Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 28 Jun 2017 11:25 am |
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https://mykfreedman.bandcamp.com/album/myk-freedman-and-the-mykfreedmans
Myk Freedman – lap steel/leader
Patrick Breiner-tenor sax/clarinet
Carlo Costa -drums
Adam Hopkins – bass
Kenny Warren – trumpet
Jason Vance – banjo/spoons
I've been enjoying this new release for a couple of weeks but haven't gotten around to reviewing it yet. Myk Freedman is a New York-based composer who happens to play lap steel (an eight string made by Fouke Industrial Guitars). His compositions are humorous, wistful, danceable, and very enjoyable. Myk uses a
Particular favorites are "Pretty Ugly", "North York Folk Music", and "Clock Watchers".
Plus how can you not love a player who posts these rules on his site?
Ten Rules of the lap steel:
1. If you accompany a guitar player who’s out of tune, you’ll take the fall. Â
2. The lap steel is an instrument that loves community.  It wants to be played in as many different contexts as possible. This means you must take yours with you everywhere you go on the off (or likely) chance you’ll get to play with someone else when in the world.  If anyone asks what’s in the case, don’t tell them, show them.
3. A well played steel spends a lot of time emitting sound waves in close proximity to your baby making organs. Â This carries a lot of weight for future generations. Â Even if you think no one is listening, you must always play with love in your heart.
4. Accept that “Proper†intonation is an illusion.
5. Don’t accept that the perfect tuning doesn’t exist.
6. Never change your strings.  If you ever break one, make sure to treat the new one with enough of your sweat so that it sounds like it’s yours as soon as possible (definitely before your next gig).  In dire circumstances this may require spending time on treadmill for a few hours with your steel near by.
7. Play like you’re in a religious band, no matter what.
8. Keep your main steel out of its case and in plain sight when at home.
9. Lap steel players often don’t know too many tunes but lap steels know thousands of them.  Spend enough time with yours every day to coax those melodies out.
10. The country musicians were right: this is the Wild West.  There are no rules.  If you wanna play the thing upside down because you think it sounds better or makes more sense, DO IT! The golden age of the steel hasn’t gone, it’s coming.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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