down only $5.99 as an MP3 download on amazon.com.
• Great traditional bluegrass: Crowe, Lawson & Williams - Old Friends Get Together.
• The Mandolin Store has posted a YouTube video showing off their new store.
• A new Seamus Egan DVD: Learn to Play Irish Tenor Banjo and Mandolin.
• A good read: Sarah Jarosz is interviewed by CMT.com.

June 18

• An interesting forum discussion on polishing cloths. Our recommendation: The Jupiter Silkweave Micro Filament Cleaning Cloth.
• New music from the old-time group The Barefoot Movement on the Cafe MP3 page.
• A terrific video from CBS News featuring the work of John Monteleone.
• In the midwest, August 5-6: Mike Marshall & Caterina Lichtenberg workshop and concert.
• Thanks to Paul Glasse for the tip on this extended Johnny Gimble feature film.
• ArtistWorks Academy of Bluegrass is set to launch, offering comprehensive beginner, intermediate and advanced two-way video lessons combined with online chat, forums and exclusive interviews accessible 24/7. Mike Marshall spoke with us about his role as the primary mandolin instructor.
• New music from Will Patton's latest recording Flow now available on the Cafe MP3 page. Get it with our MP3 podcast in iTunes.

June 15

• June 5: we missed this review of Thomas Flood's mandolins put together by our friends at JazzMando.com.
• Photos of the newly updated The Loar LM-500 Mandolin.
• New from Brad Laird: Mandolin Improvisation Basics Package.
• One of our favorites, released a year ago today: Don Stiernberg's Swing 220.
• The Loar newly upgraded LM-500 Mandolin.
• Register for a chance to win a $300 coupon from JustStrings.com on their Facebook fan page.
• New in print from Mel Bay: Mandolin Manuscript Book.

June 11

• Published a year ago today, one of our all-time favorite Mandolin Cafe interviews was bluegrass legend Roland White.
• With summer and festival season upon us don't be without a Mandolin Cafe ball cap. Available in Charcoal, Red, Khaki or Olive.
• Some time on your hands this weekend? Read our tutorial on how to get hundreds of free mandolin cuts into your iTunes library.
• We ran across this mandolin duo album we hadn't heard about. Nicely done familiar tunes: The Mandolin Casefiles, by Michael Connolly & Miller McNay.
• Through June 15, 20% off all new in-stock cases & gigbags at Elderly. Enter coupon code 32636.
• New music from Belle Monroe and Her Brewglass Boys (great name!) on the Cafe MP3 page with Ted Silverman on mandolin.
• Ricky Skaggs is reissuing a Cracker Barrel project of a few years ago, available for pre-order: Ricky Skaggs Country Hits Bluegrass Style.
• Blues great Rich DelGrosso joins the staff of Guitar Intensives this summer, a dream vacation spot in Maine!

June 7

• Published on this date in 1995: The Classical Mandolin by Paul Sparks. Sample pages available on amazon.com.
• New tour dates for Chris Thile and Michael Daves just announced.
• Got a Twitter account? You can now get new Mandolin Cafe Classifieds postings via your Twitter account.
• Elderly has announced a Start-of-Summer Sale. Click "Savings Center" on any Elderly page.
• Homespun has added a new title to the Mandolin Cafe On Demand lesson downloads: Get Started On The Mandolin, by Steve Kaufman.
• A web tutorial: how to add 226 free mandolin MP3s to your iTunes using the Mandolin Cafe MP3 Podcast.
• Solo Swing is a new project from Brian Oberlin, Music Director of the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra and host and founder of the River of the West Mandolin Camp.
• Potentially heavy mando geek discussion: first blackface A2Z mandolin? You decide.
• We've just added 21 new TablEdit scores from the most excellent work of Greg Rohrer.
• New music from The Absynth Quintet on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• Two great Jethro Burns videos that are new to us posted on the Cafe forum.
• Bean Blossom: The Brown County Jamboree and Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Festivals is a new book by Thomas A. Adler and we have an interview with the author.
• Released June 5, 2007. Back then plenty of mandolin players were trying to figure out the chords to Paul McCartney's Dance Tonight. Still a great video to watch.
• A good Sunday read ahead of a concert they're playing next weekend: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Plays On.

June 2

• Kindle Edition for Spann's Guide To Gibson 1902-1941 is now available from amazon.com.
• $508.94 for a book on Jesse McReynolds' crosspicking? Really? His his Mandolin Cafe Lessons On Demand version is $19.95. Not the exact same material, but quite a savings.
• More great music from Brian Oberlin on the Cafe MP3 page, this from another new recording not yet for sale.
• One of our favorite high octane mandolin driven bluegrass bands has a great new recording: Grasstowne's Kickin' Up Dust. Hear sample cuts on the Cafe MP3 page.
• New music from Brian Oberlin and his Solo Swing recording on the Cafe MP3 page.
• We're just getting around to watching Michael Lawrence's film Bach & Friends that features Chris Thile. Highly recommended!
• A photo of the Dan Miller and Tim May improvisation workshop for guitar and mandolin in Lawrence, Kansas and a list of the rest of their tour stops.
• Easy for her to say she wishes she was 60 because she's playing the mandolin at 94.
• Got a Weber? Got a video of yourself? They'd like to show you off on their Players Page.
• All true: The Roches Dictionary of Music Business Terminology.
• Looking for a piece of rare, hard-to-find mandolin sheet music? Sinclair Baldassari likely has it.
• The Punch Brothers performed the national anthem at a Cubs game this past weekend. Nicely done. Play ball!
• Will Patton's terrific new jazz and swing mandlin project Flow reviewed by JazzMando.com.
• Bob McLean is the subject of Episode #41 of CNBC's American Greed. His ponzi scheme sent Monroe's mandolin to the CMHoF.

May 31

• Part II: Chris Thile and Michael Daves interview celebrating the release of Sleep with One Eye Open. Part I is right here.
• A must own new disc from Will Patton and friends: Flow. More about Will and this project from our Will Patton interview.
• New from Acoustic Oasis: The David Grisman Quintet Live at Bonnaroo on DVD. Check out the cover art. The Dawg's wearing a Cafe ball cap!
• Hundreds of mandolin, guitar, banjo, fiddle, bass, voice (and many more) lessons waiting for you at Mandolin Cafe On Demand. Widely discussed on our forum.
• First music related book of our own personal summer reading program, Bob Black's book about his days with Bill Monroe.
• An important patent filed May 28, 1921 by Gibson employees for the adjustable mandolin bridge.
• New in print: Midwestern Mandolin Duos by John Goodin. 29 easy to intermediate pieces for two mandolins.

May 25

• A novel we've heard good things about was published a year ago today, Tom Bibey's The Mandolin Case.
• A must see: we really like this mandolin art piece by artist Tim Lee.
• Listen to an advance cut (featuring Sam Bush) off The Greencards recording The Brick Album coming June 21.
• Interesting new recording just out: John Hartford, Tony Rice & Vassar Clements.
• We pause for a very brief external station identification: you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
• Interesting: the senior thesis of Forrest O'Connor (son of Mark O'Connor) on the subject of Lloyd Loar mandolins.
• Coming soon from Rebel, an outstanding release: John Duffey - The Rebel Years: 1962-1977.

May 21

• Builder Ray Dearstone is the subject of this interview from TriCities.com.
• We gave away some free Mandolin Cafe ball caps on our forum over the weekend and had a little fun in the process. Here are the winners.
• A great recording from this date in 1952: the Louvin Brothers' The Great Atomic Power from Weapon Of Prayer.
• We're amazon.com junkies and always amazed at what you can find there. Like this 110 Monroe MP3 pack for $28.
• From our forum: the sound engineer for Thile/Daves' Sleep with One Eye Open shares how the project was recorded.
• The best Sarah Jarosz interview we've read, hands down, from Austin360.com.
• We're amazon.com junkies and always amazed at what you can find there. Like this 110 Monroe MP3 pack for $28.
• Rebel Records announces the release of a collection of cuts by John Duffey.
• Classifieds: we've installed auto-resizing for ad images when too large.

May 18

• The 2011 ZoukFest Raffle is open. Join in for a shot at a Phil Crump bouzouki in support of a great event.
• Matt Flinner's The Real Bluegrass Book mentioned in our interview with him is out. Purchase: Elderly | amazon.com.
• May or may not be your thing, but Elderly is offering 20% off on all new effects. Enter coupon code 35221 at checkout.
• A new book about Bean Blossom has been published by the Univ. of Illinois Press but copies are not available for another two weeks at which time we have an exclusive interview with the author. Highly recommended! Pre-order: Elderly | amazon.com | Univ. of Illinois Press.
• Facebook members: The Loar is giving away a reissue of their LM-500 mandolin on their Facebook page. Register now to win.
• New music from the Twilite Broadcasters playing a great Monroe cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Praise for Sarah Jarosz's Follow Me Down. Five stars. Order: Elderly | amazon.com. Hear preview cuts on our MP3 page.
• An announcement from The Mandolin Store in regard to their move to Surprise, Arizona.
• Its been awhile. Too long, really, since we added a few new girlfriends. Ladies, you're looking lovely. See: entire collection.
• Great re-issue for fans of the 1960s Kentucky Colonels: Roger Bush, Billy Ray Lathum & Clarence White.
• A wonderful NPR feature on Sarah Jarosz with a title sure to send traditional bluegrass flamekeepers over the edge.
• A great collection of photos from the Collings Facebook fan page: the Collings MF5 O Blonde.
• Got a Weber mandolin? Like for callers to Weber to hear you playing while they're on hold?

May 14

• Part I: the Chris Thile & Michael Daves interview. Order: from artists | Elderly | amazon. The new recording discussed.
• New music from Denmark's Stefan Colind and a European all-star lineup: The Strings Alive Project.
• Weekend window shopping: possibly the most popular import of the year, The Loar LM-700.
• Deadly eye candy and the best thing created and sold out of Austin, Texas: Collings Mandolins.
• Two new titles from Butch Baldassari have been added to Mandolin Cafe On Demand lesson downloads.
• From the Knoxville Metro Press: Chris Thile and Michael Daves Rediscover Traditional Bluegrass.
• "Ultimately, we'll end up with a collection of nearly perfect tabs," so says the creator of WikiTabs.
• From the Nonesuch Records Journal: a review of the release of Sleep with One Eye Open from around the web and a brand new video.

May 10

• New paint: Instant Access lessons are now Mandolin Cafe On Demand. This change explained.
• Sure, it says singing guitar players but they tell us they'll take mandolin players too. Win a free trip to Dallas to an X-Factor Talent Audition.
• Noteworthy: this Saturday Don Julin hosts a mandolin workshop at Elderly Instruments. See our 2010 interview with Don.
• From exactly one year ago: Roger Siminoff's The F-5L Mandolin - A turning point in the history of Gibson's acoustic string instruments.
• Mel Bay has entered the Instant Access Lesson Download arena, a move we're happy to see. New to Instant Access Lessons? Get them here.
• What we're reading right now: Spann's Guide to Gibson 1902-1941. Available from Elderly and amazon.com.
• Four new cuts added to our MP3 page this week. Give a listen. Hundreds of free downloadable mandolin tunes.
• From our forum: discussion and pictures of Sierra Hull's new Weber octave mandolin.

May 7

• Back in stock and just in time for summer, we have a fresh batch of Mandolin Cafe ball caps.
• Three years ago (May 6) we marvelled at Sierra Hull's new release. Bill Graham's Beautiful Music: Sierra Just Is article remains one of our most read of all-time.
• A great mandolin at Cotten Music in Nashville posted to their Facebook page, the Kimble F5 Butch Baldassari Signature Model.
• We're looking forward to the release of Sleep with One Eye Open from Chris Thile and Michael Daves. Check out previews of the project on the Cafe MP3 page.
• New music from Lowell Levinger: Grandpa Banana - Just Trying To Break Even. Want to know more about him? See our 2010 interview with him.
• Finished pictures of a project we dubbed Mandolin Rescue 9-1-1 last year. More at the Mandolin Archive.
• Update to ordering Spann's Guide to Gibson 1902-1941. Available from Elderly and amazon.com.

May 3

• New music from Ted Falcon's Brazilian Jam Band Jambrosia. Hear a cut on the Cafe MP3 page.
• May 4 - Berklee's Mandolin Mashup 5 will be webcast live on concertwindow.com today at 8:15 p.m.
• The Morning Star is a new project from Marla Fibish & Jimmy Crowley, two exceptionally gifted musicians indulging us with mandolin family instrumentals.
• From Ted Eschliman of JazzMando.com: 10 Questions for Will Patton.
• Happy birthday to Dagger Gordon, born May 2. Did you catch his marvelous recent interview with us?
• On Facebook? Help the International Bluegrass Music Museum hit 5K "Likes" (it's free) and read about their upcoming ROMP festival.
• From austin360.com: Close to perfect: Collings Guitars makes some of the most coveted musical instruments in the world.
• Now shipping, the much anticipated Spann's Guide To Gibson 1902-1941. Meet the author in our forum.

April 29

• The latest video from Chris Thile and Michael Daves prior to their new release out soon.
• New in print: Index to Patents and Patentees of Acoustic, Fretted Stringed Musical Instruments 1831 to 1949.
• Our friend and builder Mike Black featured on the Mass Street Music blog.
• Money where our mouth is. We're sponsors of the Wednesday events prior to the California Bluegrass Association's Father's Day Festival.
• Winners of our random ball cap giveaway.
• Raffaele Calace: 10 Preludes for Solo Mandolin.

April 25

• A new book that's totally on our radar: Spann's Guide To Gibson 1902-1941.
• We love these! Monroe doing Kentucky Waltz backed by electric guitar, organ and drums.
• Monroe with electric guitars and drums in the 50s? Yep. Give this cut a listen.
• Rest in peace, Hazel Dickens.
• Interesting: A Passage for Mandolin, a book we just spotted on amazon.com.
• A must listen: Fretboard Journal interview with Joe Spann about his Gibson book.

April 21

• John Reischman and the Jaybirds new release now available: amazon - CDBaby.
• June 26 - July 1, Santa Cruz, California: the 8th Annual Mandolin Symposium.
• A great recording released two years ago today, Matt Flinner Trio's Music du Jour.
• From Facebook: the Collings MT O Custom.
• A marvelous new release from John Reischman & The Jaybirds: Vintage & Unique.
• Congratulations to Paul in Michigan, the winner in our Design a Weber Instrument Giveaway!
• The contents of Mandolin Magazine Spring, 2011 issue with Evan Marshall on the cover.

April 17

• Released April 16, 1975: the movie Capone with David Grisman on the soundtrack.
• You know you want one. You know you need one: the Mandolin Cafe 21-Chord Coffee Mug.
• Inside Collings Guitars: "Instrumental" by Tim Edwards, a documentary about Collings.
• From the Dawg's recent appearance in New York City: David Grisman Joined By Punch Brothers.
• Emory Lester gives Northfield mandolins a workout.

April 13

• Alison Krauss & Union Station fans can now purchase Paper Airplane at amazon.com, Elderly, etc.
• We're wondering if you could just use the beastly Santa Cruz Mandocello as a bass in a string band...
• Published four years ago today: The Music of Bill Monroe by Neil V. Rosenberg and Charles K. Wolfe.
• A new book about Gibson like no other is coming in early May that promises more than a few surprises and a lot of new information: Spann's Guide To Gibson 1902-1941. This book discussed on our forum.
• Interesting: Roger Siminoff has performed a major revision to his Lloyd Loar web page.
• Dan Beimborn pays a visit to the author of The Scottish Mandolin Tutor for another Mandolin Cafe exclusive interview: 10 Questions for Dagger Gordon.
• Published a year ago today, our Sam Bush interview.
• Essential reading: Peter Rowan in Acoustic Guitar Magazine talking bluegrass and Bill Monroe.

April 8

• The Early Mandolin by James Tyler and Paul Sparks published 18 years ago.
• Into choro? You'll want to check out Vocabulario do Choro, Choro Vocabulary - Studies & Compositions.
• Video preview: Chris Thile and Michael Daves performing Sleep with One Eye Open from their Facebook fan page.
• Aptos, California (near Santa Cruz): David Grisman in concert with the New Music Works Ensemble.
• With the summer bluegrass festival season right around the corner, it's once again time to get in touch with your inner self: Are You A Bluegrass Redneck?

April 4

• A terrific recording by one of our favorite mandolin players, currently the mandolinist for The Gibson Brothers: Joe Walsh - Sweet Loam.
• Our new CBOM Classifieds category (Cittern, Bouzouki, Octave, Mandocello). Full View | Browsing.
• A nice article about the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra.
• Grab one for summer, just around the corner: Mandolin Cafe ball caps.
• Some harmless April Fools' fun from Friday: Collings Fretless Bass Mandolin, Thile talks about his Loar and Getting Into Jazz Autoharp.
• Inspiration available: Bill Monroe - 16 Gems, a book of Monroe's transcriptions published on this date April 1, 1999. Good stuff.

April 1

• Yank Rachell - Blues Mandolin Man. Get it in MP3 format from amazon.com or CD from Elderly. Sample cuts available on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Happy Birthday to one of our favorite sites, Acoustic Oasis, launched one year ago today.
• Chris Thile & Michael Daves now have a Facebook fan page in anticipation of their upcoming recording Sleep with One Eye Open.
• Play ball. A Cubs Fan's Dying Wish: Steve Goodman and Jethro Burns make baseball so much better!
• Joe Walsh, mandolinist for The Gibson Brothers has released his second solo project and it's a gem. Highly recommended: Sweet Loam.
• Sad: Harley Allen has passed away. Son of bluegrass legend Red Allen, he was a prolific song writer.
• $70 for a 3-Day pass and free camping! International Bluegrass Music Museum's ROMP Festival.
• From the Aspen Times about Sam Bush: King of Telluride becoming the Something of Aspen. So much for the titles. We just like his music.
• Doyle Lawson's newest EP project, Drive Time (in MP3) or get the disc from Elderly Instruments.

March 29

• Alison Krauss Talks New Album, Paper Airplane, Reunion With Union Station, an interview from Billboard Magazine.
• Pre-order the new Chris Thile and Michael Daves recording Sleep with One Eye Open and receive a chance to win a Martin guitar.
• Courtesy of Paul Glasse: the Austin Monteleone Club.
• 100 photos of Monroe on Facebook. Sorry, must be a Facebook member to see :(.
• Impressive: the new Milliner-Koken Collection of American Fiddle Tunes in the old-time fiddle tradition. 1,404 of them to be exact.
• Mandolin Prodigy Sierra Hull Moves Forward With Daybreak (maybe it's time to dispense with prodigy and call her an artist...).
• Grab the new Mike Marshall Arpeggio Workout using Instant Access Download Software.

March 25

• We were doubters until we tried one. The owners of Blue Chip Picks told us this is one of the 2-3 most active and longest discussions of them on the web.
• New from Berklee Press: Beyond Bluegrass Mandolin, Etudes and Ideas for the Modern Mandolinist by John McGann and Matt Glaser.
• Just published: a mini-Punch Brothers Interview from Interview Magazine with plenty of free sound cuts and interview chat to listen to.
• A very happy birthday (March 23) to the Dawg!
• Mark Simos of the Berklee Songwriters Club takes a shot at teaching us Sierra Hull's new video single Easy Come, Easy Go.
• Kickin' Up Dust is the new release from Grasstowne, one of our favorite bluegrass band with Cafe favorite Alan Bibey on mandolin.
• Interesting photos from the Grand Ole Opry sent along with this press release.
• A very good read: Bluegrass' Sierra Hull, once a prodigy, now a veteran - at 19.

March 21

• Released 11 years ago today: Nickel Creek's self-titled recording. Hear cuts on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Listen in on a bit of bluegrass history recorded live 45 years ago and available now for the first time: Red Allen & the Kentuckians - Live on the Radio - March 20, 1966.
• What we're listening to: Sierra Hull's new solo recording Daybreak.
• New: Mike Marshall's Arpeggio Workout for Mandolin from Homespun Instant Access Downloads.
• Happy 8th birthday to JazzMando.com, and we wish you many more!
• Weekend window shopping: three gorgeous Altmans.
• Interesting one just added to The Music Emporium inventory: 2002 Brentrup 21V Prototype.
• Always some good free music at Acoustic Oasis. Check the right side of this page then go looking for the "Free" download link (it's a bone!). Dawg. Bone. Get it?
• Quality time with a long-time Opry star and Bluegrass legend: The Jesse McReynolds Interview.
• Rare Mandolin Concert, Speed Dating Tonight. We just report this news, we don't write the headlines.
• Always worth revisiting: possibly the finest collection of vintage bluegrass photographs on the web.

March 15

• Mandolin Camp North, April 8-10 includes an impressive all-star group of instructors.
• We always love a good Homer & Jethro photograph.
• Very interesting discussion about Monroe. Read those books? See our Monroe reading recommendations.
• Weekend window shopping: one of the mandolin world's most popular models, the Collings MT.
• Valentine's Fall which we've read and recommend (mandolin themed) is now available as a Kindle book.
• Scotland's Dagger Gordon makes an appearance on the Collings web site with his mandolin.
• Chris Acquavella who we interviewed recently is on tour in the UK including an appearance at the Alison Stephens Memorial Concert.

March 11

• A nice eye candy shot we missed a few weeks back: All Gilchrist Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza.
• A great documentary released on March 9, 1994: High Lonesome - The Story of Bluegrass Music. Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Lester Flatt, Osbornes and more.
• An amazing picture we stumbled onto by accident: Chris Thile and Bill Monroe, 1995.
• Now available: Sierra Hull's Daybreak. Get it from Elderly, amazon.com and many other locations or listen to sample cuts right now on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Got M.E.N.O.S.?
• Collings Guitar and Mandolin featured in this issue of Bluegrass Unlimited.
• Rounder has just uploaded a new Sierra Hull video about the recording of Daybreak and her experiences at Berklee.

March 6

• How To Grow A Band movie of the Punch Brothers premiers Friday at the Nashville Film Festival.
• What we're listening to: a well in advance copy of the new John Reischman and the Jaybirds CD Vintage & Unique. Predictably... superb!
• We love these! Not just one, but two 1925 A Jr. Snakeheads from Mandolin World Headquarters.
• A rapidly expanding opportunity for musicians looking to learn: a list of Wernick-Method Bluegrass Jam Camps for 2011.
• New music from Serio Lara on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• Random useless thoughts: I don't mean to cause any trouble, but....
• Groovy YouTube remix (thanks, my daughter): This video originated out of this one.
• For our guitar playing friends: Between the Ideal and the Possible, a new book by UK luthier Nigel Forster containing hundreds of photos of the guitar (and mandolin) building process.
• A chance to win a custom dream instrument from Weber Fine Acoustic Instruments: our Design A Weber Instrument Giveaway.
• Chris Thile and Michael Daves, Sleep with One Eye Open, coming May 10.
• Great early blues from The Little Brothers band just added to the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page.
• Poetry in wood: The Collings MF5 Deluxe Varnish #1190, new to the Collings Custom Gallery.
• New hip electric blue mandolin from Jimmy Ryan on the Cafe MP3 page.
• To honor the March 2, 1984 release of the movie This Is Spinal Tap, we offer the Stonehenge mandolin track in TablEdit or tablature.
• Orders are now being accepted from all international locations for Mandolin Cafe ball caps.

March 2

• Got gigs? Workshops, festivals? Check out our busy events calendar for March where users of our forum are busy adding their own activities.
• March 11 in London: Alison Stephens Memorial Concert with Chris Acquavella, Travis Finch, Craig Ogden, Lauren Scott and the Trinity Laban String Ensemble.
• Interesting! Is it a real Loar, or a copy?
• We concur. The David Grisman Quintet - 25th Year Reunion Concert recording is a must own.
• Who has used the Design A Weber tools on the Weber web site? Ted Eschliman of JazzMando.com tells us about the mandola he ordered using this process.
• March is looking good with 16 mandolin workshops in 15 diferent states. Surely there's one near you!
• Meet the Ger Mandolin Ensemble, memorializing Jewish mandolin orchestras of Góra Kalwaria, Poland.
• Our money where our mouth is.
• Hot new music from Acoustic Oasis: David Grisman Quintet - 25th Year Reunion Concert.
• A year ago today (2/25) we published this interesting interview with Mick Buck, curator of Monroe's mandolin.

February 23

• Industry chatter: Homespun has new Mike Marshall and Steve Kaufman mandolin instructional videos about to be released. Watch here for announcement.
• We weren't aware of such a thing as an Eastman Black Face Giacomel (see bottom of page). Refinished!
• Mandolin Virtuoso is the title of this video...
• Bill Graham reports in with us regarding the new Hollywood movie of Bill Monroe's life.
• Join us for this exclusive interview with one of the top mandolin players in acoustic music: 10 Questions For Matt Flinner.
• Smoking hot traditional bluegrass mandolin! New from Travers Chandler on the Cafe MP3 page from his latest recording.
• From our forum: five hours of early Bill Monroe recordings for your listening pleasure.
• One of the top camps in the U.S., the 20th Annual California Coast Music Camp. Compton, DelGrosso and many more.
• How cool. The winner of our Northfield Mandolin Giveaway posts a video on YouTube for us.
• Weekend window shopping: we like the look of this kicked up Weber Fern A style mandolin.
• New music from Massimo Gatti and Luigi Maramotti on the Cafe MP3 page, from the recording donna lombarda.

February 19

• Mandolin goodies from our CafePress store. Our favorite, the Mandolin Cafe 21 Chord Coffee Mug.
• Hot Dawg: David Grisman ready to ignite crowd at Alys Stephens Center in Birmingham.
• We're up to over 600 free tunes in our TablEdit database. Like to contribute? We'd like to hear from you.
• The March Mandolin Festival happens March 4-6 in Concord, New Hampshire.
• Join some good friends of ours just now on Facebook: Cotten Music of Nashville.

February 15

• We're hearing good things about the new Calace books available exclusively from Elderly.
• Click the "Free" bone: Dawg jazz duo!
• Guitar Heroes, the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit that includes John Monteleone's work.
• Check out this gorgeous 1915 Gibson A-4.
• There's still time! Grab David Grisman's Valentine for Music Lovers, then get to cooking dinner!
• Bee Gees, Van Halen, Michael Jackson and Rolling Stones tab for mandolin? Yea, baby! Pre-order

February 11

• All about free downloads at JazzMando.com.
• Filed February 10, 1995: take a look at this U.S. Patent and see if you recognize the builder.
• Some online chatter about the upcoming Chris Thile/Michael Daves duo release.
• Ted Eschliman interviews jazz mandolin chord solo wizard Aaron Weinstein.
• California's annual Klamath River MandoJam.
• A true must own classic re-released this week in 2005: Tiny & Jethro, Back to Back.
• Mandolin lessons with author of The Mandolin Game. Hook up with Keither Harris on Skype.

February 7

• Coming about two weeks out, a new Mike Marshall Instant Access Lesson on Homespun.
• An interview with the Grascals' Danny Roberts: The Grascals Dream of Joining the Opry As They Approach Their 100th Appearance.
• New music from Joe Brent's new EP on the Cafe MP3 page. Highly recommended. Grab the music.
• Recording commenced Feb. 7, 1936: the first Monroe Brothers album still a must own classic.
• New music from Sweden's Sideshow Stringband on the Cafe MP3 page.
• World class job with a world class view: Weber searching for someone with specialized skills as a Finish Tech.
• With plenty of winter still upon us, no need to be without a quality instrument humidifier.
• ... Super Bowls
• Inspired! Hip new original music from Mark Daly on the Cafe MP3 page. Highly recommended.
• TablEdit users studying FFcP can now download exercises from our new TEF database.
• A very important collection now available for the first time in English: the Raffaele Calace Method for Mandolin.

February 2

• Kudos: we understand Mike Compton makes an appearance on Gregg Allman's new chart topping project Low Country Blues.
• Three years ago we were enjoying LoarFest West. Some remarkable content at that link.
• Newspapers in Israel are finally providing some press regarding Avi Avital's Grammy nomination.
• Beat the winter blues. Free downloadable tunes at Acoustic Oasis (click the Free bone).
• A Chris Thile interview in advance of his mandolin concerto performance this coming weekend.
• Eye candy: our pal Jim Triggs has a mandocello page on his web site worth checking out.
• Mandocake!? Yes, please.
• Carlo Aonzo will be one of our future interviews where our members ask the questions.

January 29

• Brad Laird has added new easy mandolin solos 1, 2 and 3 at FreeMandolinVideos.com.
• A rare trio to see in one single location, Vega cylinderbacks: mandolin, mandola and cello.
• It's hard to beat this wonderful remembrance of Charlie Louvin from the Los Angeles Times.
• A band with a new album, one member recovering from lymphoma. Hear The Delta Natural on the Cafe MP3 page.
• A new web site for indie bluegrass and acoustic music professionals: DIY Bluegrass Biz.

January 25

• Sad: bluegrass and country music legend Charlie Louvin has passed away. Rest in peace. Member responses.
• New music from Janos Koolen & Lucas Beukers of the Netherlands on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Our new TablEdit database is live with over 500 tunes ready for you to download.
• A Ricky Skaggs biography in the works as reported by CMT.com. Look for a release date for this Fall.
• A true Bluegrass legend pays us a visit: The Bobby Osborne Interview.
• The contents of the Winter 2010/2011 issue of Mandolin Magazine featuring Danny Roberts.
• A spiffy new Collings MT2 mandola. We test drove these at NAMM... delicious!
• Looking to learn how to jam in a bluegrass setting? Here's the ticket.
• Sad: a year ago today we published this Alison Stephens interview celebrating her recovery from cancer.
• For the Super Bowl, hands down, when it comes to the national anthem, please give us Doyle Lawson!

January 20

• We're a proud sponsor of this year's March Mandolin Festival, always one of the finest mandolin events.
• New music from Patrick Sylvest on the Cafe MP3 page. Get all of our music by subscribing to our iTunes channel.
• Alison Krauss and Union Station announce the upcoming release of their new recording on Facebook.
• A story waiting to be told: "The Virginian's Gibson H4."
• Cool new Brazilian music from Tim Connell and Mike Burdette on the Cafe MP3 page.
• Wow: much more than simply a promise of a great recording, the new Blue Moon of Kentucky - Instrumental Tribute to Bill Monroe. Hear previews on our MP3 page.
• A good price on a Collings MF Standard, sunburst gloss top with ivoroid binding.

January 16

• Mandolin Magazine, Winter, 2011 issue: Danny Roberts.
• Famed St. Louis Bluegrass DJ Gene Roberts has passed away. Rest in peace.
• More mandolin on Acoustic Guitar Magazine's best recordings for 2010: Massimo Gatti.
• Ted Eschliman's NAMM photos on Facebook.
• Students: Mike Marshall is looking to restart Skype lessons he announced a year ago.
• Don Stiernberg's new disc Swing 220 named as one of the Best Albums of 2010 by Acoustic Guitar Magazine.
• New Bill Monroe recordings headed to Library of Congress.
• Brennen Leigh fans, catch her live in Austin this Thursday at Fiddler's Green Music Shop.
• New Bill Monroe recordings headed to Library of Congress.

January 10

• Brennen Leigh fans, catch her live in Austin this Thursday at Fiddler's Green Music Shop.
• Coming soon: a searchable TablEdit database.
• Eurograss! The folks at Elderly tell us this disc from Massoubre & Louvat is great stuff.
• Coming Sunday: an interview with Bluegrass legend and Grand Ole Opry member Bobby Osborne and questions from forum members.
• How'd we miss this? The Acoustic Music Co. Jukebox. One store's online mandolin tasting.
• New from the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra, their first recording: Live, 2010.
• Going gypsy jazz body shape in a mandolin!
• One would buy it dreaming to play as good as he could when he was 12, but, good luck: Chris Thile's Stealing Second Book/CD set.
• Now available: version 2 of the Mandolin Cafe iPhone app from the Apple store.
• New from Acoustic Oasis: David Grisman & Martin Taylor live at Wigmore Hall.
• New music from the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra on the Cafe MP3 page.
• An interview published a year ago today (Jan. 7) that we really enjoyed with Mike Compton.
• 20% off cases through January 12 at Elderly + free shipping on most orders over $29. Use coupon code 63623.

January 5

• Rich DelGrosso's new blues CD getting some press from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• Just for fun: Ancient Order of the Mandolin inducts Doyle Lawson & Bobby Osborne.
• A great story and video: Luthier Makes Quiet Contribution to Brazil's Music.
• Artist to Artist interview: Joe Brent spends 10 Minutes with Grammy nominee Avi Avital.
• Two great mandolin workshops during SPBGMA: Roland White & Herschel Sizemore.
• Looking ahead for January: a full slate of educational and entertainment events on tap.
• Bluegrass bands: enter the Steam Powered Hour Battle of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Bands in New York City for a shot at a once in a liftime gig.
• A new feature on our forum Facebook members can make use of: Facebook Connect.
• New music from Ben Bosco on the Mandolin Cafe MP3 page. Read about his superb new recording just out, Bach on Mandolin.
• New from Hal Leonard Publications: Play Mandolin Today! Beginner's Pack.
• Wrapping up their year: 2010 JazzMando best stories.

January 1

• Pricey, yes, but still one of the most beautiful '24 Gibson Snakeheads we've ever laid eyes on.
• An interesting discussion to follow: Gibson Mandolin Construction Details-Old, Loar era or before.
• A nice Weber Distressed Black Face Yellowstone for sale that we'd like to test drive.
• Meet Tom Rosato, possibly the most widely viewed mandolin player on the planet at the moment thanks to an AP photographer. Hope you made it home, Tom!
• The official press release announcement regarding the Grammy nomination for Avi Avital.
• 15 members of the IBMM Hall of Fame to perform at the Bill Monroe Centennial Celebration, September 12-14, 2011 in Owensboro.
• One of the nicest videos we've seen in some time, discovered on our forum. Thanks to member Bernie Daniel for introducting it: Joseph Brent & Labraid.