Michael Lydon: News & Videos

For the seventh fall semester, Michael Lydon is teaching an undergraduate writing course, "The Music of Writing." In class the students write their response to exercises in word rhythm, alliteration, point of view, etc, then they read them aloud for feedback from Lydon and the other students."It's a lively class, says Stacey McIntosh, "we laugh a lot and we learn a lot."

Michael Lydon has a steady gig every other Monday at the Immigrant Wine Bar in Manhattan's East Village. The Immigrant is a cozy, romantic hideaway, and Michael--with bassist Dave Hofstra--suits the place, playing and singing jazzy love songs, originals and standards, as warm and rich as the red wines served at the bar. Show time: 8:30 to 10:30.

Address: 341 East 9th St, between 1st & 2nd Aves, close to 1st.

For years Michael Lydon has published numerous books of essays on writing and music, formating the books himself, pasting them up, and printing them at a nearby copy center.

This year Lydon is moving his publishing into the digital age. He has already published one book, Now What?, as an elegant, slim paperback; a song book, Sing the Song Again!, is due this month, and a third, Real Writing, will be out in November.

"I find this very exciting," says Lydon. "Now the books have bar codes and ISBN numbers. As soon as possible I'll get them up on Amazon where anyone can find and buy them.

As part of his publishing upgrade, Lydon has needed to come up with a new name for his publishing company. For years it's been Patrick Press. But under that name he couldn't get a "doing business as" certificate, so now the company is called FRANKLIN STREET PRESS. "Here's to Franklin Street Press," said Lydon today, lifting a glass of champagne, "Long may it wave!"

Franklin Street Press website: http://www.franklinstpress.com/ Or, you may ask questions or order books through this site's contact page.

Ellen Mandel gave five concerts of her art songs in Ireland this past August, and Michael Lydon opened the show for three of the concerts. We had a great time driving through the green Irish countryside, meeting people, and playing our music for receptive audiences.

Michael Lydon gave the graduation address this May at the Washington International School, a well-known high school in Washington DC with students from all around the world. The core of Lydon's address was "All humans are equal," a theme he first developed in his 1993 book, Now What?. The students and their families cheered the speech and, when Lydon finished by singing his song, "Pass It On," everyone sang along.

Michael Lydon and Friends gave a sold-out concert October 2 at the Third Street Music School in NYC, and the music was sublime. Michael and the band--including Ellen Mandel on piano--debuted several new songs, including "Tell Me the Truth" and "September." The concert was videotaped, and soon selections will be on YouTube.

Michael is also teaching "The Music of Writing" at St John's University for the fifth straight fall. A good class of bright students are digging into creative writing.

Michael is also continuing to play Tuesdays at Il Mattone, a fine Italian restaurant in Tribeca, with singer Gennaro Kravitz. Lydon and Kravitz have been playing weekly at Il Mattone for over a year, building a loyal following.

And on October 30, Michael will join a fine group of old-timey musicians at a holiday party at the Bank St school in Manhattan.

Michael Lydon will be going to the International Whistlers Convention in Louisburg, North Carolina, in late April.
He will whistle in competition with about sixty whistlers from all around the world.
"This is my second trip to the IWC," says Lydon, "and this year I'll be competing in all categories. So I'm practicing like mad."

Michael Lydon's intimate look at the life on Manhattan's busy streets, with a haunting whistling score.

I've recently added new videos to my YouTube channel, and I plan to put up more.

So rather than loading all of them onto my site, here's the link that will take you to my channel. When you get there, you can browse through my films to your heart's content:

http://www.youtube.com/MichaelLydon

Michael Lydon's brand new music video, "What a Lovesick Fool Was I," filmed in concert in Manhattan.

A new video: an interview with Michael Lydon talking about the Summer of Love, San Francisco hippie rock, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

Michael Lydon's book, HOW TO PLAY CLASSIC JAZZ GUITAR has just been published by Routledge Books.

CLASSIC JAZZ GUITAR is a step-by-step instruction book takes a beginning guitarist from folk-blues basics to the rhythmic drive and harmonic complexity of swing and be-bop.

"I put everything I've learned about playing jazz guitar in the past thirty-five years into this book," says Lydon. "I think it can help newcomers get a handle on how jazz players think."

Available now in bookstores and online: here is the Amazon URL:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Play-Classic-Jazz-Guitar/dp/0415979080

Here's my latest video, "Made It To Another Spring!" a celebration of my favorite season. We filmed it in the East Village's Tompkins Square Park, starring Ellen and me, with a cast of thousands of kids, dogs, lovers, and flowers