Primal Twang DCPT-001 | $24.00

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In September 2006 San Diego hosted the world premiere of
Primal Twang: The Legacy of the Guitar — the first definitive theatrical journey through the guitar’s colorful and surprisingly controversial 3500-year history. The story of the "instrument of the gods" was told through a combination of onstage narration, video projections of rare historical footage and electrifying live performances by world music legend, Dan Crary and an all-star ensemble of international guitar greats including Grammy Award winners Eric Johnson, Albert Lee, Doc Watson, Mason Williams ("Classical Gas"), Andrew York (Los Angeles Guitar Quartet),) as well as Richard Watson, harp-guitarists John Doan and Beppe Gambetta, Brazilian jazz master Peter Sprague, and Grand Old Opry star Doyle Dykes. The program debuted to enthusiastic sold-out audiences at the lavishly renovated, palatial Birch North Park Theatre.
     Primal Twang was the brainchild of flatpicking pioneer and Taylor Guitars artist, Dan Crary and writer/producer/director Anthony Leigh Adams. The duo wrote a script that begins with the guitar’s ancient ancestors and covers not only the wildly eclectic forms of music played throughout the centuries on variants of the steel-string, nylon-string, and electric guitar, but also the sociological impact the guitar has had in every era.
     Primal Twang reveals compelling stories and music from the guitar’s past, present, and future. Dan and the seven-piece band perform everything from ancient modal music to classical, flamenco, and the Chet Atkins school, and from the guitar-based vocal pop of the early 20th Century through the jazz, folk, and rock eras, right up to today. At key points in the show, featured guest artists join the band, and the viewer gets to see and hear some of the best guitarists in the world as the "instrument of the gods" emerges from antiquity, gathers steam over centuries, and explodes in our own time to become the "universal" musical instrument.
     Crary, a world-traveler, raconteur, and former communications professor, starred as the singer/narrator, accompanied by a stellar stage ensemble including music director and multi-instrumental, Dennis Caplinger (HBO’s Deadwood), drummer Duncan Moore, classical/flamenco guitarists Fred Benedetti and George Svoboda (who performed with rising flamenco dance star Lakshmi Basile), gypsy-jazz guitarist Raul Reynoso, bassist Jeff Pekarek, and pop-rock guitarist/vocalist Jon Walmsley ("Jason" on the TV series, The Waltons, and now an in-demand session player in Los Angeles).

Artists

The Primal Twang Band

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I bought BILLY IN THE LOW GROUND Thunderation DVD at a Taylor Guitars Workshop with Dan Crary . . . . I have loved learning to play it. As one who is comfortable reading tablature, I then purchased the Flatpickers Guide. I really appreciate the CD that is with that. The Thunderation DVD is good in that while I was learning the song I played it a lot of times. And I really KNOW that song now! Deep thanks for all the work that has gone into these DVDs.
— P. Dunn, Maine

You're a teacher, Dan, so I'm going to tell you something youprobably already know: the simple approach, the one that yields results best and fastest with the least amount of effort, is usually the approach that gets overlooked. You didn't overlook it. You cultivated it on the Soldier's Joy DVD, and I've finally got a tune down well.
     I've struggled with learning tab arrangements for years. I believe your simple approach--getting the melody bit by bit in your head (and heart)--is the one that works. You know, it worked for centuries, for people who couldn't read. Thanks, Dan!
— R. Boyle

The DVD has finally arrived and it was worth the wait! The lesson is excellent and will keep me busy for a while. I see that the DVD has been completely repackaged, nice job. Once I get through 'Soldier's Joy' I plan to order more of Dan's DVD series. Thanks again.
— J. Finn, New Jersey