More US - and European - news

The August 2021 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine, with the cover story on Sarah Jarosz, includes (among many other good things) a five-page feature on Andrea Roberts (see the BIB for 24 June) and a three-page feature on Tristan Scroggins and his mandolin instruction projects. The latest of these is his 80-page book How to play mandolin in 14 days: daily lessons for absolute beginners, about which more details are on Bluegrass Today. The BU features, together with much more, can be read on the magazine's website.

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Edwina (left) is one of the wide range of Ear Trunpet Laboratories microphones. The organising team of the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival bought an Edwina for Festival use, as mentioned by the director, Uri Kohen, on Facebook on 8 June this year. In ten years, Ear Trumpet Labs have produced ten thousand microphones, which are increasingly seen in photos of bluegrass, old-time, and other acoustic musicians.

To mark this achievement, Ear Trumpet have made eleven 'Louise' microphones in 10K silver, of which ten will be sold at $750 each. All profits from sales in the last ten days of August will be donated to MESO (Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon), a campaign to 'elevate and empower historically excluded and under-resourced entrepreneurs with tailored business assistance and flexible capital to build family wealth through small-business ownership'. See this press release.

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Our Swiss friend Mala Gassman (right), who has toured Ireland several times with her band Mala & Fyrmoon, took the step in April this year of assuming a new name as a performer: Mala Oreen (and on Facebook). Her single 'Offspring' was released around that time, and 'Ragged queen' in early July. Both are from an album scheduled for release on 5 Nov. 2021. More details are in Mala's summer e-newsletter.

© Richard Hawkins