Last month, December 2014 was the last England based copy of CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE.This fabulous magazine has been my monthly companion since its initial issue in the 80s and ended with a smiling face of the legendary JULIAN BREAM on its cover ( which is the way it started ). I really miss MAESTRO BREAM and His fantastic performances! WHAT A MUSICAL TREASURE!! I will be holding my breath as the now U.S. based publication will have a monster task to live up to the excellence soundly established by the magical wand and hard work of my dear friend MAURICE SUMMERFIELD and his great staff of gifted contributors! I can only hope that however the publishing pie is divided, we will continue to enjoy an up to date and varied world of our great instrument. I hear we will now only be seeing a quarterly publication! There is far too much going on in the Classical Guitar world to be stifled by such brevity ( in my opinion ), but then it remains to be seen.
As we await the arrival here in New York of "The Snow Storm of the Century", instead of gigging for 4 hours at the Staten Island Ferry, I may be snowbound hoping that we get off less severely. On top of this "Monster Storm', there has been scaffolding on the front of my apartment building for several months now and I am hoping we will be all right because this computer and my great books are right here in this front room!!!
Hopefully all will be well and this may be exactly what I needed to come back to Internet life! Stay tuned kiddies for the adventures of DONNIE GUITAR!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY DEAR FRIENDS AROUND THE GLOBE and thanks for being a part of my life!! A BIG HUG TO YOU ALL!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Howdie - I needed a rest.
I have been on the New York music scene since 1955 and have not given myself any real time off to concentrate on my own development so decided over the last couple of years decided to pull out of the scene with the exception of my Music under New York gigs and concerts in the Library System. I even passed up my attendance at the Mannes Guitar Seminar this summer. I received no messages wondering where I was so I guess I was not missed at all. I have also not rejoined the New York Classical Guitar Society since I am moving in other Guitar directions these days. I am having a fine time learning all sorts of Guitar styles and am very pleased by my progress. I would love to publicly thank SUE WALL and DENNIS KOSTER for remembering my Birthday and 27th wedding anniversary. Two really classy people!!! I also give a big hug out to the great DAVID LEISNER for bringing only the best to the Guitar community with his cutting edge concerts. One night a while back I was on my way into the city and bumped into David and his partner Ralph as they came out of the train and found out that he was performing at the BARGEMUSIC Concert hall in Dumbo! I immediately told him I would be there and it was another great evening from the hands and mind of one of the greatest musicians in History-DAVID LEISNER. As I have mentioned many times before, David is a caring and loving human being whose Bright and shining smile just radiates so much sunshine. He and I continue to go for the "SHIRT OF THE YEAR AWARD". I must also publicly thank my friend over in England - The wonderful MAURICE SUMMERFIELD of CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE for his continued great coverage of the Classical Guitar World events in that glowing periodical. I look forward every month to those Classical Guitar pages of joy! I have been collecting my writings,reviews in an effort to start posting them here on my blog. I am once again starting to look into working on my website as I have sinfully ignored it for so long. I have stopped going to every Guitar event in the City. I have spent a ton of money staying on top of both the Classical Guitar World and Jazz Guitar world here in the city. I used to hang like a fly on the wall at Luthier Music Corp for decades! I have been to so many masterclasses - and not only Classical Guitar but Jazz,Piano,Voice Violin! There is so much music in our lives and thanks to the Internet and YOUTUBE we can touch the legendary performers of the past. I have spent many hours with my iPhone in bed checking out masterclasses and performances while my dear wife is sound asleep! Even though I am in my 65 year of life here on earth, I am still GUITAR CRAZY!!!! My playing is getting so damn good I can't stand myself. I listen to old performances of mine from a couple of decades ago and am so proud of what I did then and how I continue to progress even now! I am like a kid in the candy store with every bit of musical knowledge I acquire!!! Well let me take a break now and hopefully get my butt back on this blog. I have a meaty list of posts for you guys and gals!
Before signing off let me shout out to a couple of my favorite Female Guitar Magicians: PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMAN in Germany and the Fabulous GOHAR VARDANYAN. I will be covering these two gifted and supremely talented artists in my next couple of posts. ALSO the PERUVIAN GUITAR HERCULES: JORGE ,the GREAT CABALLERO!!!! JORGE IS IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF!!!! After you hear him, your head will snap back and fall off - he is so damn great! Even our greats concedes that this is a once in a lifetime musical wonder and we are so lucky to have him in our Classical Guitar Community. I have been eating up his YouTube videos like a rabid dog. When I want to be proud of my instrument, I put on one of JORGE'S Videos to show myself what can be done on this wooden box with six strings! W H E W !!!!!!!! As John Shaeffer once said. " If you have something no one else can play, give it to Jorge"! JORGE is already legendary and I hope he stays around for a long time. THANKS JORGE FOR YOUR BEING HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY!!! I Also must tell you to check out Jorge's recently added videos on "Technique". So profound is this GENIUS!!!! If he ever puts out a book on the Guitar, I will be the 1st on line to gobble it up!! By the way before I really leave you, see if you can pick up that fantastic book on technique by one of my former teachers: HUBERT KAPPELL. My wife and I were in Germany a few months ago and I was knocked out by this massive book on Guitar Technique! More on that in an upcoming post! SEE YA LATER!!!!!
Before signing off let me shout out to a couple of my favorite Female Guitar Magicians: PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMAN in Germany and the Fabulous GOHAR VARDANYAN. I will be covering these two gifted and supremely talented artists in my next couple of posts. ALSO the PERUVIAN GUITAR HERCULES: JORGE ,the GREAT CABALLERO!!!! JORGE IS IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF!!!! After you hear him, your head will snap back and fall off - he is so damn great! Even our greats concedes that this is a once in a lifetime musical wonder and we are so lucky to have him in our Classical Guitar Community. I have been eating up his YouTube videos like a rabid dog. When I want to be proud of my instrument, I put on one of JORGE'S Videos to show myself what can be done on this wooden box with six strings! W H E W !!!!!!!! As John Shaeffer once said. " If you have something no one else can play, give it to Jorge"! JORGE is already legendary and I hope he stays around for a long time. THANKS JORGE FOR YOUR BEING HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY!!! I Also must tell you to check out Jorge's recently added videos on "Technique". So profound is this GENIUS!!!! If he ever puts out a book on the Guitar, I will be the 1st on line to gobble it up!! By the way before I really leave you, see if you can pick up that fantastic book on technique by one of my former teachers: HUBERT KAPPELL. My wife and I were in Germany a few months ago and I was knocked out by this massive book on Guitar Technique! More on that in an upcoming post! SEE YA LATER!!!!!
Friday, May 2, 2014
Time Flys- Waiting for GOHAR- RON CARTER - SHARON ISBIN i
I celebrated my 64th birthday last month April 6th and am living in my 65 year and as I told you before, I have withdrawn from appearances all over the city at the musical gems. I must admit that I was at the Segovia 120 celebration last year and attended the big birthday bash of the great BUCKEY PIZZARELLI! I had to attend the concert at Symphony Space of minimalist Guitar Composers led by my dear buddy DAVID LEISNER. It is 2:49 Friday morning and I have an 8am curtain call at TIMES SQUARE. Yesterday I performed at a Library in the Bronx from 5pm to 6:15. These days I am concentrating on become great in my own manner. I am playing better then ever and still having a ball performing around the city as part of MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK. I daily bring Guitar music to the masses and feel totally committed to this. Tonight we have the great DENIS AZABAGIC performing sponsored by the New York Classical Guitar Society. There is a trio of legendary Jazz Guitarists "East meets West" just around the block from the Blue Note Jazz Spot. I know all three : GENE BERTONCINI , PAUL MYERS and from Portland Oregon the fabulous JOHN STOWELL . Gene and I share the same Birth Date: APRIL 6th ! As you see there is so much going on in this city C R A Z Y !!!!
GOHAR VARDANYAN ROCKS!!!!
Before I continue with my Donnie stream of thought writing, I must hope that those of you into the great world of the Classical Guitar pick up a copy of CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE this month as one of the truly great young artists : GOHAR VARDANYAN shares the cover. I don't remember ever seeing the cover of this great magazine split with two pictures.I wonder why but I guess I will find out. I usually get my copy on the last day of the month before the dated issue. I already e-mailed GOHAR when I saw she was being "covered". She is a great artist and works extremely hard at her craft and I am so proud of her. Whoever is managing her is doing a fantastic job. I promised here that my return to my blog would highlight her. She has her talented hands in so many things at once and is all over the place performing. W O W !!!! Keep it up my dear colleague and friend!!!!!!!! Y O U R O C K !!!!
RON CARTER BASS MAN
I have been diving into that great well of knowledge on the Internet and the last couple of nights I have been listening to Legendary Bassist RON CARTER talk about the aspects of making a living with his instrument. I was a fortunate performer several times at the STUDIO MUSEUM in HARLEM and on one occasion Maestro Carter attended a special anniversary of the Museum as I played during the meal and I was told he gazed at me several times during the evening. Listening to how he started as a cellist nut fell in love with the bass and felt he had a better chance at gigs. Even though he was better than most, he was told at the time he was trying to be a Classical Upright bass player the nasty prejudice in the Classical World held him back. I supremely hope that you folks jump on the YOUTUBE and catch the words of this man of high integrity. I have fallen in love with his deep well of truth in his life. I have taken some notes but am in awe of what he has accomplished. I can tell you that as an African American myself, prejudice continues to strike me in the face at age 64. I'll never forget the times people have said to me "ARE YOU ANY GOOD" ! They didn't even hear me play one damn note but figured since I am Black, I can't possibly be any good. When they heard me they turned red with embarrassment and walked away with their prejudiced tails between their legs. I do hope that the December 2nd 2012 GFA REGIONAL incident was not prompted by that fact as I am still smarting from that. I feel I have spent my life on the Classical and Jazz Guitar scene here in New York as a player and supporter and earned that spot on the evening concert with an excellent audition. Let me stop here because I am getting sad again as I write about this but I am playing Classical and Latin American and Jazz on solo Classical Guitar. I still get people who assume I am a Blues Guitarist because I am black! I have studied with the best of the best in several Genres and continue to grow as a musician. I think that I have tended to be overly nice to those who looked down their noses on me without hearing that 1st note. I no longer tend to do that. I was given a special talent and at this point in my life am really working hard at sharpening my craft every single day. I love playing the Guitar for people and know that they enjoy it too! I look back on my life so far and see that there were lots of great moment in my life that I can cherish. I have been listening to some performances of mine a couple of decades ago and MAN OH MAN! I WAS SMOKING!!!! I miss my DEITER HOPF F.V.T.S. ( Free Vibrating Top System ). That Guitar kicked serious ASS!!!! I miss one of my truly great special people - ROSE AUGUSTINE!!! I loved that grand lady of our instrument and I was truly pissed at the Classical Guitar Scene who made no mention of her death for several days! I had to hear the news from ELIOT FISK at his Tully Hall Concert platform! I was with her for several hours playing and talking just a week before her passing. During our visit,she had this bad cough and said that she has been trying to shake it but it would not go away! We also spoke about her wanting to get her HAUSER back from JULIAN BREAM. I told her to get on the phone and say "JULIAN. I would like my Guitar back. I miss it!" Yes I was pissed at the silence about this great supporter of our great instrument.
SHARON ISBIN also ROCKS!!
Unfortunately I had a gig at the same time SHARON ISBIN showed her recent documentary at the Lincoln Center Library. She also made it a bit difficult to attend the special tour she did with ROMERO LUBAMBO and STANLEY JORDAN but Sharon does her own thing but we owe her a great debt of gratitude for several decades of pushing the Guitar to new heights!! From New Concertos to mixing with other guitar genres, to showing you how to promote yourself she is the master. I know some of you remember how I criticized her for not carrying her guitar sound past the footlights but she took care of that with her personal amplification system she helped develop! I also mentioned how in my opinion she gave the greatest performance of the CONCERTO DE ARANJUEZ I ever heard in my life. Recently I did mention how I felt she blew her appearance in THE DEPARTED out of proportion because it won the Academy Award. I watched that film several times and the music was so "Nothing" and its' importance in the film was less than minimal. There were several guitarists in the musical score and the thematic material was really weak but she did play a couple of lines. I can put myself in this position because I have known Sharon since 1975 when she won the TORONTO GUITAR FESTIVAL. I took the week long masterclasses with LEO BROUWER when she came in to perform the lovely composition he composed for her. This was when Sharon was on the chubby side but she kicked serious Guitar Butt way back then! That is the year Eliot Fisk was there and Manuel Barrueco was the first competitor. It was a though it was yesterday for me. Manuel had just made his New York Debut and when he walked out on stage I said "WHO IS GOING TO TAKE SECOND BECAUSE MANUEL CAN"T BE BEAT"!!. He walked out in a plaid pattern shirt and casual pants and ripped that guitar to death! I didn't go to the finals because I knew there was no way he could be bested! Well I heard that Sharon won and the placing was booed and made Sharon cry. Someone told me that the only reason why he lost was that he did not dress in a suit or tux. I remember seeing him out on the benches relaxing during the day. Any way SHARON YOU ARE SUPREMELY ADMIRED BY THIS GUY AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR INSTRUMENT! I know you have some more surprises for us so go to it!!! By the way, when will you release those great GUITAR STREAM CONCERTS? I was also at the trio concert you gave with my dear teacher and friend LAURINDO ALMEIDA and LARRY CORYELL!!
Damn it is 4:27 and I am still here. I have a bucket load of thoughts to share with you. I want to thank SUE WALL and DENIS KOSTER for my birthday card and GOHAR VARDANYAN for wishing me on facebook. THAT was a great treat. There are a few other birthday wishes I received.Thanks to you all.
GOHAR VARDANYAN ROCKS!!!!
Before I continue with my Donnie stream of thought writing, I must hope that those of you into the great world of the Classical Guitar pick up a copy of CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE this month as one of the truly great young artists : GOHAR VARDANYAN shares the cover. I don't remember ever seeing the cover of this great magazine split with two pictures.I wonder why but I guess I will find out. I usually get my copy on the last day of the month before the dated issue. I already e-mailed GOHAR when I saw she was being "covered". She is a great artist and works extremely hard at her craft and I am so proud of her. Whoever is managing her is doing a fantastic job. I promised here that my return to my blog would highlight her. She has her talented hands in so many things at once and is all over the place performing. W O W !!!! Keep it up my dear colleague and friend!!!!!!!! Y O U R O C K !!!!
RON CARTER BASS MAN
I have been diving into that great well of knowledge on the Internet and the last couple of nights I have been listening to Legendary Bassist RON CARTER talk about the aspects of making a living with his instrument. I was a fortunate performer several times at the STUDIO MUSEUM in HARLEM and on one occasion Maestro Carter attended a special anniversary of the Museum as I played during the meal and I was told he gazed at me several times during the evening. Listening to how he started as a cellist nut fell in love with the bass and felt he had a better chance at gigs. Even though he was better than most, he was told at the time he was trying to be a Classical Upright bass player the nasty prejudice in the Classical World held him back. I supremely hope that you folks jump on the YOUTUBE and catch the words of this man of high integrity. I have fallen in love with his deep well of truth in his life. I have taken some notes but am in awe of what he has accomplished. I can tell you that as an African American myself, prejudice continues to strike me in the face at age 64. I'll never forget the times people have said to me "ARE YOU ANY GOOD" ! They didn't even hear me play one damn note but figured since I am Black, I can't possibly be any good. When they heard me they turned red with embarrassment and walked away with their prejudiced tails between their legs. I do hope that the December 2nd 2012 GFA REGIONAL incident was not prompted by that fact as I am still smarting from that. I feel I have spent my life on the Classical and Jazz Guitar scene here in New York as a player and supporter and earned that spot on the evening concert with an excellent audition. Let me stop here because I am getting sad again as I write about this but I am playing Classical and Latin American and Jazz on solo Classical Guitar. I still get people who assume I am a Blues Guitarist because I am black! I have studied with the best of the best in several Genres and continue to grow as a musician. I think that I have tended to be overly nice to those who looked down their noses on me without hearing that 1st note. I no longer tend to do that. I was given a special talent and at this point in my life am really working hard at sharpening my craft every single day. I love playing the Guitar for people and know that they enjoy it too! I look back on my life so far and see that there were lots of great moment in my life that I can cherish. I have been listening to some performances of mine a couple of decades ago and MAN OH MAN! I WAS SMOKING!!!! I miss my DEITER HOPF F.V.T.S. ( Free Vibrating Top System ). That Guitar kicked serious ASS!!!! I miss one of my truly great special people - ROSE AUGUSTINE!!! I loved that grand lady of our instrument and I was truly pissed at the Classical Guitar Scene who made no mention of her death for several days! I had to hear the news from ELIOT FISK at his Tully Hall Concert platform! I was with her for several hours playing and talking just a week before her passing. During our visit,she had this bad cough and said that she has been trying to shake it but it would not go away! We also spoke about her wanting to get her HAUSER back from JULIAN BREAM. I told her to get on the phone and say "JULIAN. I would like my Guitar back. I miss it!" Yes I was pissed at the silence about this great supporter of our great instrument.
SHARON ISBIN also ROCKS!!
Unfortunately I had a gig at the same time SHARON ISBIN showed her recent documentary at the Lincoln Center Library. She also made it a bit difficult to attend the special tour she did with ROMERO LUBAMBO and STANLEY JORDAN but Sharon does her own thing but we owe her a great debt of gratitude for several decades of pushing the Guitar to new heights!! From New Concertos to mixing with other guitar genres, to showing you how to promote yourself she is the master. I know some of you remember how I criticized her for not carrying her guitar sound past the footlights but she took care of that with her personal amplification system she helped develop! I also mentioned how in my opinion she gave the greatest performance of the CONCERTO DE ARANJUEZ I ever heard in my life. Recently I did mention how I felt she blew her appearance in THE DEPARTED out of proportion because it won the Academy Award. I watched that film several times and the music was so "Nothing" and its' importance in the film was less than minimal. There were several guitarists in the musical score and the thematic material was really weak but she did play a couple of lines. I can put myself in this position because I have known Sharon since 1975 when she won the TORONTO GUITAR FESTIVAL. I took the week long masterclasses with LEO BROUWER when she came in to perform the lovely composition he composed for her. This was when Sharon was on the chubby side but she kicked serious Guitar Butt way back then! That is the year Eliot Fisk was there and Manuel Barrueco was the first competitor. It was a though it was yesterday for me. Manuel had just made his New York Debut and when he walked out on stage I said "WHO IS GOING TO TAKE SECOND BECAUSE MANUEL CAN"T BE BEAT"!!. He walked out in a plaid pattern shirt and casual pants and ripped that guitar to death! I didn't go to the finals because I knew there was no way he could be bested! Well I heard that Sharon won and the placing was booed and made Sharon cry. Someone told me that the only reason why he lost was that he did not dress in a suit or tux. I remember seeing him out on the benches relaxing during the day. Any way SHARON YOU ARE SUPREMELY ADMIRED BY THIS GUY AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR INSTRUMENT! I know you have some more surprises for us so go to it!!! By the way, when will you release those great GUITAR STREAM CONCERTS? I was also at the trio concert you gave with my dear teacher and friend LAURINDO ALMEIDA and LARRY CORYELL!!
Damn it is 4:27 and I am still here. I have a bucket load of thoughts to share with you. I want to thank SUE WALL and DENIS KOSTER for my birthday card and GOHAR VARDANYAN for wishing me on facebook. THAT was a great treat. There are a few other birthday wishes I received.Thanks to you all.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Jim Hall, Pete Seeger, Paco de Lucia!
Since my last post, I have been hit hard by the passing of my mentors! JIM HALL passed away and left me heartbroken big time! I have been dragging my heart around low to the ground these past few months as he has been close to my heart since the 60's. We remained in contact up to his passing. He was a brilliant human being and one of the finest musicians in history. Just as I was starting to climb out of my deep,deep depression I lost another of my mentors - PETE SEEGER! I was on the Greenwich Village scene in the 60's first as a solo singer guitarist of songs by our cream of the crop: Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, Buffy Saint Marie, Peter Paul and Mary and the whole gang. Visited the Folk Center on West 4th and 6th avenue and the Guitar Luthiers ROW ( DAVID RUBIO,TOM HUMPHREY, TOM HOM,MICHAEL GURIAN and a few others on a couple of blocks off 6th avenue known as CARMINE STREET! I wish I could revisit those times in the 60's,70's. I was young and dumb and also attended that 1st Central Park Protest against the Viet Nam War. WHEW! On top of loosing Pete now comes the news of the passing of our creative Flamenco Genius PACO DE LUCIA!!!!! I must remember that next month I will be 64 so should expect many people I know to pass away. It is just a mean task to experience so many leaving me and us! One positive thing is that I have returned to the blog in an effort to share the many guitar experiences I have been gifted with over my life time.
With fund raising happening on the Public Broadcasting Channels of 13 and 21, the fabulous and angelic voice of JUDY COLLINS brought back a treasured visit by her in which she heard me playing for my mother in a hospital and said " I could use a Musician like you in my Show". She was visiting a sick member of her show a few beds over from my mothers bed. I caught a slight glance of her and said to myself " That lady looks like JUDY COLLINS!!' I then followed that up by " NAW. What would she be doing here." After about a 15 minute period, she came over and tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around and immediately shouted "JUDY COLLINS"!!!! WOW'. Unfortunately I did not follow her up on her offer but was thankful that she thought so much of my talent. Of course we just lost PACO and that man brought the Beautiful world of FLAMENCO to the front of the line. As this is my real return to my blog, I am going to cut it short for now as so many thoughts and undelivered posts are queued . I have not been on the scene as I have for these several decades owing in great amount to that 2012 December incident at the GFA Regional. All I can say is that my playing has jumped onward to the heavens as I continue to play around New York in my 18th year as a member of the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK program sponsored by the New York City Transit authority. I continue to grow immensely as an artist and will bring the art of the solo Classical and Jazz Guitar to every day folks underground and above ground.There have been some great concerts over the last few months that I will report on and am anxious to do so. I have also been involved in some special events recently which I will share with you.I have been a part of a huge exhibit at the NEW MUSEUM 232 Bowery and that will be detailed in my next post.
MAURICE SUMMERFIELD - MY MAN
I am hugging MAURICE SUMMERFIELD of CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE for all he has done in our field. He continues to garner every sort of accolade for his fantastic work in our field. I am honored to be able to count him as one of my dear friends although a "Little Pond" separates us from hanging out! Every month I cherish the pages of his magazine and just scratch my head in an effort to find out how he gets so much accomplished. I could use some of his blood!! I live on that great magazine and depend on all that luscious information that keeps me "In the know" about the many things happening in our great Guitar World. I wanted to surprise my friend at the GFA last year but as I was about to book, I read somewhere that the special award he was to receive was being deleted from the program!!! Since the GFA was about a week away from the MANNES GUITAR SEMINAR, I decided to not attend. I was also going to surprise a few friends who were performing at the GFA. This was one of those times when I could "Kick myself in my Butt" because that information was wrong . ANYWAY, MAURICE- I love you and all you have done for us. YOU ARE DYNAMITE And you deserve each and every accolade you have received! I don't know how you do it but I love that twinkle you have in your eyes which reveal the great love you have for your craft. I can never stop enjoying our special bond and let me know when you visit the big apple so I can take you out for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Your work has left an incredible mark on our world. THANK YOU MY DEAR BUDDY!!! By your being here on earth, you have given us a bounty of great things and enduring love for all you have produced.
With fund raising happening on the Public Broadcasting Channels of 13 and 21, the fabulous and angelic voice of JUDY COLLINS brought back a treasured visit by her in which she heard me playing for my mother in a hospital and said " I could use a Musician like you in my Show". She was visiting a sick member of her show a few beds over from my mothers bed. I caught a slight glance of her and said to myself " That lady looks like JUDY COLLINS!!' I then followed that up by " NAW. What would she be doing here." After about a 15 minute period, she came over and tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around and immediately shouted "JUDY COLLINS"!!!! WOW'. Unfortunately I did not follow her up on her offer but was thankful that she thought so much of my talent. Of course we just lost PACO and that man brought the Beautiful world of FLAMENCO to the front of the line. As this is my real return to my blog, I am going to cut it short for now as so many thoughts and undelivered posts are queued . I have not been on the scene as I have for these several decades owing in great amount to that 2012 December incident at the GFA Regional. All I can say is that my playing has jumped onward to the heavens as I continue to play around New York in my 18th year as a member of the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK program sponsored by the New York City Transit authority. I continue to grow immensely as an artist and will bring the art of the solo Classical and Jazz Guitar to every day folks underground and above ground.There have been some great concerts over the last few months that I will report on and am anxious to do so. I have also been involved in some special events recently which I will share with you.I have been a part of a huge exhibit at the NEW MUSEUM 232 Bowery and that will be detailed in my next post.
MAURICE SUMMERFIELD - MY MAN
I am hugging MAURICE SUMMERFIELD of CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE for all he has done in our field. He continues to garner every sort of accolade for his fantastic work in our field. I am honored to be able to count him as one of my dear friends although a "Little Pond" separates us from hanging out! Every month I cherish the pages of his magazine and just scratch my head in an effort to find out how he gets so much accomplished. I could use some of his blood!! I live on that great magazine and depend on all that luscious information that keeps me "In the know" about the many things happening in our great Guitar World. I wanted to surprise my friend at the GFA last year but as I was about to book, I read somewhere that the special award he was to receive was being deleted from the program!!! Since the GFA was about a week away from the MANNES GUITAR SEMINAR, I decided to not attend. I was also going to surprise a few friends who were performing at the GFA. This was one of those times when I could "Kick myself in my Butt" because that information was wrong . ANYWAY, MAURICE- I love you and all you have done for us. YOU ARE DYNAMITE And you deserve each and every accolade you have received! I don't know how you do it but I love that twinkle you have in your eyes which reveal the great love you have for your craft. I can never stop enjoying our special bond and let me know when you visit the big apple so I can take you out for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Your work has left an incredible mark on our world. THANK YOU MY DEAR BUDDY!!! By your being here on earth, you have given us a bounty of great things and enduring love for all you have produced.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
The Donnie Doors are open for business - FINALLY
After posting the GFA incident of 2012, I feel a big weight has been lifted off my heart. Somehow I feel ready to resume my life by posting all of the blogs all lined up for me. I would publicly love to thank MAURICE SUMMERFIELD for that great magazine I receive every month CLASSICAL GUITAR and his online "FRETSONLY". This months Issue features the phenomenal virtuoso Guitarist/Composer/Teacher and dear friend DAVID LEISNER. Last month had another dear friend DAVID RUSSELL as main interview. Both of these great artists will be part of my "DONNIE AND series" . I have studied with them both. LUCKY ME!!!
I will be turning 64 in April. This year marks the 18th year I have been an active member/performer in the "MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK" program sponsored by the New York City TRANSIT Authority and I am proud to spread the word of the Solo Classical/Jazz/Latin guitar to the regular masses of people around the City. I look back at this desire to reach people with the magic of the Guitar even after my quadruple bypass on March 22nd 2011!!! I was out giving a concert in Times Square in June of that year as part of
"The Taste of Times Square" that is how passionate I am about our great instrument!!!
I have been listening to some of my recorded concerts from decades ago and I must pat myself on the back for some outrageously fast playing!! I don't feel like 63 or soon to be 64 because I have improved tremendously over the decades as I am trying to play "CATCH UP" for all the years I have been too passive in the learning process. Because I have been given this talent, I have taken it for granted and not worked hard for several decades. I have been forcing myself to burn that midnight oil since I have no idea how much longer I will be on mother earth. When you get to my age, people start passing away like crazy and I knew PETE SEEGER from even a few years ago when he gave a concert at the GRAYBAR BUILIDING when I had a gig in the walkway. A cook from the CLEARWATER was a friend of mine in high school and we are still friends after all of these decades! Of course Pete led us in the Village folk scene along with Dylan,Paxton,Ochs,Peter Paul and Mary and so many of the 60's folk scene. I just knew I loved to sing Ballads from the BURL IVES FOLK SONG BOOK! Actor Singer Theodor Bikel was one of my favorites. Joan Baez,Judy Collins ( I met her when I was singing at the bedside of my mother at a hospital in the Bronx. One of the members of Judy's group was in for something. I saw from the corner of my eye someone who looked like Judy Collins go over to a bed. About 10 minutes later while I was playing for my mother I got a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, saw her pretty face and exclaimed "JUDY COLLINS". She told me she enjoyed my playing and that I would be a welcome member of her group if I wanted"! How dumb was I.Young and dumb and flustered.) I would love to be transported back to the 60s again and in a way with the celebration of the Beatles upon us right now, that longing is there.With Pete passing away I have been playing Where have all the flowers GONE and We SHALL overcome a my gigs around the city and will start playing several arrangements and improvisations on the songs I sang and grew up with from the 60's and 70's. Gotta get some Heidi grub before some more posts!
I will be turning 64 in April. This year marks the 18th year I have been an active member/performer in the "MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK" program sponsored by the New York City TRANSIT Authority and I am proud to spread the word of the Solo Classical/Jazz/Latin guitar to the regular masses of people around the City. I look back at this desire to reach people with the magic of the Guitar even after my quadruple bypass on March 22nd 2011!!! I was out giving a concert in Times Square in June of that year as part of
"The Taste of Times Square" that is how passionate I am about our great instrument!!!
I have been listening to some of my recorded concerts from decades ago and I must pat myself on the back for some outrageously fast playing!! I don't feel like 63 or soon to be 64 because I have improved tremendously over the decades as I am trying to play "CATCH UP" for all the years I have been too passive in the learning process. Because I have been given this talent, I have taken it for granted and not worked hard for several decades. I have been forcing myself to burn that midnight oil since I have no idea how much longer I will be on mother earth. When you get to my age, people start passing away like crazy and I knew PETE SEEGER from even a few years ago when he gave a concert at the GRAYBAR BUILIDING when I had a gig in the walkway. A cook from the CLEARWATER was a friend of mine in high school and we are still friends after all of these decades! Of course Pete led us in the Village folk scene along with Dylan,Paxton,Ochs,Peter Paul and Mary and so many of the 60's folk scene. I just knew I loved to sing Ballads from the BURL IVES FOLK SONG BOOK! Actor Singer Theodor Bikel was one of my favorites. Joan Baez,Judy Collins ( I met her when I was singing at the bedside of my mother at a hospital in the Bronx. One of the members of Judy's group was in for something. I saw from the corner of my eye someone who looked like Judy Collins go over to a bed. About 10 minutes later while I was playing for my mother I got a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, saw her pretty face and exclaimed "JUDY COLLINS". She told me she enjoyed my playing and that I would be a welcome member of her group if I wanted"! How dumb was I.Young and dumb and flustered.) I would love to be transported back to the 60s again and in a way with the celebration of the Beatles upon us right now, that longing is there.With Pete passing away I have been playing Where have all the flowers GONE and We SHALL overcome a my gigs around the city and will start playing several arrangements and improvisations on the songs I sang and grew up with from the 60's and 70's. Gotta get some Heidi grub before some more posts!
JIM HALL - MY mentor and dear fried-I miss you so much!!
My dear friend and legendary Jazz Guitarist JIM HALL passed away December 10th 2013. I found out late afternoon Friday December 13th and called his wife at 5:25 pm to offer my condolences and cried profusely while I spoke to her. I have been honored to know Jim Hall since I was a teenager in the 60's. I had only one long lesson with him at his apartment in the Village and he loved my playing. Over the decades we have remained in contact by my showing up at his gigs and with phone calls and letters. I was at his last public performance at the Rose Room in Lincoln Center. I phone him and told him I would be there. I had the best seat in the house as I watched and experienced this genius of our instrument work with two generations of his students : JOHN ABERCROMBIE and PETER BERNSTEIN. I have been crying every day I think of JIM! I am even in tears as I write this post. JIM is so deep in my heart because of his great humanity and searching inquisitiveness.I was at the New School when his Documentary "A LIFE IN PROGRESS" was aired. There was a tribute a couple of years ago by an incredible lineup of the great young guitarists based here in New York and I got a standing room position. Jim was too ill to attend and sent his regards. I have so much of JIMS work on cd and video including his wonderful 3 volumes of masterclasses. His trio video with Wayne Shorter and Michel Petruciani is another GEM. You should all get a copy of his wonderful and only book on Jazz Guitar Improvisation coupled with a video of the name:
Jim was also an incredible arranger always attuned to interesting instrumental combinations. There are several great videos of him on you tube that you should watch especially the Library of Congress interview which lasts about an hour!! I believe his LIFE IN PROGRESS video is also on you tube. More on Jim and Me in a series I will be posting entitled " DONNIE AND ......" . This will be a series of all my dear friends in my musical life who are so well known and appreciated by me.At that last public performance, I hugged Jim as he sat in that wheelchair and told him " Told you I would be here". I then kissed him on his right cheek Something inside told me that this would be our last time together. I needed to let him know how much I loved him and what he meant to me. In my JIM HALL and DONNIE post , I will share how I first met JIM and some beautiful moments I have been privileged to share with him over these decades.
Jim was also an incredible arranger always attuned to interesting instrumental combinations. There are several great videos of him on you tube that you should watch especially the Library of Congress interview which lasts about an hour!! I believe his LIFE IN PROGRESS video is also on you tube. More on Jim and Me in a series I will be posting entitled " DONNIE AND ......" . This will be a series of all my dear friends in my musical life who are so well known and appreciated by me.At that last public performance, I hugged Jim as he sat in that wheelchair and told him " Told you I would be here". I then kissed him on his right cheek Something inside told me that this would be our last time together. I needed to let him know how much I loved him and what he meant to me. In my JIM HALL and DONNIE post , I will share how I first met JIM and some beautiful moments I have been privileged to share with him over these decades.
Why I have been absent for so long- HARRIS BECKER
On December 2nd 2012, The GFA held a Regional Guitar Symposium here in New York and as part of the Festivities, Attendees were given the opportunity to audition for a spot on the evening concert. I am a professional Free lance Guitarist who has been on the New York City Concert scene since the early 60s being a member of the original New York City Classical Guitar Society. I played several concerts produced by the Society and other concert series including the series in the 80/s sponsored by the American Institute of the Guitar. My playing now is even more sharp than in my 20's as I have studied with the best in my craft. For the audition I performed a medley of works by LUIZ BONFA whom I studied with in the early 70's when he visited New York at Mannys Music on 48th Street. I have been playing these Bonfa pieces for over 40 years now and needless to say I can play these even if I were not alive!!! THAT IS HOW SOLID THEY ARE!!! On top of this, I perform at least 5 days a week in public venues around the city as part of MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK. This is my 18th year as part of the organization. I have been performing in public since 1955 as a concert pianist. I am my toughest critic and my audition for this concert spot was flawless. The other " judge" was Gerry Saulter. A couple of years ago I was involved with an exceptional Guitarist in trying to get my colleague a couple of concerts here in New York and HARRIS BECKER promised another concert for my colleague as my friend "Floored everyone" with an exceptional performance. That "Promise" was never followed up on. In fact Mr. Becker ignored several phone calls and emails from my friend so I asked Becker myself for him to be respectful of my colleagues' requests for an answer. I believe that my exclusion from the GFA REGIONAL Evening concert was a form of "PAYBACK" for trying to request HARRIS BECKER to do the right thing. Somehow the other judge GERRY SAULTER was persuaded to knock me out of the concert by Becker. When Martha Masters read the "Final List" of those selected, I was sure my name would be read last and when it was not, I immediately retreated to the men's room and vomited for several minutes. I was so destroyed that I could not attend the rest of the regional. I have spent my life supporting the Guitar Scene here in New York by attending concerts and lectures and master classes by my colleagues even when I had gigs I came from. I felt as though HARRIS BECKER reached into my chest and and pulled my heart out and stomped on it!!!!! I have not been the same since that December 2nd 2012 incident. I even read an article praising Mr. Becker on the excellence of his Long Island Guitar Festival and how wonderful he is. I have been to several of the Long Island Festivals and have even spoken with praise to his face. That is not in question here. He is a concert artist himself so is aware of all the things that are related to a concert tour and must know that arrangements have to be made with all sorts of details to insure a successful concert tour. Anyway I thought long and hard about talking about this on this International pulpit but those of you who know me know that I deal with the truth. I still suffer immensely from this incident. It is the reason why I have drastically curtailed my attendance at my usual friends concerts. I have not felt like blogging at all even when I did promise some friends coverage of their concerts. I have spent my whole life here on the Classical/Jazz Guitar scene and FOLK scene in Greenwich Village.I have even held up my renewal to GFA as a form of protest. I am friends with so many great artists around the world that this post may make them a little surprised that I had to expose this incident in this way. HARRIS BECKER and GERRY SAULTER are guilty of injuring one of the great lovers of our craft here on planet earth - ME DON WITTER JR. - and I at 63 soon to be 64 will not let this be ignored. You two have hurt me deeply with your actions on December 2nd 2012. I have suffered long bouts of depression because of you two. I earned that spot and my playing at the audition was flawless. LUIZ BONFA HIMSELF told me in the 70's when I played his compositions for him.I am a part of the fabric of New York City as I introduce people to the world of the Classical and Jazz Solo Guitar at least 5 days a week. That is how much I love this craft . You can't ignore my presence here. I am on the scene for the duration of my life and thanks to my posting this, I can begin to recover from my deep,deep hurt. I hope I can find it in my heart to forgive especially you HARRIS BECKER for the pain you have caused me over these almost two years.
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