This weeks “5 Quick Questions with…” is with David Benedict!. I first became familiar with David through the mandolin cafe. It was just before the release of his Matt Flinner produced CD “Into the True Country”. I purchased it and was struck immediately by his taste and tone! I listened to that album quite a bit in 2014 and he is back already with a stellar new album with guitarist Michael Moore titled “Each by Side”. This album has been playing non stop in my world for the past 48 hours. It is incredible! If you were a fan of Grisman and Rice’s “Tone Poems” you will enjoy this! Mandolin Cafe was singing its praises 1 week before it even was released. Do your self a favor, right after this interview go to this link HERE and listen to the entire album for free! If you enjoy it, it is only $7 for 13 tracks!!
I’ll leave you with a quote by Mike Marshall. “David is part of a new generation of American mandolinists who are helping to reinvent our instrument. Super clean and accurate playing combined with a broad sense of composition and a sensitivity of style that is soulful yet clear and beautiful. While his roots are clearly bluegrass and celtic fiddle based, his tastes expand deep into jazz and classical as well. The future of our instrument is going to be in fine shape with young people like David Benedict taking the reins.”
With that said, here are 5 Quick Questions with David Benedict!
- What are you currently playing (mandolin brand, strings, picks etc)
Right now I’m playing a 2000 Gibson made Flatiron Festival F. I’ve had this mando for several years and it keeps getting better and better as time goes on. I use D’Addario EXP74’s paired with a Bluechip TAD 50 pick for a nice dark and round tone.
- What are you currently listening to?
I often find myself listening to different music’s from the far ends of the music genre spectrum around the same period of time. Currently, I’m listening to Bill Frisell’s Unspeakable and John Hartford’s string band albums Wild Hog in the Red Brush and Speed of the Old Long Bow.
- What’s your favorite beverage when picking some tunes?
I’m a procaffeinator. I rarely sit down with my mando without a cup of black coffee or hot tea.
- If you were to pick up your mando at this second, what tune would you play?
I’ve been working on “Rebecca” by Herschel Sizemore, and that tune has been frequenting my fingertips recently.
- What is the best advice you’ve been given?
Someone once told me to practice playing extremely slow so that I could learn to be responsible for the quality of tone and sustain of every note that I played. I still practice this way today.
Check David out at his homepage, his Facebook page and listen and purchase that new album HERE.
Cheers!!
dp