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View Full Version : Cahalen Morrisson and Eli West -- playing two Brock mandolins



DSDarr
Mar-29-2011, 3:55pm
Check out this video (http://www.fretboardjournal.com/video/cahalen-morrison-eli-west-wont-be-long) of Seattle's own Cahalen Morrisson and Eli West. Cahalen is playing a Brock A5 (that I think I recognize as Fletcher's "personal" mando, at least as of a few years ago) and Eli is playing a Brock octave.


-David

Paul Kotapish
Mar-29-2011, 4:19pm
I got to hear this duo when we were on the same bill at the Seattle Folk Festival earlier this year, and I was blown away. Great songwriting, singing, and picking on a variety of instruments--mostly guitar, octave mandolin, and banjo. Great stuff.

Jeroen
May-14-2011, 6:44pm
I went to see them in (where?) Enschede, the Netherlands. I love their sound, songs and groove. Go see them if you can.

DSDarr
May-14-2011, 10:11pm
I went to see them in (where?) Enschede, the Netherlands. I love their sound, songs and groove. Go see them if you can.

June 12th - Cahalen and Eli are opening for Sarah Jarosz at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard (Seattle). I'll be there...

-David

dcoventry
May-14-2011, 11:35pm
I was incredibly impressed by these two, and this video in particular. Just excellent in song and execution.

Nine thumbs up!

Rob Fowler
May-14-2011, 11:51pm
Here's the video from above embedded.



Here's a couple more vids of this AMAZING duo. Hope they come down to Northwestern Cali someday!

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Note how in these videos Eli is playing the Brock octave with only 4 strings. Just absolutely amazing stuff.:mandosmiley:

Ok...one with with Eli playing some tasty mando...not sure what type.

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Marty Henrickson
May-15-2011, 7:58am
I saw them about a month ago in Birmingham, and they were great. Great pickin', and great harmonies. Alas, the octave couldn't make the trip. The CD is good also. They add in some fiddle, etc., but it still sounds like an organic extension of their live duo show.

PS - That's Cahalen in the last vid.;)

Steve-o
May-15-2011, 9:05am
Wow, thanks for putting up those vids, David and Rob. First time I heard of these guys. They make a great duet - tight vocals and a tasteful combination of acoustic instruments. I especially liked the first vid with the octave and mandolin harmonies.

Chip Booth
May-15-2011, 11:40am
Nice videos, thanks! I have had the great pleasure of playing both of those Brock instruments. The Blonde A style mandolin in the first video is Fletcher's personal instrument, and he has been generous enough to loan it out to quite a few wayward mandolin players in need. I had it for months, and it has been used by players such as Jason Norris of Bearfoot and Sarah Jarosz, just to name a couple that I know of. I first played this instrument at Wintergrass five or six years ago abd was one of my favourites on display at the festival. I figured I would never see it again, and it was a real treat to be able to play it years later.

Like all of Fletcher's octaves that one is a real winner. It has a strong midrange and works really well in an ensemble. I believe this is one of the reasons Eli picked it from a couple of Brocks he had to choose from. I just visited Fletcher's shop this week and he has a couple more octaves getting close to the finishing stage, and a pile of parts ready to go for more.

mandopete
May-19-2011, 9:44am
Thanks for posting this and the heads-up on the June performance at The Tractor!

Linds
May-20-2011, 12:03am
Nice videos, thanks! I have had the great pleasure of playing both of those Brock instruments. The Blonde A style mandolin in the first video is Fletcher's personal instrument, and he has been generous enough to loan it out to quite a few wayward mandolin players in need. I had it for months, and it has been used by players such as Jason Norris of Bearfoot and Sarah Jarosz, just to name a couple that I know of. I first played this instrument at Wintergrass five or six years ago abd was one of my favourites on display at the festival. I figured I would never see it again, and it was a real treat to be able to play it years later.

Like all of Fletcher's octaves that one is a real winner. It has a strong midrange and works really well in an ensemble. I believe this is one of the reasons Eli picked it from a couple of Brocks he had to choose from. I just visited Fletcher's shop this week and he has a couple more octaves getting close to the finishing stage, and a pile of parts ready to go for more.

Chip! I think one of those octaves is mine! I'm dying to know your take on them. What inlay is he using? Mine should have a narrower neck -- 1 1/4" nut width. Can you tell me anything about it? I also emailed Fletcher to ask about the possibility of getting a Calton case instead of the Cedar Creek, but I haven't heard back yet. Any idea how much extra he charges for that? Thanks for any info you can toss my way. I'm getting insanely excited down here in Texas!

Linds
May-20-2011, 12:12am
Thanks for posting these videos! I ran across these guys about a week ago when I was surfing the web for Fletcher Brock vids (mando porn). I immediately bought their album. I'd love to hear them live sometime, but it seems like they're mostly touring Europe or the Pacific Northwest right now.

Chip -- you mentioned that Sarah Jarosz has played that blonde Brock "A" before. Was that what she was playing at Targhee? I remember watching her during the big jam with Sam Bush and wondering where her Collings was.

Chip Booth
May-20-2011, 7:00pm
Hey Lindsey, sorry to not get back to you, been super busy and sick lately. I did get a chance to pop into Fletch's workshop recently and see your OM. It's looking great and pretty close to being ready to finish. The neck needs to be put on and the inlay is not done as far as I know, but otherwise it is pretty much together. I can't really tell you much else, don't know about what inlay he plans to use. Give him a call, it's probably not too late to make a request. I love his personal design, a sort of vine (see attached photo). I can't give you any idea about cases, sorry. I will say that I had a Calton for my guitar and I gave it up, it was just too large and heavy to drag around on a daily basis.

Sorry these pics are pretty terrible but one of these is yours. I think it's the one with ivoroid binding? They don't look like much sorry, but it really is coming along nicely.

As you can see on the calendar in one of these photos Fletch is on a family trip right now, but he should be back at it soon.

You are correct about the blonde mandolin being the one Sarah played at Targhee, that was Fletch's.


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Linds
May-20-2011, 8:34pm
Hey, Chip! Thank you so much for your recon! I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. Hope you're feeling better.

I actually really love Fletch's vine inlay. I figure I'll let him go nuts and do whatever he wants with it, though. This instrument is so far beyond anything I should have, given my skill level, and he is such an artist, that I'm sure I'll be ecstatic with the results. But wow...that flaming on the back already looks gorgeous. Please pass along my compliments and thanks to Fletcher next time you see him!

As for the case, I wouldn't really want a Calton, except that I know I'll want to fly with this thing a few times a year. I don't feel like I can trust the airlines with it in anything other than a flight case, and I just don't have the time to drive up to Targhee and the other festivals I want to attend. Speaking of Targhee, I hope you're coming this year. I'd love for you to play the Brock and show me what it's supposed to sound like.

Sorry to hijack the thread, guys. Here, let me put it back on topic -- when I grow up, I want to be able to play the mandolin and octave like Cahalen and Eli!

DSDarr
May-20-2011, 8:44pm
Sorry these pics are pretty terrible but one of these is yours. I think it's the one with ivoroid binding? They don't look like much sorry, but it really is coming along nicely.


I'm actually pretty fond of the photo of the headstock and inlay, which I took last year of the A4 that I got from Fletch about a year ago. :))

-David

Steve-o
Jun-03-2011, 8:38pm
Back to the OP... I picked up Cahalen and Eli's CD and listened to it over a Memorial Day trip. Great tunes and great harmony. It now gets regular rotation on my playlist. Highly recommended. I wish they would tour in my part of the country.

bagpipe
Jun-06-2011, 7:42pm
Who is Cahalen and who is Eli? Whichever one is playing the A-style mandolin, he has such a smooth, relaxed right hand. He doesn't have that "tight grip" that I see a lot of the bluegrass guys use. That's the problem I have when I try use the "power grip" - I end up getting way too tense with my right hand.

Oh ... and I really enjoyed the videos. Thanks.

Rob Fowler
Jun-06-2011, 7:55pm
Cahalen is playing the mandolin and Eli is playing the octave.

Rob Fowler
Jun-12-2011, 1:44am
I just got Cahalen's and Eli's disc "Holy Coming of the Storm" and it's a MUST HAVE album, I would say. Interesting fact: Matt Flinner produced the album and plays mandolin on at least 3 tracks.

Amazing stuff from these guys. Can't wait to see what comes of them after a couple years of playing together.

dcoventry
Jun-12-2011, 2:10am
I have two live shows from their European tour in May that find them gelling quite well. The instrumental parts get a little criss crossed, but it's nice to hear them in live situation. Good recordings, too.

Roman Pekar
Sep-10-2015, 3:16am
...Eli is playing the Brock octave with only 4 strings...


Do you know why he's doing this? What's the point?

mrmando
Sep-10-2015, 3:37am
Maybe the other 4 strings broke. Or he wants more of a "guitar" sound.

Shelagh Moore
Sep-10-2015, 5:38am
Personal favourites of mine!

ferrousgeek
Sep-10-2015, 6:08am
Cahalen has been playing that blonde A-style Brock as long as I've been following these guys, probably 3 or 4 years. I was not aware it was Fletcher's "personal" mando. Eli also has a "Smeck" style slope shouldered Dread built by Fletcher that has gotten a lot of attention in the guitar world.

Both of these guys are also very busy and visible in several other projects as well. Top notch players, writers, arrangers, vocalists,..........

Really nice guys too!

dorenac
Sep-10-2015, 6:25am
Can't recall exactly where I got this info but I don't believe Eli is using only 4 strings on the OM anymore. Seems it was an experiment that didn't take. I believe I'm correct about this.

Dagger Gordon
Sep-10-2015, 6:31am
Can't recall exactly where I got this info but I don't believe Eli is using only 4 strings on the OM anymore. Seems it was an experiment that didn't take. I believe I'm correct about this.

I think I remember that too.

Roman Pekar
Sep-10-2015, 7:49am
Yes, on almost all other videos I've seen he's using usual 8 strings. I believe it was indeed an experiment, probably OM sounds too weak with 4 strings