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Mahoney's Mumble (Dan Mazer/BanjerDan Enterprises)
Recorded 1985, Black Pond Studios, Rockville, MD
Personnel: John Akin: mandolin / Dave Bernhardt: electric bass / Allan Hughes:
lead guitar / Bob Hummer: rhythm guitar / Dan Mazer: banjo / Dave Whitaker:
dobro
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[MP3] I named this
instrumental for Pat Mahoney. Pat was a writer for Bluegrass
Unlimited, and a mentor when I attended the Bluegrass Unlimited
bluegrass festival at Indian Springs, Maryland, in 1976. He
introduced me to Genessee Cream Ale, and to several bluegrass notables. He
seemed to friends with ALL the stars! I was dazzled. One day, I
was fooling around with the lick that developed into the opening of the
tune, and was showing it off to Pat. He said, "You young
pickers! All you want to do is play fast! Where's the
tone? Where's the taste? Where's the timing?" I said,
"Old Man, if you don't shut up, I'll name the tune for
you!" On this version I especially like the sizzling electric
guitar solo by my ol' high school buddy Allan Hughes.
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2
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Till
The End of the World Rolls 'Round (Newton Thomas, Jr/ Universal Cedarwood)
(BMI)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Mike Auldridge: dobro and baritone vocal/Ben Eldridge: banjo
/ Jimmy Gaudreau: mandolin and tenor vocal / Tom Gray: bass / Dan Mazer:
banjo and lead vocal / Jim Queen: fiddle
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This
is a Flatt & Scruggs classic. One of the few bouncy, uptempo love
songs in bluegrass. I dreamed of having all the Seldom Scene back me
up on a few tunes for the CD, but unfortunately, a scheduling SNAFU
prevented me from getting John Duffey. Once again, Jimmy Gaudreau
stepped into Duffey's enormous shoes and came through in style!
Ben Eldridge's nearly-perfect banjo solo in the middle just kills me!
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3
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Soldier's
Joy (Trad. arr D. Mazer)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Dan Mazer, banjo, guitar, mandolin, dobro / Moe Nelson: bass
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[MP3]
A
traditional American fiddle tune. I've heard that "Soldier's
Joy" refers to either payday in the Army, or morphine. (Maybe
both.) This is my shot at the one-man-band experience, and also
serves to show in one tune that I can double on several instruments.
Session bookers, take note!
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4
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I
Don't Believe You've Met My Baby (Autry Inman/Sony/ATV Songs LLC) (BMI)
Recorded 1985, Black Pond Studios, Rockville, MD
Personnel: John Akin: mandolin, baritone
vocal in refrains / Bob Hummer: rhythm guitar, lead vocal on solos, tenor
vocal on refrains / Carolyn Kellock: bass / Dan Mazer: banjo, lead vocal in
refrains / Dave Whitaker: dobro
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This
beautiful song is from the Louvin Brothers' repertoire, and tells a wonderful
story. Bob Hummer is another friend from high school. He was
among the best singers in the choir, and also loved bluegrass! Bob,
Dave Bernhardt, Dave Whitaker and I were in a band called "No Strings
Attached" in the early '80s. On this version, I play the banjo
in B-flat without a capo.
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5
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The
Guys in the Suits and Ties (Dan Mazer/BanjerDan Enterprises)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Mike Auldridge: dobro / Ben Eldridge: banjo / Jimmy Gaudreau:
mandolin / Tom Gray: bass / Dan Mazer: banjo and vocal / Jim Queen: fiddle
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[MP3] When I was about 9, my
older brother David and I were watching my father get ready for work.
David, a 14 year-old proto-hippie, said, "Look! Dad's got to wear a
tie. That's a symbol of corporate slavery, man! I'm NEVER gonna wear
a tie!" About 20 years later, this song bubbled to the
surface. It's a portrait of a man who feels he's wasted his life.
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6
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Blue
Bossa (Kenny Dorham/Second Floor Music) (BMI)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Dave Bernhardt: guitars / Jimmy Gaudreau: mandolin / Dan
Mazer: dobro and banjo / Moe Nelson: bass / Jim Queen: fiddle
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The
dobro goes to Brazil! Dave Bernhardt gave me a copy of "The Real
Book" as a 1981 New Year's present, and that's where I found this
great melody. It lies easily on the dobro's strings. Listen for
an inspired fiddle solo from Jim Queen, cool double-stop mandolin work from
Jimmy Gaudreau, and a fine guitar solo by Dave Bernhardt.
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7
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Harlequin
Mountain (Dan Mazer/BanjerDan Enterprises)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Jamie Daly, mandolin / Dave Giegerich: dobro / Moondi Klein: guitar
/ Dan Mazer: banjo / Moe Nelson: bass / Jim Queen: fiddle
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This
is medium-tempo original banjo tune. Moondi Klein and Dave Giegerich
each contribute a great solo! Someone pointed out that the chord
progression sounds a lot like John Hartford's "Steam Powered
Aeroplane." I did own the "Aeroplane" album at the
time, but didn't consciously copy the song.
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8
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Mary
Dear (John Duffey/Zap Publishing Co.) (BMI)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Mike Auldridge: dobro / Ben Eldridge: banjo / Jimmy Gaudreau:
mandolin and harmony vocals / Tom Gray: bass / Dan Mazer: guitar and lead
vocal / Jim Queen: fiddle
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"Mary
Dear" is a lovely ballad that I learned from the classic Country
Gentlemen. Jimmy Gaudreau is a hoss, playing mandolin and singing ALL
the harmony parts!
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9
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Humble Pie (Dan Mazer/BanjerDan Enterprises)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Mike Auldridge: dobro / Ben Eldridge: banjo / Jimmy Gaudreau:
mandolin / Tom Gray: bass / Dan Mazer: guitar and lead vocal / Jim Queen:
fiddle
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I
wrote "Humble Pie" in a college notebook, where it sat for
several years before I stumbled upon it again. It's a cute novelty
song, with puns riffing on food images. I think my more recent songs
are better, but several people have told me they really like this
one. De gustibus non est disputandum!
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10
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Ground
Speed (Earl Scruggs/APRS) (BMI)
Recorded 1985, Black Pond Studios, Rockville, MD
Personnel: John Akin: mandolin / Dave
Bernhardt: bass / Allan Hughes: lead guitar / Bob Hummer: rhythm guitar /
Dan Mazer: banjo / Dave Whitaker: dobro
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Earl
Scruggs classic. 'Nuff said!
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11
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4
and 20 (Stephen Stills/Gold Hill Music, Inc.) (BMI)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Mike Auldridge: dobro / Dan Mazer: banjo and vocal
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One
of my counselors at Camp Waredaca in Onley, Maryland (who was otherwise a
complete jerk) used to sing this song. It was written by Stephen Stills
and appears on CSNY's "Deja Vu" album. I might be the only
banjo player who actually SLOWS DOWN a song from the original
version! I really like this stark arrangement, which features only on
banjo and dobro. It gives Mike the chance to play some haunting
fills.
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12
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Can't
You Hear Me Callin'? (Bill Monroe/Unichappell Music, Inc.) (BMI)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Dave Giegerich: dobro / Moondi Klein: guitar and lead vocal on
verses, tenor vocal on choruses / Dan Mazer: banjo and lead vocal on
choruses / Moe Nelson: bass and baritone vocal on choruses / Jim Queen:
fiddle
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I
think this is one of Bill Monroe's best songs. Moondi Klein sings it
superbly, and plays a mean guitar solo. On this one, I'm at it again,
playing in E with no capo. At the end, there's a modulation that I
learned from an actor in a production of "The Robber Bridegroom."
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13
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Wave (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Corvocado Music Corp.) (BMI)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA.
Personnel: Mike Auldridge: 8-string dobro / Dave Bernhardt: rhythm guitar /
Jimmy Gaudreau: mandolin / Pete Kennedy: lead guitar / Dan Mazer: banjo /
Moe Nelson: bass / Jim Queen: fiddle
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"Wave"
is second only to "Girl From Ipanema" in the pantheon of Bossa
Nova standards. I state the melody on the banjo and get out of the
way as a super cast of pickers has at it! Mike Auldridge nails it on
8-string dobro, and Jim Queen's soaring fiddle solo uses musical quotes to
great humorous effect. The tour de force is Pete ("One
Take") Kennedy's shimmering guitar break.
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14
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Prelude
#20 in C Minor (Frederic Chopin)
Recorded 1990, Inner Ear Studios, Alexandria, VA
Personnel: Dan Mazer: banjo
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[MP3] When I was taking a musical Form and Analysis class from
the late Robert Parris at George Washington University, Dr. Parris assigned
me this Frederic Chopin composition to analyze. My instant analysis
was, "I could play this one on the banjo!"
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The
Black Pond sessions were produced by Kinny McCollough and engineered by
Bill Barnett. Thanks to Picker's Supply of Fredericksburg, VA for
renting me a Gibson Mastertone RB-250 banjo. The Inner Ear sessions were
produced by Dan Mazer with the generous support of Jim Freeman, and vocal
coaching by Dede Wyland. I used my Deering GDL banjo, which I also
purchased from Picker's Supply, and which was stolen from me in March 2000.
After sitting idle for many years, the original tapes were digitally
remixed and mastered by Beezie Gerber, Gerber Studios, San Diego, CA.
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