President's Corner

Tradition.  It plays a huge role in jazz, bluegrass and folk music.  In the latter two categories such great songsmiths as Norman Blake, Steve Spurgeon and Larry Corryell glean inspiration from their traditional musical roots.  Many modern day jazz players built the beginnings of their chop vocabulary on the great recorded solos of yesteryear (think Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and Miles Davis).  And how many of us Boomers cocked a young ear to the stereo (OK, Hi-Fi) when it played Josh White, Flatt and Scruggs, the Kingston Trio, the Chad Mitchell Trio or Doc Watson.

Fast forward to 2008.  Try walking into a "record store" (if you can find one) and buying the work of some esoteric song writer, hip saxophone cat or fiery banjo player who's not yet a household name.  Ive heard it said that most downloaded music and CDs are bought by 12 to 15-year-old kids.  Where does that leave the rest of us who might not embrace synthesized rhythm tracks or re-mixed dance music?  Well, Blue Night Records has distribution relationships with a couple of organizations that fill the need (craving?) many of us have for independently produced music that's not part of the popular musical pablum being fed to the masses.

Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan is a dream come true.  For anyone interested in acoustic music, it's heaven on earth.  Guitars, banjos, mandolins, violins, ... virtually any kind of stringed instrument is there to be played, adopted, and taken home.  I've bought several guitars from them over the internet, on approval, and they've always turned out to be even better than their knowledgeable sales staff described over the phone.  Elderly also has a CD distribution arm (Sidestreet Distributing) that focuses heavily on independently produced, tradition-based acoustic music.  Chances are, when you go into that funkylittle boutique or cool music store around the corner, the CDs you find have been supplied by Sidestreet.  Go to Elderly's web site (www.elderly.com) and peruse their inventory.  I'm happy to report that you can find any Blue Night Records release there.

CD Baby is another friend of ours.  They sell exclusively over the internet, and their title and artist list is gigantic.  If your musical interests go beyond the acoustic and traditional, you might want to give them a try (www.CDBaby.com).  Can't find that elusive new CD by the local grunge or Ska band?  Look to CD Baby.

Without music fans like you and me, great organizations like Elderly Instruments and CD Baby can't survive.  Sure, be modern.  Sure, look to the future with wonder and anticipation.  But don't forget tradition and our rich musical heritage.

Peace,

Steven