# General Mandolin Topics > Jams, Workshops, Camps, Places To Meet Others >  College station, tx looking for advanced pickers!

## mandolinman44

Hello All!!

My name is Matt and I am semi-new to the cafe. I am a mandolin player in College Station, Texas area looking for intermediate/advanced pickers to pick or possible start a group. I have 19 years of experience on mandolin. I recently placed in the top 5 at the 2006 flatpicking contest in Winfield. I am looking for a bass, guitar, fiddle, and maybe banjo and lead vocals. Sort of a newgrass/bluegrass/blues/folkish/acoustic kind of thing. (if that makes any sense. I can sing some back-up. I am really looking to start a strong instrumental/vocal group in the College Station, Texas area. I play with a group out of Houston but we don't play as much as I would like and I would like something closer for rehearsal reasons. It is hard to find serious musicians especially in College Station. If anyone is interested or knows anyone interested please let me know. Thanks guys and gals!!

Keep pickin'
Matt Morris
http://www.myspace.com/musicmattmorris
http://www.youtube.com/mandolinman44

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## Jon Hall

Matt

I watched a couple of your videos on youtube and I thought they were great. I live in Nacogdoches which is as far or further than Houston from College Station. I play in a couple of groups here, one of which plays a wide assortment of music like you're describing; celtic, ragtime, french canadian, latin and folk. The 3rd member of our trio just moved to Indiana so we've got an open slot. The distance from Nac to CS is too great to be able to practice weekly and to gig in both areas.

Have you ever heard of the Camp Street Cafe in Crockett TX? They have some of the best acoustic artists in the area. If you were to visit and introduce your self to Pipp and Guy Gillette (the Gillette Bro) they might be able to put you in touch with someone.

www.campstreetcafe.com


If you can ever come to Nac on a Sat. afternoon we have a pretty good jam on the town square at Steve Hartz's Old Time String Shop. 

Have you ever met Kelly Lancaster in Houston? He's a Nac native and a great picker and human being. 

All the best,

Jon Hall

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## mandolinman44

Hey Jon, 

Thanks! Yes, I believe Nacadogches is about the same distance as Houston. Though traffic wouldn't be as bad. I jammed over at the String Shop when I was much younger. I need to make plans to make it back out. What time does it usually start? 

I will also need to make plans to go to Crockett. Thanks for that information. I have met Kelly Lancaster, though I don't really know him. He is a pretty interesting and entertaining fellow.  

Matt

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## Jon Hall

Matt

There'll be a few of us at the string shop this Sat. We start around 2 - 2:30. Do you remember playing with Charlie Jones at the String Shop? He's an art professor at SFA and plays fiddle, claw hammer banjo and mandolin. He's the fellow I play with. We would be interested in driving to CS sometime and pick with you as well.

Jon

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## timtoolman1953

I am a rank beginner, but willing to to learn. I am pretty confident on the guitar, and can do decent rhthym. ANyway, I am traveling a lot, sometimes driving in Texas, up to Dallas area a lot, but I live in Seguin, my son is at TAMU and it will be a pit stop when I go up to East Texas. There's a Monday night jam, I am sure you must have heard about it through CTBA, right there in Bryan. I know a real good banjo player/vocalist, but she is tied up with starting in a new profession and helping her Dad. She, her dad and son had a little band called Third Genreation Gospelgrass. Another banjo player, can sing BASS till the cows come home, but, again he is very busy with a day job and keeping things together at home. Always something to interfere with out pickin' time!! 

If you are generally free on weeknights, I might get to connect and we can jam, if nothing else, if I come through your area.

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## goose 2

Matt,

I am up in Amarillo but am in College Station several times a year and would love to jam. I also will be at Winfield again this year and would like to meet and jam if you go this year. Our campsite often has some of the best jams going every year at Winfield and you are welcome to join us. email or pm me if you have an interest.

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## mandolinman44

Hey Guys , sorry about the late response. There is a jam here in town on Monday nights. I have been a few times but dont attend on a regular basis. IF any of you are ever around on Mondays PM me or shoot me an email. mandolinman44@yahoo Or any other day is fine also!! 

Goose 2, I won't be able to make Winfield this year  I will definetly be back next year.  I have planned on going but the sale of my house and having to build a new one has taken up alot of time. 

I appreciate all of the responses. I don't get notified by email when there is a new post to this thread so be patient if I dont respond back right away. 

For those interested or that may be in the area and feel like jamming just shoot me an email (above). THanks All!!

Matt

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## Keith Owen

Matt, I live in town but am just a beginner mandolinist. I am currently taking lessons myself.

I would call Bobby Shilling at the Guitar Studio and see if he knows of anybody who would like to play that sort of stuff. He very well may. My son takes lessons from him, he's a good guy and a real good rhythm guitarist as well.

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## mandolinman44

Thanks Barney94. I will do that. For some reason, Bobby Shilling's name sounds familiar.

Just out of curiosity, who are you getting lessons from?

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## monk

> Matt
> 
> I watched a couple of your videos on youtube and I thought they were great. I live in Nacogdoches which is as far or further than Houston from College Station. I play in a couple of groups here, one of which plays a wide assortment of music like you're describing; celtic, ragtime, french canadian, latin and folk. The 3rd member of our trio just moved to Indiana so we've got an open slot. The distance from Nac to CS is too great to be able to practice weekly and to gig in both areas.
> 
> Have you ever heard of the Camp Street Cafe in Crockett TX? They have some of the best acoustic artists in the area. If you were to visit and introduce your self to Pipp and Guy Gillette (the Gillette Bro) they might be able to put you in touch with someone.
> 
> www.campstreetcafe.com
> 
> 
> ...


I second your comments about Kelly Lancaster. He is a great guy and fantastic picker. He is competing on mandolin at Winfield this year. He is up there now. 

And Matt good luck finding a band. You should attract some very talented pickers.

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## Keith Owen

Matt - I'm taking from Gary Potter

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## Daniel Wheeler

whats up matt...i finally made one of these...hmmm interesting...o and i know kelly...hes...interesting

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## Keith Owen

Hey Matt - do you know of a good mando setup guy around College Station?

The action on my mando is high at the nut and I want to get it looked at by someone who knows what they are doing...if you know anybody, let me know.

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## David Newton

Matt.
Texas Pickin Park, Fayetteville Tx. Friday 10-19 6pm
Be there.
Dave.

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## mandolinman44

> Hey Matt - do you know of a good mando setup guy around College Station?
> 
> The action on my mando is high at the nut and I want to get it looked at by someone who knows what they are doing...if you know anybody, let me know.


Hey Barney, sorry for the late response. I havn't been on in a while. I do not know of any good set up guys around College Station. I am needing some fret work done to my Collings. Does any one know of a good luthier close, possibly in the Austin area?

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## mandolinman44

> Matt.
> Texas Pickin Park, Fayetteville Tx. Friday 10-19 #6pm
> Be there.
> Dave.


Bummer , I bet that was pretty cool. Is that an annual, weekly, or monthly thing?

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