We, as dealers of fine vintage fretted instruments, believe that the 1990s is fast becoming the decade of resurgent interest in hawaiian music, bottleneck blues, and lap slide playing, and the national metal body guitar. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments brozman, bob on. He was also one of the worlds leading authorities on the national steel guitar. I think that among spiderbridgedobro players, ebonycapped maple is considered superior, but for a tricone, id go with what the dopyeras used and what bob brozman and the nrp. One person who is not surprised at the sheer devastation brozmans story has wrought is amy pine, cofounder of survivors healing center, a santa cruz organization that offers group therapy to survivors of child sexual abuse, and works to raise awareness of the issue in the local community. Like most great musicians, he took his craft very seriously while maintaining the infectious sense of fun that inspired him as a child to pick up an instrument and play. I have brozmans book and there is a detailed explanation of how the serial numbers work. He literally wrote the book on them1993s the history and artistry of national resonator instruments. Brozman was also the worlds foremost expert on national guitars. Apr 30, 20 brozman was also the worlds foremost expert on national guitars. Bob brozman books, the history and artistry of national resonator instruments,guitar master, hawaiian steel slide guitar player, world musician, bob brozman. Bob brozman, guitarist, is dead at 59 the new york times.
Bob brozman eats, sleeps, breathes and plays nationals and in this detailed volume he covers the facts and. The late bob brozman was a master of bottleneck blues as well as gypsy swing. In addition to many black and white historical photos, there is also a 32page color section highlighting models. The first instrument shown here has national on the headstock in what appears to be the same style of inlaid badge as on the harry watson style 4 tricone see the harry page on this site. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments paperback may 1, 1993. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments series. A wonderful book full of information on the history and construction of these amazing guitars.
Until his untimely passing in 20, bob maintained a nearly superhuman schedule, touring constantly throughout. Gary atkinson, the president of document records, as well as bob brozman s exwife, have come forth with very serious charges, including the assertion that several people, alleged longtime victims of child molestation, have filed criminal charges in court against bob brozman. Mel bay bob brozman is one of those rare artists whose exceptional wit, music, energy and depth of knowledge combine powerfully to create an unforgettable, truly live concert. Stefan grossmans early masters of american blues guitar. He plays the national tricone, charango, ukulele, baritone guitar and, well, everything else. Brozman, who was 59, was considered a virtuoso on the national steel resonator guitar. In his book, bob brozman has captured the ethos of the age of metal quite vividly. Bob brozman is the author of acoustic masters series 4. Apr 28, 20 bob brozman, who has been found dead aged 59, was a guitarist, ethnomusicologist, songwriter and teacher, as well as an intrepid traveller and musical explorer fascinated by guitar styles from. Well, talking to bob about it a few years ago, he believes that pure hawaiian steel died upon its electrification, somewhere in the mid 30s. Brozmans book the history and artistry of national resonator instruments.
When i was a kid, bob joked, i told my dad i wanted to be a musician when i grew up. Read the history and artistry of national resonator instruments by bob brozman available from rakuten kobo. National saddles are solid maple, and the slots are vshaped so that the string sits on only the back edge of the v nearest the tailpiece. His book, the history and artistry of national resonator instruments, is recognized as the most authoritative work on the subject to date. Unfortunately they were made for less than a year in 1933. The early masters of american blues series provides the unique opportunity to study the true roots of modern blues. No nationals were made between 1942 and 1989, when don young and mcgregor gaines started the national resophonic guitar company. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments by bob brozman isbn. His uncle, barney josephson, was a prominent club owner who ran cafe society in greenwich village, one of the first places in new york, or anywhere. Mel bay this concert video includes hawaiian slack key guitar ki hoalu master ledward kaapana performing solo on many instruments including. A master of blues, slide, hot jazz, hawaiian and caribbean guitar styles, bob has a.
Aug 27, 2007 on lumiere, bob brozman is the orchestra. These beautiful instruments have long been a favorite with musicians. Bob brozman generally performed solo with several of his silver plated national guitars, his national ukulele, and a bear creek lap steel. He plays the national tricone, charango, ukulele, baritone guitar and, well. Bob brozman guitar tab books, instructional dvds, solos, arrangements. Together they delve into 21 tunes, playing over 50 instruments, detailing the development of these unusual hybrid instruments which formed the missing link between acoustic and electric. Andrian pertout speaks to new yorks world blues guru bob brozman about his latest global adventure. Brozman was well known for his use of national resonator instruments from the 1920s and 1930s and national resophonic resonator. Bob brozman was born on march 8, 1954 in new york city, new york, usa. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments by.
These banjos are similar to the one featured in bob brozman s book on page 23. For that, he credits british rocker mark knopfler, who has. Paradise in peril 1993, half life 1986 and coral reef adventure 2003. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments by bob. Brozman has spent decades traveling and collaborating with. Bob brozman was born on long island in 1954 and began playing guitar when he was 6, attracted by the improvisational and emotional qualities of blues music as he was learning. Or as bob brozman opines in his national book booms out so loudly that one begins to look around the room for hidden wires. Their design shows a strong art deco influence, very modernistic, and a true blending of art and industry. In this book, all national products made from 1927 through 1941 are described. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments kindle. As for defining world music and his use of world instruments, brozman recently told vintage guitar, i think a distinction. Born in new york in 1954, brozman studied music and.
He had been called an instrumental wizard and a walking archive of 20th century american music. Bob brozman, a man fascinated by nationals since childhood, has devoted his life to playing, recording, teaching, restoring, and reviving these amazing. It might have been by stumbling onto this youtube clip which featured brozman performing early jazz songs and talking about his beloved national brand resophonic guitar. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or. When he was, at the height of a blues revival, he discovered the delights of national steel resonator guitars, going on to establish a large collection of vintage. He died on april 23, 20 in santa cruz, california, usa. Bob brozman in concert video dvd grossmans guitar workshop. Bob brozman uses a variety of instruments a dobrotype resophonic, a weissenborn and a national steel to teach the funky blues tunes, cool riffs and adventurous improvisations that he pulls from his seemingly bottomless bag of tricks. Multiinstrumentalist, historian, and educator bob brozman was born in new york on march 8, 1954.
However, as a musicologist and an expert on national guitars he has a huge bank of knowledge and research to fall back on. Bob brozman, renown exponent of hawaiian music, as well as the artdeco national metalbodied resonator guitars has been presenting his fretted brew of blues, slide, hot jazz, hawaiian and caribbean to audiences in united states, canada and europe for over two. There are suspicious circumstances and reason the be concerned. National resonator instruments by bob brozman 1993, trade. Aug 24, 2011 laurence, does brozman have a book besides the national history.
This special project features the combined talents of dobro virtuoso mike auldridge, national guitar wizard bob brozman and mandolin ace david grisman. I am not a great fan of bob brozman s playing a wee bit too whacky and vaudeville for my liking. Beeton resorango, lap steel guitar bc kona hawaiian, baritone guitar national tricone, lap steel guitar national tricone baritone hawaiian, cajon, wood block, claves bob brozman. The allegation is that he had molested his stepchild over a long period of time. There is also a high possibility that he has molested other children over a. Roy book binder, mike dowling, catfish keith, rory block, hans theessink. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments by bob brozman. His uncle, barney josephson, was a prominent club owner who ran cafe society in greenwich village, one of the first places in new york, or anywhere, where black and white musicians played onstage toget.
Liner notes hawaiian slack key christmas dancing cat. I cant exactly recall how i first discovered the music of bob brozman. He was very recognizable from his dark hair and dark beard. He was a three time winner of the guitar player magazine readers poll. Sunday school teacher james pierpont wrote the song, one of those rare perfect matches of imagery, music and mood.
Bob brozman plays the folowing vintage guitars on this album. Acoustic national steel guitar in g major taro patch, tuning dgdgbd now closely associated with christmas, jingle bells actually dates back to an 1857 thanksgiving pageant in boston. Slide guitar for blues lap style two video set homespun. The guitar produces a huge tone, big and full just like its shape. Bob brozman plays friday at shade tree stringed instruments, 28062 forbes road, laguna niguel. Liner notes hawaiian slack key christmas dancing cat records. In brozman s book, he talks about quartersawn maple being the ideal, and that others people have experimented with like ebony just dont deliver the volume and tone. Bob brozman, a guitarist and selfdescribed roving guitar anthropologist who collaborated with musicians from northern. His course in lap style slide guitar will open up exciting musical ideas and powerful techniques for anyone who wants to get into the real blues. National hot rod cones in a republic tricone guitar. He has performed and recorded with acoustic lapsteel player bob brozman, and released several more albums on the dancing cat label from the late 1990s onward.
Resophonic guitar visionary and worldblues musician bob. Bob brozman, a man fascinated by nationals since childhood, has devoted his life to playing, recording, teaching, restoring, and reviving these amazing instruments. David grisman, mike auldridge, bob brozman tone poems iii. The book arrives at a time when interest in the national guitar is surging, brozman said. Bob brozman dates his photograph as a mid1920s dopyera brothers banjo.
Some oneofakind custom pieces are included as well, such as the personal guitar of george beauchamp, the president of the original national company. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments kindle edition by brozman, bob. The late bob brozman was a master of bottleneck blues as well as gypsy swing, calypso, ragtime, hawaiian, indian, african, japaneseokinawan, caribbean and other world music styles. Brozmans book the history and artistry of national resonator instruments, a guide to national guitars from 1927 to 1941, includes a list serial numbers and production dates. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments paperback 1 jun. Stefan grossman, noted rootsblues guitarist and musicologist, has compiled this fascinating collection of 19 songs, transcribed exactly as performed by legendary blues. A master of blues, slide, hot jazz, hawaiian and caribbean guitar styles, bob has a fastpaced, wideranging show that keeps audiences worldwide on the edge of. The history and artistry of national resonator instruments 1993 about bob brozman. Ledward kaapana wikipedia according to bob brozman in his book on national instruments, the history and artistry of national instruments, they both played national tenor guitars and. He recorded numerous albums, books and video tutorials. I was stunned by his complete mastery of early american guitar styles like blues and ragtime. National made nickel silver, hawaiian guitars, mandolins, tenor guitars, and ukuleles.
This book is a history, source book and owners manual for players and fans which covers the facts and figures necessary for serious collectors. The book covers the companys full history, specific styles and models of all instruments, hawaiian, blues, and jazz artists who have used nationals, a history of their advertising, setup and maintenance, and much more. Apr 27, 20 brozman kept up a steady world wide tour schedule and founded guitar seminars. Apr 25, 20 bob brozman photo by ali madjdi american guitarist and ethnomusicologist bob brozman was found dead at his home in ben lomond santa cruz county, california in the evening of april 23rd. Bob brozman march 8, 1954 april 23, 20 was an american guitarist and. He wrote a book, the history and artistry of national resonator instruments, and designed a lowerpitched guitar, the baritone tricone with three cone. I am only aware of his dvd which as far as i know is all in low bass g dgdgbd.
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