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RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
[This is my second attempt at sending this LONG email which took me half an hour to write. The first time I did it, it disappeared into cyberdump. Here goes.]
Pour yourself a vino, sit back, relax and listen to my David Russell story...
Back in the 1970s I had spent a few years unemployed (thanks Maggie!), but spent my time learning classical guitar. One day I came home to my flat after having been away for a few days. As I opened the front door, my guitar came floating towards me on the top of about three feet of water. The mains had burst a couple of days before. I lost everything. Suddenly the postman arrived with my social security cheque (35 pounds!). I dried out my guitar, cashed the cheque and hitch-hiked to Spain...
I spent six months busking in the street playing my repertoire of mainly Spanish music (Tarrega, Albeniz, Granados, etc and Bach). I visited Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Malaga and even Torre Molinos! I met a few guitarists who showed me some flamenco, but it was WAY too frightening for me then to take any further. I slept rough on the streets, but managed to raise enough money to get a flight back to London.
In London I went to The London Guitar Studio, run by Juan Tejiro (? wrong spelling, I’m sure). It was just the two of us in the shop on a rainy Monday morning. After six months on the road (literally) I was playing with a lot of fluidity and ease. After 20 minutes or so, Juan turned to me and said: ‘Do you have a teacher?’. I said no, and he gave me a note with the name and phone number of David Russell, whom I had never heard of. So I found myself in Golders Green, getting a lesson from this nobody! I played really well (can’t recall what I played) but, man, he really turned me over! In a very gentle way, of course, he just tore me apart. But he must have seen some hope, as he asked me to return in three months. During that three months I found out all about this nobody, and when I returned I was a nervous wreck! I played terribly! The worst I’ve ever played...and he suggested I get a local teacher (the ultimate insult!!).
Since then I’ve seen David Russell many times in concert and rate him the greatest classical player of his generation. And I hope none of you entertain the idea that classical guys can’t improvise. This guy can, brilliantly in any style or period.
[This is the short version of the original letter, which was MUCH better ]
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
Wow, Ron, great story I had no idea. Well, a little maybe since I did see those old pictures of you. Yeah, that guys technique is so SOLID. That's how I want to play. Full tone, fluidity and strength and live rhythm. He's good man, he could have been a flamenco player
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
Mike, The above post is from Rob MacKillop, not me. (Ron.M) He's a great player of early Scottish lute music and has taught in the Royal Academy plus touring Europe, Japan etc. Here's a review of his latest album....
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Ron.M)
I never knew about that review, Ron. I find the whole thing about publicity, reviews, self promotion, somewhat embarassing. I now just play for myself and a few friends. In fact I no longer play the lute, and am perfectly happy with my status as novice flamenco student. So please, no more about Rob the lute player, and more (if anything at all) about Rob the crap flamenco guitarist ! (working on it, though... )
Posts: 6440
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Rob)
Nice story, Rob. Next time, compose your message in Note Pad and cut and paste. It's safer for long messages as your session will time out on this site after 45 mins.
Mike - David Russell is considered one of the worlds finest classical guitarists, where have you been?
BTW, Rob, - I did wonder reading some of the previous posts whether this was THE Rob MacKillop, and not just any old Rob Mackillop Welcome to the forum! Do you still play much classical guitar? Your name used to pop up on some of the classical guitar forums, you're a friend of Stanley Yates, I believe?
I seem to remember some discussion a while back about a CD of traditional Scottish guitar music ('Gitar'?) you recorded.
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
Geez, ROB, so sorry, man. It's just that my original post was a bit of a jab at Ron--I was pretending to be incredulous that there was such a thing as a good Scottish guitar player...and then... I also knew that RON had spent some tight times in Spain as well!
But thanks for that story, it's great. I wonder what Russell would think of your playing nowadays!
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Jon Boyes)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Jon Boyes
Do you still play much classical guitar? Your name used to pop up on some of the classical guitar forums, you're a friend of Stanley Yates, I believe?
I seem to remember some discussion a while back about a CD of traditional Scottish guitar music ('Gitar'?) you recorded.
Jon
OK, I'll answer this one, and then please no more about El Ud.
I am friendly with Stan Yates - one of the good guys. I don't play classical guitar - haven't done for ten years or so. Having said that, I must admit that I do have a wonderful Simon Ambridge Panormo copy (for a project I never got round to doing) which is one of the best guitars I've ever played. But I have no time for it now. It is less than two years old and is for sale.
One of my discs is 'Twelve Divertimentis for the Guittar by James Oswald (1710-1769)' on the ASV Gaudeamus label. It was the first CD devoted to the so-called English Guitar, or wire-strung 'guittar'. Simple but beautifully elegant music somwhere between Carolan, Sanz and Sor, if that is possible.
RE: Some Scottish people CAN play gu... (in reply to Rob)
quote:
Back to that Soleares...
Right on, Rob....keep it mean, beautiful and in the Swamp. The more and more I get into Flamenco, the less and less I find the "pyrotechnics" lastingly satisfying. Gimme a "gallas" basic Gitano Bulerias anytime. LOL!
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