New Mago
I’ve recently acquired a new mago from Kyle Maplesden/kdidj. I’ve never played a mago with such exceptional response to Western Arnhemland techniques, and this F#-G has definitely become my favorite mago. The passive voice really works the incredibly rich harmonics. This is the kind of instrument that appeals to me most– a completely natural bore top to bottom with real rustic charm. The ochre handprints only add to the aesthetic appeal of an already top-notch mago. It really emphasizes the skill an Arnhem Lander must possess to select a properly hollowed tree for primo playability.
Listening to the old Blanasi recordings has inspired to me to settle in with this mago and fine tune my technique. The voice of this mago is rough and growly and it reminds me a lot of the hard-edged sound that I hear in the old field recordings of the 1960’s– powerful and raw. The responsiveness of this instrument is just amazing, and it just sings with playing pressure and strong accents from the retroflex.
