Happy 90th Birthday Pete Seeger

My apologies for being  12days late to recognize your birthday, Pete.  You have been an inspiration to me since the first time I heard you sing...I believe it was on PBS in the early 1970s.  

To my best recollection, this is the very first Pete Seeger tune I remember hearing.  Strangely, it makes me feel warm and hopeful.  

For fans of the show "Weeds", here's the original version of "Little Boxes":

May you always be accompanied by peace, love and harmony.

World's Fastest Banjo

Todd Taylor is the Guinness Book of World Record's fastest banjo player. Has anyone ever noticed what a wonderful instrument the banjo is? Has anyone ever noticed what a wonderful instrument I thing the banjo is? Todd has an very recognizable style: butt-fast and smooooooth.



You can click on Todd Taylor's name to view one of his sites, or you can click here.

Morning Music - Mercedes

Mercedes Landazuri is an accomplished banjoist specializing in traditional jazz and Brazilian bossa nova. She currently resides in Chicago and teaches immigrant seniors to ballroom dance, teaches ESL at a Mexican university and teaches guitar to children in the burbs. She says she works at a print shop to make extra money.

(Photo by Jeff Callen - www.jeffcallenphoto.com)

I stumbled across her YouTube site a number of months ago and have featured her before. Here she is singing 'I Will Survive' on the banjo ukulele. I find her music to be original in its approach and her voice sincere and sweet.





I would love for her to study and play with John Millard just to see what might evolve. My favorite Millard tune: Hollow Man.