New Skip Gorman Recording!

[asicard]

http://www.skipgorman.com/images/Mandolininthecowcamp.jpg

MANDOLIN IN THE COW CAMP - (a 2 -cd set) ; nearly 80 gorgeous, lonesome and wild and woolly oldtime melodies from the Western Plains, Appalachia and the Old Country. With cover art by the renowned western artist - WILLIAM MATTHEWS

featuring:
Skip Gorman with
Tom Carter
Hal Cannon
Angus Gorman
Sten Isachsen
Seth Austen

This has just been released! I understand that Skip does a bunch of tunes using old time fiddle/cross tunings. I expect that this CD is nothing short of spectacular!

[John Flynn]

That CD will definitely be a late addition to my Christmas list! I love Gorman's stuff.

[sgarrity]

Definitely on my list. I wish they had a track list up. But whatever is on it, I'm sure it's bound to be good!

[Amandalyn]

Does anybody have a list of the tunes on this CD- or at least a partial?
Thanks

[JGWoods]

Yep sure would like to see the tune list- looking for Lafayette, and Bonaparte's Retreat especially

[ShaneJ]

Skip's website doesn't have the tracklist yet, but it's a 2-cd set. I love old cowboy music, having grown up on a West Texas farm and ranch. It's all rooted in Celtic fiddle tunes too. Similar roots to other "American" music, just different subject matter for the lyrics. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Perry]

Got mine a few days ago......makes you appreciate the "simple perfection" of a beautiful melody played on the mandolin. Fantastic stuff!

It could also serve as inspiration for writing a few melodies
of own's own.

http://skipgorman.com/sg_discdetail.cfm?rid=12


Perry

[Jonathan Reinhardt]

Yep, Skip sure can play. Esp. the cross tunings. I was itching to get my hands on his MM one day and he, most graciously, said "give it a try" ( disclaimer: just to hear that sweet MM sound as well as reassure myself I liked me own instrument fine) but alas, he had it cross tuned beyond my comprehension at the moment. Oh, well.
Bless Skip. He's a wonder.

rasa

[John Flynn]

I am in the middle of my first in-depth listening of this CD set and I am spellbound. As someone else said, just simple tunes (62 of them!) played really, really well. If you liked Gorman's Old-Style Mandolin CDs, or anything by Curtis Buckhannon, or Clyde Curley's CD, you will really like this. No mando-pyrotechnics, just great old-time tunes, played creatively, with perfect technique, on one of the best sounding oval hole mandolins you will hear.

[Scot Thayer]

I've been listening to these discs since they arrived yesterday and agree wholeheartedly with Mando Johnny - this is great music played exactly as it should be. #Skip's tone is amazing. #What is that "cow camp mandolin" - looks like a Kay maybe?? #I know I've seen something like it before but can't recall.

And here's something cool - both times I've ordered from him, the cd's came with a handwritten note. #"Thanks very much and hope you enjoy the music" type of thing. #Dennis Buckhannon did the same thing when I ordered some Buckhannon Brothers cd's (which are great as well). #Just something a little extra that I thought was nice.

[bones12]

The two CD set is beautiful indeed with the stunning mando tone only matched by a great touch. Tune and song selection make this an essential disc(s) for those of us with love of that old time sound. Was this made on the trail in 1868? I think I hear some whipoorwills in the background. Man o man what a great CD! Doug

[stevem]

I'm looking for an old-time instrumental only cd from Skip. Is the new one? Or any of the others?

[Scot Thayer]

Steve - Mandolin in the Cow Camp is all instrument old-time but so are The Old Style Mandolin - volumes 1 and 2. #If you're looking for old-time mandolin, I'd recommend them all.

[stevem]

Thanks so much. I'll check out the new one first.

[Martin Jonas]

I've just received this CD and am on my first listen. #Nicely low-key tunes, great playing, all instrumental (although many of the tunes are from songs). #About half of it is just Skip on mandolin, and the other half has some very sparse guitar/second mandolin backing.

As there is still no track listing up on Skip's site, I've scanned it in and attach it below.

Martin

[Martin Jonas]

Another interesting thing is that the actual mandolin used on this album is not the Gibson A shown on the cover (as seen in the first post in this thread), but instead the humble mandolin shown below, which he calls his "cow camp mandolin". Is that a Kay? This photo is in the booklet, but the scan below is from the separate postcard/note that Skip sent with the CD, as the resolution is slightly better.

16 of the 62 tracks are in various alternative tunings (Skip lists the actual tuning for each of them in the booklet), mostly GDGD and D drone DAD.

Martin

[Jeff Hoelter]

I've been really enjoying this recording. A lot of the tunes are new to me, but I enjoy hearing a lot of the ones I know as well. Some of the melodies and tunes I know from oldtime/bluegrass, some from celtic, and some I just know somehow (Old Suzannah for example). It's really nice melodic playing. I can't wait to try to learn some of them.

Jeff

[steve in tampa]

Just got this in the mail today. Going to drive the old lady nuts with this on all the time! This is exactly what I've been looking for!

[ShaneJ]

Holy cow! (no pun intended) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

62 tunes!!! Great old fiddle tune classics and many of my favorite cowboy songs too along with some that are new to me. Order placed.

Besides, I love the watercolors that a lot of the cowboy singers/poets use on their CDs by Mr. Matthews. Don Edwards, Michael Martin Murphy, Waddy Mitchell, Red Stegall...they've all had Matthews paitings before.

[Shana Aisenberg]

I accompanied Skip on a few tunes on the new album. We recorded 4 medleys together, he played the "cow camp" mandolin on all of these, and to the best of my knowledge he used this mandolin throughout the entire project. It's a wonderful album! I'm enjoying listening to it.

Inspired by Skip's playing I recently cross tuned one of my mandolins to GDGD and have been playing various tunes that I already play cross tuned on fiddle.

Seth

[John Goodin]

I got my copy on Christmas Eve and it's every bit as good as everyone says. If you've read all these posts and still haven't made your order I think you should do so now. You won't regret it.

John Goodin

[Martin Jonas]

Seth: congratulations on your playing on this album! Have you had a chance to have a closer look at the "cow camp mandolin", and can you tell us what it actually is? Any idea of maker, or age?

Martin

[Shana Aisenberg]

Thanks, it was lots of fun playing w/ Skip on these tunes.

No idea of who the maker was. It looks like an early 1900's American made Washburn, Regal, or something along those lines. It sounds fantastic, especially when Skip plays it!

Seth

[JGWoods]

I have one of those odd shaped mandolins that no one knows who made. Unfortunatly mine is not playable as is and it sits in the "someday when I become a luthier" pile as a future project.
They crop up on ebay now and then, usually sell for $70 to $150 mostly with the SuperTone name on them