50.0°,
Overcast Diamond is still strumming along
East Meadow lifer releases 6th CD
Ben Diamond picked up an electric guitar at 13 years old, mostly because it was a “cool” instrument to learn, and although he traded in his electric for an acoustic guitar nearly 17 years ago, he still enjoys entertaining with friends and family and recently released his sixth CD during a collaborative concert at Coolfish in Syosset.
Diamond, who was born and raised in East Meadow and returned home to raise a family with his high school sweetheart, is inspired by Hawaiian Slack Key guitar music. Ki ho’alu, which literally means loosen the key, is the Hawaiian name for this solo fingerstyle where the strings are loosened to produce numerous different tunings. He says his melodies are influenced by Keola Beamer, Cyril Pahinui and Leo Kottke and evoke the memory of carefree Hawaiian sunsets and the pounding surf at Montauk.
Joined by a number of talented musicians at Coolfish, Diamond teamed up with multiple artists on the CD, including his eldest son Gabriel, well-known Hawaiian Slack Key musician Andy Wang, music educator at Barnum Woods and East Meadow High School Meegan Coleman, Long Island Fingerstyle Guitar Club members Dan Doll, Lisa Doll and David Norstedt, among others.
Diamond said he learned to play the guitar by ear and still doesn’t know which notes he’s strumming. He simply loves the freedom of expression and often plays late into the night after his kids have gone to sleep.
With loved ones in mind, Diamond dedicated designated songs to family and close friends, many of whom attended the Coolfish performance and sipped on wine as they taped their toes to the melodic beats.
To learn more about Ben Diamond and the Long Island Fingerstyle Guitar Club, visit www.lifgc.com.
