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Tag: new mexcio

  • NEW CLASS! Music Crew plays The 90s UNPLUGGED

    NEW CLASS! Music Crew plays The 90s UNPLUGGED

    Journey back to the era of flannel, grunge, and iconic acoustic performances in this unique music class for adults! “MTV Unplugged: The Acoustic ’90s” offers a deep dive into the legendary live sessions that epitomized the decade.

      Whether you’re an experienced musician or just picking up an instrument, this class provides a fun and engaging environment to learn and play some of the most beloved songs from the 1990s.

    The Music Crew Unplugged classes run on Wednesdays, 6:00 to 8:00 for eight weeks, beginning July 9.

    We’ll meet at the Saavedra Filing Station, 225 Saavedra RD SW.


    Register in the Knowing Trees Store

    There is more information at the Music Crew: The 90s Unplugged FAQ.

    And, please write to Jason at jason@knowingtrees.com with any questions and/or concerns. He’s very happy to help!

  • NEW CLASS! Grateful Dead Head Ensemble at FUSION

    NEW CLASS! Grateful Dead Head Ensemble at FUSION

    Get on the bus this summer as you, your intrepid teacher Jason McInnes, and your fellow Deadheads gather for this eight-week adult education music class dedicated to exploring and performing the music of the Grateful Dead.

    Designed by considering the needs of beginning, intermediate and advanced musicians, this course offers a deep dive into the band’s rich catalog, from beloved classics like “Truckin’” and “Friend of the Devil” to deeper cuts and extended jams.

    The class includes hands-on instruction, group rehearsals, and opportunities to jam in a relaxed, collaborative setting. Whether you’re a guitarist, bassist, vocalist, keyboardist, drummer, or other instrumentalist, you’ll gain new insight into the Dead’s music through playing it among a generous, encouraging community.

    The class will culminate with a gig during The Days Between; the week of celebration and commemoration between the anniversaries of Jerry Garcia’s birth (Aug.1) and death (Aug. 9). Gig details TBA.


    Register at FUSION!


    Grateful Dead Head Ensemble FAQ

  • Robyn Hitchcock in at the South Broadway Cultural Center

    Robyn Hitchcock in at the South Broadway Cultural Center

    We got to hear Robyn Hitchcock at the South Broadway Cultural Center last week. He’s such a fantastic performer.

    He played two sets of music, all requests, with his wife Emma adding some harmony for the last few songs. Then, he played the “encore” in the lobby. It was incredibly beautiful when he started A Day in the Life by the Beatles and everyone gently joined in for a sing along. 

  • Listen to Guitar Crew Play Faded Love

    Listen to Guitar Crew Play Faded Love

    Last night wrapped up the Late Winter 2025 session of Guitar Crew. The Crew was made up of five guitar players with experiences ranging from less than a year to many years. 

    We finished by recording our own arrangement of Bob Wills’ Faded Love. This is a recording of the five members of this sessions’ Crew. I’m accompanying on percussion.

    We covered many skills and concepts this session. Some of those topics, which you can hear in this arrangement, were:

    • Basic chords changes
    • Learning songs by ear
    • The hows and whys of playing songs in different keys
    • Knowing our roots and 5ths of each chord and using that to play alternating bass strums 
    • Working with the major scale and using that to create bass walks in between chord changes
    • Singing and playing at the same time.
    • Playing the chord changes in different locations on the guitar, either with “mini shapes” or using a capo.
    • Ensemble playing (play strong and also make room for the other musicians)
    • Playing a melody and improvising over chord changes

    Here’s Guitar Crew with

    Faded Love


    White board with the written arrangement of the song.
    In class, we work together to make the arrangements of the songs we play. These are the notes from our arrangement of Faded Love.

    I think it sounds so good! Congratulations, Guitar Crew!

    The Early Spring session of Guitar Crew begins in mid-March. We’d love to have you be part of the Crew! Send me a note if you have anyquestions.

  • Listen to Little Birdie with maria, puja and Jason

    Listen to Little Birdie with maria, puja and Jason

    I was so honored that maria and Puja invited me to record this song with them for their album, an area of the celestial sphere under the pecan tree.

    This video is our first take of the song. It isn’t the one that made the album, but I love this version just the same. This is the album version. If you follow the link you can hear and purchase the whole album which is a truly beautiful collection of music.

    A couple of our friends, Jess Baldissero (Joybird) and Jonas Friddle, have recordings of the song, too.   You can add these recordings, and the accompanying albums, to your collection at their respective bandcamp pages.

    Joybird

    Jonas Friddle

  • New Music from mx puja singh and Maria McCullough

    New Music from mx puja singh and Maria McCullough


    I’m so excited to share with you some new music from my dear one, Maria McCullough, and a great friend and wonderful musician, mx puja singh. They have a new album which came out this week called an area of the celestial sphere under the pecan tree  

    Maria and puja wrote and recorded this music over about a week’s time at our house in Albuquerque, NM. What a gift I was give, to hang around and watch and listen to the process unfold as the songs were coming together.  

    And, I am honored that they invited me to play my banjo on a couple of the tracks. One of the songs is sītā rām (live) which you can listen to right here.

    Purchase the whole album at puja’s bandcamp page, https://mxpujasingh.bandcamp.com/album/an-area-of-the-celestial-sphere-under-the-pecan-tree

  • Songwriters’ Exchange with Jason & Jess – Replay from June 18, 2024

    Songwriters’ Exchange with Jason & Jess – Replay from June 18, 2024

    Jess Baldissero is not only a good friend, she is one of my favorite songwriters. I was honored that she sat with me earlier in the week to discuss the discoveries and accidents of the creative process. We shared some laughs, talked about good times and hard times and we each played a few songs.  

     

    Audio and Video

    Audio Only

    Getting to Know Trees knowingtrees.com · Songwriters' Exchange with Jason McInnes and Jess Baldissero

    Three tracks from The Hermit, my debut solo album are streaming during the pre-order period. The full album will be released June 28, 2024 on Bandcamp.

    http://joybird.bandcamp.comPick up Jess’s music, featuring her band Joybird, at Bandcamp also. 




  • Guest Post From Rose Signet – Thoughts On Writing, Recording and Collaboration

    Guest Post From Rose Signet – Thoughts On Writing, Recording and Collaboration

    “Softer the whisper, I will speak, softer the words, they repeat, they repeat, they repeat.”

    from the song Softer

    The song began with a gentle and cyclical guitar part. A jangly loop. I recorded the guitar in stereo and then the vocals in the same room. There was also a moment that was a touch stronger and more physical but fit well with the gentle verses. One of the days when I wasn’t feeling well, but felt compelled to work, I found the bass approachable. I remember that day because I found a really nice bass riff to compliment that more physical section of the song. 

    A few weeks later I recorded friend and collaborator Nic Jenkins on the drum set. It was a casual session with a few takes of each song at Off Center Arts that made me appreciate the ease of the session. Soon after I also recorded Liz Gaylor on the violin, but this time in a different space, at a private library at Los Poblanos. Liz’s violin quietly drones on two strings during the duration of the song.

    Softer was mixed alongside the other tracks at my home in Albuquerque with a few helpful ears and breaks here and there. The song’s overall message, an appreciation for the softer approach, was a guide during the process of making the album. 

    The whole album, Rose Signet, can be found on streaming services.

    Softer
    Josh Martin/Rose Signet
  • Grace McCullough Reads for Bosque Press ABQ inPrint #7

    Grace McCullough Reads for Bosque Press ABQ inPrint #7

    Grace McCullough reads in front of a crowd at Books on the Bosque

    It was standing room only at Books on the Bosque yesterday for the launch of Bosque Press‘ ABQ inPrint #7.

    Grace was one of about 15 writers who read part or all of their piece which is published in this years’ edition.

    She wrote about meeting famed Chicago muralist Hector Duerte. The piece which she speaks about, Corazón Remendado (Stitched Heart), can be seen here.

    Thank you to everyone at Bosque Press and Books on the Bosque for creating such a welcoming, inspiring event.

  • Can I Sing You to Sleep? – Maria McCullough Shares a Sweet Moment with a Dear Companion

    Can I Sing You to Sleep? – Maria McCullough Shares a Sweet Moment with a Dear Companion

    The sweet moments in this video took place on June 5, 2021. Toro was one of my dearest companions and rest teachers. Can I sing you to Sleep? was inspired by and written in a workshop guided by Octavia Raheem.

    Amongst all the layers in the world that might have you feel and do otherwise…

    May you feel loved.

    May you find rest.

    May you experience moments of ease.

    May you sing.

    Maria McCullough (she/they) loves to share and explore with others through music, movement, laughter, love and rest. Maria is grateful to be living on Tiwa Land/Tewa land in so-called Albuquerque, NM and is at the beginning of a relationship-building journey with the land and beings here.You can contact Maria and learn more about her offerings here.