More to Come from the DONNIE EXPRESS

Over the last week there was so much happening and I decided that I could not get to it all but I did get to see two long time buddies" MICHAEL CEDRIC SMITH and ARYEH ELLER this past Friday Night in their First Duo Concert together and yesterday one of the truly great young concert artists whom I have known for a couple of Decades - DANIEL LIPPLE gave us an extraordinary concert that really rocked on a 1998 ROBERT RUCK Guitar. More about both concerts in separate reviews. I must ask forgiveness for not attending the brilliant Guitar/Flute ARC DUO. I had too much on my plate both having two gigs on their concert day leaving me drained.

I have more interviews and reviews coming to you folks. I have my "To DO" list right here at the computer and will get to all of my promises!

I will be seeing you all at the GFA in a few months. Don't know if I will be going as a competitor but will be there because my man Eliot Fisk and Anielo Desiderio will be kicking serious Guitar butt and I want to be there for all the fireworks!!!

I also am gathering a list of sites you should know about to sharpen your playing. I sincerely believe that you should all learn to cross fertilize your playing by learning different styles of guitar playing.

I am devoting this year to me becoming the best I can be.I was destroyed and heartbroken at the recent GFA SYMPOSIUM here in New York when I was not chosen to perform at the evening concert. I played a perfect medley of pieces by Brazilian Virtuoso LUIZ BONFA in an effort to give them something special and was on the top of my game both musically and technically. My friends and colleagues DR. ANA MARIA ROSADO and DENNIS KOSTER came over to me when they saw I was going to audition and told me to "GIVE THEM HELL DONNIE". When I didn't get a slot, I was stunned and deeply hurt so I left. I was supposed to play in the Guitar Orchestra and do an interview about playing in ensembles.Here I was with many of my colleagues here including FRED HAND whom I attended Mannes College with in 1967-1968 and ANDREW YORK whom I have known for a couple of decades. The two judges are well known and I will not name them. They know who they are and one of them I have had difficulty with before involving and incredibly gifted virtuoso artist from Germany. My best revenge is to make sure I embarrass them with my playing. I have been on the New York Classical and Jazz Guitar Scene since 1962/1963 and have studied with the finest Classical and Jazz Guitarists in history both here and abroad and I am physically ill as I remember that day. I was humiliated beyond belief and probably should not even say something on this international platform about this incident but this moment haunts me deeply and these two judges will hear from me in the future as I will prevail in front of their eyes.

Sorry I had to state this but I am decently respected by quite a few people around the world and I have given my heart and soul to this great and noble instrument and  that was just not right! Enough for now. I will continue to let my playing talk volumes.

Hugs to MAURICE SUMMERFIELD and that noble magazine CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE for making me love the Classical Guitar and it's various avenues of information as we are kept abreast of all the daily happenings around the world with our great instrument. This year if I stay in decent health and step on the gas peddle, I hope to devote several posts to the great articles contained in this wonderful magazine. I call it my "MONTHLY PAGES OF JOY".

Folks for some Great Guitar fun you should pick up a copy of "My FIRST GUITAR" by Classical Guitar Magazine columnist  JULIA CROWE ( Letter from New York). A great Read!

When is my buddy HUBERT KAPPEL coming back this way to stun us with his virtuosity? How about the GREEK PHENOM COSTAS COTSIOLIS!

Folks it is crazy trying to travel these days! Every year I try to go to the most prominent Festival that would feed my hunger for more learning and the tickets for air fare kicks my butt heavily! It is a tough world our there especially for all the young and gifted kids trying to start their concert careers. I feel for you all. There are so many details you have to attend to and even when you think things are covered, out of nowhere you are shot down by weather, unforeseen obstacles and just bad luck. You must maintain your passion and continue to march to your goals. I will try to make people aware of you this year through this blog.

If I had the money, I would fund one of our young tigers to record all of the SEGOVIA ARCHIVE . Angelo Gilardino will be here for a couple of days at the Manhattan School of Music next month and I will speak to him about that possibility ( Not me) How about my superman Guitarist JORGE CABALLERO? Pay him some good bucks and let him loose!

What about the great body of work composed by MARIO CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO! So many delicious pieces unplayed!!!!! How about the PUERTO RICAN GUITAR? ERNESTO CORDERO and JUAN SORROCHE ?

I wish there was a Classical/Jazz Guitar magazine devoted to Female Guitarists!

It is a shame WORLD GUITARIST is down the tubes! That was a great and supportive site!

I miss ROSE AUGUSTINE! I knew her since the early 60s and in fact played for a special concert at her original string factory when she recovered one of her rare Guitars. I loved that woman dearly and was stunned that week she died because I had just visited her at her factory and she was coughing and told me she had that cough for a couple of weeks. I would have been at her wake that Friday night if I had known. She died in the beginning of that week and I was on several discussion groups and no one mentioned it. I found out Saturday night when Eliot Fisk announced it from his concert stage!!! We have got to band together in our Guitar community. This woman was a Saint for us and I don't know how Guitar Review is doing without her.

Congratulations for my buddy JOAO LUIZ of the Fabulous Brazil Guitar Duo on receiving a teaching post at New Jersey City! What a genius this kid is!!!!

Celil Rafik-Kaya is a monster player and get to one of his concerts and check him out. You will by amazed!!

That's it for now. It is 1:28 am Tuesday and I have a gig later today and should get some sleep but must spread some thoughts out there.

Garrett Lee makes a fantastic guitar. Just ask my school buddy FRED HAND!!! And let me make Garrett Blush by letting you know that he is one hell of a guitarist! What a beautiful player and master Luthier. Go to his website! W  O  W !!!!!! Really super detailed and awe inspiring!!!

I have several Newly released CDs by several colleagues I will be reviewing so be on the lookout!

German Virtuoso PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN will soon be releasing a new CD and I can't wait to review that! She is a great artist deserving to be better known around the Guitar globe!

DR. ANA MARIA ROSADO!!!! Fantastic human being and superb concert Artist. I was at her first concert here in the United States when she came from Puerto Rico. It was held here in Brooklyn at Prospect Park at "The Boat House" . Check out her You Tube Videos. She gave an awesome Lecture/Demo of Latin American Rhythms at the MANNES GUITAR SEMINAR a couple of years ago and plays Guitars by one of our greatest Luthiers CANADIAN DARYL PERRY. We should have DR. ROSADO at the top of our list of "GREAT ONES".

See ya soon kiddies!@!

international Guitar Night at The Blue Note! Part #1

I just came back from the Blue Note Jazz Club where I sat right at the stage for an A W E S O M E International Guitar Night which included the following great Virtuoso Guitarists: BRIAN GORE , MARTIN TAYLOR, CELSO MICHADO and SOLORAZAF! Before I jump up and down in my post I must say that this was my second International Guitar Night put together by Fingerstyle guitarist BRIAN GORE. My first was last year at a Club called The Highlight. My reason for going last year was two of my favorite guitar Monsters of two different Guitar disciplines : Adrian  Legg and Marco Pereira. They were joined last year by an awesome Gypsy Jazz Guitarist - Lulo Reinhardt who was simply A M A Z I N G !!!

Tonight's Guitar night was another HUMDINGER!!!!! As is the established format, Brain is the leader who starts off by playing 3 compositions and each Virtuoso in turn follows with three selections and that is followed by the stage with all 4 guitarists playing various groupings. I just wanted to kick off a two part report on this great event with some observations on my part and in part two I will share my notes with you on performance details!

I, as usual showed up a couple of hours early so I could get my meal eaten and of course get a prime seat. I get so anxious that I rest most of the day so my concentration can be razor sharp.Doors opened at 6pm and I was in at 6:15, so I had no problem getting a great seat for the 8pm performance. I was at the Club last night and was going to treat myself to John Pizzarelli and Ramsey Lewis, but there was only standing room at the bar available. I had planned to catch them then head over to The Fat Cat club for a 9:30 to 1am gig by the great Sheryl Bailey. I skipped both due to the dead time in between gigs which made me want tonight's special gig even more attractive. We are so lucky here in New York to be able to enjoy so many musical events. Anyway I had the company at my table of a young kid who sat across from me just before starting time but before that,a couple sat next to me and the wife ( Alice ) introduced her and husband to me and we spent some time getting acquainted. What a lovely twosome. We were joined by another young man who is a computer specialist and it seems that Alice's husband is a professor in the Sciences so he and the young man had a stimulating discussion about their work. Heavy duty talk here!!! Back to the gig. Starting with Brian, as I noticed last year, his playing of steel string acoustic guitar is so beautiful! I am a stickler for beautiful tone and his is so full and round. He spends most of his articulation with the hand mid hole. I should have asked him the name of the Luthier! What a joy to listen to.The new kid on the block was this great Guitarist/singer from Madagascar SOLORAZAF! He played a "souped up" what looked like a "TRAVEL" guitar but what a great and beautiful sound. Then Brain anointed Martin Taylor as Guitar King. Martin's big super career has been long and distinguished which as a young kid made him a household name when he toured with the legendary STEPHAN GRAPELLI for several years. The other notable Guitarist who coupled with the greatness of Grapelli was legendary DJANGO REINHARDT!!!!! Last on the end was the Brilliant Guitarist and percussionist CELSO MACHADO!!! What a tremendous ball of creativity this man is! I've known about him for quite a few years and heard him in concert at the 92nd street "Y" at a Brazilian Guitar Marathon. I will have more about this astounding artist in part two where I get in down to the business of describing all the little details of their performances! The only thing that plagues the BLUE NOTE are the small tables but I will say that the staff is thoroughly professional,cheerful and super quick with your food/drink service. They only employ the finest musicians in the world so it is worth it to spend some big bucks for a special musical experience. Stay tuned for part 2 of my review. It is 12.03 Tuesday morning and I just want to take a break and get myself ready for it. Getting my little note book and figuring out how much to clobber you with! It's all good folks and I am excited to be able to share my experience with you. SEE YA SOON!

Happy 2013 - This and That !

Happy 2013 folks! I needed a rest from posting because I am just trying to look to the future. I hug all of you who know me around the Classical/Jazz Guitar world and hope you are all doing well. I just sent an e-mail to the great young Guitarist GOHAR VARDANYAN after receiving an e-mail from her. As my 1st post for the new year other than this "HAPPY 2013", I will be reviewing the new CD of GOHAR VARDANYAN   "PAISAJES" for you. She passed through Penn Station here in New York during one of my Sunday Morning gigs soon after we met at ANA VIDOVICs Concert sponsored by the New York Classical Guitar Society. I have had quite a jammed packed life doing my thing! I was at the New York GFA Symposium and several other concerts. In fact as I write this post, I am gearing up for a Duo Guitar Concert by two excellent Colleagues ARYEH ELLER and MICHAEL CEDRIC SMITH. We have off an on drizzle but that won't stop the DONNIE GUITAR CRAZE from happening. As soon as I get back tonight, I will share my concert experience with you! They are both magnificent artists. The Concert will be at  St. Stephens of Hungary Church beginning at 7:30 .- 414 East 82nd Street (between 1st and York Avenue)
Admission is $15 and children are free! The just performed a couple of months ago at the New York City Guitar Society Meeting and were great! I missed the last society meeting where I scheduled to play with other members but had a paying gig for 3 hours just before the start of the meeting so I may missed them.

ANYWAY! ( My dear friend ROLAND DYENS GFA competition piece will be performed by Martha Masters in April at the International Guitar Series sponsored by the New York City Classical Guitar Society April 5th ) - I am hoping to get my blog act together this year. I can't be spending too much time online since I am gigging just about every day for several hours and I am preparing to attend the GFA this year and yet have to figure if I want to give it a try! My thoughts are to be the oldest winner of the competition by that may only be a "Mind Game" for me. I know of the competition piece but I will be there anyway to bow down to two of my favorite SUPERSTARS = Eliot Fisk  and that super guitar monster from ITALY = Aniello Desiderio!! You have got to check out Aniello s You Tube VIDEOS!!!! What and amazing Artist. Of course I have followed Eliot since 1975 at the Toronto International Competition! Eliot will slam you silly with his over the top impression of a :GUITAR VOLCANO! Eliot is one of a kind! If you want to scare yourself silly, just buy and listen to his performance of the Paganini  Caprices and turn up the volume!!! W H E W !!! T H A T IS A TRUE GUITAR MONSTER!@!!!@!

I will be turning 63 in April and still am crazy about the guitar! Since my QUADRUPLE  bypass operation a couple of years ago, I started performing only 2 months after surgery. This year marks my 17th year as a member of MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK, and am so proud of my longevity as I bring the Classical and Jazz Solo Guitar to every day people around New York. Sometimes I play two gigs a day with just a little rest in between.This year as I get ready for a GFA VISIT in July, I am stepping hard on the GAS peddle to cement my best playing. My playing continues to grow and I am still enjoying every little note and technique I learn. I look at the Guitar as a "LAP PIANO" and play it as such!

Well I have gotta get my concert ears ready. I feels so good to get my butt in gear with this post. I am devoting a huge portion of my posts this year to all the great young artists out there who need to be recognized - especially the woman! Speak to you all tonight after the concert!! Hope I didn't make too many grammatical errors as my mind is racing like crazy with great enthusiasm!

Hurricane Sandy and Me

It is Monday and we are opening our arms to hurricane SANDY at this time of 6:46pm. I mean,with my dear wife being pounded on the TV with weather updates, I decided that I would try to catch up on my ton of posts while we still have electricity here. I am supposed to perform a special Halloween performance concert in two days but that looks like that may not happen thanks to this gift of mother nature. Just think of those situations in which you have concerts scheduled after meticulously planning months in advance and then the last draw is forced on you by something out of your control! Such is life! As I sit here next to the window listening to the whirlwind blowing, it is a little scary but it will happen no matter what so the question is what to do to calm me down so here I am.

My young charge CELIL just competed in the CONCERT ARTISTS COMPETITION a week ago but unfortunately did not make the cut in spite of his superlative performance. There was a kid that gave an incredible performance of theme and variations by LISZT that just KILLED US !!!! It was as though LISZT himself cam down and performed for us!! More on that when I write the report but since it was opened to the public I was there bright and ready at 8:45 am. CELIL would perform around noon.I had to see what he was up against and it was a day of so many excellent performances.

I attended the Upstate New York Classical Guitar Society Fall Festival in Oneonta, New York at the State University and what a treat to have my dear colleague and masterful musician DAVID STAROBIN headline the Festival! What a treat and I had a ball performing in the Members Concert Saturday.I was smart enough to get lodging on campus and must state that my accommodations were top notch and the kids were so gracious in anything I needed! THANK YOU SUNY!!!  More in my report.

My dear buddy and Master quadruple talent ( Virtuoso Guitarist, Composer, Teacher, superb human being ) DAVID LEISNER opened the International Guitar Series sponsored by the New York Classical Guitar Society and gave us his usual  superlative performance and patted our Society President on the back from the stage for bringing the Classical Guitar Society to new Heights over his tenure! I second the motion! JOHN OLSEN has worked hard to gain further respect for our great Instrument here in the BIG APPLE in spite of this economy! I go way back with DAVID LEISNER and will detail that in my review of his great concert.

This past Saturday, I had a chance to attend a gig by one of my great teachers - RICK STONE - Virtuoso Jazz Guitarist in a great small venue in Greenwich Village and will report on that great gig! Check out Rick on  You Tube and you will taste one of the great unsung masters of the Jazz Guitar. You can also check out his website that has a treasure trove of lessons and info on the Great Vibrant New York Jazz Guitar scene!

It is 7:18 and that wind is picking up steam but I will try to get more little tidbits in! My wife just rang the dinner bell so I will get back to ya after dinner!

Donnie Guitar

CELIL RAFIK KAYA - front and center at Merkin Hall

I must shout to the highest the appearance of that young Turkish Virtuoso Guitarist CELIL RAFIK KAYA this Wednesday at Merkin Concert  Hall ( 129 West 67th street ). He will be competing at the CONCERT ARTIST GUILD COMPETITION and is scheduled to play a 20 minute set at noon! The admission for this is F R E E !!!! The competition is from 9 am  to 5 pm and involves all types of instrumentalist, so if you love music, come by and witness one of the great young Classical Guitar stars of our era! I have spoken about CELIL many times because he is so great for such a young artist. He is a child prodigy who has continually matured into a really great artist and he is a C O M P E T I T I O N  ANIMAL!!!!! He loves to compete and win but he deserves to win because he has it all together!!! You know, the level of the kids performing today is really "OUT OF THIS WORLD FANTASTIC". I am so proud of these young men and woman who make our instrument smile! In my opinion, we are living in GUITAR HEAVEN. I just came back from a weekend in ONEONTA, New York for the annual FALL GUITAR FESTIVAL sponsored by the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York and what a treasure trove of great performances and interesting compositions. It is worth the 5 hour bus ride once a year. Look for my report on this great event! I am sure that around the world there are pockets of deep love for our great instrument and in the Upstate New York area, so many nice and loving people have continually worked tirelessly  to promote our great instrument and I must and will reserve a separate post for them this week! I am still beaming from this weekend guitar party.

Getting back to the main focus of this blog, YOU MUST SEE AND HEAR CELIL RAFIK KAYA!!!! The kids today are at the highest level of Guitar mastery in history and there are so many of them. Every time you turn around, you find another whiz kid kicking serious guitar butt!!! I am so happy to be able to shout out on this blog about so many people you should know about in the Guitar world. In particular I hope to be a valid sounding post for all these great young masters as I bump into them  so please get to Merkin Hall this Wednesday October 17 to witness Classical Guitar greatness in our mist! CELIL RAFIK-KAYA MUST NOT BE MISSED.I do surely hope that CELIL wins because I get tired and pissed at all of the other instrumentalists who try to look down their noses on our great instrument. It is just plain ignorance out there so we continually have to cope with that fact and SHOW THEM THEY ARE WRONG!!!

Look for my coverage of the Upstate New York Fall Guitar Festival bit by bit.I can't promise you that I can get a blog up every day, but I will try because on the way back, I listed 12 topics this weekend yielded and really want to pass them along to you who love the Guitar and its' many jewels! Hope this post makes sense as I am still a little sleepy from the weekend of pure Guitar Joy!

Crazy Guitar Donnie

SO MUCH TO REPORT- SO LITTLE TIME

I am swamped with so much going on in the great New York City. I have fingers all over the musical pies. I expect to be in Oneonta Upstate New York this weekend for a Guitar Festival and in a couple of weeks, Woodstock has a two day Luthier Festival I hope to attend and just recently I attend and played at a Brazilian Guitar Workshop which I want to report on. As a member of the New York City Classical Guitar Society , We had a chance to experience the Genius of Luthier GARRETT LEE give a totally lucid demonstration on how the Guitar Works. I had to pass up performances by some of my teachers: PAT MARTINO at the IRIDIUM, RONI BEN HUR CD release, BUCKY PIZZARELLI  and HOWARD ALDEN! Just too much happening !! Of course I am terrible in keeping the blood flowing in this blog. At the recent Guitar Society meeting ( every 1st Thursday of the Month) I met an excellent Guitarist who years ago I promised to write up a review of his CD and somehow I didn't. This was something typical because a day or two before the meeting, I as looking at some of my Cd's and looked directly at his in one stack and I mentioned to him that I wondered how he was and lo and behold there he shows up at the meeting! I can only say to those of you I owe, I am still trying to deliver on my promises! I wish I could be more than one person because I have so much to offer before I leave this world of ours. In between trying to report on our great instrument, I am continually honing my guitar technique and styles. I am trying to make a study of the BACH Chacconne , learn Jazz Standards and Techniques, work on some Latin American Composers and so many other things besides playing in public at least 5 days a week in the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK program of the New York City Transit Authority. I owe my dear Brazilian Brother MARIO DA SILVA pictures I took of Him during the MANNES GUITAR SEMINAR this past Summer, I owe the brilliant German Virtuoso PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN more promo online. CONNIE SHEU and RUPERT BOYD are also on my " TO DO " list. I owe my dear ENGLISH Brother MAURICE SUMMERFIELD ( Classical Guitar Magazine) a write up on the great Brazilian Virtuoso and colleague ROMERO LUBAMBO ( way,way overdue ). The list is daunting to say the least! I have started compiling a list next to this computer and will try my best to get it scratched off. I want to end this post by publicly thanking my dear sweet wife for saving my life over a year ago when I had my quadruple bypass operation ( MARCH 22nd 2011 ). Her dedication to my recovery was awe inspiring .She did not let me give up especially during the most severe bouts of depression. Here I was a super energetic and bold person being stripped of my bold self. Learning to walk just down a flight of stairs or around the block was so humbling and embarrassing. I have been so fortunate to have married such a special person who continues to do great things for me. I continue to tell her I don't deserve her. THANK YOU HONEY!!!  May you all be so lucky to have such a special person to share your life! Hope to post some more today and this week. Gotta get that early morning workout in !

Celil Refik - Kaya At Mannes College Tonight

It is 3:40 am  Tuesday Morning and I am watching that super Funny Stand up comedian Lisa Lampanelli spew her funny digs at the audience and something said to check my messages so I got out my IPhone and lo and behold, I get an e-mail from the great Guitar Duo Michael Newman and Laura Oltman posted at 1:35 am that tonight at THE  MANNES COLLEGE OF MUSIC ( 150 West 85th Street ), the great young phenomenally gifted CELIL REFIK-KAYA will be giving his Master of Music Graduation Recital at 8pm. It is now 5:25 am and I had to jump on this blog and shout to the highest level that you MUST ATTEND GREATNESS!!!!! The concert is free and you will get a chance to witness one of the finest Musicians of our time!!! He is a child prodigy who has grown up to dazzle and amaze all who are smart enough to attend his performances. He has it all - Musicianship,Technique, easy platform manner and sweet disposition! This kid is truly an outstanding young artist who kicks serious Guitar BUTT!!! There are several You Tube videos available so you can see that I know my guitar gems and I love this kid dearly. He has made Michael Newman, his main teacher at Mannes so, so proud! I am super happy to be associated with this great young man as he continues to compete in the Major Classical Guitar Competitions around the world and wins just about every single one he competes in. He is also an excellent example of putting in the necessary work to achieve your objectives! Any one of you who think he is an overnight sensation is dead wrong. This great young man has busted his ass from early childhood. I get really pissed at those young kids who think it is so easy to achieve. There are no magic pills in life! You have to pay the price of  W O R K  to get to the mountain top! Whatever you want to achieve, you have to put the time in. Too many kids look for short cuts and magic potions. They don't want to work.Anyway that is enough from me on that. I am just so tickled to be able to post this shout out to my young and dear friend. Everywhere he goes, he continues to cement the word "GREATNESS" to his name. His interpretations, in particular are an admirable achievement in themselves. It is so nice to not have to contend with yet another "FINGER WIZ MACHINE" who knows nothing about making music sing and touch the soul. CELIL will make you love the majesty of the Classical Guitar as he will envelop you in a world of beautifully defined sounds that only our great instrument can pronounce. We are so lucky to have this young master represent our instrument. I will be coming from a three hour gig right before showing up for this delicious treat and he will show me why I play this instrument.
I hope to see a  good crowd there tonight. Hope you can attend folks because he is really someone out of the ordinary! SEE YA ~!!!