New! International Pavilion at IBMA WOB 2023

The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) sends out a call to all bluegrass musicians from around the world, and announces the formation of the International Pavilion as part of this year's World Of Bluegrass® (WOB) in Raleigh, NC (26-30 Sept.). The Pavilion will be in the WOB Exhibit Hall, and IBMA states:

International artists and groups, as well as those with international ties, are encouraged to participate in this FREE opportunity! Artists with international connections include the following:

• Foreign nationals living overseas.
• Foreign nationals living and working in the United States.
• U.S. nationals with strong international connections such as working with the State Department as cultural ambassadors or having been on multiple overseas tours.

Foreign artists with a P or an O visa may perform Wednesday through Saturday. Foreign artists without a visa may perform during the Conference attendee portion of the Exhibit Hall (Wednesday-Thursday), but not during the public attendee portion (Friday-Saturday).

More information is on the IBMA press release.

© Richard Hawkins

More detached notes

Bluegrass Today reports a major bluegrass event in Prague, CZ, in mid May, when Rosťa Čapek, one of the leasing Czech luthiers, is celebrating his 55th birthday and the fifth anniversary of his wedding with a constellation of US bluegrass artists. Tickets have been on sale since 8 February; more details are available on Bluegrass Today and on the Čapek website.

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The Deering Banjo Company has published online a list of bluegrass festivals throughout the USA and abroad. NB: in some cases - especially affecting events outside the USA - Deering had not been able to get this year's dates, but have given details for last year so that anyone who might be in that area can look out for the 2023 dates.

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Pinecastle Records announce a new single from Dale Ann Bradley, 'Love train', and the prospect of a new eleven-track album, Kentucky for me, for release later this year. More details are on the Pinecastle press release.

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On No Depression, Grant Britt reviews Living in a song, the latest album by Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley. The review includes two videos of numbers from the album.

© Richard Hawkins

Second String Band Summit in Tennessee, 10-12 Feb. 2023

The IBMA Foundation announces the holding of the second annual String Band Summit on 10-12 Feb. 2023 at East Tennessee State University, aimed at bringing together 'musicians, teachers and scholars engaged in string band music across the Americas to explore string band traditions, histories, practices, instruments and pedagogy, seeking to foster collaboration and understanding'.

A selection committee will select proposals of three kinds: (1) scholarly presentations, each twenty minutes long + ten minutes for questions and discussion; (2) teaching presentations or workshops, each thirty to sixty minutes long + fifteen minutes for questions and discussion; (3) organised 'roundtables', each with a panel of three or four members + a moderator, for discussions. Proposals for any of these events should be sent in by 30 October, using the form given in a link on the Foundation newsletter. NB: the link is to a copy of last year's form, in which the deadline was 15 Oct. 2021.

© Richard Hawkins

North Wales Picking Weekend, 15-18 Sept. 2022

For anyone in Ireland who's keen to get abroad and do some picking, the FOAOTMAD news blog has what may be an easy solution: the Just Pickin Wales organisation presents a North Wales Picking Weekend on 15-18 Sept. on the premises of the Pet Rescue Association at Llewerllyd Farm, Dyserth, Denbighshire, North Wales, LL18 6BP. This is about 3 km from the centre of Rhyl, which is on the main road and railway line from Holyhead along the North Wales coast. The organisers provide two marquees, one of them dedicated to old-time music.

© Richard Hawkins

New recordings, new hardware, and new activity from the Americas

Molly Tuttle has released her new album Crooked tree on Nonesuch Records, recorded with her bluegrass band Golden Highway, plus other distinguished musicians. The release concert at the Station Inn, Nashville, on Monday night (28 Mar.) was reported by Abby Lee Hood on Bluegrass Today. A review of the album by Laura Stanley can be read on No Depression.

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Last week the BIB mentioned Mike Compton and his new album, Rare & fine: uncommon tunes of Bill Monroe. It was reviewed a few days ago on Bluegrass Today by Braeden Paul, and can now be ordered from the store on Mike Compton's website, where it is described as 'the work of a detective, a historian, and a master musician, working with trusted colleagues who love Monroe’s music as much as the leader.' The BIB editor cordially agrees with this assessment.

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Ear Trumpet Labs announce their new model microphone, Ed - a scaled-up-three-times development of their popular Edwina model (for instance, the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival uses Edwina). Details are on the Ear Trumpet website and Richlynn Group press release.

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The 6th National Gathering of SongFarmers is to be held on 29-30 Apr. 2022 at the historic Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Renfro Valley. KY. Michael Johnathon of the Woodsongs Front Porch Association writes: 'A SongFarmer is any artist, musician, songwriter, and fan who wants to use their passion and music to make their homes, families, and communities better.' Full details are on this press release, with the slogan 'We need a Front Porch 'round the World!'

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A guest contributor reports on Bluegrass Today that the first Banjo Camp Brasil has been held with great success as a three-day event (14-16 Jan. 2022) in a congenial mountain-country venue. The moving spirit behind the Camp, and behind the growing popularity of 5-string banjo in Brazil, is Wagner Creoruska jr.

Galway's own representative of Brazilian bluegrass, César Benzoni (a friend of Wagner Creoruska), tells the BIB: 'Nowadays he's the person that is getting more people to know and engage with bluegrass in Brazil, mainly banjo. He's the founder of the band O Bardo e o Banjo, and I produced the majority of the albums, also he has an online banjo course and a YouTube channel giving information about 5-string banjo. He's also part of our directory in the Brazilian Bluegrass Music Association [links added by the BIB]. He's a great communicator and is bringing interest to a lot of [people] on the banjo.'

Update 6 May: Wagner Creoruska and O Bardo e o Banjo are featured in a piece by Lee Zimmerman on Bluegrass Today. The album O tempo e a memoria, mentioned by Zimmerman, was recorded and produced by César Benzoni.

© Richard Hawkins

Banjos from Dave Stacey; Diversity and the EFDSS

The news blog of FOAOTMAD, the UK old-time music and dance organisation, has several new items of interest, among which are the two unique banjos for sale (see ad above), made by the highly regarded UK luthier Dave Stacey; and a major event this coming Saturday (13 Nov.) at Cecil Sharp House in London, home of the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS).

The annual Library Conference will this year be devoted to the theme 'Diversity in Folk', with papers being delivered both in person and online, and ranging over a very wide area, as can be seen from the detailed programme. Of special interest to old-time enthusiasts are a talk by Rose Ardron on the Southern Folk Cultural Revival Project - 'an ambitious and controversial initiative in the 1960s to bring black and white musicians together in tours of the South', and a presentation by Brian Peters on 'Racial crosscurrents in Appalachian folk music'.

© Richard Hawkins

8th Italian Bluegrass Meeting: update

Three weeks ago the BIB mentioned the Italian Bluegrass Meeting, which will be held for the eighth time in Cremona this coming Saturday (25 Sept.) as part of the Acoustic Guitar Village event.

Thanks to the Bluegrass Italia Channel and the European Bluegrass Music Association Facebook, we can now present a more detailed poster image for the event, listing the artists and acts who will be taking part.

© Richard Hawkins

Bluegrass Family Reunion at Durrow, Co. Laois, 4 Sept. 2021: a report

Thanks to Tony O'Brien for this photo and his report on a very necessary and enjoyable event. Click on the photo to enlarge it, and identify people!

Great evening of bluegrass last Sat. in Bob’s Bar, Durrow, at Bluegrass Family Reunion gig hosted by Woodbine with guests Southern Welfare, Geraldine & Kevin Gill, Dangerfield, and John Nyhan.

Great to meet so many old friends after eighteen months. The music went on from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m. A big thank you to Bob Campion for use of premises and the wonderful food much appreciated by the fantastic audience.

© Richard Hawkins

Italian Bluegrass Meeting in Cremona, 25 Sept. 2021

Our friend Danilo Cartia from Rome is the moving spirit and coordinator behind the annual Italian Bluegrass Meeting, scheduled this year for Saturday 25 September.

The Meeting is held as part of the Acoustic Guitar Village every autumn in Cremona, Italy. For enthusiasts for whom the combination of live bluegrass music and Italy in autumn is irresistible, the current state of regulations for travel between Ireland and Italy can be checked here.

© Richard Hawkins

Bluegrass Family Reunion at Durrow, Co. Laois, 4 Sept. 2021

Thanks to Tony O'Brien for the very welcome news that a Bluegrass Family Reunion will be held outdoors at Bob's Bar (above) in Durrow, Co. Laois, on Saturday 4 September, hosted by Woodbine, from 4.00 p.m. till dark. Guest musicians are welcome.

Bob's Bar, beside the River Erkina at the north end of Durrow, has for a long time been one of Woodbine's favourite places to play. It is also the focal point for rallies of the traditional 'High Nelly' upright bicycles, and anyone interested in local history should visit its unique museum.

© Richard Hawkins

Bluegrass and old-time picking weekend in Merseyside (GB), 9-12 Sept. 2021

While we're waiting for the rebirth of the live event scene in Ireland, those who badly need to hear live picking in quantity again may want to consider a weekend in England in early September (if it should be possible then). The FOAOTMAD news blog announces the Junction Old Time and Bluegrass Picking Weekend, scheduled for 9-12 Sept. 2021 and centred on The Junction pub at 102 News Lane, Rainford, St Helens, Merseyside, WA11 7JU. FOAOTMAD say 'between Liverpool and Manchester'; on the map, it's more between Liverpool and Wigan.

The poster (click image to enlarge) gives ample details - there are 100 camping spaces for tents, caravans, or motorhomes, and spaces can be booked in advance. More details of prices and contact data are on the FOATMAD blog (today's date), and you can keep in touch with developments on the Junction's Facebook.

© Richard Hawkins

FOAOTMAD Spring Camp in England, 21-4 May 2021

The news blog of FOAOTMAD, the UK's organisation for old-time music and dance, announces that FOAOTMAD's Spring Camp will be held on the long weekend Fri. 21 May-Mon. 24 May at Croft Farm Water Park, Bredons Hardwick, Tewkesbury, Gloucs. GL20 7EE, in western England. Booking is essential because of the pandemic; FOAOTMAD members qualify for a discount. Under present official restrictions, all notmal facilities should be available.

© Richard Hawkins

More old-time news from Britain

Paul Bennett of FOAOTMAD, the UK organisation for American old-time music and dance, announces that Bill Smedley's 'Old Time Music Hour' - 'a great show for all old-time-music fans' can now be heard as a podcast, concurrently with Colm Daly's Padlet page. Details on access to these, and on choosing a podcast player, are given on the FOAOTMAD news blog.

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Croft Farm Water Park near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, has been booked for the FOAOTMAD spring camp (21-24 May 2021) and summer camp (6-14 Aug. 2021). FOAOTMAD emphasise that the camps will only be held subject to whatever COVID restrictions are in force at the time. Anyone intending to attend should contact FOAOTMAD for confirmation.

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Michael Starkey (right) of Edinburgh, Scotland, offers lessons in old-time clawhammer banjo and acoustic guitar, including online tuition on Zoom during lockdown conditions. One-on-one lessons tailored to the individual student are available, as well as group lessons and workshops, supported by audio and tablature material.

Full details are on Michael's website, together with audio and video examples of his own playing - which the BIB editor finds a treat to listen to, let alone learn from. For example, 'Lucy Neil' on banjo is on the website and on YouTube, while he can be heard playing backup guitar to Jane Rothfield (fiddle) and Cameron DeWhitt (banjo) on 'Farewell to Havertown', a Jane Rothfield composition.

22nd Portland Old-Time Music Gathering online, 14-17 Jan. 2021

Thanks to the FOAOTMAD blog, news medium of the UK's national old-time music and dance association, for the news that the vibrant and influential old-time scene in Portland, Oregon, will be holding the 22nd Portland Old-Time Music Gathering as a free online event ('Quarantine Edition') this coming Thursday-to-Sunday, 14-17 Jan. The full programme is given here.

There's a very impressive lineup, of whom a few acts have performed in Ireland: the Foghorn Stringband, the Horsenecks, Evie Ladin, Annie Staninec and John Kael. The website announces:

There will be concerts, jams, hangouts, song swaps, workshops, a Crankie show, a square dance for 2 or more people, a kids’ open mic and kids’ show, and a panel discussion titled: 'An introduction to race and racism in old time music' featuring Jake Blount and Tatiana Hargreaves.

The panel discussion will be dealing with issues similar to those touched on by the BIB in various posts during the past autumn.

Oldtime Central Fall Gathering approaches

The editors of Oldtime Central (OTC) send their latest e-newsletter with a reminder of their Fall Oldtime Gathering less than two weeks from now (13-15 Nov.). They write:

We know it's been an unprecedented and crazy year so far on a lot of different fronts. With that in mind, we've tried to create an online event to bring people together that incorporates the important ideas of community and self-care. In addition to the music workshops, which will look very similar to the ones we offered at our Summer Festival, there will be community events, jams, concerts, and a workshop on Alexander Technique for musicians free for every participant.

There are still plenty of spaces left in the workshops, and as always we've done the best we can to keep the price low and maximize accessibility. We look forward to 'seeing' you there!

More details can be seen on the BIB post of 13 Oct., and information on the instructors is given in the e-newsletter.

Oldtime Central Fall Oldtime Gathering, 13-15 Nov. 2020

The editors (who are also the complete staff) of Oldtime Central (OTC) announce in their latest e-newsletter that after the success of their online festival during the summer, they are presenting their Fall Oldtime Gathering a month from now (13-15 Nov.):

We have put together a staff of some of our personal favorite oldtime musicians, just like last time, but we're hoping to make this weekend in November more than JUST a weekend of workshops on your screen - we have added opportunities for jams, meet-and-greets with the staff, spaces to socialize, and an Alexander Technique workshop for musicians. Trying to replicate the community aspect of an in-person weekend in a virtual space isn't easy, but we're up to the challenge!

The full programme of events can be seen here. All workshops will be recorded, so those taking part can access the videos from any workshop they’ve signed up for, and go back later to dig deeper into the material at their own speed and convenience. You can register for the Gathering here.

As in-person interviews have been impossible this year, the editors have been interviewing their favourite old-time musicians live on Facebook. Videos of the interviews (with tunes) are now on the OTC website and YouTube channel and can be reached via links on the e-newsletter.

Old-time camping-and-picking weekend in England, 18-20 Sept. 2020

For those who are keen enough to travel to the neighbouring island for an old-time camping-and-picking weekend - or who are even just interested in knowing that such things are being held - the BIB reports this item from the FOAOTMAD news blog:

There is an extra camping and picking weekend being added to our calendar at our normal camp site, Croft Farm Water Park, Tewkesbury [Gloucestershire], from Friday 18 until Sunday 20 September 2020. It's a DIY weekend but booking is essential which, as normal, should be done through Croft Farm. Details and phone numbers for the site can be found either on the FOAOTMAD website or the Croft Farm Water Park website.

What's new (and coming) on Oldtime Central

IN their latest e-newsletter the editors of Oldtime Central (OTC) announce the features added in the last two weeks:

Stony Run: An Interview with Ken and Brad Kolodner
Virtual Banjo-Fiddle Frolic: An Interview with Allie Lee
Spider Tales Listening Party

and they add that:

... we're happy to announce that we're going to be hosting our very first (online) gathering in July! We're hard at work laying the groundwork for an event that everyone in our community will love. More information will be coming in the mid June newsletter, so stay tuned!

News from Ashokan

THANKS again to William Duddy in Belfast for a report on the first of the weekend cyber-festivals organised in the USA for which he has signed up: the Autoharps & Dulcimers Cyber Gathering held at the Ashokan Center in New York State last weekend (Sat. 16-Sun. 17 May). William writes (links added by the BIB):

Last weekend's Autoharp/Dulcimer online festival was excellent. Don Pedi and Norm Williams gave great workshops, there was a great concert on the Saturday night (finishing at 2.00 a.m. our time) and Jay Ungar, along with Molly Mason, ended the weekend on the Sunday afternoon with a beautiful rendition of 'Ashokan farewell' performed on the porch of the concert room on the Ashokan campus. The organisation was excellent, the sound quality (Zoom considering) was very good, and new 'virtual' friends were made.

There is also a Festival Dropbox with tab/ music resources posted by all of the tutors. Norm Williams gave us an hour on 'Whiskey before breakfast', played seven ways (in different tunings and capo positions) on the mountain dulcimer - fascinating. In fact, so good was it that I have paid another $75 to register for this coming weekend's Ukes in Space.

Autoharps & Dulcimers Cyber Gathering this weekend

THANKS to William Duddy in Belfast for this news: having bought a fine new mountain dulcimer from a Polish luthier (see the BIB for 3 Apr.), he is playing dulcimer a lot these days and has signed up for a couple of weekend cyber-festivals organised in the USA:

• The first of these, the Autoharps & Dulcimers Cyber Gathering is hosted by the Ashokan Center in New York State, and will be held this coming weekend (Sat. 16-Sun. 17 May). The instruction staff offer classes in mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, autoharp, and recording. Registration is a suggested donation of $50 per household.
• The QuaranTune Dulcimer Festival presents over thirty instructors and performers to handle beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, and takes place on the weekend 5-6 June. Registration is $10 a lesson.

William's contacts in the dulcimer world include the Nonsuch Dulcimer Club and also Revels Music, 'the UK home of the mountain dulcimer' and a very good place to look for dulcimers - they have a wide range from various makers, suited to players of different levels and budgets.