Playing Along

Any suggestions/comments are welcome.

 

Himanshu

Nice...congrats

I like it - clear, sharp, good looking musicians and an interesting pose.

This is another image that takes me on a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The young lady playing the mandolin is in possession of a very limited edition mandolin known as the "The Gibson" mandolin. One of the better sounds from a mandolin of the modern era. I almost wish I could either see more of it, a little closer that is, or more of the violinist to the right. I came into possession of a "The Gibson" mandolin as well. But it is more remarkable how the mandolin came to me and how it was passed along to the next musician.

It went like this...One day I heard the playing of a mandolin in a nearby stairwell where the acoustics reverberated off of everything in earshot. My ears led me to find out who and what this sound emanated from? After the young lady finished playing a mandolin known as a "The Gibson" mandolin", and we exchanged kind introductions. She asked me if I would like to play it too? I said sure, having felt an instant affinity for the sound of the instrument from the beginning. After getting a couple of fingerings shown to me for basic chords, I had no trouble at all in picking up the basic essence of creating beautiful sounds with this instrument. Then she told me; "You are to take this mandolin from me and play it to your hearts content. It is my gift to you, and it now belongs with you. However, there is one stipulation, if you are playing this mandolin and someone appears to be drawn to the sounds that it creates as you were, you should ask them if they'd like to play it as well. If they show you the same innate aptitude and joy from the playing and sound produced by this instrument, as you have shown by your desire to play it, you should in-turn pass it on to them with the same stipulation. You will know when the time and person are right." She said she had been given the mandolin with the same provision and she wished to keep this chain unbroken as it had been up until this day!

This is a totally true story, one with which I am forever blessed to have been a part of. Even to have temporarily been able to create music with such a beautiful sounding instrument was totally inspiring. I also found the next recipient/successor of the instrument about a year later. In the meantime, I had been able to give a couple of public performances playing the mandolin along with several other musicians and feel very fortunate to have had even a very brief tenure with such an instrument. If ever you spy a "The Gibson" mandolin, you've got to wonder if it is that same one that may have begun this chain of successive inspiration?

Hi Philip,

 

This is an amazing story, very hard to believe, but you have the conviction in your writing :-) this is very very interesting...

 

Well, I am not sure if this is "The Mandolin" you are looking for but I do have more pictures of it and I can definitely post a close-up. I will let you know when I do so. I have other pictures on the portfolio though that show the girl with the violin also.

 

Well, I hope the Mandolin is being put to great use wherever it is...

 

Himanshu

Yes, it is a totally true story. The woman I got the mandolin from was named Dana. That's all I remember now. The gentleman I passed it on to was named Tom. He made sweet sounds with it too. I have never subsequently owned another mandolin. I also posted the story on my community page as it dredged-up such fond memories of that contrasting collision of the times; the 1970's. I also seem to remember the mandolin I received having a cherry sunburst or deep red sunburst paint scheme to it? Anyway, I'm pretty sure this is not one and the same "The Gibson" mandolin! But this image definitely stirred-up an evocative memory of an inspired time. Appreciate your image for that at the very least.