Happy Birthday Dr Matt, you screwball.
Sure was fun playing with these fellers (and drinking bourbon too)…
Fun and Games with the Fiddle in WV
May 29, 2023
music birthday, birthday pary, fiddle Leave a comment
Music Mode: Ritt and Wilder Release Hinge (with some fiddle)
May 19, 2022
art, film, music, photography bitter liberals, fiddle, gem, hinge, live music, music, new music, rhine, ritt deitz, where's aubrey, wilder deitz 2 Comments
My music has been on a COVID hiatus for way too long — only the occasional rain in the desert with Rhine or a Bitter Liberal or two. Fortunately, along came Ritt Deitz who just released a new album and did a four show tour to promote its release. Buy a copy of Hinge here.
I played two of the shows with Ritt and his son, multi-instrumentalist and talented child Wilder. The shows were great. Here are some bits.
Wilder Deitz plays mandolin
The DC date was actually in Vienna at Diego Ruiz’s house.
The lineup (near the end anyway)
An excellent place to play a house concert. Great people.
All temporary of course. As we are not of this world.
Cocktails by Bill Shepardson. Where did that doctor’s bag come from?
Wilder Deitz plays piano
No, mandolin. Wilder plays mandolin.
The feet
Wilder plays guitar
No wait, it’s piano that Wilder plays.
Some other fiddler
I did play, honest. But nobody was there to record said playing. He said he played. He played.
Sing it.
Then it was on to Wilmington, NC for a Sunday evening performance (close enough to the Stick to merit a long drive).
Feet up between sets
The venue was a fiddle shop of the highest caliber. Ronald Sachs for the win.
Who needs people? Music is enough. Right? Yes? Music is enough?
Nope. The people add the magic. Connect.
The mosquito green room.
On the stage again. The music was even better.
These people charge the batteries. Thank you, people.
Sing it.
Then it was over. More please.
Like a puppy on the beach.
Fin.
Nancy Griffith memorial
August 24, 2021
music, party concert, fiddle, gary mcgraw, gem, music, nanci griffith, NH, oopstock, video Leave a comment
During the 28th annual Oopstock, we spontaneously performed this version of Nanci Griffith’s song “Love at the Five and Dime” as a memorial. Nanci died the day before we performed this song.
Thanks for the music, Nanci.
House Concert in Fort Thomas with Ritt and Wilder Deitz (cincinnati)
October 22, 2019
music baby grand piano, cincinnati, fiddle, fort thomas, gem, house concert, kentucky, live music, music, original music, photography, ritt deitz, tessa killen, wilder deitz Leave a comment
Here are some pictures taken by Tessa Killen during a magical evening performance in the house concert series known as Parlor and Patio held in greater Cincinnati. The location and sound are ideal for an intimate evening—impressive attention to detail, warm and inviting hosts, and post show music (not to mention bourbon).
Ritt Deitz
More about the musicians, Ritt and Wilder Deitz and me.
Wilder Deitz on the actual wooden baby grand piano
Gary McGraw on the fiddle
In the action
Birthday Show in New Hampshire: Where’s Aubrey
February 26, 2018
music, party alstead, concert, fiddle, gary mcgraw, gem, leaf, mandolin, mole hill theatre, music, NH, original music, rhine, Rhine Singleton, where's aubrey Leave a comment
Where’s Aubrey
photo by Tom Singleton
What’s the best way to celebrate birthday 52? With a show in New Hampshire of course. Where’s Aubrey played a show in the middle of nowhere in New Hampshire for a receptive audience at the Mole Hill Theater. As always, we played a benefit performance, this time for the LEAF (nutritious lunch) program of a public charter school operating out of the same revamped machine shop where we played the show.
Alstead
A machine
We played our sets right next to a huge blue machine. Not sure what it actually used to do. Stamp out complete cars??
Where’s Aubrey and the big blue machine
The show was high energy and fun, one of the best we’ve played.
Where’s Aubrey: Gary McGraw and Rhine Singleton
Laying into the fiddle
Rhine sings
Mando and the big blue behemoth
Where’s Aubrey in Alstead, NH
no silly allowed? definitely no silly.
fiddle and the big blue behemoth
What kind of stuff does it take to play an acoustic act??
the stage
Well, to be fair, we played our two set show. Then after a break we electrified the whole thing with drums, bass, and electric guitar. The LEAF Cutters were born. Dancing happened. Much fun was had.
=====
A message from Rhine
Dear Friends and Music Lovers –
Because you and so many others turned out last Saturday night, we not only had a total blast playing music, we raised $1250 for the healthy lunches program at the LEAF school through donations at the door. The silent auction brought in another $1000, so the event truly was a smashing success!
And, you were a wonderful audience to play for. So, we’re sending our heartfelt thanks. Hope to see you at another music event before too long!
fin
Ritt Dietz Live
September 24, 2016
music fiddle, gem, music, photography, ritt dietz, wisconsin 1 Comment
Remember that Wisconsin gig? Me either.
But maybe these pictures will jog our collective memory??? Mr Ritt Dietz, it is a pleasure to play music with you. Big love.
Ritt Dietz and friends (including me on the fiddle)
If I Had a Boat covered by Ritt Dietz
Ritt’s band includes Wilder Dietz, his very talented son
Had a blast playing fiddle in Wisconsin
My bet is we’ll be doing this again!
Cheese! Music in Wisconsin
July 27, 2016
music cheese, concert, fiddle, gary mcgraw, gem, music, ritt dietz, wisonsin 3 Comments
Dropping off Eli at Beloit. And playing some music with Ritt. Woo hoo!
Where’s Aubrey in the Studio
February 17, 2015
music fiddle, gem, guitar, james muschler, mandolin, national media services, Rhine Singleton, tabla, video, violin, where's aubrey, will shenk 2 Comments
On a day that started with a very early drive by the frozen Shenandoah River, we headed to National Media Services to record an all new Where’s Aubrey CD. The songs were written in India, worked over in Italy, recombobulated in New Hampshire over several days, performed live in Virginia and were finally ready for the crucible that is the studio.
Will Shenk and Rhine Singleton prepping
Rhine Singleton of Where’s Aubrey
Will Shenk, the master sound engineer was once again a joy to work with.
Will Shenk setting up Gary McGraw
Just a few mics for this session. Gary McGraw of Where’s Aubrey/
The highlight of the day was the addition of James Muschler of Moon Hooch on the tabla. Just wow. So much fun to play with James!
James Muschler of Moon Hooch records with Where’s Aubrey
Now comes the engineering, which will take several weeks. And then a brand new CD!
Gently Let Down by Catherine Sketches by Joel
June 17, 2013
art, music, photography DBK, ditched by kate, fiddle, gem, gently let down by catherine, joel winstead, phil _rossi, sketch, sketches Leave a comment
Joel Winstead has done some great sketching of my musical escapades, and I really appreciate his talent. Cool stuff Joel!
Here are some sketches of the Cigital Tech Fair gig put together with Phil Rossie of Ditched by Kate. (Nothing quite like one practice.)
Gary McGraw (fiddle) and Phil Rossi (guitar) are Gently Let Down by Catherine
McGraw plays the fiddle.
Gary McGraw (mando) and Phil Rossi (guitar)
Gently Let Down by Catherine in a jam.
Gently Let Down by Catherine
What we really looked like.
in the studio again with the bitter liberals
May 28, 2013
music bitter liberals, civil war, fiddle, music, studio, vicksburg Leave a comment
Yesterday was a perfect day to record some music. Overcast, kinda muggy. We were inside all wired up to the recording borg at National Media in Front Royal.
The Bitter Liberals are collaborating with Clark Hansbarger on a Civil War project titled “Vicksburg” which is a collection of songs about the civil war that Clark wrote and is producing. Eventually they will end up on a website as an interactive project combining lectures/anecdotes and songs. We hear there will be a tour.
From what we played yesterday in the studio, I can’t wait for this project to come to fruition. The songs are magical and very evocative. We had a blast.
gem in the studio
