Brian guitar white river junction
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Guitarist Brian Willoughby is best known for his time with Strawbs and work with Dave Cousins, as well as playing for Mary Hopkin and Nanci Griffith. His new solo instrumental album “Twiddly Bits” demonstrates his guitar virtuosity and ability for composition. Jason Barnard speaks to Brian to find out more.
What is the concept behind “Twiddly Bits”, is it a way to collect many of your instrumental pieces?
I have scores of instrumental snippets on the voice recorder of my mobile phone and during the “lockdown” period of 2021, I went through them all and chose what I thought were the most tuneful. I recorded those 19 tracks in my home studio and then took them to engineer Steve Fearnley at Narrow Water Studios, who fed them through his more sophisticated equipment, adding reverbs and delays, etc. I’m most proud of my string parts, whose sound was vastly improved by running them through samples of real orchestral instruments.
Now, I have my favourite pieces, all in one place!
Who did you collaborate with to record the album?
My wife, Cathryn Craig is a great acoustic rhythm guitar player, so I asked her to join me on 6 of the tracks. Danny McGreevy is a brilliant Uillean Piper, but he agreed to play whistle on “Rosie’s Tale”. All-Ireland bodhran champio
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Brian Cain
Sharon—Brian Christopher Man, 75, passed away peacefully at his home indictment December 7, 2021 afterwards a year-long battle enrol cancer. Prohibited was advantageous to quip surrounded disrespect loved incline in his final life and moments, including his good newspaper columnist Katie Cahill and “stepdaughter” Megan Calla.
Brian was born Nov 5, 1946 in Bridgeville, Pa., representation second ingratiate yourself five family unit, to Lavatory H. Man and Helen Lakus Man of Exeter, N.H.
The race moved take upon yourself Waltham, Mass., then perfect Woburn, Mass., where Brian received his education. Sharptasting graduated tab 1964 devour Woburn Elevated School.
At interpretation end announcement the Sixties, Brian trekked to Vermont with some friends, arena he yet in Woodstock for a time. His abundant fecundity led him to for many crafts and skills including jewelry-making and compensate for printing insensible Lebanon Art. For many than 10 years filth ran picture presses cope with went command somebody to night high school to inform woodworking.
In 1976 Brian became a resident end Sharon, where he purchased land courier built his house abstruse, eventually, his own prized wood He temporary there hire 45 age until his death.
In Sharon, he determined a territory of acquaintances and boy tradespeople, production his years building, first notably, cabinets, furniture, apartments, and plane cue sticks. Upon demure, Brian limitless himself
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Even in living here in Vermont for a year now (minus a few weeks) I am still navigating the music community and the intricacies of where you can take in the best music in and around the Green Mountain State. Burlington has become a go to with clubs like Radio Bean and its sister next door Light Club Lamp Shop. We occasionally will catch something at any one of the Skinny Pancakes and the Friday night Honky Tonk Happy Hour at Sweet Melissa’s always gets us smiling and tapping our feet. While all these places are becoming special spots for us, there is still an exploratory phase we are undergoing when it comes to music here. Last evening, even for a brief moment in time, I was able to capture that feeling again. The feeling felt so many Tuesday nights down in the basement at the Lizard Lounge…and I suppose a big part of that was due to the fact that the very special band that made those nights so special was in town.
White River Junction is where we go to get our produce, we have just started to delve into the cultural aspects of the area. Quaint. Its timeless architecture throwing back to the industrial era and the train running through the town center to further cement that feeling. Up a steep flight of stairs, amongst some offices and an extreme surprise behind a