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Thread: The Mandocrucian's Digest

  1. #1
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    Default The Mandocrucian's Digest

    The cafe cover story.

    I count myself as a flagship subscriber to this publication, all those years ago. Have every issue. Originally titled Galactic Crossroads (still have a T shirt with that logo), this soft paper rag was/is a gold-mine of all things mandolin. Tunes, technique, personality exposes, record reviews, opinion, letters.

    John McGann had a regular column on Jazz/Blues. He would transcribe be-bop lines (Cannonball Adderley, Bird, Miles Davis), Tiny Moore, etc. John Baldry contributed fantastic solos through the years, with deft analysis of the lines - he would say 'here is a John Duffey 9th run, as done on such-and-such record', or 'this measure sports a Randy Graham lick', etc. Niles himself wrote technique columns. If an issue featured an artist, there was usually a sample of their work - Jimmy Gaudreau solos, Akira Otsuka (Delinquent Minor, a very hip tune), Peter Ostrushko, many others. All examples/transcriptions were carefully done in notation and TAB.

    I recently scanned to the computer most of the musical passages in the issues, for ease of retrieval. Probably have 50+ .pdf files of various tunes, exercises, transcriptions.

    Run and buy the back issues, they're great.

  2. #2
    wannabe mandolin wizzard bluesmandolinman's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Quote Originally Posted by AlanN View Post
    Run and buy the back issues, they're great.
    I´ll second that !
    Great content for a very reasonable price
    Carl Martin - Everyday I have the Blues

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  4. #4

    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Great magazine. I still have several issues from around 1990. I also purchased a Mystic order of the Mandocrucian T-shirt w/ the winged mando image. The best mando shirt I've ever seen. It was beautifully done w/ Burgandy for the mando and gold for the pattern aroung the image. I had my mom use it in a quilt she made for me. Perhaps Niles could reissue the shirt. I'm sure it would sell well. I would buy two.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Here's a question for Niles. How much for the entire back catalog of Mandocrucian? It's probably out of my price range, but I'm curious.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Niles, I have the same question.

    Thanks
    Bob
    re simmers

  7. #7
    Still a mandolin fighter Mandophyte's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Niles,
    Ditto, but for UK slow delivery.
    Cheers
    John

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    Martin Stillion mrmando's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    $88.70 shipped for the 24 available issues.
    Emando.com: More than you wanted to know about electric mandolins.

    Notorious: My Celtic CD--listen & buy!

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    Registered User jim simpson's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    I miss my old mandocrucian t-shirt. The best part was being asked what a mandocrucian was.
    I had a friend and bandmate who lived on the same road (in Quakertown, PA) that a Rosicrucian compound was on.
    Old Hometown, Cabin Fever String Band

  11. #11
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Comes out to < $4 per issue, a real bargain. The amount of music, exercises, technique builders in those issues is literally more than enough to keep Peter Piper picking away!

  12. #12
    Site founder Scott Tichenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    This is rumored to be the anniversary of the official first publication date of the Digest in 1986. For those of you that have not seen it, Niles has a collection of every cover (I believe) saved as one of his image albums. Pretty remarkable collection worth the effort to visit. I was a subscriber!

    See it

  13. #13

    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Are paper copies still available? The link supplied in post #8 no longer works.

    Thanks,
    ------------
    David D.
    Marietta, GA

  14. #14
    Site founder Scott Tichenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Quote Originally Posted by pickerdd View Post
    Are paper copies still available? The link supplied in post #8 no longer works.

    Thanks,
    http://www.users.waitrose.com/~john..../hokkanen.html

  15. #15

    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Thanks!
    ------------
    David D.
    Marietta, GA

  16. #16

    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    I still have all of the issues, it is/was a great publication, as is all of Niles' stuff. Definitely worth their weight in gold.

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  18. #17
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    I also liked his two books "The Pentatonic Mandolin" and "Bluegrass Up the Neck".....found both very helpful.
    I see those are still available via the link.

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  20. #18
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    And don't forget the 3 cool little books he did of Doyle Lawson, Rick Skaggs, Jimmy Gaudreau recorded solos. Well done works, with soloing insight, advice, licks. Tough to find, sometimes seen on ebay, can be pricey, but worth it!

  21. #19
    Mandolin addicted...So? Pete Counter's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Is the doyle lawson book still available anywhere? ANYWHERE?

  22. #20
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    This thread resurrection made me go and look back on Niles' magazine, came up with this gem, from the late JM. This is the kind of stuff that was regularly featured in the rag (hope Niles doesn't mind the reference here, not including the McGann transcriptions, just the in-front text...some of which could actually apply to John himself...)

    Tribute·to Tiny Moore
    The great electric:. mandolinist Tiny Moore passed on late last night. He left behind
    a legacy of swinging improvised solos and great "sect ion" work that every mandolin/
    music fan should hear.
    As a member of Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Tiny was not only a featured soloist,
    but. also an innovator, of the three-part harmony section work (electric mandolin/
    guitar( steer guitar) wnich emulated the riffing of big-band saxophone sections.
    I've selected several solos from THETIFFANYTRANSCRIPTIONS,a seven-volume Kaleidoscope
    Records series, featuring recorded-far-radio broadcast performances of Bob Wills
    & The Texas Playboys. [Ka1iedoscope Records, Box O. El Cerrito. CA 94530] I chose
    these solos as good examples of Tiny's bluesy swinging playing. (He can also be heard
    on TINY IIlORE MUSIC and BACKTO BACK(w. Jethro Burns). both on Kaleidoscope. & various
    Bob Wills and Merle Haggard albums. He has a gues.t spot on 6RISIWI • GRAPEl.U L1YE. too.)
    These solos are very mandC)linistic (they lie well· on the instrument) and are fun to
    play. They can also. teach you a lot about swing feeling. phrasing. And they sound great
    on acoustic mandolin as well! Bob Wills called it "the biggest little instnJment in
    the world!" In Tiny's hanlls,it was also the Classiest!
    ."Beaumont Rag" (~rom VOL. 4: YOU'~ FROMTEXAS. Kaleidoscope F-21): A great zig-zag
    opemnq phrase. rentntscent of sax styhst Coleman Hawkins. You'll also see that b9/13
    phrase on the last two beats of the 2nd bar; in C it's A over C7. I love the "skip·
    (large interval jump) in bar 8 on the F7 chord.
    "Tlke The A Train" (YOL.3) is a short swing solo which again uses the E/G7 arpC9-
    gio idea in measure 8.

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  24. #21
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Good day to remind everyone this is the anniversary of the publication of this marvelous little rag. I think it's about high time an issue should appear in electronic form

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  26. #22

    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    It is a great publication! I still have all the issues, every single one contains more mando info the should be allowed.

  27. #23
    Distressed Model John Ritchhart's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    I took some classes from Niles up in Virginia many years ago. Very interesting feller. At the time he was interested in how the human brain learned, plasticity, and muscle memory, so he was teaching himself to play left handed. Just for the exercise. I still play some of things he taught us. One is an O'Carolan tune called The Princess Royal. Good for Morris dancing. And good for picking on a cold and frosty morning. Thank you, Niles.
    We few, we happy few.

  28. #24
    Registered User lowtone2's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    Are the back issues still available? I had them all, now none, zero.

  29. #25
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Mandocrucian's Digest

    I believe that I was a charter subscriber to GCR as well as MD. I never throw anythng out so I have these somewhere. Because I nev4r throw anything out I can never find anything when I want it. Oh well...
    Jim

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