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: 2020 | 2019

2021

May 10

• Lots of chatter of late about Crossrock Cases on our Forum. Amusing that only their blems and seconds are sold on Facebook.
• Proud to once again be an official Artist Sponsor for this year's Porch Pride, just announced.
• New Music released May 1 by John Goodin - Telemann: Menuets for Two Mandolins.
• Mandolin Secrets host Magnus Zetterlund has a new single out. Give a listen.
• Episode 4 of David Grisman and Danny Barnes Acoustic Encounters podcast features Jacob do Bandolim.
• Just released by Acoustic Disc: the downloadable version of the classic Mandolin Abstractions by David Grisman and Andy Statman from 1982.

May 3

• Mandolin Mondays: Brazilian mandolin prodigy Ian Coury brings the mind-bending Choro classic "Corta Jaca" on a 10-string mandolin built by Tércio Ribeiro.
• Colorado mandolin wiz Dylan McCarthy is this week's guest on the Mandolins and Beer podcast.
• Starts Saturday! Improvising for Mandolins and Fiddles with Joe K. Walsh, a Zoom workshop from Peghead Nation.
• Published three years ago: the historic video of Bill Monroe receiving his mandolin from Gibson post-repair after being smashed to bits by a fire poker.
• An epic new recording from C.E. Jones, an undertaking no one else has dared in this configuration we're aware of: The Goldberg Variations for Mandolin, Guitar and Banjo.
• Published one year ago today. Let's do all we can to make sure this ends soon. Mandolin Builders and Retailers Share Their Pandemic Experience.

April 26

• A new carbon fiber mandolin builder, Synergy Instruments out of Ontario, in the works it appears.
• David and Tabitha Benedict, The Foreign Landers, have announced a May 10 release for their marvelous debut EP entitled Put All Your Troubles Away.
• Mandolin Mondays: Audrey Mendenhall joins us to share a few burning passes on the classic "El Cumbanchero" on her Kentucky F5 mandolin.
• News for fans of Mandolin Orange: the band has announced a change of name to Watchhouse.
• James McNulty has announced the release of his newest solo album entitled Firecracker Day on Bandcamp.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #88 is Grant Gordy (David Grisman, Mr. Sun)
• Joe K. Walsh is The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #87.
• A *great* workshop for early, classic "hot" jazz from Centrum: Virtual Red Hot Strings 2021 Brings Hot Jazz Instruction.

April 19

• Now rescheduled for May 14-16, formerly the March Mandolin Festival, now the May Mandolin Festival.
• New music from Xavier Garci - Bach: Cello Suites.
• Mandolin Mondays: Scotland's Kevin Macleod has a lovely set of traditional tunes played on his Stefan Sobell mandolin.
• A spectacular new album by Joe K. Walsh now out: Bluegrass and the Abstract Truth.
• A brand new estore for Italian master Carlo Aonzo.
• Mandolin Mondays: Spain's Isaac Casas of the group WoodSpell shares a compelling original with an interesting story on his Prucha F5.

April 11

• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast #86 is Roger Siminoff.
• A new Chris Thile solo album coming in June: Laysongs.
• What promises to be a new and important event in a city most iconic for hosting: The Venice Mandolin Festival Planned for 2022.
• 2021 Monroe Mandolin Camp Mandolin and Banjo Video Scholarship Winners Announced.
• A republication from Hyperlocrian.com: Caterina Lichtenberg Interview.
• Mandolin Mondays: Ruby Mae Shiels joins us from France to perform an original composition on her A style Summit mandolin.

April 6

• New music, and what a collection it is! David Grisman Quintet First Recordings Live in Dawg's Living Room.
• Peghead Nation Launches Octave Mandolin Course with Joe K. Walsh. See the new course | try a sample lesson.
• Chris Thile's Master Class Series "Music is Life is Music" returns April 18.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #85 Jake Howard.
• KFC and Elixir Enhanced Strings with CBD/THC Coating Announced.
• Less is four... introducing The Mandolindo from KR Strings.

April 1

• Please share on social media, this eBay scam auction involving Ellis Mandolin #110 that appears over and over on hacked accounts.
• Mandolin Mondays: Flynn Cohen of Low Lily joins us for an original microtonal fiddle tune played on his modified vintage Gibson mandolin.
• Now out, the wonderful new album Room for Everyone, by Alex Heflin.
• New in print and eBook from our companion banjo site: Classical Music for Banjo Made Easy.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #84 is multi-instrumentalist Jake Workman.
• Exclusively from Acoustic Disc and David Grisman: get your Dawg Leash on!
• An update to the new TablEdit database under the control of Larry Tanner. Amazing progress.

March 22

• Mandolin Mondays: New England multi-instrumentalist G Rockwell joins us with an original tune on his Collings MTO Mandolin.
• This should be a great one: The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #83 Lynn Dudenbostel.
• New music from Alex Heflin that challenges what's possible for a mandolin recording: Room for Everyone.
Peghead Nation announces a new Octave Mandolin course taught by Joe K. Walsh.
• Mandolin Mondays: Celtic mandolin educator, performer, and YouTuber, Frédéric Bourgeois has a lovely jig played on his beautiful Collings MT2O.

March 15

• Not your typical new mandolin album, but something outside the box: Room for Everyone, by Alex Heflin.
• Now live: the new Mandolins Heal The World web site of Don Julin.
• A new blog that provides backing tracks for musicians just announced: Bluegrass Jam Along.
• Celebrating 20 years in print, the Mel Bay best seller Deluxe Encyclopedia of Mandolin Chords by the late John Baxter.
• No Spring version of Mandolin Camp North this year but organizers are cooking up a Fall Jam Camp still in planning stages.
• With fingers crossed, organizers say not to be a virtual camp: Roots and Boots Music Camp Set for June 23-27 near Flagstaff.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #82 Nathan Livers (Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper).
• A new book certain be a remarkable new resource: The Earl Scruggs Banjo Songbook: Selected Banjo Tab Accurately Transcribed for Over 80 Tunes.

March 10

• We don't typically post about banjo content, but this new book is certain be a most remarkable new resource and then some. The Earl Scruggs Banjo Songbook: Selected Banjo Tab Accurately Transcribed for Over 80 Tunes.
• Celebrating 29 Years, California Coast Music Camp Returns for 2021.
• Mandolin Mondays: Ashby Frank of The Likely Culprits takes a spin on the tune "Goodbye Liza Jane" with his 1997 Randy Wood mandolin.
• Celebrating one year of 25 Trips, Sierra Hull release her remix of "Less" today.
• New in print from Siminoff Books: The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual 4th Edition.
• Michael Cleveland is this week's guest on the Mandolins and Beer podcast.
• Something no one has ever seen: Deep Nostalgia, Lloyd Loar.
• Acoustic Disc releases David Grisman Quartet with Svend Asmussen Live at Fat Tuesday's.
• New in print and digital: Bluegrass Jam Standard Fiddle Tune Favorites by Tristan Scroggins, by Tristan Scroggins.

March 2

• Mandolin Mondays: Justin Moses, two-time IBMA Dobro Player of the Year, stops by to wow us with his mandolin skills on his Weber Mandolin.
• From Larry Tanner: TablEdit is back! See the collection.
• 6th Annual Alan Bibey Mandolin Camp returns August 25-28 in Surfside, S.C.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #80: Andrew Marlin discusses his two new instrumeantal releases.
• Rest in peace and Godspeed: Peter Ostroushko passes.
• For your listening enjoyment: the brand new Michigan Mandolin Orchestra's Winter Concert from Feb. 19.

February 25

• Mandolin Mondays: James Seliga of The Mandolin Store joins us for an incredible original composition played on his 2006 Custom Weber Yellowstone.
• Just released, the second of two spectacular new instrumental albums from Andrew Marlin: Fable & Fire.
• Feature interview: Lost and Found Mandolinist Scott Napier is All Out Front.

February 20

• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #79 is David Surette.
• Acoustic Disc launches Acoustic Encounters Podcast with Danny Barnes & David Grisman.
• Win a 1-hour lesson with the ArtistWorks instructor of your choice in this special promotion.
• Mandolin Mondays: Australian multi-instrumentalist Josh Bennett joins us with a choro-style piece played on his left-handed Duff Mandolin.
• Bob Knysz is the guest on Bradley Laird's Grass Talk Radio.
• Digging these custom pick dishes from Solid Ground Stands. The kind of thing we have to have!

February 15

• New music from Ethan Setiawan - Live at Club Passim.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #78: Bobby Osborne Part 2.
• News we can all agree is good: stolen mandolin recovered and perpetrators charged.
• Mandolin Mondays #266: Steve Gilchrist shows us his Australian based workshop and taste tests a restored Lloyd Loar mandolin alongside one of his own.

February 6

• Just announced: Monroe Mandolin Camp Accepting Video Submissions for 2021 Scholarships.
• Just announced: registration for the 8th Annual Monroe Mandolin Camp is now open.
• Now just released: Sierra Hull's EP Weighted Mind Original Sessions.
• Andrew Marlin's Witching Hour all-instrumental album just released.

February 6

• A legend visits the Mandolins and Beer podcast with Bobby Osborne - Part 1.
• Tony Williamson is the guest on Bradley Laird's Grass Talk Radio this week.
• Win a free year of online mandolin lessons at Artistworks with Caterina Lichtenberg.
• Scottish Highlander Dagger Gordon is this week's Mandolin Mondays guest with a lovely tune on his 10-string Sobell mandolin.
• Win a free year of online mandolin lessons with Caterina Lichtenberg.
• New hi-def re-releases from Acoustic Disc just announced: Mike Compton and David Long's Stomp and David Grisman and Tommy Emmanuel's Pickin'.

February 1

• A part of the award winning Nashville Acoustic Camps: Tristan Scroggins to Lead Virtual Mandolin Skill Builder Workshop.
• 11-year-old phenom Wyatt Ellis is this week's guest on Mandolin Mondays playing a Bill Monroe classic.
• Congratulations to Emma Borders, newest addition to the Weber Mandolins Artists page.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast #75 is Justin Moses.
• Michael Lampert interviewed by Kansas City's Neon Jazz series (audio).

January 25

• Winter Virtual Mandolin Camp with Alan Bibey, Don Stiernberg Music, David Surette and Matt Flinner is open for registration! The camp dates are January 29-31.
• Mandolin Mondays: a Mike Marshall tribute to Tony Rice with Tony's composition Swing 51.
• New in Print and eBook from Mel Bay: The Complete Mandolinist, Volume 2, by Marilynn Mair. Purchase: Mel Bay | amazon

January 20

• New in print and eBook: Mandolin Picking Tunes - Early Music Gems by Dix Bruce. Purchase.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast Episode #74 this week is Italian great Carlo Aonzo.
• Mandolin Mondays: Premier classical mandolinist Caterina Lichtenberg joins us from Germany to share some Bach on her Alfred Woll German Neapolitan Mandolin.

January 11

• New in print from Mel Bay Publishing - Gypsy Swing & Hot Club Rhythm Complete Mandolin Edition. Purchase.
• From our friends at The Denver Folklore Center, their Mandolin 101: Buyer's Guide.
• From Mandolins and Beer podcast, The Tony Rice Tribute Episode.
• A special episode of Mandolins and Beer is an Andrew Marlin feature from his Buried in a Cape album.
• New music from Acoustic Remnant - Sliding Ida.
• Mandolin Mondays #261: Glasgow's Laura-Beth Salter brings us a set of original tunes played on her Krishot Mandolins F5.

January 4

• Rest in Peace, Tony Rice. One of the great legends of acoustic music has passed.
• New Seasonal Suites for Mandocello and Octave Mandolin by John Goodin.
• The Mandolins and Beer Podcast #73 is Rich DelGrosso.
• Mandolin Mondays #260: Bluegrass legend Bobby Osborne plays a Merle Travis tune on his legendary 1925 Gibson F5 Fern.
• At Peghead Nation: an 8-Session Live Mandolin Class with Sharon Gilchrist coming in January on Zoom.