Yes, I'm enjoying the new Warren May. I played it for a half hour or so this evening. It is waking up nicely and will have a very full tone when broken in. It was only one day old when I got it!
And yes, the summer weather here is pretty awful. Very hot, very humid. I've had some issues with instruments, but nothing too serious.
Warren told me he'd visited Japan on a Sister City tour some years ago. But as of yet, there aren't many dulcimerists around.
Y'all had quite a KY tour! And that May dulcimer sure is a beauty!
Have 5 already. Lexie...doesn't mean I wasn't tempted, though!
And here's Jan with Warren and one of the instruments she was playing.
John and I had a great day seeing the John Jacob Niles home, touring the Kentucky Artisan Center (where we also had lunch), and spending an hour or so in Warren May's shop, looking at his collection of historic dulcimers (and playing a few!). Then I sat and played one of Warren's dulcimers for a long while as folks came in and browsed and Warren and John talked dulcimer talk. I must not have been paying much attention to them because I was very surprised to find out John had selected one to hand carry back to Japan!
A couple of weeks ago I was in Lexington, KY where I met our moderator Jan Potts. She very kindly drove me around, first to visit the home of singer/composer/dulcimerist John Jacob Niles, then to Berea for lunch and a visit to Warren Mays's shop. Well, what can I say? I fell in love with an instrument with a spectacular walnut top and it came home with me to Japan.
I'd like to thank Jan again, this time publicly, for spending the day with me and for the introduction. I couldn't have had a better guide.
Oh, and don't mind Elsa peeking over my shoulder. She's only a little jealous.
