"Mel Julian & Me" Reviewed by Roger Deitz, columnist for SingOut! Magazine  

I wish I’d read “Mel, Julian & Me” A Memoir by Mel L. Green,
before I listened to Mel Green’s superb CD, I’m Taking My Time, because... 

... the book not written yet, I wondered, “Who is this South African stranger with so much talent, to have created such musical and auditory perfection?” I thought I had a pretty good handle on music and performers from the far flung corners of the folk music scene. Rarely did I receive a CD out of the blue (and sleeve) that so moved me. I was floored. I wanted to learn…

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Singing for Myself (Mostly) 

As have many old folkies, songwriters and many friends who've always wanted to do so – we've been singing and playing for ourselves. Solitary, yet essential. For me this is exercise.

If the reports are to believed, more musical instruments have been purchased during this awful pandemic than during many preceding years. No surprise... we have to do more than the day to day. like watching too much TV!

I make a point of playing guitar, learning new songs, working up old favourites and learning my own tunes, and…

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My South African Trip – Going Home 

My Homepage for the last 3 months or so began with these paragraphs of promotion... Mel Green returns to South Africa...  Appearing in Cape Town
The Barleycorn Music Club on Wednesday March 21st at 3pm at the Saggy Stone Restaurant Villagers Rugby Club, Claremont, Cape Town. Mel joins an esteemed Cape Town line up including Steve Fataar, Steve Newman, Bill Knight, Tim Parr, Amy Tjasink, Jono Taitt, Wayne Pauli, Jamie Jupiter, Nick Turner, Jenny & the Jameses, Gerald Clark & Blacksmith. A benefit for the…

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Testimonials 

 

 

Welcome testimonials formerly on my Guest Book page... 

“After nearly 50 years I am still listening and enjoying. Write and sing some more. You will never fade away!” – Your old mate Ernie.

“Love your site and your music, Mel!” – Dean Driver

 

“You really put your heart and soul into it - I think it's great that you had so many musicians to contribute to your songs and that your muso friends supported you. Your voice still sounds like I remember - voices don't have to age, do they? They just get better!”…

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Perfect Harmony? 

Harmony.

 

A blend of voices.

Two. Three. Or four or more voices.

The female timbres.

Soprano. Mezzo soprano. Alto. Even tenor.

The male voices. 

Bass, baritone, tenor, and sometimes even counter-tenor.

When I first became aware of how sublime harmony singing could be, 

it was not from listening to recordings, or even listening closely at various concerts.

That realization came slowly...

I always sang along to the morning hymn at school, where everyone sang, even though I knew I really shouldn’t, because I…

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Woodshedding 

Woodshedding: A term for concentrating on practicing guitar, learning new songs, licks, styles of playing. Thinking about one's way of presenting oneself in performance. Navel gazing. Listening to others. Listening to oneself. This last year has been one where I've been doing all of those things. Not playing out very much. Assessing whether playing out regularly equates to playing better, or not... 

Attending the Summer Acoustic Music Week (SAMW) this last July as usual made me realize that the mere joy…

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Memories are made of them... 

2014 was a year of much change all over this tiny blue planet.

The music world, such as it is in this modern era of instant celebrity, and equally equal obscurity changed a lot too. 

One's personal musical tastes were fortunately much entertained and fulfilled, thanks to the many examples of wonderful music available to anyone with a computer, an iPod, iPhone and yes, even a turntable, as vinyl made a minor come-back.

The music world at large lost it's share of giants… those of us fortunate to have heard…

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Wishes for 2013 

I read an article in a recent issue of what was The Boston Phoenix, (which has become a glossy weekly heralding all that's new and hip and going on in and around Boston)... the subject was about the demise of the "pop scene", and the factors which have driven it since as long as I can remember – radio play, the Top 40, recordings and so on.

Anyway, since record stores are going the way of the dinosaur, it seems that the young people of today might replace all those wonderful cultural markers with tweets…

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Radio... or, if you're from someplace else you could get lucky? 

I just received an email from DJ Peter Van Zeijl that music from my CD "I'm Taking My Time" is on the playlist for Folk en Zo (www.folkenzo.net). Broadcasted every Wednesday evening from 8 until 10 (local time Holland) on Dollard Radio (www.dollardradio.nl) 105.8 FM coming from Winschoten, the Netherlands! 


Yes, I am very pleased and honored that my humble efforts are being played overseas... and (full disclosure) I was also approached via email by old acquaintances from South Africa to ask me to send…

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Nerves, if you don't have 'em you must be dead. 

Nerves... oy! An invitation to be one of four singer-songwriters at a new venue was received and accepted about a month ago. My friend Chuck Williams who was one of the invitees, generously recommended me to fill the bill. I had been somewhat of a nag asking him what the "format" was i.e. how large was the stage and could I bring my band (a trio, including myself). Well, the nerves kicked in about a week and a half prior to the gig, when I was told... "It is all about the song, so it's just you and your…

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