Happy new year - with ukuleles

The Bluegrass Ireland Blog has now been in operation for just over six years, in which time over 2,400 posts have been published on it; nearly all of them are still there, and still accessible to anyone. We're happy to take this opportunity of thanking again Alice Toner, who originally set up the BIB, chose for it the appearance with which it still charms the world, and made it fully operational.

And we're also happy to be able to draw attention to another of Alice's achievements: 'Ukulele Hooley 2011', a documentary film which she made at the 2011 Ukulele Hooley by the Sea, held at Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, on 19-20 August. The documentary can be seen in two parts on the Uke Ireland & Ukuhooley Blog, and also on the Ukuhooley YouTube channel. The two parts, adding up to nearly half an hour, vividly convey the atmosphere of the event as well as some remarkable acoustic string music. Anyone with an interest in ukulele playing and related events in Ireland should visit these two sites.

The ukulele is enjoying renewed popularity at present, and old-time musicians seem increasingly fond of it. 'Is it a bluegrass instrument?', you ask. A prudent reply would be: 'Not yet'. But a video on the bluegrass scene in this island, comparable to Alice's documentary on the Ukuhooley, would be worth having.

Sacred Harp in Cork: more on the new website

The vigorous Sacred Harp singing community in Cork announces that the media page of its new website is now fully operational. Video and audio material, together with still photos, can be accessed there.

Post-Christmas jam at Ellie May's, 27 Dec.

Thanks to Dangem Quality Instruments of Craigavon, Co. Armagh, for good news for anyone who would like some after-Christmas bluegrass: a bluegrass jam will be held from 3.30 p.m. tomorrow (27 Dec. 2011) at Ellie May's, Dunadry, Co. Antrim - just down the A57 off of the M2. For a location map, click here. Dangem add:

Leave the better half off at Junction 1 to shop and book them in for tea (big points for that one, guys).

You can see the whole release, with inside and outside views of the venue, here.

Christmas greetings

Thanks to Arnie and Sharon Loughrin in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, for Christmas greetings; Sharon adds:

I'm attaching a wee link with a Christmas tune from Monday night's house concert.* We had Aaron [Jonah Lewis] for an extra couple of nights and the Broken String Band were kind enough to let him join their Wednesday night session in Balloo House; also fitted in a trip to the Folk Park and a drive through the Sperrins.

* At the Red Room, where the Kennedy, Lewis, Hicks Trio played on 19 December. More photos and videos from the evening can be seen on the Red Room Facebook page and on Sharon's YouTube channel.

You can also hear a six-minute medley of Christmas tunes played solo by the unique Béla Fleck in this post on Bluegrass Today. Don't forget that Fleck and the original Flecktones will be in concert at the National Concert Hall, Dublin, on 17 January 2012. Tickets can be booked online.

Thanks also for Christmas greetings from John, Monika and Sean Bermingham at Croc an Oir, Mullinahone, Co. Tipperary, one of the most unique music venues in this country.

Christmas greetings from the BIB

The Bluegrass Ireland Blog wishes a happy and peaceful Christmas and a joyful and prosperous New Year to all its readers, to all lovers of bluegrass and kindred musics, and to all people of goodwill everywhere.

In 2012 (and for the foreseeable future) keep looking at Bluegrass Today (the splendid new form of the original Bluegrass Blog), the European Bluegrass Blog, and all the other fine sources of news on our music!

Good news for the coming spring

The Special C.: David Thomas, Greg Cahill, Rick Faris, Dustin Benson

A new album by the Special Consensus (USA) in the band's present configuration (see above) may be released as early as March 2012. It has been recorded in the Compass Records studio in Nashville. Special C. leader Greg Cahill is delighted with the producing (by Alison Brown herself), the material (songs by Jon Weisberger & Tim Stafford, Brink Brinkman & Tony Rackley, Becky Buller, Dixie & Tom T. Hall, Ryan Roberts, etc.; two original instrumentals; an a cappella gospel song by the Golden Gate Quartet; and more), and the band's own performances. Look for further details in the near future on Bluegrass Today and in due course on the Special C. website.

Update 29 Dec.: More detail is now (as of 28 Dec.) on Bluegrass Today.

Cani Bruton: a tribute

Vinny Baker of Bending the Strings and the VeeBee Recording Studio, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, sends sad news and a tribute:

This week I lost a very close and dear friend, Cani Bruton, an excellent upright bassist, who died from a heart attack in his home on 20 December... he was just 48 years old.

Cani, a native of Mullingar and a bass player since his early teens, played with a vast number of people in the music business, mostly in the rock and blues scene; but in the past three years he developed a huge interest in bluegrass, newgrass, gypsy jazz, swing, and in particular the music of David Grisman, known as 'Dawg music'... a mix of bluegrass instrumental and jazz. He jammed with myself and mandolin player Joe Meehan every week at my studio over the past few years and was an extremely capable bassist.

His death, which happened so suddenly, has left the entire musician community in Mullingar completely numb, and indeed heartbroken, as he was well loved by all his friends in the Mullingar music scene.

He was always the first bass player I would call when I needed someone to do a bass session in the studio; and being such a fine and experienced player, Cani is on sessions from VeeBee studio, ranging from rock to folk to jazz and bluegrass.

His death has left a huge void in the lives of so many of us musicians, and all of us are finding it so difficult to come to terms with this huge loss of such a dear friend and musician.

May you Rest in Peace, Cani, we all miss you so much.

Moniaive on the air

Thanks to Paul Lyttle, organiser of the Moniaive Bluegrass Festival in Scotland, who reports:

if you tune into Alive Radio on Wednesday 28 December between 6.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m. you will hear a show hosted by Dave Macfarlane and myself which is dedicated to bluegrass music and the Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass Festival. Dave and I will present the show and use it as a platform for the forthcoming 'Criffel Creek' show on alternate Sundays 10.00 a.m.-12 noon... starting date to be announced soon.

Meantime have a very Merry Christmas,

Paul

A Dobro 'White Christmas'

Thanks to Colin Henry, who writes:

Thought you might like to put this link on the Blog. I was in the recording studio this week and when we had finished I took ten minutes and recorded one of my favorite Christmas songs with some 'cheesy' backing. Josh Graves named his dobro 'Julie'... I think I will now call mine 'Bing'! Happy Christmas to everyone.

The photo, from Gerard Thompson's album, shows Colin and 'Bing' on stage - and is that Mel Corry behind?

Solid bluegrass in Dublin pre-Christmas

>Thanks to Hugh Taggart, lead singer and guitarist of Well Enough Alone (above), who reports:

Well Enough Alone will be supporting the Cujo Family in the Button Factory, Curved St., Dublin 2, this Thursday (22 December). Doors are at 7.30; no cover charge.

Hugh Taggart and friends will be playing an early show of bluegrass and country songs in Sweeney's bar on Dame St. this Friday (23 December) from 5.00 till 7.00 p.m.; no cover charge.

8th BelNash Fest, 22-6 Feb. 2012

Thanks to Colin Magee, Panarts director, for news of the 8th Panarts Belfast Nashville Songwriters' Festival & Songwriting Convention, which will be held in Belfast during 22-6 February 2012. More than 100 songwriters, including Nanci Griffith (above), will perform in thirty-five concerts and showcases over the five days. Tickets are now available online. Full details are in this e-newsletter.

Acoustic Guitar magazine, Jan. 2012

Acoustic Guitar magazine #229 (Jan. 2012; at present in the shops) has several features of interest to bluegrass/old-time fans: the continuation of Kathy Barwick's instructional series on crosspicking; reviews of two CDs, Kenny Smith's Return and Noam Pikelny's Beat the devil and carry a rail; Jody Stecher's arrangement of 'Fair and tender ladies'; and an article on the Carolina Chocolate Drops in their recent four-piece lineup. The 'current' issue, #230 (Feb. 2012) has Gillian Welch & David Rawlings on the cover and Hank Williams's 'I'm so lonesome I could cry' as one of the featured songs.

Meanwhile, in Acoustic magazine (no relation), Leon Hunt assesses two intermediate-range 5-string banjos now marketed under the 'Vintage' name. And - a completely unconnected but serendipitous find - you might also look up the Findajo Vintage Banjos website; though the catalogue consists mainly of 4-string instruments, there are some remarkable 5-strings, including what is said to be the second Gibson Mastertone RB-4 ever made.

Frank Marion Necessary, 20 Dec. 1935-15 Dec. 2011

A month ago (see the BIB for 16 Nov.) we had occasion to mention Reno-style banjo-player Frank Necessary, longtime musical partner of AL Jones, and their band the Spruce Mountain Boys. Jay Armsworthy, IBMA member, sends the sad news that Frank Necessary died on Thursday afternoon, 15 December, after a long illness. His funeral will be held on Wednesday 21 Dec. in Leonardtown, Maryland. Niall Toner writes:

I share the sadness at the news of the passing of Frank Necessary. I had played with Frank and Al Jones at the 2005 Jerusalem Ridge Festival, and I was due to interview Al during my recent visit in connection with Bill Monroe, but I understand that he was at Frank's bedside in the hospital since early September. May he rest in peace.

The image above shows the cover of the band's early Rounder album (now out of print). A fine photo of Frank Necessary, together with funeral details and a condolence list, can be seen here. The photo below, taken by Moira Toner, shows Niall with Frank (left) and AL Jones beside the Spruce Mountain Boys trailer, rehearsing for their set at Jerusalem Ridge in 2005.

Christmas greetings from Woodbine

Tony O'Brien writes:

Woodbine would like to wish all our friends a very happy Christmas and a bright new year.

Thanks for the fantastic support that made 2011 our most successful year to date. We look forward to meeting you all again during 2012.

4 Wheel Drive to head the bill at Athy 2012 festival

Multi-award-winning European band 4 Wheel Drive, a favourite with bluegrass audiences in Ireland for a decade, will top the bill at the 22nd Athy Bluegrass Festival.

The Athy festival, founded in 1991, is the longest-running annual bluegrass event in this island. Tony O'Brien, director of the festival since 1998, first booked 4 Wheel Drive in 2001, the first of many appearances the band has made in Ireland. Tony announces that the coming Athy festival will be held on the weekend 13-15 July 2012, located in the GAA Club, Dublin Road, Athy, the venue for several earlier festivals. Full supporting lineup will be announced soon.

For Athy info, contact Tony O’Brien, 21 Kilkenny Road, Ballylinan, Athy, Co. Kildare; +353 (0)59 8625266; e-mail.

More Winter Music Weekend news

Thanks again to Brendan Walsh and the rest of the Winter Music Weekend crew at Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, for more information on the coming Weekend (12-15 Jan. 2012). The many new features this year include twenty concerts and sessions in the Folk Park at Bunratty Castle; a Poetry Corner in the Courthouse after Saturday lunch; and a session in the festival club after midnight on Saturday, hosted by the indefatigable Down and Out Bluegrass Band.

The Bunratty Castle Hotel has a special festival offer of two nights B&B for two people for €150, and there's a free shuttle-bus service between the hotel and Sixmilebridge on Friday and Saturday nights. You may wish to take the easy way out and join Sixmilebridge Folk Club; if so, application forms are available. Oh yes - and a ticket for the whole weekend costs €60. More details at the Weekend website.

Not just a classic - a bargain

Three weeks ago (25 Nov.) we reported news from Richard F Thompson that Foggy Mountain jamboree, the 1957 Columbia album by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, is to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame®. We now learn that this classic album is available on Amazon.co.uk for £4.07 (or even less from other sources linked to the Amazon site).

Update 21 Jan.: Thanks to the marvels of licensed reissue, equivalent bargains in compilations of classic tracks by Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, etc., may also be available at your nearest supplier of bluegrass CDs.

Little Ass Birds launch new CD, 21 Dec. 2011

Thanks to Conor Doyle of the Little Ass Birds for this news:

Little Ass Birds (LABs) play the Cobblestone in Dublin on Wednesday 21 December; doors 8.30 p.m., show begins at 9.00 p.m. It promises to be a great fun and festive night with supports from Ben Scott (Australian folk songwriter) and from folk duo 'Charlie & Benny'. LABs' debut CD Up in the air will be on sale on the night.

Also, Charleen and I ('Charlie & Benny') will be playing again at the Cabin Sessions, Dundrum, on Thursday 29 Dec.

Bluegrass and old-time music in Britain: on video

Thanks to John Breese in Britain for news of his 26½-minute video documentary 'Bluegrass & old-time: an exploration of the music in the UK', produced as part of his Master's course at Southampton University, with support from the British Bluegrass Music Association. You can watch it here; it is one of the videos on the Bath Bluegrass School's YouTube channel.

There's plenty of music throughout, either on the soundtrack or from footage of individual musicians or jams, but the video is not primarily meant to be a showcase for bands or festivals. Space is deservedly given to the Sore Fingers Summer Schools, one of Britain's main gifts to the bluegrass world. Major figures from bluegrass and old-time music in Britain can be seen and heard giving their views on the scene, how they came to it, and where it is going. Anyone in touch with the scene in Britain will see familiar faces here (including one eminent US musician who has often played in Ireland).

The BIB cordially recommends this video - and, incidentally, wonders what the chances are of an equivalent production for this island...

Tupelo in Whelans, Dublin, 17 Dec. 2011

Thanks to Kevin Duffy, fiddle player with Dublin-based acoustic roots band Tupelo, for the news that the band will be playing upstairs at Whelan's, Wexford St., Dublin 2, on Saturday 17 December. Full details are on the poster (left; click on the image for an enlarged view). The band's press release quotes their lead singer, James Cramer:

I saw an Emmylou Harris performance on TV and I knew I had to have a fiddle in the band. It worked from the first song. You can search all your life and never find the right people but it was finally together and that was the start of Tupelo.

Get your band on the DanGem bands page

Thanks to Derek Lockhart of DanGem Quality Instruments of Craigavon, Co. Armagh, who writes:

We are going to revamp the 'Bluegrass bands' page on our site. If any bluegrass band would like to have a presence on the page, just drop us an e-mail. This is a resource for all bluegrass bands, and is free of charge. If they send us the following, we will gladly include them.

Name of band
Contact details: 'phone
Contact details: e-mail
Picture of band
URL of band website (if you have one)

Off Quay Song Club, Kinvara, Co. Galway

Thanks to Pete Lamb in Galway, who sends word of:

... a new singer/songwriter night happening 9.00 p.m. every Thursday in Connolly's, Kinvara. Live original music in a superb cosy, intimate venue in a village world-renowned for its musical tradition. Free entry. It's not strictly bluegrass, or even Americana... but those genres being close to my heart, performers in that style will naturally be warmly welcomed!

Anyone interested in performing can message me on Facebook, e-mail me, or contact me on 085-1033709. Or better still, just turn up and take a look.

We look forward to hearing further from Pete about future development of the Club, and about the 2012 Galway Americana festival.

13th Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, 12-15 Jan. 2012

Thanks to Brendan Walsh and his team for the latest news of the 13th Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, to be presented by the Sixmilebridge Folk Club in Co. Clare a month from now.

The Weekend has been for many years the essential New Year livener-up for acoustic music fans, with high-calibre guest artists (e.g. Special Consensus (USA) in 2011) heading eclectic programmes of music, dance, and poetry. The 2012 Weekend will comprise a total of seventy events in fifteen venues in and around Sixmilebridge, including the fine setting of the Bunratty Folk Park. Brendan reports that you can now download the brochure as a pdf document from the Weekend website, and writes:

Great lineup of acoustic roots bands this year inc. Sarah Savoy & the Francadians Cajun band, I Draw Slow, the Carrivick Sisters (UK), Wookalily, Down and Out Bluegrass Band, Red Cloud Bluegrass, Gypsy Rebel Rabble, and Woody Guthrie sessions led by John Nyhan, just to mention the genres your readers might be interested in.

There are only forty weekend tickets left, and as you know our venue is small; so if you know anyone interested you might let them know. They are available to buy now at the festival office: tel. 061 713605 (9.30-1.00 and 2.00-5.00 weekdays).

The full programme, with bands, times, and locations, can be seen here.

Ruth Moody in Ireland, Jan-Feb. 2012

Ruth Moody, born in Australia and raised in Canada, was in Ireland in May 2008 with the Wailin’ Jennys (see the BIB for 14 Mar. 2008), of which she is a founder member. She is also former lead singer of the Canadian roots band Scruj MacDuhk (which became the Duhks, and begat the Turtle Duhks, who played at this year's Omagh festival), and she has appeared many times on the radio show 'A Prairie Home Companion'.

Thanks to G Promo PR for the news that she will be in Britain and Ireland for a tour lasting from 13 January to 9 February 2012, fitting in with the release of her solo album The garden and with her taking part in the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow.

January
Sat. 28th: The Black Box, Belfast (as part of Out To Lunch Festival); 028 9024 6609; £6. NB: this is an afternoon show (2.00 p.m.).
Sun. 29th: The Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo town; +353 (0) 71 916 1518; €TBC, 8.00 p.m.
Mon. 30th: The Brontë Centre, Rathfriland, Co. Down; 028 40623322; £TBC, 8.30 p.m.

February
Celtic Connections: 'Transatlantic Sessions' tour with Raul Malo, Jerry Douglas, Aly Bain, Danny Thompson, Tim O'Brien, Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, & more
Tues. 7th Feb. The Convention Centre, Dublin; 0818 719377; €40.20/€42.20, 8.00 p.m.

I Draw Slow at the Grand Social, Dublin, 17 Dec. 2011

L-r: Colin Derham, Louise Holden, Konrad Liddy, Dave Holden, Adrian Hart

Thanks to Dave Holden for the news that a week tomorrow (Saturday 17 December) Dublin roots band I Draw Slow play The Grand Social, 35 Lower Liffey St., by the Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin 1; their last gig in 2011, and their third appearance in the venue in the last six months. Doors 8.00 p.m.; admission €10. Their press kit says:

'Captivating' (Irish Times), 'achingly beautiful' (Hot Press), 'polished and gutsy' (Sunday Times), Dublin roots band I Draw Slow have been drumming up enthusiastic reviews in Ireland since the release of their top-ten-selling second album, Redhills. However, their impact abroad is redrawing the map for these Irish/Americana songwriters. They have been described in the UK press as 'American top league equivalents' destined 'to blow the opposition away', drawing favourable comparisons with Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss. The band has been invited to tour the UK, Germany, Denmark, and Belgium in 2012 so catch them while you can.

A treat for old-time fans: the Kennedy, Lewis, Hicks Trio in Ireland, Dec. 2011

Thanks to Noriana Kennedy, who sends this update on dates scheduled for the Kennedy, Lewis, Hicks Trio:

Fri. 16 Dec. Spells, Ballaghadereen, 10.00 p.m.
Sat. 17 Dec. The Pillar House, Ballinasloe, 10.00 p.m.
Sun. 18 Dec. Boyles of Slane, Slane, 10.00 p.m.
Mon. 19 Dec. The Red Room, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, 8.30 p.m.

Brimming with the pure good stuff, the Kennedy, Lewis, Hicks Trio bring old-time dance rhythms, lyrical ballads, and roaring ragtime tunes to engage and wow audiences in Ireland this winter. Aaron Jonah Lewis, with credentials hard to beat, has won awards at the US's most prestigious bluegrass festivals including first prize at the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention 2007. His hauntingly powerful command of the fiddle takes you on a journey to his Virginia roots and the music that moved and continues to move generations. Joining him on vocals for this special tour is Galway-based roots singer Noriana Kennedy (Mad Uncle Harry) who is creating a buzz nationally with her much acclaimed Irish/American folk album Ebb n flow. Completing the trio is banjo/guitar player Sleepy Ed Hicks (UK). Ed has been impressing audiences with his distinct style and 'proves that the banjo is the most versatile instrument in existence'. Drawing deeply from the old-time and bluegrass traditions, their sound together will leave you dancing, hollering, and howling at the moon.

KLH webpage
Listen to Aaron Jonah Lewis and Ed Hicks album

Noriana Kennedy
30 Crescent Court
Fr Griffin Road
Galway city
Tel. 0861003342; e-mail

Bluegrass education - and more

Thanks to James Taylor of ArtistWorks for this link to an interview with David Butler on the EdTechDigest website, on the future of music education, with special reference to the interactive video method for which ArtistWorks is famous (see the BIB post of 27 Nov., for instance).

Banjo players should make a point of seeing the video that shows ten minutes of Jens Kruger talking to Tony Trischka, and more footage of Kruger playing at a banjo workshop.

Thanks also to Ned Luberecki, Megan Lynch, and Stephen Mougin of the Nashville Music Workshop for this link to news of their own online bluegrass instruction system, together with links to the Hangout websites for the bluegrass instruments - and Christmas greetings, which the BIB cordially reciprocates.

Addendum: And there's always the father of instructional media for the bluegrass instruments: Happy Traum's Homespun. Just in the last week or so, Homespun news has included downloadable sets on harmony singing and bluegrass jamming, lessons from Sam Bush on bluegrass mandolin and Ken Perlman on clawhammer banjo, a free fingerstyle guitar lesson, and more. Read a Homespun e-newsletter; among the free goodies available are eleven pages of advice by Happy Traum on effective performing in public, which are available in pdf form here for download.

Update 10 Dec.: ... and Homespun also have gift certificates.

Sacred Harp in Cork: new website

Following the BIB post of 26 November - thanks again to Vicky Langan, who sends the news that the Cork Sacred Harp singers now have a new website, with links to Twitter, audio files, and more. Active preparations for the Second Ireland Sacred Harp Convention and Singing School (3-4 Mar. 2012) are in progress.

Niall Toner on RTÉ Radio 1 over Christmas

Niall Toner sends a reminder:

My IMRO Special with actor/songwriter/singer Paul Williams, recorded at the John Field Room in the National Concert Hall, Dublin, goes out under the 'Behind the lines' banner on RTÉ Radio 1 on 26 December at 9.00 p.m.

I have another special on RTÉ Radio 1 called 'Rathgar to Rosine: a personal odyssey in search of the music of Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass', which will be broadcast on Thursday 29 December at 2.00 p.m.

And my Roots Freeway show returns to the airwaves on 10 December at 11.00 p.m. with its healthy mixture of roots, folk, bluegrass, singer/songwriters, and traditional music, as well as gig guides and guests.

In January 2012 Roots Freeway will also be offering listeners another chance to enter an exclusive free competition in which they can win a superb guitar or mandolin.

Niall Toner Band
Roots Freeway
Niall Toner MySpace

BIB editor's note: The Paul Williams with whom Niall is appearing is not Jimmy Martin's tenor singer and mandolinist - still very much active and recording with J.D. Crowe and Doyle Lawson as well as with his own Victory Trio - but the songwriter who composed the hit songs for the Carpenters.

Update 7 Dec.: See also the section on Niall in the latest Mountain Music Entertainment e-newsletter.