Woody's Reviews/Re-Created
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woodymann SUMMER 2006 ...One of JUNE 2006 WOODY MANN “the most Road Trip WOODY MANN talented and Road Trip Woody Mann describes Road Trip as a tribute to the places he has visited on recent tours, but Acoustic Music Records 1359 / Acoustic Sessions 215 eclectic guitarists this excellent instrumental set from one of the ann, who as a teenager recorded a series most talented and eclectic fingerstyle guitarists M of duets with both Son House and JoAnn Kelly, is a fingerstyle guitar master as on the scene... on the scene can be heard, more metaphorical- well as a talented songwriter and arranger. ly, as a recap of his musical journey. Mann has Influenced early on by string-bending legends absorbed so many guitar styles that he can like Lonnie Johnson and Blind Blake along ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE with the ragtime and Gospel blues of Reverend change moods on a dime, weaving lyrical Gary Davis, Mann eventually developed an single-string lines and exceptionally animated and colorfully nuanced, blues-based style all his own. Later, chord harmonies that while studying with pianist Lenny Tristano, he take his tunes across the began listening to jazz guitarists such as musical divides between Charlie Christian and Eddie Lang, adding an elemental spontaneity and crafty use of time genres. “The Rev’s Music and space to his already exploratory musical is a tribute to his first approach. “Road Trip was inspired by the many places Mann is a great teacher, legendary I’ve traveled to recently and by artists like bluesman Reverend Gary David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards, John Cephas and Davis, but Mann interprets Davis’ ideas David Bromberg that I’ve had the chance to gifted play with along the way,” Mann comments. through a jazz filter, giving the material a new Songs like the swinging “Baden Baden”, “Texas perspective. “Kary’s Trance”, with saxophonist Reel” and the reflective “Another Lisboa” tan- talizingly demonstrate this theme. Scattered musician... Charley Krachy, is a free jazz exploration that selections with pals like saxophonist Charlie brings to mind Mann’s other great teacher, the Krachy (heard to nice advantage on the bop- groundbreaking Lennie Tristano. In Road Trip’s pish “Kary’s Trance”), mandolinist Larry if he comes Wexer and pianist Dave Keys, who cleverly echoes of old-time banjo and classical guitar, shadows Mann on the dilatory “Have Mercy”, sprightly Lonnie Johnson licks, and Latin vividly illustrate Mann’s arranging acumen. Other favorites that, no doubt, also have fas- your way, themes, Mann makes good use of a bottomless cinating stories behind them (even brief song bag of tricks. But for all his chops, he never notes would have been appreciated) include showboats; everything he does serves the the old-timey jaunty “Back Woods,” a haunt- track him down ingly melodic “Night in Tbilisi,” a bouncy melody, a fact that his late teachers would tribute to Davis titled “The Rev’s Music,” a certainly appreciate. (Acoustic Music Records, moody, percussively penetrating “Closing Time” and the kaleidoscopic “Warbase LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE -IAN ZACK www.acoustic-music.de). Junction.” Fans of Leo Kottke and John Fahey alike should give Mann a listen. -GVON T contact info: Acoustic Sessions Management: 160 Fifth Avenue, Suite 907, New York, NY 10010 Tel: 212.924.2066 Andrew Collins: [email protected]. Visit www.woodymann.com for downloadable photos, mp3’s, and detailed info. ” woodymann LIVING BLUES MARCH/APRIL 2006 ...Mann, who new releases has recorded This set of 15 acoustic guitar instrumentals with both from New York-based Woody Mann is one of his most adventurous and creative “ Son House and outings to date. The set, on which all but three tracks are original compositions, is JoAnn Kelly, impressive and beautifully arranged, and he has surrounded himself with sympa- is a fingerstyle thetic and highly skilled fellow performers. Mann is a gifted musician, writer, pro- guitar master... ducer, and teacher; he is also a seasoned performer with a guitar touch and tone SING OUT MAGAZINE that are distinctly his own. He is versed in a wide range of musical styles, including jazz and classical, having studied with the From the very likes of Lennie Tristano and the legendary by sax player Charlie Krachy, creates an Rev. Gary Davis. Mann spent a number of evocative atmosphere reminding one of first song you years during the late ‘60s taking lessons the late ‘50s sax style of Jimmy Giuffre. from Rev. Davis, and three titles pay The blues guitar riff is engaging throughout could hear a homage to that guitar maestro. With Have the title. Mercy Mann inventively interprets the pas- Larry Wexer’s mandolin sparkles on the pin drop and sionate Davis classic Death Don’t Have No Poor Providence, and the Portuguese-style Mercy, creating a haunting melody backed guitar playing from Mann on Closing Time the greatly by evocative piano playing from Dave adds an atmospheric and eerie quality. Bass Keyes. Danny Mallon contributes subtle playing from Brian Glassman and drum- appreciative percussion on the Rev’s Music, where ming from Jeffrey Meyer are controlled Mann combines two of Davis’ most popu- and subtle throughout this session. audience were lar songs, Let Us Get Together and Going To Mann is a consummate guitar player. In Sit Down On The Bank Of The River, into one spite of his thorough knowledge of early totally of the highlights of this set. blues and jazz styles, he is willing to expe- The influence of Lonnie Johnson’s rience and take chances as he does here. captivated by infectious guitar playing shines through Mann is a regular visitor to Europe, and on Through The Alley, while the delicate recent tours have included Japan and Brazil this magical picking on Backwoods (performed on a - if he comes your way, track him down! musician. resonator guitar) has a timeless quality. Warbasse Junction, on which Mann is joined -BOB TILLING JERSEY EVENING POST contact info: Acoustic Sessions Management: 160 Fifth Avenue, Suite 907, New York, NY 10010 Tel: 212.924.2066 Andrew Collins: [email protected]. Visit www.woodymann.com for downloadable photos, mp3’s, and detailed info. ” woodymann MUSIC Blues Guitar Great’s Spirit Lives on in Acoustically Inclined Composer fter spending the past weekend at guitar from him,” he explains. “I’d just sit the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and mimic him, and I’d tape-record the One of todays A I seem to have a ringing in my ears lessons each week. It was really guitar stuff, – but it’s not tinnitus. Instead, it’s the but with Lenny it was really more impro- sound of dozens of acoustic guitars being visation, the straight-ahead jazz approach. truly outstand- strummed, plucked, or thwacked on the I’d listen to Charlie Parker and I’d sing the back like a drum: in a weekend that was solos and we’d study harmony and the crammed with good music, the one thing scales and the triads... we’d really get into it. He was a real teacher, in that way. He ing acoustic gui- didn’t show me any songs; his whole con- “ cept of improvising was just simply to improvise. With Davis, the approach was tarists, influ- Off Beat “Here’s the song I’m teaching you,” but Lenny never showed me a song, never told ALEXANDER VARTY me the chord changes to a tune... the lessons were very Zen, in a way.” enced by Robert that stood out was how much of it was Despite the jazz and classical inflections performed on guitar. Festival highlights in his playing, Mann still thinks of himself included Kelly Joe Phelps, Boubacar as a blues performer, and his most recent Johnson, Blind Traore, Keola Beamer, D’Gary, and Martin Woody Mann has stayed committed to release, Heading Uptown, bears this out. the acoustic guitar since the 60s. Carthy., guitar virtuosos all; taken with the The disc includes a tribute to the great Sonic Youth-initiated resurrection of fin- “So it’s a funny kind of music world that’s blues pianist Little Brother Montgomery gerstyle pioneer John Fahey and the emer- out there for guitar now. The only thing and a Robert Johnson song; one of the Blake, Eddie gence of new strumming stars such as Ani that I find missing in it is the jamming standout tracks, the instrumental “Spanish DiFranco and Ben Harper, it definitely aspect. When you’re a jazz musician, you Nights”, links the Mississippi syncopations feels like the acoustic six-string is making a all get together and say, “Let’s play “Take of Skip James’s “Hard Time Killing Floor Lang, Lonnie comeback. the A Train”. “Or if you’re a folk musician, Blues” to the Moorish roots of flamenco. Some would contend it never went it’s “Let’s all play “Trouble in Mind”, “or Some purists might see this as a dese- away. “There seems to be a kind of percep- whatever. Now, everybody’s such an indi- cration of one of the eeriest and most pow- tion that guitar-playing is somewhere on vidualist. I’ve done concerts with these erful pieces in the blues repertoire, but Johnson and the the fringe and always threatening to break fine, fine guitar players, and I’ll say, “Let’s Mann prefers to view his use of traditional down the front door, but it’s a weird piece all play a tune,” and the only thing we can forms within the context of a greater musi- of psychology,” says six-and 12-string gui- come up with is a 12-bar blues, maybe.” cal evolution.