Westport Festival on YouTube

Thanks to Uri Kohen of Electric Cave Production and the Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival, who writes:

Ger of Pervege Free Films and member of the Electric Cave Production has been documenting all our work since 2004. Lately he decided to share some of his work with the rest of the world by uploading some of the clips on to YouTube.

In this clip you can see a great session from the 2nd [2008] Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival. This clip captures the true vibe of the festival.

In the second clip we can see the Colonel Bullshot Bluegrass Band (also known as the McEvillys) from Westport, performing on the main stage of the festival. More clips from the second festival are on our website.

KAM celebrates Mardi Gras 2010!

Pete Lamb reports from Kinvara, Co. Galway, on behalf of KAM:

KAM is the Kinvara Area Music Collective, a voluntary community group which was set up with the intention of nurturing and maintaining the vibrant local music scene. You don’t have to be a musician to join!

KAM’s vision:
A thriving, diverse, and inclusive music scene in Kinvara.
KAM’s mission:
To maintain a lively and creative forum to support and help develop musical activities in Kinvara.

Every year, we at KAM like to throw a Mardi Gras party to celebrate our birthday, have a community event with music, dancing, food, drink, and (optional!) fancy dress to raise funds for a local cause.

The 2010 KAM Mardi Gras will take place at Kinvara Community Centre, Co. Galway, on Saturday 13 Feb. This year’s party is a charity event, featuring three live bands, dancing, food, licensed bar, and a fancy dress parade with prizes! All proceeds will go to South Galway Flood Relief and the Gort Family Resource Centre. The fun starts at 8.00 p.m. sharp, and admission is a recession-friendly €10 (€20 family ticket or €8 concessions/members).

So what IS Mardi Gras? It’s a kind of carnival originating in New Orleans involving parties, parades, music, and general merriment. The carnival traditionally begins on 6 January and the festivities climax on ‘Fat Tuesday’ (Mardi Gras) the day before Ash Wednesday (more familiarly known to us as Shrove Tuesday or ‘Pancake Day’). It is scheduled to occur 46 days before Easter; since the actual date of Easter changes yearly, Mardi Gras can occur on any Tuesday between 3 February and 9 March. (Or in this case, on Saturday 13 Feb.!)

Last year’s event was a great success, with five bands, Louisiana chicken gumbo, face painting, a licensed bar, and lots of dancing! This year we aim to carry on that good-time carnival tradition, with three live bands (with the emphasis firmly on music you can DANCE to!), finger-lickin’ carnival food, a fancy-dress competition (oh come on, you know you want to!) and a full bar, in an intimate table-set venue, complete with dance floor.

Providing the beats to move your feets this year, we have Awsum Adudu, an Afro-Funk band hailing from Gort, Co. Galway. These boys have been on the scene for a number of years and we are delighted to have them make their KAM debut at the Mardi Gras. We would like to extend a warm welcome to all members of the Gort and surrounding community: come on down and support your local boys and (more importantly) join the fun! Even closer to home we have the Kinvara-based Analogue Band, featuring a bunch of well known local musicians who have put together this country and traditional rock band, also making their debut KAM appearance. If two debut bands isn’t fresh enough for you, let’s make it three! Gone to Grass [photo below] are a locally based bluegrass band, presenting a lively mix of driving traditional bluegrass tunes and original Americana material.


Also on the night - carnival food, a fully licensed bar, and a fancy-dress parade, with prizes awarded for the best efforts. It’s been a harsh winter; let’s banish the winter blues for a night, kick off the wellies and pull on the dancing shoes! (Dancing in wellies optional... but don’t expect a prize.)

Mardi Gras is a fun, family-friendly event held in a community centre and featuring local musicians and volunteers coming together to put on an event in aid of local causes... But you don’t have to be local to come and join the fun! Where else are you gonna get this much fun for a tenner, and get the feel good factor of knowing that your good night out is also aiding Galway flood victims and the local Family Resource Centre? KAM Mardi Gras: Let’s party!

More info, and tickets, available at the KAM website. Tickets are available in advance from the KAM website; Healing Harvest, Kinvara (091 637 176); Open Sesame, Gort (091 632778); Gort Credit Union (091 631250); Kinvara Credit Union (091 637154); and at the Gort Family Resource Centre (091 630902).

(Why not take the opportunity on the night to join KAM? Benefits include discount entry to all KAM events, which include a myriad of music, theatre and spoken word events throughout the year. See the website for details.)

BIB editor's note: Pete also reports that this will be the last performance by Ivor Ottley (at left in photo of Gone to Grass) as a resident of this country; he is moving to Sweden. Ivor's high-grade bluegrass fiddling has been an outstanding asset to the scene here for the past seven years, and we wish him all the best in his new location.

Leadership Bluegrass 2010

The IBMA's Leadership Bluegrass (LBG), now in its eleventh year with more than 250 alumni, is an intensive three-day program of advanced-level, interactive learning experiences that invites participants to examine the challenges and opportunities facing our music along with related leadership issues.

LBG will be hosted again this year at the BMI offices in Nashville, on 9-11 March, and will be facilitated by Fred Bartenstein. Names of those taking part in this year's class have just been announced. Out of twenty-four people, just three are from outside the US: Denis Chadbourn from Canada, Lachlan Davidson from Australia, and Chris Keenan (of the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival) from Ireland. Chris is the fourth person from Ireland to go through the LBG mill.

Please contact the IBMA office for information on future Leadership Bluegrass programs: (+1 615) 256-3222: e-mail.

Nash's session is back!

Barney Bowes sends this welcome news of the resumption of the main bluegrass session in central Dublin, following a midwinter break:

Just to let folks know, pickin' sessions will begin again next Wednesday at Nash's pub, Thomas St. There was a great response there before Christmas, but giving holidays and the weather, of course, we decided to put it on hold until the weather got a bit better.

All are welcome, no matter what level you play at. It's a social event too; and who knows, you may meet someone down there who will answer all those questions you have been too scared to ask anywhere else. Either way - hope to see you there, so spread the word.


Contact Barney Bowes at 0861031541. Photo credits: Enda Fagan

Lester Flatt: a prophet honoured in his own country

The original Bluegrass Blog describes today how the house of represent-atives of the state of Tennessee has passed a resolution honouring Lester Flatt (1914-79), one of the giant figures in bluegrass music, and lead singer in the 'classic' configuration (1945-8) of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys before his epoch-making partnership with Earl Scruggs. He has also been honoured previously by the Country Music Hall of Fame, the IBMA's Hall of Fame, and his home town of Sparta, TN.

Maverick gives Keith Sewell five stars

Thanks to Niall Toner for the news that Keith Sewell's CD The way of a wanderer has just got a five-star review in the Feb. 2010 issue of the UK's Maverick, which will probably appear in the archives of Maverick's website. Niall sends a copy of the review, which includes the words:

A brilliant album... this is an expertly performed, well produced body of work, and... could easily stand up with the efforts of Alison Krauss, Dan Tyminksi, Alecia Nugent or the Queen of bluegrass herself - Rhonda Vincent. It's a pity the album couldn't have been longer... it leaves you wanting more.

Keith (above) is a multi-instrumentalist and a gifted songwriter with a strong feeling for his rural roots. He has done a lot of writing with Niall (who co-wrote four of the songs on this album, including the title track) and has - too seldom - performed with him in this country: see the BIB for 1 Apr. 2009.

PS: As Niall says, it's great to see a little humour in bluegrass; and with this in mind, here's a YouTube link to a video of Jim Lauderdale and Dr Ralph Stanley & his Clinch Mountain Boys.

Fred Morrison at Celtic Connections

Thanks again to Archie MacLullich from Scotland, who sent the information on Scots piper Fred Morrison that appeared on the BIB on 27 Oct. 2009. Fred's CD Outlands, which blends Celtic music and bluegrass/old-time music with the aid of Tim O'Brien and Ron Block, has won critical acclaim (see below).

Archie now sends the news that Fred Morrison and his band will be performing at the O2 ABC in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday 28 January as part of the Celtic Connections festival, where they will be joined by Tim O’Brien, giving a unique chance to hear live the distinctive Celtic/bluegrass blend of the album. Sample tracks of the CD are available on Fred's MySpace site and further details are on his website.

Album reviews:

Drafting in Ron Block on five-string banjo and the always-excellent Tim O’Brien on mandolin, tunes such as ‘The Wildcat’ and ‘Kansas City Hornpipe’ blend the traditions beautifully, in the manner of the best sessions from the Transatlantic Sessions, with each side of the pond enriching the other and none of the dilution that can so often occur in such experiments. This is a joyous, celebratory album that exudes sheer exhilaration. (Rock 'n' Reel magazine)

Fred’s technique on all these instruments is staggering, perhaps most obviously in the double-speed ending of 'The hard drive'... Magic moments abound... Outlands is a feast of fine tunes and another testament to this master piper. (The Piping Times)

Beppe Gambetta available for interviews

Guitar wizard Beppe Gambetta, whose ten-day tour in Ireland begins next week, is flying back from New York today and is excited to be coming back to Ireland. He is available for any phone or live interview, and can be reached via e-mail or via his European cell phone, +39 335 5420709.

Beppe Gambetta: website, MySpace, YouTube

Hot Club of Cowtown in Ireland, 1-3 May 2010

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for the news that the western swing trio Hot Club of Cowtown (USA) will play a few dates in Ireland at the beginning of May -

May 1 The Black Box, Belfast (Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival)
May 2-3 Rhythm & Roots Festival, Kilkenny city

- before going on to seven dates in Britain.

Uncle Monk in Ireland, 29 Apr.-9 May 2010

Nigel Martyn reports:

Uncle Monk (aka Tommy Ramone and Claudia Tienan) will be in Ireland in late April and early May 2010.

Uncle Monk is an indie-acoustic duo featuring Tommy Ramone (of the Ramones) on vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo, and dobro, and Claudia Tienan (the Simplistics) on vocals, guitar, and bass. The music of the two artists complement each other. There is a Yin and Yang sensibility at work, a touch of light and dark, of bitter and sweet.

They have been drawn towards the classic simplicity of string band music, but at the same time are deeply involved with the aesthetics of alternative music, and use their musical influences to create an original style. Tommy Ramone says:

There is a similarity between punk & old-time music, both are home brewed as opposed to schooled, both have earthy energy, and there is a certain cool in old-time music that is found in the best alternative acts.

Thurs. 29 Apr. The Village, Dublin
Fri. 30 Apr. The Crane Bar, Galway city
Sat. 1 May Dolan's, Limerick city
Sun. 2 May Rhythm & Roots Festival, Kilkenny city
Mon. 3 May Colfer's, Carrig on Bannow, Co. Wexford
Tues. 4 May De Barra's, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
Wed. 5 May The Pavilion, Cork city
Thurs. 6 May Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Belfast
Fri. 7 May The Playhouse, Derry city
Sat. 8 May Barry's, Grange, Co. Sligo
Sun. 9 May Matt Molloy's, Westport, Co. Mayo (TBC)

1st Inishowen International Guitar Festival, 5-7 Feb. 2010

Nigel Martyn reports from Belfast:

The 1st Inishowen International Guitar Festival, three days of guitar heaven, will take place in and around McGrory's of Culdaff, Inishowen, north Donegal, on the weekend of 5 / 6 / 7 February 2010.

In this the inaugural year we are delighted to present a wide spectrum of musical styles on both acoustic and electric guitars, from some of the foremost players and pickers in the world today.

Headlining we have Jennifer Batten, instantly recognisable as the blonde lead guitarist in Michael Jackson's band since 1989. Jennifer has also played and recorded extensively with Jeff Beck.

We have the rare combination of jazz and Nintendo tunes from Wim den Herder (Netherlands), Chet Atkins thumb-and-finger style from Gareth Pearson (Wales), bluegrass and beyond from Beppe Gambetta (Italy), acoustic blues from Johnny Dickinson (UK) and the exquisite Celtic fingerstyle of Clive Carroll.

Home-grown talent is equally represented by the mighty Henry McCullough, Arty McGlynn, Jerome McGlynn, Jimmy Smyth, Grainne Duffy, Paul Sherry, Paul Buckley, Percy Robinson and the Deans.

There are lots of workshops, clinics, and seminars, and there will be a display of vintage guitars. The full programme is posted on the festival website.

Best wishes,

Nigel

Beppe Gambetta tour: UPDATE

Supplementing and updating the info on the BIB post of 4 January, Nigel Martyn, organiser of the Beppe Gambetta tour, reports:

One of the world's most amazing flatpickers, Beppe Gambetta arrives on these shores from his home in Genoa, Italy, for a short tour at the end of January. Beppe has been here many times before, usually in the fine company of Dan Crary, but this will be the first solo outing in Ireland for this most affable guitarist. Here are the dates.

Thursday 28 January - BELFAST, The Black Box (Lunchtime). £5 including lunch! Bookings
Friday 29 January - NAUL, Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre.
Sunday 31 January - CARRIG ON BANNOW - Colfers
Monday 1 February - KILWORTH, Village Arts Centre
Tuesday 2 February - BALLYMORE EUSTACE, Mick Murphy's
Thursday 4 February - GALWAY, The Crane
Friday 5 and Saturday 6 February - CULDAFF, Inishowen International Guitar Festival.

Full tour details here. If anyone has an idea for a short-notice gig on Saturday 30 January or Wednesday 3 February, please drop me an e-mail. Cheers,

Nigel Martyn

On the Grapevine

Thanks to Bob Butler and Clare Stein of the Devon-based Grapevine Music Agency for their January 2010 newsletter. The agency handles a wide range of folk, blues, bluegrass, and related forms of music, and the artists on their books for this year include Phil Rosenthal (above left; see the BIB post for 19 Nov. 2009) and the multi-instrumental Carrivick Sisters (above right; see the BIB for 9 May and 23 Sept. 2009). Event organisers are recommended to check the Grapevine roster of musicians.

Westport website update: the 2010 lineup

Uri Kohen of Electric Cave Production, organiser of the Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival in Westport, Co. Mayo, reports:

As we approach our fourth festival, we have now updated our website with this year's lineup. Although there will be some more fine tuning, it now gives a taste of what is to come in June 2010. See you in Westport!

The festival's MySpace site now shows the lineup headed by the Coal Porters (USA/UK), the Broken String Band, David Hope & the Henchmen, the MacEvillys, Well Enough Alone, Wookalilly, John Taylor, Tim Rogers, and Jim Byrne. Links to band sites and full contact details are also given.

Rob Ickes in Scotland

Thanks to Colin Henry, who writes:

One for the blog from your Dobro correspondent:-).

This past weekend I was in Scotland at an exclusive workshop with Rob Ickes [above]. Rob is one of the top dobro players in the world and a 10-time IBMA dobro player of the year. Rob is over in Scotland with his band Blue Highway and they are performing in the big Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow. Thanks go to Dave Currie who organised the whole thing. Dave is the BBMA Scottish rep. and a friend of Rob.

L-r: Colin Henry, Rob Ickes, Dave Currie, Kevin

There was just three of us - Dave, a chap Kevin, and myself. Rob came to the house early on Saturday morning and stayed the whole day. It was a marvellous day's music and a unique opportunity to watch and learn from a top professional musician. He sure can play the Dobro and I hope even a tiny bit of that will have got through to my ancient dobro brain.

Tom Hanway on the move: UPDATE

Tom and his Stelling Swallowtail banjo

Tom Hanway played two shows during this past weekend: one with his own Bluegrass Pals band at John Mac's, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, on Friday 15 January at 9.00 p.m., and the second with the Bluestack Mountain Boys (formerly known as the Bluegrass Brothers) at Geraghty's, Westport, Co. Mayo.

At present, Tom is next scheduled to appear on 30 January 2010 with the Molly Hicks, taking part in the annual Colfer's Country, Bluegrass, and Americana weekend at Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford. Keep up with the band by visiting Tom Hanway at his website or MySpace. For bookings, contact Tom Hanway at 087 204 7926 or by e-mail.

Update 19 Jan.: Tom forwards this third-party report on the Friday show:

On 15 January 2010, last Friday night, American ex-pat Tom Hanway & his Bluegrass Pals played to a delightfully packed house at John Mac's Café Bar, Harbour St., Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. This charming laid-back club had every sofa, lounge chair and bar stool taken or reserved, with a rapt audience who stayed put the entire night and listened intently.

The band delivered with two generous sets followed by two encores of hard-driving bluegrass featuring Tom’s untamed 5-string banjo, with forays into old cotton-field blues and R&B, gospel, honky-tonk, and rounding out the show with Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Elvis, and alt-country anthems.

Tom Hanway & his Bluegrass Pals are Barry Coffey, guitar, vocals; Tom Hanway, banjo and guitar, vocals; Pete Mulkerns, fiddle and vocals; Justin Whelan, bass and vocals; Howard Whelan, mandolin and vocals. Stepping in for Howard was Joe Meehan on mandolin.

BIB editor's note: By bad luck, Tom's weekend dates could not be featured on the BIB in time as we were away attending the Sixmilebridge Folk Club's Winter Music Weekend in Clare. Brendan Walsh and the Club have built up an excellent compact festival, combining many genres of music in thirty-five shows by ten acts during the weekend. Worth anyone's presence - though to judge by attendances this year, the venues will need to double their capacity...

Two Time Polka in fund-raiser for Haiti

Ray Barron of Two Time Polka reports:

Just to let you know that Two Time Polka will be performing at a fund-raiser in Cork city in aid of the Haiti earthquake disaster. It promises to be an enjoyable night. The venue is Cubins Nightclub, with four different stages catering for all tastes. Expect lots of different bands: confirmed for the night so far are John Spillane, the Interference, Hot Guitars, the Naildrivers, Steve Housden Band. Lots more acts to be added during the week.

Fri. 22 Jan. Cubins Nightclub, Hanover St.; doors at 8.00 p.m. Adm. €15. Two Time Polka on stage at 8.30 p.m. sharp.

Hope you can find the time to support this worthy cause,

Regards and thanks,
Ray & TTP

PS: We are currently revamping the TTP website. Full details on the next mail.

Grey, Means, & Paley in Ireland, July 2010

Sara Grey, Kieron Means, & Ben Paley, who made several appearances in Ireland during 2009, have a couple of dates scheduled here for this summer: at the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co. Dublin (24 July), and Colfer's, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford (25 July).

This fine trio - part of the backbone of the old-time scene in Britain - want it to be known that (in Sara's words)

we do a lot of other types of traditional American songs and music besides old time... we do a lot of Delta blues, Appalachian ballads and songs, traditional songs from the West, from my part of New England etc.

They are therefore ideal for folk club performances as well as for strictly old-time/bluegrass venues. If you can offer them a booking for the adjacent days in July, contact Sara by e-mail.

European Bluegrass Directory, 2010/2011

Dear bluegrasser,

Every two years the EBMA edits a directory containing useful bluegrass contacts in Europe: bands, clubs, festivals, luthiers, promoters, radios, associations, publications... It is now time to prepare the 2010 update.

I'm looking for people in every European country who can help updating the data of their region. The idea is to start from the data of last issue. I have those in excel files in which you can update, add, and delete the data you know.

If you're interested in helping, reply to this message NOW. All suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance!

Thierry Schoysman
Rawhide
Sons of Navarone
Bluegrass in Belgium

The deadline is 28 Feb. 2010. Contact Thierry by e-mail.

The EBMA website says: 'The European Bluegrass Directory is now in daily use by many musicians, business people and fans throughout the European bluegrass community and the USA. It stands as a symbol for the vitality and the growing interest in bluegrass in Europe and especially bluegrass played by European people - bluegrass with that special touch. Europe's own brand of bluegrass is getting more popular and we should be proud of it!'

The directory is distributed free of charge; and to keep it so, advertisers are needed. If you or someone in your area are in a position to support the EBMA, don’t hesitate: sign up for an ad in the directory and sell some ads in your area.

Ireland 'third in the bluegrass world'!

The bluegrass year starts with Ireland making a good showing - the January 2010 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine contains the annual festival guide, with well over 500 events listed throughout the world. The great majority of these are naturally in the USA, with Canada coming second. Under the heading 'Ireland', however, the details of six festivals are listed, making Ireland apparently the most bluegrass-oriented country in the world outside North America!

We say 'apparently' advisedly. BU can only print the information it receives, and this is far from a complete list even of European festivals. Many more could have been entered from all countries, and the British festivals are split up under separate headings for 'England', 'North Wales', and 'Scotland'. Nonetheless, credit where credit is due - among festival organisers outside North America who took the trouble to enrol on the BU list, those from Ireland take the lead position. Congratulations, all!

Buddy Mondlock in Ireland, 21-29 Jan. 2010

Buddy Mondlock (left) (USA), the highly regarded singer/songwriter who appears below in the lineup for Colfer's 6th American Country, Bluegrass, and Roots Music Festival at Carrig-on-Bannow, will be playing the following dates in Ireland:

Thurs. 21 Jan. The Real Music Club @ the Errigle Inn, 312-320 Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 2GE; 028 9064 1410. Set: 8.00 p.m.

Sun. 24 Jan. Whelan's (upstairs), 25 Wexford Street, Dublin 2; +353 1478 0766. Set: 8.00 p.m.

Tues. 26 Jan. Mick Murphy's, The Square, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare; +353 45 864017. Set: 9.30 p.m.

Thurs. 28 Jan. The Crane Bar, 2 Sea Road, Galway city; +353 91 587419. Set: 9.30 p.m.

Fri. 29 Jan. American Roots Weekend @ Colfer's Pub, Carrig on Bannow, Co. Wexford; +353 051 561159. Set: 9.00 p.m.

In all these shows, Buddy will be accompanied by Mike Lindauer on bass. Further details, including links and location maps, are here.

Colfer's 6th American Country, Bluegrass and Roots Music Festival 29-31 Jan. 2010

Thanks to John Murphy for the following programme for Colfer's 6th American Country, Bluegrass and Roots Music Festival, to be held on 29-31 January at 2010 Colfer's Pub, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford:

Friday 29th 8.00 p.m. sharp in Tin Sandwich Bar:
Paul Lamb & Johnny Dickinson (UK); Buddy Mondlock (USA). Tickets €10.00.
10.30 p.m. in Front Bar:
Des Browne (Ireland). Admission free

Saturday 30th 8.00 p.m. sharp in Tin Sandwich Bar:
The Molly Hicks (USA)/(Ireland)
Paul Lamb & Johnny Dickinson (UK). Tickets €10.00.
10.30 p.m. in Front Bar:
The Sullivan Brothers. Admission free

Sunday 31st 1.30 p.m. in Front Bar: Session of Music and Song
5.00 p.m. in Tin Sandwich Bar:
Beppe Gambetta (Italy)
Frankie Lane (Ireland)
Woodbine (Ireland)
The Sullivan Brothers (Ireland)
Des Browne (Ireland). Tickets €18.00

Weekend ticket €30.00
Further details & bookings: 051 561159 (after 4.00 p.m.)
Sponsors: Budweiser, Martin Carthy Painting Contractor, Colfers Pub.
Carrig-on-Bannow is in south Co. Wexford, three miles from Wellingtonbridge off the R733.

News from Orrin Star

Orrin Star, Maryland multi-instrumentalist, singer, instrument teacher, and leader of the Sultans of Swing, sends his winter newsletter, which will interest more than just those who saw him during a too-brief tour in Ireland a few years ago. Orrin continues to explore Celtic music, the mandola, and the tenor banjo. He's collecting vintage tenors, and recently sold a Puntolillo 'Princess' tenor with a 12" head - photos can be seen on his website.

Orrin now offers online lessons by Skype - full details can be seen here. Much more, as always, is on his website.

Hot times coming in Westport, Co. Mayo

Uri Kohen of Electric Cave Production reports:

As Westport is now covered with a beautiful blanket of snow,there is no better way to warm our hearts than with great bluegrass music. Next Saturday (16/1/2010) Geraghty's pub will once again open its door to a line of music shows which will stretch all the way till Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival in June 2010.

The first gig will be of one of the most interesting groups working in the Dublin bluegrass scene at the moment: the Bluestack Mountain Boys will travel to the west, performing their unique take on bluegrass classics.

On Saturday 30/1/2010 a Galway band will take the short trip to Westport, bringing fresh sounds of folk and bluegrass: Mad Uncle Harry are sure to be great crowd-pleasers.

More shows are coming in the next coming months, but report on them will be in my next post.

Ricky Skaggs and the Chieftains on the Tube

If you're subscribed to Bluegrass on the Tube, or have simply been exploring its resources, you may have come across this video of Ricky Skaggs (with Jim Mills, Stuart Duncan, and other bluegrass notables) together with the Chieftains playing 'Get along home, Cindy' and 'Cotton-eyed Joe' as part of a concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

There's also dancing from the traditions on both sides of the Atlantic. The video can be watched directly on YouTube.

Hayseed Dixie in Ireland, 18-22 Feb. 2010

The notorious Hayseed Dixie (USA) will soon begin their 'Killer grass' tour, to mark the release of their new album Killer grass. The tour is planned to run from the middle of February to around the end of October, and begins with five dates in Ireland:

Thurs. 18 Feb. Roisin Dubh, Galway city
Fri. 19 Feb. Dolan's Warehouse, Limerick city
Sat. 20 Feb. The Tripod, Dublin
Sun. 21 Feb. Cyprus Avenue, Cork city
Mon. 22 Feb. Spring & Airbrake, Belfast

At present the band's itinerary lists dates up to 27 May in most countries of western and central Europe, ranging from Ireland to Austria and from Spain to Finland.

Thanks in particular to Sarah of Dolan's in Limerick for the above photo, and for details of the Limerick show:

Dolan’s Warehouse, Friday 19 February
Doors: 8.00 p.m. Tickets: €21. Contact: 061314483

Times and prices for the other dates in Ireland will probably be similar.

The Wilders in Ireland, May 2010

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for the news that the Wilders (USA) will be touring in Britain and Ireland from 6 May to 30 May 2010 (assuming the weather improves by then). The tour is organised by the Brookfield Knights agency. Seven of the shows will be in the north of Ireland:

Wed. 19 May: Strule Arts Centre, Omagh, Co. Tyrone
Thurs. 20 May: Town Hall, Bangor, Co. Down
Fri. 21 May: Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart, Co. Londonderry
Sat. 22 May: Market Place Theatre, Armagh city
Sun. 23 May: Black Box, Belfast
Tues. 25 May: Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Wed. 26 May: Nesbitt Arms Hotel, Ardara, Co. Donegal

Richard Hurst leaves the chair of the EBMA

Richard Hurst, chief organiser of the Ulster American Folk Park's award-winning annual Appalachian & Bluegrass Music Festival, has been obliged by pressure of other commitments to step down from the position of chairperson of the European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA), which he has held for the last eighteen months. Richard reports:

Work commitments within National Museums Northern Ireland, and at home in Donegal, have just reached the point where something has to give. I have enjoyed the experience of being on the EBMA Board immensely, and obviously leave the scene with more than a tinge of sadness and regret. Working with fellow board members has been a joy in itself and their continued commitment to the development of bluegrass music in Europe is something I will continue to admire and support as an Association member in the years to come. I wish Angelika, Rienk, Petr, Dagfinn, and Martino a fair wind into the future and will ensure that our annual Bluegrass Festival at the Ulster American Folk Park continues to promote the EBMA and its work at every opportunity possible.

The EBMA board had its first Skype-Conference on 23 December 2009, and on Richard's recommendation unanimously elected Angelika Torrie to the chair. Angelika has been the EBMA's treasurer since its foundation in 2001, and its webmaster for several years. On behalf of the board, Angelika writes:

Although the EBMA board of directors is sad to see him leave, we send out to Richard Hurst a warm and heartfelt THANK YOU for his work for EBMA over the past months, and wish him all the power he needs for all commitments at home and at work. And of course we look forward to meeting with him again on the occasion of one or the other bluegrass event.

Beppe Gambetta in Ireland, 28 Jan.-6 Feb.

World-class acoustic guitarist Beppe Gambetta, who first became prominent as guitar player for Red Wine, will be playing seven shows in Ireland at the end of this month and in early February. The complete schedule, as it stands on his website, is as follows:

Jan. 28 Out To Lunch Festival, Black Box, 18-22 Hill Street, Belfast, +44 2890 232403
Jan. 29 Séamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Fingal, Co. Dublin, +353 1 802 0898
Jan. 31 Colfers Bluegrass and Americana Weekend, Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford, +353 51 561159
Feb. 1 Kilworth Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, +353 87 792 1771
Feb. 4 The Crane, Sea Road, Galway, +353 91 587419
Feb. 5-6 Culdaff Inishowen Guitar Festival, McGrory's, Culdaff, Inishowen, Co. Donegal, +353 (0)74 937 9104

Success of the first 'travelling bluegrass festival' in Europe

Finale of a Bluegrass Jamboree! show

You can read today on the original Bluegrass Blog a full account of the success of the first Bluegrass Jamboree!. Subtitled 'Festival of Bluegrass and Americana Music 2009', it was the first package tour of bluegrass and related music to go on the road in central Europe, playing fourteen shows in German cities and one in Basle, Switzerland, in sixteen days (5-20 December). Taking part were the Steep Canyon Rangers (USA), Beverly Smith & Carl Jones (USA), and the Toy Hearts (UK) - all of whom have played at the Omagh festival.

Rainer Zellner of the Music Contact agency arranged the tour and acted as MC throughout. Rainer, a bluegrasser himself (in the above photo he and his mandolin are left of centre), has a well-earned reputation as promoter of a wide variety of music throughout Germany and adjacent countries. To reach more than just bluegrass enthusiasts, he chose prestige locations and enlisted strong media support. The results fully justified his decisions, and Europe can look forward to more annual Jamborees. More details - and a video of a finale, including a mandolin break by Rainer - can be seen on the Bluegrass Blog.

British Bluegrass News #51

British Bluegrass News #51 (winter 2009/10) has been posted out to members of the British Bluegrass Music Association (BBMA), and it's an impressive piece of work - in content, organisation, appearance, and editing.

The bumper winter edition is 44 pages of solid information. The fine Belgian band Sons of Navarone are on the cover and interviewed inside; they've made themselves well known and liked in the UK through a number of visits, and will be touring there again in mid February 2010.

The issue also includes an article on bluegrass in Northern Ireland - more precisely, on the Omagh festival and bands that regularly appear there - by supreme MC Frank Galligan. There's a memoir of the late Terry Holland, whose family band many will remember from the early Dunmore East festivals. And there's much more, presented to a high standard.

This issue is the third to appear with Richard F. Thompson as editor-in-chief. British Bluegrass News is published by the BBMA, which was founded in 1990. To join the BBMA, contact the Membership Team, Clare and David Rozzell, by e-mail. For further information about the BBMA and the e-newsletter, contact Richard F. Thompson, Press Relations, 14 Lime Grove, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, WS13 6ER; 'phone +44 (0)1543 252683; e-mail.

A new tune for the New Year

Vincent Cross writes from New York:

To my friends old and new, thank you for your support in more ways than one. I hope the New Year brings you all your dreams.

Here's a tune called ‘Put away all childish things' recorded at my good friend Shane Kerwin’s studio in Brooklyn. It has not been mastered in any way, but quite simply is what it is. A clean, natural sound that I’ve come to appreciate more and more.

I hope you enjoy it and would love to hear any comments.

You can hear ‘Put away all childish things' on Vincent's MySpace site.

Two Time Polka: gig cancelled

Ray Barron of Two Time Polka reports:

Due to the extreme weather conditions, unfortunately we have to cancel the gig today at Kilmainhamwood. This decision didn't come easy, as we were looking forward to the gig; but all things considered, we thought it safest not to travel.

We would like to thank James Casey for all his work in organising the gig and thanks also to all our friends in Nobber.