Folk Alliance International - Kansas City

Spent most of the day yesterday at Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City. Headed back today. Got to meet and hang out with a couple of well known mandolin players I've wanted to meet for some time: David Benedict of Mile Twelve--a stunning bluegrass band, and old-time wizard, author, instructor Adam Tanner--someone that's instantly likeable, full of humor, wit and wisdom. Good people.

First, a little informal showcase sans mics at the IBMA both from Mile Twelve. Was trying to capture a decent 60 second shot for Instagram and ended up with this. The sound in the hall was somewhat deafening but David seemed unfazed. That's Berklee alum Bronwyn Keith‐Hynes on fiddle. Took her, David and guitarist Evan Murphy to dinner last night. Great hang time, such a talented band. Caught their 10:00 p.m. show at the IBMA showcase. They are readying for a tour of Japan next month. Clearly a band to be reckoned with.

Note: below, this a Facebook embedded video. Sort of clunky... they don't like anyone streaming their videos inside something that is not their dear Facebook but it's hackable. Click the image, the video will play.

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Good chat with Steve Mucciolo who is the D'Addario rep at the show and is manning the booth. Asked about a 3-pack set of J74s we'd not previously seen. He said it was a new packaging format they just came out with in late November.

Also told us about a new string that's popular with a lot of mandolin players they will be announcing in the near future. We'll be teaming up to do a giveaway of a bunch of sets with them so some of you might be the recipients of those before they are widely available to the public. I'm headed back to the show today and will ask him if we can informally announce the details of this particular set.

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Not a ton of mandolin action at this show. It's heavily singer songwriter. Caught Molly Tuttle's show late last night. She is flipped out, the real deal on guitar and vocals. Such a huge talent and instantly likeable from stage.

Folks to chat with at the trade show: Eastman guys were there with a small booth, mainly guitars, two mandolins, one uke that was deadly cool. D'Addario of course, IBMA had a presence, lots of reps for bands, individual acts, etc. A few builders, mostly local like Mark Franzke of The Fret Shop (soon going back to working by himself as a luthier), Leo Posche who had a stunning fan fret octave mandolin and a bunch of his guitars, new kid on the block builder John Boyd. Probably a few others. Didn't get around to as many pictures as I hoped. I'll try to take more today.

Neglected to mention ran into Giri and Uma Peters, the fantastic you duo from Nashville. They're showcasing so I hope to catch them today. Giri has been a Mandolin Mondays guest with us.

Is Mike Black exhibiting his mandolins?

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Originally Posted by Teak

Is Mike Black exhibiting his mandolins?

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Didn't see him there. Pretty sure I would have seen him. Possible he just wasn't there but I think unlikely. We know each other real well.

Few pix from early this afternoon.

The guy responsible for the great web site, social media, photography, etc. at Mass Street Music, Matt Kappeman with a new Collings F just received this week.
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Sam from D'Addario. He's a hoot! Told me I couldn't let the secret out about the new strings coming out and who they're the subject of.
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Unlike the NAMM Show you can buy things here.
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Eastman rep taking a break playing swing chords.
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Leo Posche fan fret octave. This thing is a beast and though most of you have never heard of him, he's the go to set up guy and the KC jazz musicians take their guitars, basses, etc. to. His guitars have a Collings like quality to them. Spectacular talent. Even works on my old Nugget mandolin at times when it needs it.
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Unique sound hole on the side of the octave.
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Originally Posted by Mandolin Cafe

Good chat with Steve Mucciolo who is the D'Addario rep at the show and is manning the booth. Asked about a 3-pack set of J74s we'd not previously seen. He said it was a new packaging format they just came out with in late November.

Also told us about a new string that's popular with a lot of mandolin players they will be announcing in the near future. We'll be teaming up to do a giveaway of a bunch of sets with them so some of you might be the recipients of those before they are widely available to the public. I'm headed back to the show today and will ask him if we can informally announce the details of this particular set.

Attachment 165036

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The Custom Medium set, perhaps? Just got a half a dozen.

I am always behind the curve but the latest and greatest I have tried from D'Addario is the nickel bronze custom mediums. Very nice on my mandos;and,what one would expect from this company.
It's been a long time since I have bought any other brand.

Is that enough suck-up to get some free strings?

They told me not to post anything unless I already had done so and it was too late. OK, I said. So I won't tell you it's a new D'Addario Sam Bush set they're cooking up. Watch for the announcement in the future you didn't read about here.

Great evening for my parting of ways with FAI Kansas City. Gig tomorrow night and big basketball game to watch in the afternoon, weather is nice so need a long hike and two days of that is enough. Great early evening session in the hotel pub with Don Julin, Josh Pinkham, Mark Franzke of Franzke Mandolins, John Boyd of John Boyd Mandolins, singer/songwriter extraordinaire and fellow No Mountain String Band member Brett Hodges of Kansas. Late in the session we were joined by the Ear Trumpet Labs crew--I want some of their equipment, need to find out more. Whole lotta fun.

Caught a marvelous set from the young Giri and Uma Peters at their 2:00 p.m. showcase. My video didn't come out well or would have posted it. These two will be superstars in a few years if they keep at it. So much music from every imaginable folk genre at this conference it's mind bending. Impossible to catch even a small percentage of it all.

Thanks for the notes and pics of this event. Easy to get input-overload when surrounded by so much talent and nice instruments.

Youtubed Giri and Uma Peters;they are so enjoyable to hear. And so young!

Was surprised to see the Eastman rep playing what looks to be a guitar excactly like mine;an Eastman
AR-605. Nice guitar;I bought one in '08 for a price I could not believe. Prettiest mahogany back ever.

My lips are sealed about anything I read here.

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Originally Posted by Mandolin Cafe

They told me not to post anything unless I already had done so and it was too late. OK, I said. So I won't tell you it's a new D'Addario Sam Bush set they're cooking up. Watch for the announcement in the future you didn't read about here.

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I once carried Sam Bush's mandolin.

A Sam Bush set of strings from D’Addario?!? Excited to try those out! I assume they’ll be a custom gauge of the nickel bronze material?

Sam Bush once carried my Sam Bush mandolin. . .

Apropos of not a lot, a Facebook post tells me that my New Zealand friends' son, whom I also know, was playing at the event yesterday, accompanying Mary Bragg. His name is Cy Winstanley, and he is a very fine guitarist.