Mystic Morning

This 10th Anniversary reissue of my first album: Mystic Morning, originally released in 1996. For those of you who had the original release, you'll notice some changes. The album is shorter and the arrangements of Mystic Morning and For a Friend are very different. I want to thank Patrick Shea and Loud Dust for giving me the opportunity to improve this album; I hope you enjoy the new work. And, for those of you who miss the songs Summer Rain and Steel String Surprise, they're included on another album: American Baroque: Steel String Surprise with much better arrangements.

It may seem odd, but I haven't played much of this music since it was recorded. Shortly after this Cd was released I began touring with Michael Manring and Joe Ebel, began writing and arranging music suitable for the trio and left this music behind. As I began contemplating my return as a solo performer, I put together a list of songs that worked well in a solo setting. I was shocked at how many of the songs on this album work. They were fun to play, I loved their melodies, and they were quite challenging to play; all the ingredients I look for in a solo performance piece. If you come to a concert you'll hear several of the songs on this album; sorry it took so long.

In addition to the following notes about the songs and their tunings several of the songs on this album are available in tablature and musical notation as PDFs from my site. hope you enjoy playing them as much as I do.

Ken Bonfield
October 3, 2006

The Songs

1. Dreamin'

DADGBD, Standard Capo II, Partial Capo IV covering strings 2, 3, 4, and 5

I know we've all heard stories about writers waking up after a dream and writing an amazing song or story. I'd always thought that was just marketing, a white lie to make them more compelling to the reader/listener. That is, until it happened to me.

I wrote this in the early 90's when I first became part of the fingerstyle 'scene'. I was talking to a number of guitarists about composition; principal among them were Ed Gerhard and Harvey Reid. Ed recommended I take a look at double-dropped-D tuning, and Harvey was excited about the use of partial capos. One beautiful spring day, while sleeping peacefully in my lover's arms this tune 'presented' itself to me, fully formed utilizing both their recommendations. All I had to do was pick up the guitar and learn how to play it. It's the first and only time I've ever dreamed a song, and the first and last time I've used this particular tuning/capo set up. I love the results, and look forward to the next dreamsong.

2. Homage

DADGBE

One of my favorite things to do is to sit in front of the TV and write soundtracks to whatever sporting event or movie I'm watching at the time. It's actually an effective compositional technique, and non-other than Richard Thompson employs the same method. I find that my fingers roam the fingerboard with more abandon, and my right hand is more apt to beat out new and interesting rhythms when my brain is disengaged.

While I was watching Passenger 57, a Wesley Snipes' film, I started playing what I thought was a Leo Kottke song. After a bit of research, I realized I had something of my own going and kept writing. I was so worried that I'd forget the complex right hand rhythm that I recorded the song in my bathroom on my Walkman for later reference.

The title for this piece says it all: it's my homage to Leo Kottke, whose album 6 & 12 String Guitar inspired me to see the guitar as a mini-orchestra.

For Coop.

3. Sleepless Dreams

DGDGBbD (G minor Tuning)

It's amazing to me how some music is written. I'd like to say that my intentions are pure when it comes to my craft, but sometimes it's all been about the chicks.

Here's the back-story. I was rehearsing for a gig with a new friend who played flute. Her name was Christine, and I was smitten. We had just played through the last song on the set list and our rehearsal was coming to an end. I really didn't want her to leave so I told her that I had a new song that I wanted her to add a part. I had written no such thing, but I was intent on keeping her around for as long as possible so I started playing this. I wrote most of this in the extra 20 minutes she stayed. The gig was a bust, and I never saw Christine again. At least the song was a keeper.

For Dad, who has always loved this song.

4. Mystic Morning

DADGBE

For those of you who had the original version of this album, this arrangement is substantially different. I felt that the produced version with flute, bass, 2nd guitar, and percussion wasn’t the intimate setting I thought this song needed. This is a love song, and I think the solo version is much more compelling.

For Mel

5. Hard Times

CGDGAD

I have four daughters all with very different personalities, priorities, and politics. For some, life is easy, with few, if any, complications. But for others…

For Alex

6. For a Friend

CGCGCD

I was at good friend, guitarist Michael Mandrell's home when he asked me to help him out with some new gear he'd just bought. Michael is a superb guitarist and was very influential in my developing a love and understanding of alternate tunings. So, Michael handed me his guitar and asked me to play something for him so he could turn the knobs on his new gear. I asked him what tuning his guitar was in, he said "it doesn’t matter, just play something!". This is the something I played. Later he was nice enough to tell me what tuning he was using so I could play it on my guitar.

Joe Ebel created and performed a wonderful string arrangement for this piece.

For Michael.

7. Winter Into Spring

DADGAD

This piece was originally two, separate four-minute long pieces of music that I combined into a medley by mistake one evening. It worked.

I now think of mistakes as happy accidents.

8. Ol' No. 9

EADGBE, Standard Capo II, Partial Capo IV covering strings 4, 5 & 6

So, remember when I said writing wasn't always pure, that sometimes it's about the chicks. Well, sometimes it's about the drugs too.

When I recorded this album Richard Birt and I allocated an entire day to set up and place guitar microphones. We finished a couple hours early and thought we'd celebrate with a left-handed cigarette. Richard encouraged me to play something 'for the mics', and this is what I came up with. We recorded the final version a couple of days later, I never played it again, and promptly forgot the song.

I had to relearn it a year and a half later for a Cd release concert my label set up in Salt Lake City in front of 1,900 people. I've never been so nervous about playing a song. It's still the last time I've played it in concert. All I need to play it again is another left-handed cigarette.

9. Nightfall

DGDGAD

This is another one of those gifts. I wrote it in the time it takes to play. Ten years later it’s still one of my favorite pieces, and one of the only songs from this album that I've played consistently throughout the years. Look for a solo version of this piece on another album sometime soon.

10. Deja Vu (All Over Again)

DGDGBE, Capo V

This has turned out to be one of my favorite songs on the album. It's another piece I'd not played in a long time. I'd stopped using a capo to write and play much of my music; I don't really know why, I just stopped. But after I relearned this piece I started experimenting with capos again and immediately wrote a song. I think I'll pull the capo out a little more often now.

11. Coprophagic Smile

DADGBE, Capo III

This has been the single most difficult song for me to get a good take of in the studio. EVER! Most of the tracks on this and subsequent albums have been captured on the first or second take; this took 47 takes, over a 4-day period! I'd give it 4-10 tries a day and then move on to something else. As I recall, this was the last take I recorded for the album, and the first! I played it so fast we had to slow the tape down at playback for Richard to add the percussion and bass parts! What a workout!

For Dave

12. Farewell

CGDGAD, capo IV

This take almost didn't make it on the album. I almost ruined it by stopping near the end because I’d made an arrangement mistake, but Richard Birt, the producer/engineer, caught me eye and made sure I finished the take. I was determined to erase the track and start over, but Richard forced me to listen to it before we did. Boy, am I glad! The mistake works, and this stands as my all-time favorite studio performance.

For CK.

Mystic Morning and the complete Ken Bonfield discography is available through Loud Dust Recordings, PO Box 8521, Burlington, VT 05402 United States

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