The Steel Guitar Forum

Can't get a better groove and feel than Bemsha Swing.

Now that is one deep pocket.

Wonder what Monk would have thought of this?
My take? In a word, exquisite!
Thank you Mike

Mike,
The entire album is fabulous! Thanks for everything you did
to make it.

My wife and I had just watched the film Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser, that night we listened to the
Steelonius download for the first time.

Yeah You Right!

Thanks for the comments everyone!

'Stilling loving this record! My favorite (today) is "Ask Me Now."

Yo Mike,

Great job. Kudos.

I am familiar with all these tunes and enjoy hearing your fresh interpretations and arrangements.

Glad I supported this project. Kickstarter is a wonderful thing.

Keep up the great work.

All the best,

Bob

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm really trying to promote this recording in the hopes that I can continue down this path with more quality recordings and some concert dates all over the place. Getting the record done was just step one. I'm already working on arrangements for the next record, which I'm not going to talk about yet.

I appreciate the support and would love it if you could tell your friends about it.

Anyone who pre-orders the CD will have download access within 24 hours. We're not selling downloads only at this time, but will be in two weeks.

Crickets....

Mike,
the crickets will turn into fireworks, as soon as I can download

Just listened to a couple of tracks on my PC here at work. Great stuff. I can hardly wait to get home and listen on a "real" stereo.
I went back and re-read this thread. I was surprised to see that Mike used one instrument and one tuning. That's amazing to me.

Mike, some sound samples on the pre-order page might (ahem), kickstart more orders.

Andy Volk wrote:Mike, some sound samples on the pre-order page might (ahem), kickstart more orders.

That's a good point, Andy. However, I am still investigating whether I need licensing rights for putting up streaming sound clips. I have purchased the rights for the CDs and for permanent digital downloads, but not streaming rights. I was advised to play by the book because they will be looking at this, especially since it is an all Monk recording.

When it is eventually available on iTunes, I know that they have clips. I'm just not sure of the fine details.

Update: I was able to confirm with my licensing agent that use of clips would need to be covered by streaming licensing--water I'm not ready to wade into at this point in time.

I wonder if you could post a video edit that's a contiguous cut that features a selected 30 secs from each cut? Does that count as a stream?

Mike - Just wanted to add my congratulations on a terrific and unique work. If I could write with Andy Volk's insight, I would have written the first post in this thread. I'd be happy to help kickstart a second project, but I'm sure that won't be necessary...

Hope to see you at a live gig supporting this recording.

As much as I liked the demos (I really liked them), I'm not sure that they're representative of the album.
I liked all of Mike's parts, particularly the bass, as it was listening to the featured artist interpreting Monk, fresh, raw tracks.
The album is a different thing, different players in an ensemble.

The finished parts aren't the same, but having them all worked into a really good production is the transformation of a record.
Understanding that the old tracks were demos, I was expecting a difference that a prospective buyer might not be able to appreciate.

I'd recommend posting over in the Steel Players section... I knew nothing about this album. just happened to click on this section of the forum which I don't usually do.

amazing album Mike! you're kind of my hero at the moment

I gave in and got a streaming license, so previews are available for all tracks here: http://www.steelinstruction.com/?page_id=257

Congrats! Sounds awesome!

Yikes! FINALLY I had a chance to dig in. Very, very nice - I was especially impressed by the variety of tones and... strategies? AKA Melody-generating ideas AKA "tricks"; meaning the solos are DIFFERENT from each other! This is less common than one might think. I did think I detected a certain unifying "Hawiian-ness" as well as serving the song moreso than "I'm kicking ass!" I'd LOVE to hear him communing with Brandin of the Vanduras. I KNOW I've got my pineapple in here somewhere....

Mike, Mike, Mike....

I'm diggin' into it for the 20th + time and there is so much under the surface to be discovered that just blows me away every time I listen.
As David points out it is not a Steel guitar "hot lick" recording. It is grooves and feels with a high level of musicianship, a strong focus on a band sound and rhythm.
The band is outstanding to say the least and of course I focus on the steel the most, but all the pockets are subtly taken care of, rhythm support is there and beyond. The fact that no guitar is present reinforces the groove.

Also to point out, the song order is just perfect. Which can be tough to nail. By the middle of the recording your in deep. The mood swings , and change of feels is a ride with Mike. The monotony of Off Minor into the melancholy of Ugly Beauty just really set up the emotions.

The vision of the project is probably the most amazing to me. I figured Mike would have some killer solos (which he does) and some cool licks but it's so much deeper than that. I've said it before, but this recording points out ..Mike you are far more than a great steel player , your a great musician playing the steel.

I'm proud of you my friend.

Oh yeah.... the descending run(3:40) and quick hammer on on Ugly Beauty has the tightness of Murph( just discovered that) but is all your own.

O.K back to listening .......

Really enjoyed the diverse sounds you went for from the instrument.

Sometimes being here on the other side of the pond really can bite when I know it'll be hard to ever get to see you live.

[quote="

The vision of the project is probably the most amazing to me. I figured Mike would have some killer solos (which he does) and some cool licks but it's so much deeper than that. I've said it before, but this recording points out ..Mike you are far more than a great steel player , your a great musician playing the steel.

[/quote]

Totally agree. I've played the album through a few times through while working and I too soon realised that this was more than a steel guitarist playing some good tunes. It is a great musician playing the steel guitar and creating wonderful textures and moods.

Credit where it's due Mike this is a great album that pushes the envelope out for lap steel .

Dave

Hi all,
I mostly just wanted to take the opportunity to bump this thread back to the top in case anybody here doesn't know about this record yet. The CD has been on "perma-loop" in my car, and holy finger-picks, Mike, this album is beginning to change the way I envision myself as a player. I am not a big jazz guy, but there is just so much subtle brilliance in these performances, and I'm starting to hear some of it influencing my playing. So many fine moments, but one place that makes me hoot every time it comes up is around 3:10 in Blue Monk where you seem to be just channelling BB King. Steel does that? Ya, guess it does. Thanks, Mike, for this beautiful piece of work.

Mike this CD is fantastic! But, I knew it would be..

It's all I've listened to since I got the digital download. I took a little road trip last weekend and played it over and over again! In fact, I'm listening to Bemsha swing right now!

It's also given me a new appreciation for Monk's music.

I love to hear steel guitar in the realm of Jazz.

The CD cover is cool too. I like the how the fretboard of the guitar is artistically viewed as a reflection in your shades!

Mike, you hit one out of the ballpark with Steelonious!

Downloaded it yesterday and have listened to it twice since, and certainly will do so many more times in the coming days. It's really perfect all around. I'm not a jazz guy, and know pretty much nothing about the source material, but I do know that I loved really everything on the album.

The steel guitar parts are perfect of course, but you did a nice job with the arrangements - letting the other players take key lead parts, etc. It really keeps the album moving and keeps the interest level high. And, they all seem to be monster players in their own right.

It's diverse, but not so much as to seem disjointed. And the mix and master job is fantastic. Everything sounds clear and natural, without being sterile.

Congrats on a fine piece of art, Mike!