It's the winter holiday season again (or summer if you're south of the equator like I wish I was about this time every year). And that means everybody and their grandmother is out to separate you from some of your cash.
I have a deal like that too, but I also have this one: some free music for your new year celebrating (and inebriating!):
You can get it using the Download link on the player widget above. What? You're blotto and can't nail that little sucker? Well then...
Another version of Auld Lang Syne!!
WHY O Lord... WHY??
Well, judge, it was like this... the Banjo Hangout decided to run a contest with some spiffy prizes for the 2013 holiday season. To enter, you had to submit a video of yourself playing Auld Lang Syne on the banjo. This is what I came up with for my entry.
I took a strategic approach. I watched the vids of half a dozen early entries, and all they did was to play ALS several times through, the same way every time. "Ha! Those guys will be boring the voters to death," thought I. So I decided on a sure-fire way to grab their attention, garner votes, and win a spiffy prize.
I wove in a bit of Loch Lomond in the middle. And tossed in piano with thick chords. And played some jazzy little riffs on the banjo. The result was banjo the way Earl definitely didn't play it.
I didn't win any of the spiffy prizes. The guy who took top honors played it just like Earl would have. On The Beverly Hillbillies. (And they complain that we can't shake off the Deliverance image!)
But seriously, folks, I did have fun arranging, recording and producing this. I invite you to grab this freebie and play it when celebrating the new year this year and every year... or any time you've knocked back a few single malts and are feelin' sentimental.
I say, barman... two of Scotch neat if you please!
VARIOUS CREDITS:
- Robert MacPalomo: guitar, banjo, piano, mandolin, bass, etc. etc.
- Engineered and mixed by Bob MacPalomo at Total Chaos Studio, Toksovo, Russia.
- Mastered by Robbie MacPalomo using Izotope stuff.
- Robert Burns painting courtesy of Robert Burns Dumfries Museum (Creative Commons)
- Glass of Scotch courtesy of The Macallan - mm, mmm, mmmm.
What? You still here?
Then you can watch the video that didn't win the BHO contest, but which did net me a couple of marriage proposals which I declined because none of the proposers lived in Barbados and were desirous of supporting an aging banjo player in the style to which he would like to become accustomed.