Instruction and other goodies from across the Atlantic

Ken Perlman (USA), master of 'melodic clawhammer' banjo (not to mention fingerstyle guitar) continues his programme of online live instructional banjo workshops on Zoom this month, with a workshop on playing jigs in 6/8 time on Sat. 21 Nov. at 1.00-2.30 p.m. EST, one on playing waltzes in 3/4 time on Mon. 7 Dec. at 7.30-9.00 p.m. EST, and one on drop-thumbing and double-thumbing on Mon. 21 Dec. at the same time. These are for players of intermediate level and upwards, and each costs $20.00 per computer.

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April Verch (CAN) and her band offer a Super Sale on their CDs from today (18 Nov.) to 2 Dec.: seven releases for just $5 each, or all seven for $30 while stocks last. This is a fundraiser to enable April to get a new computer for business purposes, so you can make a donation if you already have all the CDs. April and the band will also be playing a 'Tis the Season' holiday concert a month from now on YouTube - her e-newsletter gives the date as 15 Dec., but it appears as 16 Dec. on YouTube, so check as mid-December approaches.

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More news from Deering Banjos, who - like many manufacturers and suppliers with retail sales disrupted by pandemic restrictions - encourage customers to deal direct with them: they have issued information on shipping internationally, which may be useful if (for instance) you want to take advantage of their sale of banjo string sets on a 'buy-one-get-one-free' basis, which is on from now till Monday 23 Nov.

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Steve Kaufman (USA( is offering new classes in guitar and mandolin in early December - for details, see the poster image below (click to enlarge) and Steve's website. PS: Indie-pop-folk group Mipso have been digging into their North Carolina musical roots this year, and their fiddler Libby Rodenbough mentions the Quarantine Happy Hour, hosted by the Horsenecks (see the right-hand column of the BIB), during Mipso's interview by Dacey Orr Sivewright on the Bluegrass Situation.