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Thread: Dash Crofts

  1. #1
    Registered User Tosh Marshall's Avatar
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    Default Dash Crofts

    You don't see Seals & Crofts mentioned here very often. Their early albums are great and I just love these clips from California Jam 1974.....

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  3. #2
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Tosh,

    Those are great videos. Thanks for posting them. Hearing Seals and Crofts records in the early 70's was my first introduction to the mandolin and it got me interested in learning to play the "coolest little instrument in the world". 39 years later I am still at it

    Cheers,
    Alan Epstein

  4. #3
    Registered User Eric Hanson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I too got turned on to a cool video of them. A couple of friends of mine and I are learning the song "Summer Breeze". I would love to know the fingerings he is using on this so I could play it better. If anyone has any ideas please PM me or share it here.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPLfD...eature=related

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    Registered User TheMandoKit's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Ouch, this makes me feel old. Got my start on mando because of these guys. I was playing guitar and singing with my (then) girlfriend, and we learned some S&C songs, but they didn't sound right with just two guitars. So, it was on to the mandolin. Haven't thought about S&C in a long time, but I saw them live in either '74 or '75.
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    Registered User Benski's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I have to say I mirror Alan's story: heard Seals and Crofts and said to myself "what the heck is that cool little instrument that does both percussiona and all that beautiful filigree work?" Went and bought a 1914 Gibson A and my love affair with the mando, which has happily endured for 40 years now, began.............

    I wonder if Dash Crofts knows how many people would tell you the same or similar story.

    The other person that helped seduce me from guitar to mando was Jim Messina (Loggins and Messina Best of Friends album). His mandolin part in "Be Free" just mesmerized me.

    Magical time for acoustic music back then...........
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  7. #6
    Willie Marsh papa willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    About 4 months after taking up mandolin, some very good friends (recording artists and working muscians) invited me to a dinner and jam session. They told me that a good mando player would be showing up and I might be able to learn a little. To make a long story short it was Dash Croft. he had an old Gibson that he had paid $125 for someplace and he said that although he owned maybe 12 others it was by far his favorite, it's the only instrument he recorded with. Great guy and a lot of fun.

  8. #7
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Wow ... Dash Crofts just blew me away in those videos! I didn't know he could play like that!

  9. #8
    Registered User Tosh Marshall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Willie, he uses the Gibson in Hummingbird, great vocals, music was great back then.....enjoy.

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    Registered User Dan Margolis's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I recently revisited their first album, the only one that I know. It has "Ridin' Thumb", among other great tunes--a truly fine album. I heard them live at the University of Hartford in the early 70's, and I recall them doing an excellent show.
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  11. #10
    Willie Marsh papa willie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Tosh, He told me, at the time, that any of his recorded albums were done with the Gibson

  12. #11

    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I had the pleasure of doing a little work on Dash's old Gibson a few years back just before he moved to TX. (From TN). He told me the same thing... that Gibson was used on all the old Seals and Crofts' recordings. That day he brought along Jim and Dan Seals ....a room full of talent..and history. Seals and Crofts got me started playing mando to.

  13. #12
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    saw their first ever show at the Filmore East... didn't know who they were. later got to meet them as i "accidentally" wandered into the CBS studios in NYC during a show they were taping with Bill Withers... all those cats were HUGE stars at the time and were very gracious and chill... i was just a teenage punk at the time but a big fan. now i'm a much older punk and still a fan! Dash was a Gibson guy all the way...

  14. #13

    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Yeah, me too with Dash influencing my love of the mandolin. I wrote him a letter about 10 years ago, and he was nice enough to respond. What a great player and person. He did a solo album, Dash Crofts Today, and S&C did one about 6 yrs. ago called Traces. Hope we can encourage Dash to do the classical album he was thinking of with Louie Shelton or maybe even get together with Jimmy Seals again. He's still got it!

  15. #14

    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Count me in as one who's music career was started by listening to Seals and Crofts. Awesome musicians way ahead of the pop culture then. I would love to meet Dash!

  16. #15
    Registered User Jim Ferguson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    That was a great, however brief, article about Dash Crofts from Jazzmando.com and the video of "High on a Mountain" from the 1974 California Jam concerts was awesome. That and other videos of Dash really do show his versatility on the mandolin and I agree with the article that he is long overdue for recognition as an excellent mandolin player and a mandolin pioneer in the pop-rock genre of music.
    After watching the "High on a Mountain" video I went and watched several other California Jam videos of Seals & Crofts and a bunch of other videos on You Tube (there are quite a few) and Dash is a master of the mandolin for sure.
    I saw Seals in Crofts a couple of times in the mid 70s and in one smaller venue I was right up front a mere 20 feet from he & Jimmy Seals and remember being mesmerized by Dash's mandolin playing & his voice. I was 14 years old at that time and Dash is the reason I am a mandolin player today.
    Peace,
    Jim

  17. #16
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Maybe we should see if Dash will do an interview for the Cafe...

  18. #17
    Registered User Bruce Evans's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Thanks for bringing back some memories. When I saw the title of your post the cover of their first album immediately came to mind. I've got it in the bin of LPs in the basement. I enjoyed watching all the YouTubes, but was a bit disappointed that I couldn't find my favorite cut from that album; Ashes In the Snow. I just added another title to my gotta-learn-this-one list.

  19. #18
    Site founder Scott Tichenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Thanks to Ted at JazzMando.com for turning us back onto these cats. I was a punky college kid when all this came out. So familiar but it was totally off my radar for mandolin content. Check this video where he's playing an F:


  20. #19
    Chief Moderator/Shepherd Ted Eschliman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I just downloaded his 2000 solo CD, "Today," off iTunes. Can't get enough of it. How did this one get by us???
    I would love to interview him if anyone knows how I could catch up with him, please PM me.

    Meantime, buy this CD, you won't be disappointed!
    Ted Eschliman

    Author, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin

  21. #20
    Site founder Scott Tichenor's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I've been listening to clips of that, too. Darn good stuff and he most definitely still has the magic. Is anyone else from this era transported back to sweat and beer smelling college bars of the 70s and 25 cent beers when they hear this music? Refreshing break from the disco fever of the time. And the girls back then... Oy... move on, dad. You have a daughter approaching that age...

  22. #21
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Just wanted to add this one someone posted the link to - might as well have them all here for comparison and enjoyment




    And also this Loggins & Messina clip someone else mentioned - some nice mandolin from Jim Messina



    For the life of me I can't remember whether I made the 100 mile trek from Wisconsin to Chicago to see Seals And Crofts in 1973 or 1974 or just wanted to so badly. I remember making it in for The Band with Taj Mahal opening. Blasted wimpy grey matter!

    And to tell the truth, I'm not sure it really registered with me that there was a mandolin in their music: hearing only their singles on the radio, never seeing them on TV - and I'm betting not live either (I'd think I'd remember) - not owning their records at the time so not familiar with album cuts where mandolin was featured more prominently and/or more acoustically. Younger people might not understand how life was when there was not such a plethora of information available via home computers and this interweb thingy.
    Last edited by journeybear; Jun-27-2010 at 10:16am. Reason: further runimations and sputtering browser
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  23. #22
    Registered User Cheryl Watson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I was just a little kid when "Summer Breeze" was released. I loved these guys. Funky, musical, with all the dynamics that are usually missing in mainstream music today. I had no idea that they used a mandolin--heck, back then, I did not even know about mandolins.

  24. #23
    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Actually, Scott, I'm transported back to high school by Seals and Crofts music!
    ...and to some of the bands I played in in the 70s with some Seals and Crofts music in the repertoire. I always considered them a cut above much of the popular music, but the presence of the mandolin didn't register as much with me in those days... I was a rock and roll drummer then.
    I'm glad this thread came along to remind me that Dash Crofts played mandolin as much as he did in those days. I hadn't really thought about it for years.

  25. #24
    Registered User Tosh Marshall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    I think that is one interview you have to do Scott.......
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  26. #25
    Registered User Jim Ferguson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Dash Crofts

    Hi Ted......when this thread got going a couple of days ago I sent a message to Dash on Face Book re: the interview idea. No word back from him yet. He is on Face Book so you can send him a message if you wish.
    Peace,
    Jim

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