Ask Ed!

Great sound, I love the traditional sound. Too bad we have to use the word traditional before we say bluegass. What would Bill M think?

11/12/07 Hello again friends, fans and family. My mandolin instructional DVD will be in hand Thanksgiving weekend! I have chosen to describe and instruct on three tunes, Poor Wayfaring Stranger, Virginia Waltz and Paddy on the Turnpike. Please check out the Store section and buy a copy today. (Shipping will start the Monday after Thanksgiving)

We had a great time doing this DVD and have learned a lot. The next one will be even better. Please let me know which tunes you are interested in learning and I’l add them to the list for the second DVD.

Things just keep getting better at the Willowbrook Ale House, three Thursday’s a month Blue & Lonesome takes the stage with new material. We are recording as we go and will have a LIVE CD to deliver by early next year. The first Thursday of every month George Goodell joins the band on banjo. We have unexpected guests nearly every week you never know who might just walk through that door and end up on stage for a number or two.

Come on down, check my calendar for a venue near you. Come on up and say “Hello”

Welcome to Ask Ed, this is a feature where you can post a question directly to Ed. Depending on the frequency of the questions Ed will determine the frequency of his answers. If he gets lots of questions he will post daily. We’ll see.

Also Ed intends to use this space as a BLOG. Be sure to check here on Fridays for comments about the Thursday night gig ,  what’s coming for the weekend and random thoughts! 

7/5/07 Well it has been a few weeks and time to write a few details. The Grass Valley Father’s Day festival has come and gone and once again left lasting memories. Sunday Del and the boys were gracious enough to ask me on stage to twin fiddle with Jason, whew exciting and exhilarating!

Adobe Creek Bluegrass played the Sunday afternoon set  to a loyal crowd and is very encouraged with the response.

But the memorable time for me was the Sunday night JAM. Playing twin fiddle with Jason Carter and jamming with Ronnie, Robbie, Dan Pailsey, Mike Bub, Alan Bartram and all the others who jumped in for a number or two, was a mighty experience.

Other news of note -  Lone Prairie has let CD number two escape -  Back on the Dusty Trail is now available. Look for details on the CD release party on my calendar.

Ed Neff and Friends continues to have a great time every Thursday night at the Willowbrook Ale House in Petaluma. The audience has enjoyed some truly remarkable sit ins. Recently we have had Richard and Julay Brandenberg, George Goodell, Johnathon Sheely and a visit by Sue Shelaky Walters (Twin fiddles with Sue and Paul were exciting) Look for Craig Wilson to be here soon and you never know who just might show up. 

Adobe Creek recently played the NEW Bluegrass venue in Petaluma Finbar Devine’s.  Be sure to catch a show there. 

Oh I’ve been asked about my DVD’s. In Process!! I will announce in a month or two just which tunes will be available and when.

5/24 Well here is another in the “Not quite Weekly Blog entries”!  What a surprise we had at the Willowbrook Ale House, Matsuo Sasabe from The Japanese Bluegrass Band sat in all evening. Matsuo plays guitar and sings lead, baritone and tenor. Ed first met and played the good music with Matsuo in 1986 on Ed’s first trip to Japan. Soon we will post some photos from the show.  Also long time friend and guitar player Joel Diamond showed up and played a couple of tunes.

You just never know who might come in and play a tune or two.

5/6/07 Last night 5/5 The Del mcCoury Band played at the Mystic theatre in Petaluma. A great venue to see live music, it has a combination of tables & chairs, chairs and open space for standing or dancing. The stage is large and well lit.

It’s a good thing it is a large stage because after about an hour of Del’s regular set he was joined on stage by myself (EN),  David Grissman and Frank Wakefield. I  doubled fiddle with Jason Carter. Ronnie, Frank and David tripled the mandolin, it occured to me that it was an interesting legends of the mandolin for sure representing three generations of the bluegrass style of mandolin. Frank who was around and playing when David as just being introduced to the music and Ronnie learned from both and represents the best of the new generation.

The three mandolinists offered a variety of solos’s, duo and trio work, also David’s son Sam joined the group for a number on the bass.

The energy was unstoppable a great time was had by all, the audience and those of us on the stage. One one those “One in a Million” nights! Hopefully some photos will be posted soon.