 
When: Daily, at noon (I'm
pretty sure, check your local listings), Dance Hall at Camp One, the
end closest to the dining hall or, if it's too bloody loud thanks to
Irish accordions, around the corner behind the dance hall. Same place
as last year.
1) possess a mandolin,
and can hold a pick, track a melody, repeat a line back, and are
interested
in learning tunes like this, or... 2) own a guitar, can track a melody and keep a beat, and are
interested
in learning to accompany tunes like this. (I have an open hour before this session, if you want to sign up
and get some prep before the class, that would be great!) These sessions are also appropriate for anyone
playing a friendly other instrument such as a fiddle, concertina, and
so
on. Probably not great for trumpets or zampognas, though. Try Camp 2! Where's this music from?: From two guys I played with a lot, Riccardo Tunzi (1900-1990) and Tony Flores (1916-2004), but from numerous other sources as well: movies, old 78s and LPs, modern recordings, operas, other people, you-name-it. I prefer teaching/learning tunes by ear, but for those addicted to black dots, I'll probably have some charts as well. |
 Riccardo Tunzi was from Ticino, the Italian canton of Switzerland, and lived in California, initially in the Salinas Valley, from 1919 until he passed. Though he kept an apartment in San Francisco's North Beach for many years and hung out with Sicilian musicians there, he really kept a Swiss feel to his playing. Much of his repertoire was remembered from his youth in Locarno, Ticino. |
 Tony Flores was from San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily. An opera buff his whole life, and a keen sight reader, his entire mandolin repertoire and style were quite different from Riccardo's. He came to California as a kid in 1923 and lived in Monterey, San Francisco and Santa Cruz for the rest of his life. For years I played guitar for these two men - with Riccardo for the last fifteen years of his life, and a few more with Tony Flores, who passed away in September 2004, just shy of his 90th birthday on 26th October. Here's a track of Tony and I playing Toselli's Serenade. |
| Their playing styles define two sharp contrasts in the realm
of
Italian mandolin music. I'll teach selections from each of their
repertoires, and probably some things not from their repertoires. As
usual, some sheet music will be available, but we'll
focus on learning by ear.
The Aurora Mandoline Orchestra, 1937. That's Tony with the red bow tie.
I have a considerable backlog of interesting and accessible mandolin repertoire from 'round the world which I love to play and share. If the group is interested, we can stray into other musical realms for really nice tunes that are appropriate for the mandolin. Neither Tony nor Riccardo played Italian music exclusively, and neither do I. And neither should you. Click here for more info about that.   When: Daily at 11 (again, check the schedule), in the little room behind the dance hall at Camp One, or probably at a more audially friendly place, to be determined. What: I'll teach one-on-one lessons for guitar, or mandolin.
Or any other instrument, if I play it and can be of help. As mentioned
above, if you're interested in the Italian mandolin class and want to
get a little prep time before that class, here's your chance. Guitar has always been my main
instrument, and I love how it fits into so many places. Want to brush
up on
accompaniment styles of a more-or-less European persuasion? Italian,
African, Swedish, Greek,
Mexican, Polish or Hawaiian music? Ragtime?
Delta blues? Want to know how to play or
accompany an old Beatles or Riley Puckett song? How
to play with a flatpick, or fingers, with or without picks? How to tune
the bloody thing? By arrangement I can shift to mandolin or banjo, for
that matter. For whom?: You.
Maybe you and a friend. Any level, it's a private lesson. I'm your guy.
Sign up and we can do it. I have one hour a day to commit to
this, so I'll spread it at most over three sessions of 20 minutes each,
or two
half-hours, or the whole hour on one lone soul, as the demand dictates.
This could be a continuation of the pervious hour of Italian tunes, or
not. There
will be a sign-up sheet appropriately located. Or just see me.
|
