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Ralph Towner Method Book

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Dan Adler

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Dec 22, 2003, 2:07:33 PM12/22/03
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I've been listening a lot lately to Ralph Towner's Solo Concert CD. It
took me a long time to get into it, but once I did I find it hard to
stop listening to it. There is something very appealing to me about
his approach to solo guitar. I found an interview where he mentions
that he has a method book which is out of print:

http://www.smalltorresduo.com/towner.htm

towards the bottom when asked about whether his compositions are
available in sheet music. Has anyone seen the book and can describe
the contents?

-Dan
http://danadler.com

Keith Freeman

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Dec 22, 2003, 4:43:18 PM12/22/03
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FretsOnly have a Solo Guitar Works book by him, don't know if that'd be of
any use to you.

-Keith

Music samples, tips, Portable Changes at
http://home.wanadoo.nl/keith.freeman/

E-mail: keith dot freeman at wanadoo dot nl

David Bernhardt

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Dec 22, 2003, 10:20:47 PM12/22/03
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The book is "Master Classes(tm), Ralph Towner, Improvisation and Performance
Techniques for Classical and Acoustic Guitar" Produced and Distributed by
21st Centery Music Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 1816, Wayne, NJ 07470
Copyright 1985. It's 82 pages, about half focused on specific techniques
and the rest is pieces by Ralph. My favorite part is "Polymetrical Rhythmic
Groupings," there's about 8 pages on it.

Thanks for the tickler on Ralph Towner, I'll have to go get "Anthem." After
first hearing him on Larry Coryell's "The Restful Mind," I fell in love with
"Matchbook" with Gary Burton, which truly has vinyl shavings on the floor
from repeated playings. Also "Sargasso Sea" with John Abercrombie is a
classic, as is all his Oregon work. I saw him live with Oregon in the late
'70's in college. "Solo Concert" can really hit when the mood is right.

"Dan Adler" <d...@danadler.com> wrote in message
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Miguel Marcos

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Dec 23, 2003, 4:47:37 AM12/23/03
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Anthem is a wonderful CD.

Miguel

GARY BECK

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Dec 23, 2003, 9:34:44 AM12/23/03
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Can you still get this book??
"David Bernhardt" <d.r.be...@comcast.net> wrote in message
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Edison Ed

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Dec 23, 2003, 1:25:36 PM12/23/03
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The method book has been out of print for years. I talked to Ralph once about
it and he told me he never made a dime off of it. The publisher didn't pay him
and then went out of business. Apparantly, he's working on updating the book
and will put it out with another publisher, probalby Guitar Solo. His new book,
which is a bunch of his compositions is available thru Guitar Solo in S.F. as
well.

That Larry Coreyell recording, The Restful Mind was great. They reisued it last
year on cd. Also, the Ralph Towner, John Abercrombie recordings were wonderful
as well as the ones he did with Gary Burton.
Very refreshing approach.
Ed

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