What was the first concert you ever saw?
I went to a Yes concert in Philadelphia in 1976. Donovan opened for them.
What CDs are in your changer right now?
Mandophilia, of course; the Turtle Island String Quartet; some Vietnamese dan bau music; and Mark Holdaway, Two Thumbs Up: Adventures on the African Thumb Piano.
How many total albums do you own (CDs, vinyl, cassettes, 8-tracks)?
About 100 CDs, 50 cassettes, 30 vinyl records and, believe it or not, about two dozen reel-to-reels--got some old Pete Seeger stuff.
Do you download music, and if so, legally or illegally?
Yes, always legally.
What was the first album you owned?
I was one of those kids trying to play Abbey Road backward, to find out if Paul was dead. That really creeped me out.
What song would you like to have played at your funeral?
Wow! That's a tough question. I'll go with "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" by Dylan.
Musically speaking, what do you love that your friends don't know about? What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
I like to mess around with techno. I know--shocking, just shocking. The acoustic crowd officially frowns on that, but you and I know: Secretly, they love it. Techno with mandolin tracks is pretty interesting.
What band or artist changed your life, and how?
I had a musical buddy in medical school named Jim Sargent, an accomplished singer and guitar player. He talked me into playing music with him in the Park Street subway station in Boston. After that, I figured: Anything goes.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
I would have to say Vassar Clements (with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman), Old and in the Way. A perfect album; every tune (is) a classic.
