The Buskers Blog

Alan E. Esty, Violin Maker

The wonderful native son of New Hampshire who made both violins Kathy has played for many years, died this week at age 90.  Apparently he had written that he would like Kathy to play at his funeral, and she will be there Friday afternoon at 2 pm to play for him one last time.   She was very fond of Alan and visited him at his home in Hebron, NH as recently as last Summer, the last time we played in Hebron. 

Excerpt from Union Leader obituary:

HEBRON - Alan E. Esty, 90, passed away peacfully after a short period of age-related declining health on May 14, 2012.

He graduated from Plymouth High School in 1940, and worked as a woodsman with his father. He then went on to become a machinest.

He began working in a machine shop in Laconia and was transferred to Boston, where he met his wife of 63 years, Anne G. Kaloostian. Shortly after their marriage, they returned to Hebron, where Alan and Anne started A. E. Esty Machine & Tools Inc. He later moved the shop to Bristol, on the property adjacent to IPC.

In 1984, Alan retired and he devoted time to several pursuits. He served on various boards and committees in Hebron and was a member of Union Lodge 79, F&AM, in Bristol. His love of the outdoors endured. He worked toward the establishment of the Hebron Town Beach and the Hebron Town Forest.

Alan will be remembered as a successful businessman, an artist who painted many watercolors, a craftsman who made many violins, violas & bows and an expert fly fisherman and hunter.

services: Funeral services will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Emmons Funeral Home, 115 South Main St., Bristol. Burial will follow in the Hebron Village Cemetery.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Hebron Gazebo Program, c/o Everett Begor, 205 Groton Road, Hebron 03241

 

Radio Bean Burlington & Cadyville, NY

Playing Radio Bean in Burlington, VT this friday, 8 pm. One set, over in a flash. Don't blink or you'll miss it.  Just close your eyes and think of England.  But looking forward to getting back out on the road a bit after being separated this winter.  And a good espresso. The rhythm section (Craig on piano, accordion, bass, pedal bass and foot tambourine and  Paul on guitar) is ready for the reunion with that top layer of KZ's violin and vocal parts. The icing on our cake...  the cream in our coffee, the salt in our stew..

Then on Saturday we play the Cadyville Concert Hall across the lake, just west of Plattsburgh.

This is the Cadyville Concert Hall! Think house concert, It will be nice to play a great listening room again. limited seating, so use this link if you're thinking of showing up. 

 

(‘Scuse Me If I) Hold On To You

I know you don’t like to be pinned down,

Don’t want to feel tied up and bound,

But these times are tough and we must be true,

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

 

I know your name’s Bernice, but I think I’ll call you Sal,

It’s the way you move when you play the femme fatale,

It’s just a thin disguise stuck on with glue,

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

 

Everybody’s talkin ‘bout your brand new Mustang Ford,

You’re drivin’ round town and you’re lookin’ kinda bored,

But there’s a brand new scene pullin’ in to view,

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

 

I know you’re just tryin’ to be you,

A special kind of person with a radiant hue,

Throwin’ kisses down the avenue,

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

 

Well early in the morning, just about the break of day,

Them birds are singin’, good god they got a lot to say,

It’s a rockin’ little tune that always sounds brand new,

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

 

I know you pro’bly don’t appreciate,

The fine cuisine that’s sittin’ on your plate,

Soup’s cold and the waitress is way past due

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

 

Your high school days are gone, they’re in the past,

Incidentally, I knew that they would never last,

Night comes down right on cue,

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

‘Scuse me if I Hold On To You.

                                    Copyright 2011 Paul Hubert

 

Raw, Fast & Cheap (& If U Don't Like It Just Be Thankful U Don't Live Next Door)

On St. Patrick's Day we laid some initial tracks for a new e.p. - five new tunes (any of which you might have heard us play last year, but unavailable anywheres else.  Except Mr. Van Ronk's song).

1. Living In The Real World Now - my 'hippie tune,' Paul calls it.  just because I once lived in a wigwam?  it has become more uptempo; nostalgic navel-gazing with a backbeat. 

2. Every Day We Play A New Song - cajun groove. hope any cajun playing friends don't tsk tsk for inauthenticity. "and if you don't like it, just be thankful you don't live next door." 

3. Movin' On.  - that's right.  A tune of Paul's.  I plan to add congas and Hammond.  After all, this is the studio. We can do what we want. 

4. ('Scuse Me If I) Hold On To You - debuted this one of Paul's at Caffe Lena two summers ago.

5. Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate - by Dave Van Ronk. 

This weekend we return to the studio, Blackwater Sound, Webster, NH, where we recorded our last two albums.  With apologies to the super fine drummers who tour with us (and a special shout-out to Kyle Tupper, who will tour with us again this year for the third year running, the only drummer to also add fourth part vocal harmony),  in the interests of raw, fast and cheap, we are providing all our own percussion this time, from cajun triangle and tambourine to bass and snare drum.  We're dumbing it down, baby;  just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.  Then again, Tim Gilmore, whose drumming chops I kneel before in humility, says I play a meaner tambourine than he does.   [more on tambourines to follow soon]. 

Moonlighting Again

photo courtesy of Maureen Beniarz-Pond

w/ Philip Hamilton, Pitman's Freight Room, Laconia, NH 2/9/12.  Craig Jaster on keyboards, Tim Gilmore on drums, Paul Bourgelais on bass (and guitar), and Jon Lorentz sitting in on tenor.  

Check out Zach Benton's rocking cover of Juliet, off his just released EP!

 http://itunes.apple.com/album/mister-roberts-epiphany-ep/id499313747.

Moonlighting

                                                                                                                              photo courtesy of Maureen Beniarz-Pond    

Craig sitting in with w/ Bob Stannard (& Those Dangerous Bluesmen), Pitman's Freight Room, Laconia, NH 1/26/12.  In this photo, it's Big Bad Bob who is sitting in, on the piano bench trading fours.  Note the matching vintage chapeaux.  Not planned. 

Multi-Instrumentalist: Curse Or Blessing?

Multi-instrumentalism. As many as one in seventeen musicians may be afflicted with this chronic condition.  I am one of them.

I relate to stories of falling in love with an instrument at an early age.  It happened to me.  I was seven.  It was piano. Then a few years later I first heard mandolin and I was thunderstruck; had to be able to make that sound. Then the first time I picked up a fretless bass I couldn’t leave the music store for hours.  It was a case of soul recognition again: “Don’t I know you from somewhere? You look (feel) so familiar...”   Accordion, too.  Just keeps growing on me.  And guitar.  I mean--to go through life without playing guitar? 

 Multi-instrumentalists are not dilettantes.  We are not fickle.  It’s not that we’re dissatisfied with one instrument.  We’re more like polygamists and their harems, to use an unfortunate analogy: “Don’t be jealous; I love all of you; now stop bickering and vying for my attention! Just be patient.  I’ll play you again soon, honey.”  

 Are there any advantages to being a  multi-instrumentalist other than the pleasure of making music on instruments you love to play--i.e. career-wise?  I can only speak for myself.  As a pianist, it helps me to be able to think like a bass player, for example;  and vice versa; and for composing/songwriting, voicings on one instrument can take a fresh new turn when translated onto another.  Gigs?  I do get the occasional call for a recording session with the request, “bring everything,” and am given freedom to suggest and play different instruments—co-producing. I’m a kid in a candy store.   When I record my own material I don’t have to pay a lot of musicians on the session if I’m willing to overdub.  And with The Buskers (my #1 multi-instrumental platform), that’s part of what the band is all about —that big palette of acoustic instruments.  

But let’s face it, there are reasons they don’t encourage this at Juilliard.  You can’t be great at everything. I admire my musician friends who have dedicated their lives to mastery of one (1)  instrument.  On the other hand, it just doesn’t seem like as much fun.  

 

 

Happy New Year from Craig & The Buskers

New England Mandolin Shopping Tour?

Piano was my first instrument (age 7).  Mandolin was my second: 7th grade, an inexpensive  Hans Hauser.   Traveled across the country with it twice, lost it after a gig in Brooklyn in 1984.  I've since been through three Gibson A's (each of which I sold after buckling, cracking, and other signs of Gibson-itis that I couldn't afford to repair),  and I borrowed bandmate Paul's Ibanez for a number of years (thanks, Paul), but it's been a long long time since I owned a mandolin.

Enough! I did a lot of online looking, but you want to play it before you buy it....My friend Jeff, a mandolin enthusiast if ever there was one, recommends: The Music Emporium in Lexington, MA, Maple Leaf Music in Brattleboro, VT and, of course, Mandolin Bros. in Staten Island.  And I'll put in a plug for my local Vintage Fret Shop in Ashland, NH, as well, while we're at it.  

Last weekend I returned triumphant from my first visit to the Music Emporium with the best mandolin of my life, an obscure 1930 Harmony "viol" style (little nubs on each side and f-holes). It was one of maybe 30 mandolins, new and vintage, on the walls.   Nothing I've played before could touch this instrument.  It is a breeze--a pleasure-- to play right up to the 19th fret, and sounds so rich.  I had come to feel that mandolin had its limitations as an instrument.  Now I realize I was wrong. 

It has one problem I didn't catch until I got home: an uneven surface is throwing off the pitch on the 15th fret of the D string. I want them to fix it for me (I think I spent enough), but can't bring myself to take it back to the shop right now--can't let it out of my sight, really.  

I'll be playing it a bit in Dark of the Moon, the latest high school production  I'm directing (and acting in--see below) at Sant Bani School, Sanbornton, NH Dec. 15-17th.   I'll also be playing the beautiful 1976 dulcimer my brother made and gave me for my high school graduation.