Michael Lydon: News & Videos

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