Two Time Polka: December and beyond

Ray Barron of Two Time Polka sends news of the band's gigs for December:

Sat. 3rd: Mastersons Steakhouse, Main St., Swords, Co. Dublin. Start 10.00 p.m. Adm. free. Tel. 01 8903855

Fri. 30th: DC Music Club, 20 Camden Row, Dublin. Start 9.00 p.m. Adm. €15 (Musiclee.ie production)

New Years Eve, Sat. 31st: The White Horse, Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Start 10.15 p.m. Adm. free. Tel. 021 4871388

In January we'll be playing in Sixmilebridge at the Winter Music Festival; Clashmore, Co. Waterford; and in the White Horse, Ballincollig. Full details in the next mail.

Enjoy Christmas!

Regards,
Ray & TTP

Two Time Polka's new CD, New road, is available at their gigs and from Music Zone, Douglas, Cork, and Custys Music, Ennis, Co. Clare; or on line from both outlets, www.musiczone.ie and www.custysmusic.com. You can also contact Ray directly.

Band and concert news

Last Sunday (27 Nov.) the Knotty Pine Striug Band were part of the lineup in 'This world is not my home', an 'inspirational bluegrass gospel experience' in St Mary's church, Killyclogher, Co. Tyrone, presented by the Killyclogher & District Development Association. A three-minute video by John Hutchinson about the show can be seen on their Facebook.

*

I Draw Slow were in the RTE studios this morning, taking part in the Sean O'Rourke Show from 10.00 to noon. The band also announce that they are coming out of their brief hibernation with a couple of shows in December, beginning on Monday 5 Dec. in Mick Murphy's of Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, for the Ballymore Acoustic Gigs sessions. I Draw Slow write: 'It's a really great, intimate show and we're honoured to be asked to play. We'll be playing all of the tunes from our upcoming release "Turn your face to the sun"; it'll be a great night.'

*

Ballymore Acoustic Gigs announce that their last show of 2016 will be on 9 Dec. at 8.00 p.m. It will be the 6th Annual 'Vibe for Larry', commemorating the late, great Larry Roddy (photo by Mike Lindauer), a true pioneer of roots music promotion in Ireland, who founded the series of acoustic music gigs at Ballymore Eustace twenty-five years ago. US bluegrass acts who have played there more than once include the Special Consensus and Jim Hurst & Missy Raines.

*

Erdini will be on the bill at the Bundoran Church of Ireland Christmas Charity Concert, featuring also the Eurovision-winning Charlie McGettigan and the 'incandescent' Bel Canto Choir, with actress Maura Logue of 'Ros na Rún' as MC. The concert will take place at Bundoran Church of Ireland, Co. Donegal (on the seafront, R267, just before the climb into central Bundoran), on Friday 2 Dec. at 8.00 p.m.

*

The Whileaways will release their Christmas single 'Everyone' tomorrow (1 Dec.), following that with their Christmas special concert at Campbell's Tavern, Headford, Co. Galway, on 3 Dec. Tickets can be booked online.

*

Greenshine will be on the bill at a benefit concert for the Cork Simon Community on Sat. 10 Dec. at the Mills Inn, Cork, starting at 9.30 p.m. More details are on the poster image (right).

*

Pete Lamb, leader of Gone to Grass and former organiser of the Galway Americana Festival, is playing this coming month on Friday 2 Dec. at the Ardilaun Hotel, Galway, 8.00 p.m.; on Sat. 3 Dec. in Sexton's, Kinvara, Co. Galway, 10.00 p.m.; on Sat. 10 Dec. in Tully's, Kinvara, 9.00 p.m.; and on Sat. 17 Dec. back in Sexton's, 10.00 p.m. In most months of 2017 Pete will be playing in Power's of Oughterard, Co. Galway.

*

The Henry Girls announce their last gig of 2016: their debut at the Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, on Fri. 16 Dec. at 8.00 p.m.. 'We'll be previewing songs from our new album (due for release early 2017), revisiting a couple of songs from bespoke performances we gave in 2016, there'll be songs from our Sketches EP, and of course some festive numbers! Do join us!' Tickets (€20) are available online.

*

Rackhouse Pilfer have a very busy December, especially in the holiday period. They're playing the following shows (including the Rockies Christmas party):

Fri. 2nd: The Weigh Inn, Omagh, Co. Tyrone (sold out)
Sat. 3rd: Blackrock GAA Club, Church Rd, Cork city
Sun. 4th: Nancy Blake's, Limerick city
Fri. 9th: Southern Hotel, Sligo town (sold out)
Sat. 10th: Southern Hotel, Sligo town
Mon. 12th: McGarrigles, Sligo town
Fri. 16th: The Empire, Belfast
Sat. 17th: Nesbitt Arms Hotel, Ardara, Co. Donegal
Sun. 18th: Voodoo, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Mon. 19th: McGarrigles, Sligo town
Fri. 23rd: Gilroys, Inniscrone, Co. Sligo
Mon. 26th: 5th on Teeling, Sligo town
Wed. 28th: McGings, Westport, Co. Mayo
Thurs. 29th: Abbey Hotel, Donegal
Fri. 30th: Percy Whelans, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Sat. 31st: Strand Bar, Sligo town (ticketed)
Sun. 1st Jan: Drury's, Monasteraden, Co. Sligo

Factor One at the Unitarian Church, Dublin, 3 Dec. 2016

Gerry Fitzpatrick, organiser of the Cabin Sessions series at Uncle Tom's Cabin in Dundrum, Dublin 14, writes:

Just wanted to let you know about a once-off gig this Saturday (3 Dec.). Factor One, with Andrew Basquille (a regular guest at the Cabin), will be performing at the Unitarian Church, Stephen's Green, at 8.00 p.m. The set will feature songs from their new EP, which was recently recorded in Studio 515 in Nashville. Proceeds from the evening will go towards a charity for the homeless. Very special venue and well worth going along!

BIB editor's note: Among Andrew's many talents and activities, he's a devotee of the work of Hank Williams and was also the first person ever to ask me whether anyone was singing Sacred Harp music in Dublin (and at that time I didn't know). His songwriting can be sampled on the Irish Times website, which has the full text and an audio recording of his 'Arthur's song'.

New and expanded edition of the New Kentucky Colonels’ Live in Sweden 1973 now available on CD

Thanks to the legendary Roland White and Diane Bouska for this very special news:

It’s been forty-three years in the making, but finally a complete recording of the New Kentucky Colonels’ Live in Sweden 1973 is available. Captured in two successive nights at the Mosebacke club in Stockholm, the 26-song CD showcases brothers Roland, Clarence, and Eric White and banjo master Alan Munde at their artistic peak.

The 14-song edition of Live in Sweden 1973 that was released on vinyl by Rounder Records in 1976 has been an out-of-print collector’s item for many years.

The tour that took the Colonels to Sweden reunited the White brothers, who had played in a family band throughout their formative years. Originally calling themselves the Country Boys, the Whites evolved into the Kentucky Colonels in the early '60s and toured the country electrifying audiences with their instrumental virtuosity, compelling rhythms, and traditional brother harmonies. They produced a highly acclaimed instrumental album, Appalachian swing, in 1964, and were recorded in many live performances which became part of the critical bluegrass literature for aspiring players.

'We had some great years touring in the sixties,' Roland recalls, 'but gigs got scarcer with the end of the folk boom, and by 1967 we all sought other work. I went to Nashville to play guitar with Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. Clarence stayed in California, creating his own "country rock" style of electric guitar-playing and recording sessions with many artists. He joined, then toured and recorded with the Byrds. Eric also stayed in California and played sessions and bluegrass and country gigs. By the end of 1972, I had spent twenty-two months with Bill and then played mandolin in Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass for four years. When Clarence called to say he had quit the Byrds and maybe we should join forces again, I was ready!' The European tour included the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, and England, and the band was planning more touring and recording. Tragically, less than two months after the Stockholm shows, Clarence was struck by a car and killed outside the Palmdale, California club where he and his brothers had just finished playing.

These recordings reveal the White Brothers and Alan Munde at the top of their game, in an all-in effort, playing together with great verve and drive, a seemingly telepathic ensemble. The selections are a cornucopia of bluegrass, country, and folk songs and tunes, featuring Roland on mandolin, lead and tenor vocals; Clarence on guitar, lead and baritone vocals; Eric on bass and baritone vocals; and Alan Munde on banjo. The CD is on the Roland White Music label and is available at RolandWhite.com, Amazon.com, and all digital outlets. For more information or DJ copies, e-mail Diane Bouska.

The songs: Fire on the mountain, Never ending song of love, Banjo boy chimes, Good woman’s love, Sally Goodin, Mocking banjo (Duelin’ banjos), Old Joe Clark, You won’t be satisfied that way, Shenandoah Valley breakdown, I’m blue, I’m lonesome, I know what it means to be lonesome, Blackberry blossom, Why you been gone so long, Alabama jubilee, Dark hollow, Take a whiff on me, Last thing on my mind, Soldier’s joy/Black Mountain rag, If you’re ever gonna love me, John Henry, The prisoner’s song, I am a pilgrim, Salty dog blues, New River train, Rawhide, and Roll in my sweet baby’s arms.

L-r: Alan Munde, Roland White, Eric White, Clarence White

BIB editor's note: Anyone looking for Christmas presents for guitar or mandolin players should make a priority of visiting the Roland White store page.

PS: Two nice photos of Roland and the band on this tour can be seen on the Prescription Bluegrass Blog.

Update 16 Dec.: See also this feature and review by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today, stressing the value of the recording for flat-pickers. With iTunes samples.

UK festivals for 2017 listed on BBMA Facebook

Last Friday the British Bluegrass Music Association published on its Facebook a list of twenty-three bluegrass festivals and other events of one or more days in length, that will be held in the UK between March and September 2017. The 'other events' include the Sore Fingers Summer School in April (summer comes early in that part of the world). Please note:

• In over half of the list, the exact dates for 2017 have not yet been received, and last year's dates are shown [in brackets]. Updates are coming in - the North Wales Bluegrass Festival will be a week later (6-9 July) than it was last year.
• This is a list of UK events, so the Cairncastle Bluegrass Evening in July and the Bluegrass Music Festival at Omagh are both included - thanks to Sharon Loughrin, the BBMA's representative for Northern Ireland.

The BBMA's events page at present shows the 2016 list, which also included the Westport Folk and Bluegrass festival.

Brochure and tickets for Celtic Connections 2017 [UPDATE]

Following on from the BIB post of 28 Oct., the Celtic Connections organising team in Glasgow, Scotland, announce that the brochure for next year's festival (19 Jan.-5 Feb. 2017) is now available and can be downloaded here. Tickets for all the events are now on sale.

Performers likely to be of interest to BIB readers include Sarah Jarosz, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Southern Tenant Folk Union, the Mark O'Connor Band, Dirk Powell, and the Special Consensus, together with the usual Transatlantic Sessions.

Update 1 Dec.: As shown here, the National Whisky Festival will be held in Glasgow on 28 Jan., in the middle of Celtic Connections; the festival is publicising this as an added attraction.

April Verch Band (CAN) due back in May 2017

Singer, songwriter, fiddler, and stepdancer April Verch and her band send their latest e-newsletter, with greetings for the holiday season and thanks to all who have supported them in any way.

On 17 Feb. Slab Town Records will release The April Verch anthology, an 18-track collection celebrating April's life’s work to date with a mix of regional Canadian, American old-time, bluegrass, country, and Americana tracks, including - as well as tracks from her 1998-2015 recordings - two original songs, never before released. Guest artists include Mac Wiseman, Bobby Hicks, Sam Bush, Dirk Powell, and Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters. The Anthology can be pre-ordered up to 22 December 2016.

Specially good news for all who have seen and heard April and the band on previous tours in Ireland: their online schedule shows that in May 2017 they'll be on this side of the Atlantic, beginning with two shows in Switzerland and Germany, and from 10 to 14 May they will be touring Ireland for Moving on Music; details are still TBC, but a performance on 17 May 2017 at The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, is also listed. After that, they will be playing in Bilbao, Spain, and finishing their time in Europe at the Spring Bluegrass Festival in Willisau, Switzerland, where Balsam Range (USA) will also be playing (see the BIB for 22 Nov.).

Fox & Branch (USA) tour in June 2017?

Thanks to the FOAOTMAD news blog for the news that Fox & Branch (Dave Fox and Will Branch), based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are planning a tour in Britain and Ireland from 9 June to 24 June 2017. FOAOTMAD reports:

They have gigs at the beginning and end of the tour, as well as one right in the middle, but have many dates yet to fill. Can anyone help out?

Fox & Branch's repertoire includes old-time country and Cajun songs and tunes; New Orleans, jug band, and swing numbers; ballads and tunes from these islands; bluegrass songs; 'and, last but not least, banjo/washboard breakdowns'. Each of them has been performing for over thirty years, and in addition to their 'music for grownups' concerts, they specialise in shows for children - their seven albums include five for children. They also offer workshops in American roots rhythms (including 'hambone' body percussion), 'How songs work' (use of chords), and arranging for two guitars.

Fox & Branch provide a video introduction on their website; it's also on YouTube, where they have their own channel. A player with seven audio numbers is on their 'grownups' page. Anyone who can offer or suggest a gig to them can contact them by e-mail.

Al Batten

The BIB editor writes:

Many in this country will be sad to hear of the death of Alton Tharse 'Al' Batten of Selma, NC, last Sunday (20 Nov.). He had led his band, the Bluegrass Reunion, from 1972 and was still playing on stage with them till this summer, when his health deteriorated.

The feature by John Lawless on Bluegrass Today mentions the two trips the band made to Ireland; they played both times at the Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival in Omagh, Co. Tyrone. In his McAuley Lecture at Omagh this year, Rodney McElrea, looking over the artists who had played at Omagh since 1992, held Al and his band in high regard.

The Bluegrass Today feature includes a five-minute video of the Bluegrass Reunion cutting up on stage, which can also be seen (together with many more videos of the band) on YouTube.

Update 23 Nov.: More details, and a note of the Celebration of Life service held today for Al Batten, are on the Prescription Bluegrass Blog. The BIB thanks also the sender of the comment on this post, received today.

Balsam Range to head Bühl festival lineup, 19-20 May 2017

Tickets will go on sale on 1 December 2016 for the 15th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival, to be held on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 May 2017 in Bühl/Baden, a pleasant town between the Black Forest and the Rhine in south-west Germany. From the beginning (2003) the festival, financed by the Bühl city council, has put on top-ranking acts from the USA and Europe in a first-class auditorium; the 'Rückblick' section of the website shows the lineup for each year.

The 2017 programme begins with the Friday night concert featuring The Dead South (CAN) and Jussi Syren & the Groundbreakers from Finland, who earned respect in the US with their tough '50s-style bluegrass. On Saturday between 11.30 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. there will be two open-air free-to-all sets in the Johannesplatz from the Dapper Dan Men (D) and Curly Strings (EST). Beginning at 5.00 p.m. the main concert features these two bands, the Country Pickers (CH), Chris Jones & the Night Drivers (USA), and the headline act, Balsam Range (USA) - see the appendix to the BIB post of 12 Nov.

Our good friend Walter Fuchs, radio presenter, country music historian, and longtime director of the Bühl festival, adds that Balsam Range will also be playing at the Spring Bluegrass Festival in Willisau, Switzerland, a week later. 'Why all the news about events on the Continent?' BIB readers may be saying. Well, (a) we're eager to publish news of bluegrass festivals in Ireland whenever that reaches us; and (b) if you gave Bühl (and any other Continental festival we've been to) a try, you would enjoy it.

One piece of sad news about bluegrass in Ireland next year: Peter Thompson reports that there will not be a tour by the Kathy Kallick Band in these islands (see the BIB for 8 Nov.).

Shape-note singing comes to Galway, 2 Dec. 2016

A three-hour session of shape-note singing under expert guidance will be held at the Rowing Club, Woodquay, Galway, on Friday 2 December from 6.00 to 9.00 p.m. All are welcome, and no experience is necessary. The organisers, Eimear and Isabel, write:

All that is required is a desire to sing and an appreciation of the joy of singing.

This is one of the oldest and traditional forms of music in America. This is four-part a cappella singing that dates back to the sixteenth century. The style is characterised by haunting harmonies, traditional modes, raucous songs, serene hymns, fast fugues, and high-energy anthems.

We are honoured to have experienced shape-note singer, teacher, and composer Aldo Ceresa in Galway on the night, all the way from New York City to lead our workshop.

More details are on the event Facebook, including these links for further information:

• Cork Sacred Harp Singers website (Ireland's original and longest running shape-note singing group; a party of singers from Cork will be going to Galway for the evening)
• Fasola: The central website for the tradition
• Trailer of 'Awake my soul', a documentary on the shape-note singing tradition
• Recording from the movie 'Cold Mountain'

The Cabin Sessions, Dundrum, 24 Nov. 2016

Gerry Fitzpatrick, organiser of the Cabin Sessions series, 'Acoustic Music at its Finest', announces the Session for this month:

We're back on Thursday 24 November. Our guests will be Jak Jones (contemporary), Martha Keenan (folk), and Ian Brennan (contemporary). And of course the all-star Cabin Crew!! Hopefully see you then!

The Sessions are held on the last Thursday of every month at Uncle Tom's Cabin in Dundrum, south Dublin (not far from Dundrum Luas station, in the city direction). Shows run from 9.30 to 11.30 p.m. and admission is FREE. If you or someone you know would like to perform at the Cabin Sessions, let Gerry know by e-mail. The Sessions are particularly interested in featuring local musicians and singers.

Bluegrass on the air from Killybegs TONIGHT and every Sunday and Monday night

Local community radio can be a powerful tool for making bluegrass heard, so thanks to Seán Ó Beirne in Co. Donegal for this news:

South West Donegal Community Radio is at last back online and can be accessed from anywhere via TuneIn or via our website. We are broadcasting from our new studio in Killybegs; I will be presenting a two-hour mix ​of bluegrass and country music on Sunday nights from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m. Pat McGill [organiser of the annual Ardara Bluegrass Festival] will present his Bluegrass Show on Monday night from 7.00 to 10.00 p.m.

SWDCR is a local community radio station, run entirely by volunteers to help give a voice to all sections of the community, and offering a wide range of programming - music, news, events, documentaries, and interviews - where local people can hear local news, stories, and information. SWDCR began online broadcasting yesterday (Sat. 19 Nov.) at 10.00 a.m., and will present a full lineup of shows every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday from now on, with more shows and days added as things progress.

Front Country (USA) available for Ireland, 17-23 Oct. 2017

Nearly two years ago the BIB published news from Loudon Temple of the UK's Brookfield Knights agency about the highly regarded and innovative young San Francisco-based band Front Country (left). Loudon reports that their tour in Britain earlier this year went so well that it is hoped to bring them over for two tours in 2017. Comments on the tour have been ecstatic.

In 2014 Front Country had only been together three years and just launched their debut album when they made their mark on the western US scene by winning the band competitions at the Telluride and Rockygrass festivals, and were being acclaimed by Bluegrass Today and members of leading bands. You can read reviews and watch them in action in eleven videos on their website and elsewhere on YouTube. In this year's IBMA Momentum awards, Front Country's lead singer Melody Walker won the Vocalist award - the other finalists included Molly Tuttle and Lindsay Lou Rilko.

Loudon can now confirm that Brookfield Knights will have Front Country over in these islands for a three-week run of dates from 3 to 22 October 2017, as well as for summer festivals. The Ireland tour period will be the last week: 17-23 October. Loudon writes:

Please let us know if you would like to grab them for a slot on your programme and it would be useful if you could provide a steer on what date or dates might be available/preferred in that timeframe.

Contact Brookfield Knights for information and bookings.

A new look for bluegrass in Europe

The European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA) has completely restyled its website, with new features including links to the EBMA's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The front page now carries a good deal of news, including the listing of the weekly Dublin Bluegrass Collective jam under 'Upcoming events'.

A link to the EBMA's list of bluegrass festivals in Europe has been added to the 'Europe' section of the links in our right-hand sidebar, and we urge festival organisers over here to contact the EBMA and add their details to the list. We note with regret, in passing, that the Coastline Bluegrass Music Event in north Wales has come to an end after ten enjoyable years.

Rackhouse Pilfer for Rockies Christmas Party on Sat. 3 Dec. 2016

Thanks to Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland for this news:

'Christmas time's a-coming' and so our thoughts turn to Christmas parties. Those of you who attended the Rockies Christmas Party last year won't need reminding of what a great night it turned out to be. This year's event promises to be even better, with lots of Ceoil, Craic agus Bia on offer, and one of the top bands in Ireland, Rackhouse Pilfer [above], to entertain us for the night. All friends, fans, and supporters of the Rockies are hereby Invited to attend, and we look forward to a mighty night's entertainment. Be There or Be Square.

Blackrock GAA Club, 'The Rockies', is located in Church Rd, Blackrock, Cork city. The phrase 'Christmas time's a-coming' may not have been invented by the late Tex Logan, but the song very definitely was.

Band news

After a hectic Indian summer for the music here (in the past month, six bands from the USA visited Ireland), things have quietened down but plenty of interest is still happening.

The Blue Light Smugglers (above) were missing last night from their eyrie in the Dublin mountains: they can be seen and heard, though, tomorrow night (16 Nov.) from 9.00 p.m. till 1.00 a.m. at the Rainbow Bistro, 76 Murray St., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 5M6. They arrived in Toronto last Thursday and played there in Grossman's Tavern on Spadina Ave on Friday night. And they'll be back in the Blue Light on 21 Nov.; more photos and details are on their Facebook.

*

Greenshine will be playing at the Corner House, Coburg St., Cork city, this coming Friday from 8.00 p.m. - note the early start.

*

I Draw Slow draw attention to the outstanding design work of their banjo player Colin Derham, who is creating a series of collectible posters for the band's Pledge Music Campaign, based on a different concept from each of their albums; the poster for The lighthouse daughter is shown here (right), and more are appearing on I Draw Slow's Facebook. Copies of the posters can be ordered here.

*

The Watery Hill Boys were playing in Clarke's of Drogheda last Sunday (13 Nov.) - all right, it's old news, but we like the poster (left). The squeezebox is not unknown in old-time music, and your editor has known a few gigs at which rifle and fixed bayonet would have been a welcome addition to a band's equipment...

*

Wookalily will be playing at Byrne's Bar, Magheralin, Craigavon, Co. Armagh, at 10.00 p.m. on Sat. 3 Dec., and several more dates in the new year are on their tour schedule (and now on the BIB calendar as well).

7th Ireland Sacred Harp Convention, 4-5 Mar. 2017

The Sacred Harp Singers of Cork announce on their Facebook that the 7th Annual Ireland Sacred Harp Convention will be held on 4-5 March 2017 at St Maries of the Isle primary school in Bishop St., Cork city. As with the workshop weekend at the end of August, the Convention will be surrounded by associated events. The schedule is as follows:

Thurs. 2nd Mar. 7.00-9.00 p.m.
Regular weekly singing in the Unitarian Church, Princes St., followed by a small social in a local pub.

Fri. 3rd (time TBA)
Singing school in St Maries of the Isle, led by Jonathon Smith, doctoral student in musicology at the University of Illinois and originally from South Carolina, who has been singing from The Sacred Harp since 2005 and a friend of the Sacred Harp Singers of Cork for many years.

Sat. 4th
First day of the Convention: registration opens 10.00 a.m., singing starts at 10.30 sharp and goes on till around 4.00 p.m., with a potluck lunch. Saturday night’s social will be held in the Cork Cricket Club.

Sun. 5th
Second day of the Convention: registration opens 10.00 a.m., singing starts at 10.30 sharp and goes on till around 4.00 p.m., with a potluck lunch. The social event for Sunday is TBC.

Mon. 6th
Brunch, followed by a singing from the Shenandoah Harmony; times and venues TBC.

Full details of the Convention are on the event Facebook. Questions? E-mail the Sacred Harp Singers of Cork chairman. Anyone looking to be hosted by a local singer or other accommodation options in Cork should contact Joanna Bennett by e-mail. General Sacred Harp queries: e-mail corksacredharp@gmail.com.

8th Bluegrass Jamboree! begins next week (update)

Two months ago (13 Sept. 2016) the BIB mentioned our good friend Rainer Zellner, his Music Contact agency in Tübingen, Germany, and his annual Bluegrass Jamboree! - the 'travelling festival' concept which has been part of the European bluegrass calendar since he founded it in 2009.

The 2016 Jamboree begins this coming Wednesday (16 Nov.) in Hohenems, Austria, continuing through twenty-one shows in Germany, one in Uitikon (CH), and one in Utrecht (NL). A complete schedule can be seen here. So if you're thinking of visiting a Christmas market on the Continent, why not pick one near where the Jamboree will be playing? (The show at Heimbrecht on 7 Dec., though, is already sold out.)

The lineup comprises the Honey Dewdrops from Virginia, the Goodbye Girls from Boston, and - for lovers of hardcore traditional bluegrass - the Truffle Valley Boys from Italy. You can see a seven-minute video preview of the artists. And if you're wondering where We Banjo 3 have got to, they're in the middle of a two-week tour of Germany, arranged by Music Contact.

Footnote: Rainer's latest newsletter mentions a brief tour in Europe next spring (20-27 May) by the outstanding Balsam Range. Now that might well justify a trip to the Continent. The reviewer of their latest album on yesterday's Bluegrass Today writes of this North Carolina band:

... the music of Balsam Range doesn’t just speak for this little slice of Appalachian heaven; it speaks to how beautiful this music has become without losing its foundational roots. It speaks to the deep mines of discovery still to be explored within Earl Scruggs’ rolls and Bill Monroe’s double stops. It speaks to the power of five mountain boys that stand onstage and show us bluegrass music is still one of the most beautiful artistic experiences we have.

Update 21 Dec.: A report on the success of this year's Jamboree, with videos of performances, appeared on Bluegrass Today last week.

The Old Time Herald plans ahead

The Old Time Herald (OTH) has just launched its annual appeal to the old-time music community for support to the magazine and its nonprofit parent organization, the Old-Time Music Group. This year’s fundraiser is extra-special, as in 2017 the OTH will celebrate its thirtieth year of publication with a programme of special projects and initiatives to expand its coverage and audience, and to ensure that the magazine and its work will still be going strong thirty years from now. The plans include:

• A new series of articles on the rising generation of old-time musicians, now in their teens and twenties;
• Phase 2 of stories of the 'Revival Generation' of old-time music;
• Expanding subscription options;
• Expanding online presence - through a new partnership with the Independent Voices project of NA Publishing, digital copies of all thirty years of the OTH will be made, with a view to making this amazing archive available online.

The OTH staff - Sarah Bryan (editor and executive director), Peter Honig (business director), and Steve Terrill (art director) - write:

Your contribution is vital to making it all possible! The OTH is truly a community institution, and without the support of the traditional music community, it would not be here. This year more than ever, your contribution is an investment in the future of old-time music. We hope you’ll make a donation (tax-deductible in the US) through our website, or by sending a check to the fundraiser at Old-Time Herald, PO Box 61679, Durham NC, 27715.

No bluegrass fan should forget that OTH was founded by Alice Gerrard (friend of Bill Monroe and Tommy Jarrell, and pioneer woman bluegrasser in partnership with Hazel Dickens), with great support from Pete Kuykendall, founder of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine.

RIP Nicola Keogh

Tony O'Brien sends this sad news, published first on the Athy Bluegrass Facebook and shared on Woodbine's Facebook:

It's with great shock & sadness we give you the news of the sudden passing of Nicola Keogh, one of the greatest supporters of Athy Bluegrass over the years. Nicola also served behind the bar in the Rugby Club when the festival was held there. Nicola was only in her mid forties and we extend our sympathy to all the Keogh family and especially her sister Lorraine, they were not only sisters but best friends. RIP Nicola

JigJam launch Hello world - on video and on Bluegrass Today

The BIB editor reports:

I'd just finished putting the cover image of JigJam's new album Hello world on the BIB's front page in two places - in the calendar entry for their album launch this coming Saturday, and lower down in the 'New releases' section - and happened to check Bluegrass Today for the latest US news. What should greet me there but a feature about the band and the album.

The feature includes their official video (a Peter Clyne production) for the album's title track. This can also be seen on YouTube, where it is one of the ten videos now on JigJam's YouTube channel. Hello world (also on iTunes) is their second studio album. Congratulations, JigJam!

Red Hat Acoustic Music Club at Naas, THIS FRIDAY

Thanks to Paul and Anne McEvoy, organisers of the Red Hat Acoustic Music Club, for the news that the Club's next meeting will be held this coming Friday (11 November). The club celebrated its fourth anniversary last month.

The Red Hat meets on the second Friday of every month at the Harbour Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare. Music starts around 8.30 p.m.; a donation of €3.00 covers coffee/ tea and sandwiches at the interval.

Blake Williams: the making of a life in music

L-r: Tater Tate, Blake Williams, Bill Monroe, Bobby Montgomery, Tom Ewing (photo from Blake Williams's Facebook)

In his twenties and early thirties Blake Williams was a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys for nearly ten years, longer than any other banjo player. While the experience made a deep impression on him and he has much to tell about the Father of Bluegrass, that was just one phase of his career. In Katy Daley's major interview with him on Bluegrass Today, read about the joke Bill Monroe told on stage; about the meeting of Bill Monroe and Ray Charles; about the importance of the MC's role at a festival; and much, much more.

Kathy Kallick Band for Ireland in Aug. 2017?

L-r: Kathy Kallick, Greg Booth, Annie Staninec, 
Cary Black, Tom Bekeny

A possible visit from a really legendary bluegrass figure, backed by an exciting band, is always good news, so thanks to Peter Thompson, who is helping prepare a tour for the Kathy Kallick Band in these islands for next August. Peter sends this information:

The Kathy Kallick Band has had a fabulous last few years, including a cover story in Bluegrass Unlimited and nice feature for Acoustic Guitar; accolades aplenty, great concerts (all over the place), and numerous festivals, including ones in Colorado (RockyGrass, Mid-Winter Bluegrass Festival, High Mountain Hay Fever); Massachusetts (Joe Val Bluegrass Festival); Washington (Wintergrass); California (Strawberry Music Festival, CBA’s Father's Day Festival, Blythe Bluegrass Festival); Arizona (Pickin' In the Pines); Tennessee (ResoSummit); and North Carolina (IBMA showcases). And they had a hit album/song: 'Time'. I have attached a cell phone video of the band performing that song at Strawberry.

In the past year, Kathy has issued a solo collection of original story songs, Cut to the chase, and, with Laurie Lewis, a tribute to their mentors, Laurie & Kathy sing the songs of Vern & Ray. The band does perform selected songs from these albums, but their own releases are the principal focus. Time and the KKB’s previous release, Between the hollow and the high-rise, have spent more time in the national bluegrass charts than any other 2010-13 releases, and also were the highest-ranked bluegrass releases on the folk-dj chart in those years.

Their latest release is titled Foxhounds, and I’ve attached a video of the title track. The album is Kathy’s twentieth - recordings which include nearly 150 of her compositions - and the fifth with the Kathy Kallick Band. The song 'Foxhounds' is one Kathy wrote about an evening she had with Bill Monroe, sitting outside at his farm and listening with him to his dogs. Instant classic! Foxhounds was released in late November 2015, and was off to a flying start. In addition to landing on many 'Best of 2015' lists, the album and the band are:

• FolkDJ-l Top Artist Of the Month
• 'World Wide Bluegrass' Top Artist
• #1 on the Roots Music Report Bluegrass Chart (seven weeks in a row!)
• Currently #2 and climbing the National Bluegrass Survey (Bluegrass Unlimited chart)

Kathy’s exceptional career includes winning a Grammy and two IBMA Awards for her part on True life blues: the songs of Bill Monroe; receiving a Lifetime Membership from the California Bluegrass Association; co-founding the internationally-acclaimed band, Good Ol’ Persons, and releasing five albums with them; performing and recording with the Frank Wakefield Band; appearing on three high-profile Rounder collections of bluegrass songs by women; writing and releasing award-winning music for children and families; touring throughout North America, Europe, and Japan; having five title tracks and albums each spend a year in the upper echelon of the national bluegrass charts… and collaborating with the country’s top acoustic musicians, including her mighty current band:

Annie Staninec (fiddle, vocals): 2015 winner of the IBMA Momentum Award (Instrumentalist of the Year), has released a solo album, toured and recorded with Town Mountain and a Cajun band, spent last year as a member of Rod Stewart’s band;
Tom Bekeny (mandolin, vocals): has been playing and singing with Kathy since 1996; plays even more traditional ‘grass (with High Country and Bangers & Grass) as well as jazz (featuring selections from his solo album, Jazzolin);
Greg Booth (dobro, banjo, vocals): learned banjo from Bill Emerson, veteran of several legendary Alaskan bands, won RockyGrass dobro competition, star of YouTube (akslider), ResoMania, and ResoSummit, will have a solo album next year;
Cary Black (acoustic bass, vocals): taught at Evergreen State College, has performed and recorded with an incredible range of musicians, including the Kingston Trio, Ernestine Anderson, Boys of the Lough, Petula Clark, Bob Brozman, Rose Maddox...

Kathy Kallick is one of the best songwriters in bluegrass and acoustic music, always coming up with interesting, sometimes playful, always sure-handed songs [featuring] conversational yet evocative lyrics and solid bluegrass sensibilities. The Kathy Kallick Band is a wonderful combination of youth and experience. All are strong musicians and they create a distinctive band sound. (Chris Stuart, Sing Out!)

This is a top-notch band led by a woman with the warmest, richest voice in our music today. (Katy Daley, WAMU’s Bluegrass Country)

They still play the tried-and-tested mixture of hot bluegrass and cool originals, and latter category provides the album’s opening trio of standout cuts, in my book all virtually guaranteed instant-classic status. [But] every single cut exhibits that characteristic sense of sparkling yet relaxed drive and entirely confident instrumental chops, with splendid, almost incidental, vocal harmonies from every member of the band – you can sure tell they’re in tune with each other in every sense. (David Kidman, Fatea)

*

Event organisers and venue operators who are interested in presenting the Kathy Kallick Band should contact Peter Thompson by e-mail.

Tennessee Mafia Jug Band coming to Cork and Clare

Thanks to John Nyhan for this news:

Leroy Troy and the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band plus support act George Harper and John Tomlin are coming to the Rebel County on Monday next (7 Nov.), to the Village Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, at 8.15 p.m., booking tel. 087 7921771;

to the Banner County on Tuesday 8 Nov. in McGregors Bar (upstairs), Main St., Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, at 8.00 p.m. (a SMB Folk Club presentation), booking tel. 086 8464509;

and back to the Rebel County on Wednesday 9 Nov. in the Schoolyard Theatre, Charleville, Co. Cork, at 8.30 p.m., booking tel. 087 7921771.

The Tennessee Mafia Jug Band are playing five other shows between now and the end of their tour on Sat. 12 Nov. All dates (with times as shown on the venue websites) are on the BIB calendar.

Ear Trumpet sets the style

The BIB editor reports:

For anyone who heard the superlative old-time music played in Ireland this year by Old Drake, the Foghorn Stringband, and Betse & Clarke, part of the enjoyment will have come from the excellent sound quality at their shows. The fact that they all used the same distinctive-looking type of microphone is not a coincidence.

Ear Trumpet Labs, based (like the Foghorns) in Portland, OR, are forging a strong reputation with their hand-made microphones, which are being praised by notable performers in bluegrass and old-time music, both for stage and studio use. Prices range between $475 and $599 for most models, with special combinations ranging from $1050 to $1200. Hand-knit (!) windscreens, pop filters, and other accessories are also available.

Ear Trumpet have now brought out Nadine, a mic designed specially for upright basses, at $599. Yes, you guessed - it's named after Nadine Landry of the Foghorns. More details are given in this report on Bluegrass Today.

Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly at the Hot Spot, Greystones, 11 Nov. 2016

Thanks to Ailbhe Skay of the Hot Spot Music Club in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, for the news that Frankie Lane & Paul Kelly will return to the Hot Spot in their own show on Friday 11 November. Doors will open at 8.00 p.m., and tickets can be booked in advance at €12 or €14 on the door.

Frankie and Paul last performed at the Hot Spot in the 'double header' concert with the Niall Toner Band on 26 Aug., a highlight of the Hotspot to Harbour Roots Revival Festival. More details are on the Hot Spot event page.

An ample bio of Frankie, with stress on his ground-breaking dobro work, is on the All Celtic Music website.