Another video from the Redbud Tree House Concert.  This gem was written by Gordon Bonham and is on his new album, “Soon in the Morning” which is available on CD Baby, iTunes, and his website: gordonbonham.com.  For you mandolinists interested in blues improvisation, I had never played this song w/ him before this evening.  You’ll notice in the first 12 bars, I didn’t have the backup riff that I slowly developed in the second set of 12 bars.  There’s one point you can see me hearing the open E against the low B and F (part of G7 chord).  This E creates a G7 13 chord, which I shamelessly exploit through the rest of the tune.  The solo was built around the G blues scale w/ mindfulness of the chords.  Go out and buy Gordon’s album! Warning, it’s all electric blues.

Video by Mark Sneegas

This video demonstrates the love I have for Gordon Bonham.  I’ve jammed or performed w/ Gordon for around 20 years.  However, there is something quite outstanding w/ our acoustic duo that is evident on a night when we’re really “on.”  This concert, filmed at a Redbud Tree House Concert in Indianapolis January 2012, was such a night.  I recently received both video and audio copies of this concert and my butt has been kicked.  That night justifies why I still try to go out and play even though my time to do so is very limited.

This song is the classic Blind Faith (Steve Winwood/Eric Clapton) tune.  We’d been doing this for a few years when I heard a great version on a Ron Ickes (bluegrass dobroist) record w/ Joe Cravens on mandolin and Tim O’Brien on vocal.  God, the Joe Cravens mandolin on that recording boggles the mind.  The rhythmic emphasis I use I got from the Joe Cravens approach; the rest is just good old fashion rock/blues playing.

Video by Mark Sneegas