Classical Guitar Concert

[kuri]

JP, you'd appreciate this - yesterday my wife & I attended a salon concert by Scott Tennant of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet held at a specialty guitar boutique in my area, Trilogy Guitars (click thru, look at their stock and drool). The performance space held about 30 people so it was very intimate, the owner provided wine and hors D'oveurs.

It was a very special occassion as Scott was playing a 1931 Hauser made for and previously owned by a certain Andres Segovia. yeah, daaamn!

Tennant, who had studied with Segovia, played mostly pieces from Segovia's repertoire including Albeniz's "Asturias", a couple of Joaquin Rodrigo compositions, Torroba, Tarrega, Froberger, a Telemann violin concerto arranged for guitar and a piece composed by Segovia (the name escapes me).

What a blend of musicality, talent, and technique!

Trilogy recorded the event & may put it up on their site- I'll let you know.

[Jean-Paul]

Cool. The LA Guitar Quartet is one of my absolute favorites! They are four of the most individually talented guitarists I have ever heard, and yet together they still manage to be greater than the sum of their parts.

I watched them years ago, and even got to do a master class with Tennant. He has the littlest fingertips I have ever seen, and they move like lightening but with absolute precision.

What a wonderful-sounding evening. I am truly green with envy.

[kuri]

Wow, a master class with Tennant?

Were you studying at a school at that time?
I thought you said you didn't read music so taking a master class is even more impressive.

If you haven't seen them I recommend his DVD instructional series "pumping nylon". Despite the cheesy name it's very good.

The LAGQ is taking a year sabbatical so members are off doing various solo projects. Tennant said he'll start recording a CD of Segovia compositions next month, and he'll be playing on the aforementioned Hermann Hauser guitar.

JP, if you happen to be coming out west sometime let me know. Andrew York is going to be doing a salon concert at the same shop sometime this fall/winter. Tennant will also be doing some more performances around November - theres no lack of great music happening.

JP, what classical/flamenco machines do you have?

[Jean-Paul]

Here is my collection... All of my guitars are hand made by world renowned luthiers. From left to right, going to the back from front to back:

Masuru Khono, concert classical, made from Brazilian Rosewood in '84. An exquisite guitar with booming sound and loooong perfect sustain. Currently my favorite for gigs.

Behind that is my Juan Silva, made in 1994. It is the same type of guitar played by international flamenco phenomenon, Tomatito. My current favorite practice guitar.

In the very back is my Conde Hermanos (the workshop of Domingo Esteso), made in '72 in Madrid Spain... one of the finest sounding guitars you will ever hear. It is made of cyprus and walnut. Very loud, with deep, resonating bases that you can feel in your bones!

The front center guitar is made by Manuel Contreres in 1967 in Madrid Spain. One of his signature models, not just made in his workshop, but made by his own hands. Very valuable. It has an especially wide neck, which I really like.

The far right guitar is one of my favorite gig guitars (I can't make up my mind!). I had it made by Benito Huepe in Mexico back in 1996... It is a classical/flamenco hybrid and is really fun for many of my faster pieces. Great action!

Your memory is right on, BTW. I never did learn how to read. I sort of snuck into a music scholarship based on my performance ability, and they assumed I read, so I had to maintain classes like "advanced guitar reading" and "guitar ensemble", but I just faked it. My ear was pretty good, but it ran into it's barrier on the end of my second year in the program. My professor figured it out and suggested that I consider the guitar a strong avocation rather than a vocation. That's when I started directing more energy into personal training, which I had been piddling with since I was 19. I guess it was a wise career move, but I sure do love to get in front of an audience and play my heart out when I am practiced up. I still do a little on the side, but not like I used to.

[kuri]

That is an amazing quiver JP. You have NO idea how jealous I am! I'd never leave the house if I were you.

Seeing as how old your Hermanos and Contreras are I'm sure they have opened up and ring like a bell.

You've got to be really talented to do what you did. I don't know how you could've faked it for that long. I had enough trouble back in school and I could sightread! Some of your talent must have rubbed off on Jazno.

My teacher didn't have to tell me I wouldn't be giving master classes...back when I studied at a University there were other players so much better I knew as well my livlihood would be made in a different capacity. It's all fun just the same.

I really need to make it to the next retreat so we can get some playing in

It's funny, my father in law also has a Kohno, a Hermanos flamenco, and he just picked up a Contreras double top (talk about loud) some months ago here in LA. We spent a day going around to some classical shops ( Guitar Salon International ) playing Fletas, Hausers, Contreras, Ramirez - you name it. Most of which I know I won't be able to afford for years