News from Shanghai
Last updated August 28th 2007
Eastman Guitars is located in Beijing, but I first heard about them in an American guitar magazine.  They have made violins and other classical instruments for years but recently started making hand-carved guitars.  They have about 50 crafstmen working together and they swap tasks to keep interested.  I love the guitars and the folks up there have treated me right!  Pictured at right is my new Eastman 910CE jazz box...  Pictured with me are Sophia, the only English speaker at the factory, the final setup supervisor, and the company driver. 
 

I have been working with a couple guys in a band that we call 50/50.  The name comes about because the guys wanted to not just play my tunes, but to also play stuff from lots of their favorite people.  So we made a deal... every other song is mine...but we are alternating stuff from Muddy Waters, Toots and the Maytals, Wilson Pickett, Howling Wolf, Bob Marley, Sleepy John Estes and all the greats of blues and reggae. 
       I have been spending a lot of time re-vamping my own tunes and adding them to the set lists of the band.  There are not a lot of clubs to play, because I can't deal with the late-night cigar bar routine, but we are managing a few gigs here and there.  Ralph (bass) is from Baltimore and teaches music at the school. Andy is a reggae drummer from Boston and computer tech.  We sure are having a great time!