Article about Andy in NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/nyregion/andy-statmans-search-for-god-in-music.html
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Article about Andy in NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/nyregion/andy-statmans-search-for-god-in-music.html
Attended performance #661 with about 24 others this evening and a grand time was had by all. Andy tells me he's about a month into his new Kimble mandolin, a two-point, shown below. I got a chance to play it after the gig and it's a real beast of a mandolin. One-piece back, slight radiused frets. Sounded like an 80 year old mandolin. Apparently Will traded back in part for Andy's old F mandolin and it may be for sale at some point. There's a mandolin that's going to sound incredible.
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Uploading a very large video of one mandolin piece, Anthem, and as soon as it's online I'll link to it. As it is, almost 1:00 a.m. and the video is only about 40% uploaded after 30 minutes so will add it tomorrow.
I've always lusted after Wills 2 pointers. Easily one of the best looking mandolins out there.But I thought he had stopped making them. I guess not.
He's been back to making them for a couple of years now... visually stunning and mellifluously musical!
No one breaks in a mandolin like Andy Statman, but was there anything left for Will to sell? :) Will makes beautiful instruments.
That was a great night Scott! Of course I didn't realize it at the time, but my sister and I and several friends were sitting right next to you. It was amazing how many styles Andy could exemplify and then tear apart and make completely his own in the space of an hour and a half. Also the only show I've ever been to that doubled as a slivovic tasting, but I hope it's not my last.
I am going to make it down to the synagogue one of these days. I catch him at Barbés when I can though. I can't wait to hear his new mando!
The only Kimble I've played is the blonde one at Retrofret. What a stunner. The action was super high but they let me lower it after I requested to! That place is great.
Perhaps the only thing I can criticize about Will's mandos is his choice of font for the headstock. It's one of the stock cursive fonts and I think it looks a bit tacky but that's just me. Nitpicking aside, obviously the sound is what matters and his mandos certainly have no shortage of that!
Looking forward to checking out the video.
Hi Brad,
I agree about the font on the inlay - that's why I had Tom Ellis help me revise it a couple of years ago. I am satisfied with it now.
Best wishes,
Will Kimble
http://www.kimblemandolins.com
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So: Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick: bad. Homeless person sleeping on the synagogue steps: good.
It must feel real righteous to have these values, and easy too, since you live out of town.
Idea: if you think the homeless person is so good, why don't you invite him to sleep on your doorstep?
On another topic: Andy Statman is a total genius. We New Yorkers are fortunate to have him and this series of performance nearby.
I can't make any sense at all of the post above (#35). And I think I just wasted 2 minutes of my life trying.
I am with you, Brad. I even went to the old NY Times article and could find no references to homeless people or the celebrities mentioned.
Check out article in the OP post #1. Has the relevant material but doesn't fully answer the statement: ("So: Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick: bad." )
I suspect he may have taken exception with the parting comment re NYC. :)
The greatest city ever tho. Cold, cruel or otherwise
so whats not to like.
andy rocks!
Noting the anniversary of this article. Need to get back to Charles St. Synagogue for another of these concerts and plan to this Fall.
Meanwhile... back in Brooklyn...
I recorded a very nice duo show for Andy and Michael Daves. They seem to really like playing together. Andy's on mandolin, no clarinet this last gig. Lots of bluegrass, plus a few of Andy's adventurous instrumentals.
It's was a part of Michael's Sundays in August residency at Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn. Here's one from last year, and I will try and have the new videos out in a week or two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75JWmJulc4o
Andy Statman Trio at the Jalopy Theatre playing Flatbush Waltz.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83-OZKDtOH4
Thanks for fixing that, Cheers Dagger. Happy New Year as well.
Hi All, I rarely post but having seen what all you have written about Andy prompted me to create one of my few posts. Back in around 1976 I found out that Vassar Clements was doing a concert at San Diego State U. Old and in the Way is one of my (many) favorite albums, so I just had to see him live. I convinced my wife (Nancy) we needed to make the drive from Jamul (out in the sticks east of San Diego). She was not real keen on the idea because she had a long day at work but agreed to accompany me.
At the gig, she was starting to doze off but when Vassar introduced his band, he declared "and Andy Statman on mandolin". My wife, shocked by the announcement, exclaimed "Andy, I know him!". Long story a little shorter, my wife and Andy were childhood friends. Their parents were really close and they did a lot of things together (dinner and weekend outings). They lived in an apartment building in Jackson Heights, NY. Andy really liked monster movies so Nancy and he would spend weekend mornings together watching TV looking for Frankenstein and the likes. After that show, Nancy and I caught up with Andy and it was a pleasure to hear them catch up on old times and update each other with current events.
Nancy and I try to catch Andy's shows any time he is in the SoCal area (which is somewhat rare). We have also seen him several times at the Charles Street Synagogue. It is always a pleasure to see him regardless of venue or instrument.
Noting the publication of this from this date 2012. Trying to return for another performance this Fall. Hope the boys are working that night.
Scott:
These are the only concerts listed in his web site or FB:
- Thursday, August 15 9:30pm Joe's Pub
- Wednesday, September 4 8:00pm Barbés
- Thursday, October 10 6:00pm Mercury Lounge with the Stash Band
I recently met a fellow poet recently who has been good friends with Andy from way back. I have been wanting to go to the synagogue gig for awhile. Barbés could be good, too—super small room in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Dudu Maia played there a few years ago. I probably am going to meet this new friend to see Andy.
I took a few lessons with AS decades ago and saw him frequently with resident bluegrass/old time band, The Wretched Refuse String Band. That was probably in the 1970s-1980s.
Ah, The Wretched Refuse String Band... late nights at Broadway Charlie's... those were the days...
Were you in NYC? I saw them first at the Focus Coffeehouse, the Methodist Church and the Eagle Taverrn. Big stringband concert my band played in back in the early 1980s at the Symphony Space with WRSB included IIRC Tony Trischka, Statman, maybe Matt Glaser, Alan Kaufman, Richie Shulberg Marty Cutler, Bob Jones, Kenny Kosek and probably a few others. They were more of an orchestra since Shulberg just called everyone he knew and they just showed up if available.