A Gibson for $299!

It's only a Melody Maker, but it is still hard to believe that Gibson would sell any product for this little.  Stripped down to one humbucker and only a volume it is a no frills guitar, but if you like simplicity this would be great!  You can't even buy a decent Epiphone for $300. Check out the Gibson Melody Maker at Musician's Friend.

It's Been a While

I haven't put anything up here in a very, very long time (I could go on with the "very's").  Anyway, I wanted to highlight a bandcamp discovery that I have been enjoying lately.

It is Aaron Strumpel and Karla Adolphe's group called The Emporiums and their album "The Singing Well."  Their down home simple songs of love are filled with beautiful aching harmonies, and simple arrangements from guitars, piano, violin, and banjo.  They also have an incredible depth to their lyrics as well.  My students enjoy it, too.  I have been playing this album quietly in my classroom while teaching for the past several weeks.  Two days ago one of my students came and asked what I had been playing because she wanted to download one of the songs ("Pushing the Beams" we later discovered) for a movie she is going to make.  It is a great compliment when a junior high aged child likes something that isn't mainstream pop.  I suppose it also says something about her taste in music.

You can hear The Emporiums by clicking on the following link: The Emporiums.  Here is a video of them live, too.  Not the best quality, but it gives you an idea.

Enjoy!