This past summer we started carrying one of my absolute favorite magazines…The Fretboard Journal. While I’d encourage any music fan to get a subscription to this truly great mag, we do have them for sale at Mass Street Music. It’s a quarterly publication that features compelling interviews, absolutely stunning photography and reviews of things you’ll want to buy immediately like the new, ultra-cool Jonathan Kellerman book on vintage guitars, “With Strings Attached”. The link above to their site doesn’t have the new issue material profiled yet, but I scanned the cover so you can see what I’m all hyped up about.

New issue of The Fretboard Journal - Luthiers! The Stooges! More!

Here’s why I love this magazine: The Winter 2008 issue has Bill Frisell interviewing Jim Hall, a profile of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, info on the Stooges’ James Williamson and his guitars (!), luthier Wayne Henderson and oh so much more. This is serious fun for anyone into acoustic music, instruments, photography and great writing.

We’ve been fielding a few inquiry calls about the Kelley Hunt New Year’s Eve show, so thought I’d post the answers to what inquiring minds want to know.

Q. Will alcohol be served at the show?

A. Yes, beer and wine will be served at the show, plus there’s a reception afterwards with delish things to nosh on provided by Maceli’s. The snacks are included in the ticket price, the booze is not.

Q. Are there lots of tickets?

A. No – there are only 300 seats available. We’ve got a good amount at Mass Street Music, but they’re going pretty quick. Any that we have left on Wed (New Year’s Eve) will be picked up and taken to the Lawrence Arts Center around noon, where you can buy them before the show.

Q. Will alcohol be served at the show?

A. Uh, yeah. See #1.

Our good friends at the Lawrence Arts Center are throwing a great New Year’s Eve party with Lawrence’s own musician-singer-songwriter extraordinaire, Kelley Hunt. The show will feature Hunt on acoustic grand piano and guitars and collaborations with New York City drummer/percussionist Diego Voglino and special guests – plus it’s a benefit show for Douglas County EKAN/Just Food food pantry, which is in some dire need about now. We’re selling tickets for this great show right here at Mass Street until noon Wednesday the 31st – just come on down, or give the store a call at 785-843-3535 (sorry, no internet sales). Tickets are $25 each – (if paying with credit card, there is an additional $1.50 service charge).

Kelley Hunt brings in the New Year at the Lawrence Arts Center

In addition to great music and great company there’s also a reception with Kelley after the show, featuring hors d’oeuvres donated by Maceli’s (included in the ticket price!).

A portion of show proceeds and all merchandise sales will be donated to ECKAN/Just Food. Bring a non-perishable food item or make a donation to Just Food and you’ll get a coupon for a $5 off Kelley’s CDs and other merchandise too. Doors open at 7:30pm on Wednesday, December 31st, with the show beginning at 8:30pm.

General Admission tickets are $25 (all ages) and can be purchased at Mass Street Music (1347 Massachusetts Street) or at the Lawrence Arts Center before the show. Only 300 seats are available.

Chock full of good tunes!

Just released, and available at Mass Street Music (and probably some other fine places), the Midday Ramblers’ latest CD, “Run Mountain”. Our own shop manager extraordinaire, Mike Horan, is in the band. Not only are they some of the most stylishly dressed fellows to grace a Lawrence stage or hoedown, but they can really throw down some fine tunes too. Eighteen of ‘em to be exact, on this fine disc. Check it out.

We had a real treat today in the store when Victoria Williams, songwriter and founder of Sweet Relief, the incredible music foundation that helps ailing musicians, stopped by on her way through town.

Jim and Victoria chat about the '37 D-18

The Louisiana born musician graced our ‘virtual room’ upstairs, a small room stocked with some of our finest instruments. She enjoyed playing a vintage 1937 Martin D-18 while we gawked at her prowess. She said she loved the sound of the ’37. Williams told us she’s planning a new Sweet Relief benefit show sometime in the near future. Check out this worthwhile project and news updates on the great Sweet Relief Musicians Fund myspace page. The Sweet Relief website is here, and is being revamped in the coming months.

Ms. Williams in the 'virtual room' upstairs