More news (and a good idea) from FOAOTMAD

Following on from the news that the BIB republished last Saturday, FOAOTMAD, the UK organisation promoting American old-time music and dance, announce that their Spring camp is now definitely cancelled owing to new UK government restrictions. In addition Arnie Blake suggests to FOATMAD members in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex:

As we are all having to spend so much time indoors and cannot follow our normal pursuits in the usual way, I am planning to focus on a selection of tunes, some new to me, some half learnt at workshops but never really internalised, and then there are the tunes that seem to have languished forever on the 'to do' list. It then occurred to me that if a number of people worked on the same tunes then when we come out of this we could all meet up with a ready made repertoire in addition to the tunes that are already well known!

So if anyone would like to join in this local team effort, all you have to do is let me have your e-mail address and every couple of weeks or so a tune will turn up in your inbox. Tunes chosen will be available from Slippery Hill with other versions probably available too, e.g. on YouTube. Let's try to get some positive energy out of all this.

Enhancing both your own repertoire and your ability to play with others is something that pickers outside East Anglia should also find worth doing. There was (and perhaps still is) a regular jam in Belgium that published each month a list of half a dozen tunes (with YouTube sources) that would be played at the next meeting, so that anyone who came along could be prepared to fit in on those tunes, whatever else might be played.

Sacred Harp Singers of Dublin news

Sacred Harp Singers of Dublin have just added the following new post, '2020 Vision', to their website. Links have been added by the BIB. For further details, see the Dublin Sacred Harp Facebook.

Hello singing friends!

We have some exciting plans for this year, beginning with an adventure singing trip to Florence on 15 February.

We have just updated our All-Day tab to include information for our full day singing event on Saturday 4 July 2020. We are fortunate to be singing in the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks this year and we’re really looking forward to it.

Many of us will be making singing trips to other singing locations throughout the year – some of these include the Ireland Convention in Cork [27 Feb.-2 Mar.] and the Paris All-Day.

We will also be participating in Culture Night in September.

We sing every Friday, 19.00–21.00. All voices welcome, especially newcomers and beginners.

Hope to sing with you soon!

Second Annual Irish Old-Time Appalachian Music Gathering, 22-24 Feb. 2019

Andrew Lambert sends this welcome news:

The Second Gathering of Irish Old-Time Appalachian Musicians starts at 6.00 p.m. on Friday 22 February 2019 and ends on the evening of Sunday 24 February. Meet up and jam with other Old-Time enthusiasts from Ireland and further afield, and enjoy the hospitality of the award-winning Roadside Tavern, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare. For musicians it only costs €10 to participate (if you register and book before 31 January; €15 after that). You can do that at www.irisholdtime.com, where you will find extensive information including about low-cost accommodation, travel and tourism tips, and an account of the great time had by all at the First Gathering (2018). Also keep up to date at the related Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/irisholdtime/. If you are not a musician or singer, there will be a concert on Saturday night where you can experience the finest OT musicians from Ireland.

BIB editor's note: As emphasised on the BIB on 10 Dec. 2017, the word 'Appalachian' should not be narrowly interpreted - 'So if your fiddle tunes come from Texas, the Mid-West, or New England rather than Appalachia, or your banjo picking is up- rather than down-, don't hang back; the Gathering is meant to bring people together, not to separate them.'

PS: For examples of how good old-time two-finger banjo can sound, use the video links on the 'Thumb-lead banjer' website.

More power to the Gathering

Thanks to Andrew Lambert, co-organiser of the First Irish Old Time Appalachian Music Gathering (Facebook), for this news:

Just to let you know we are now also being joined by a great duo from Galax, Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones – see www.irisholdtime.com/erryn.htm. Some other great musicians are coming on board, including the chair of the UK's BBMA, Dave Teague.

We’ll be offering workshops in guitar picking/accompaniment, mandolin, and dance as well as fiddle and banjo.

First featured on the BIB last week, the Gathering will be held in the Roadside Tavern and the adjoining Burren Storehouse, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, on 16-18 Feb. 2018. Full details are here.

Erynn Marshall & Carl Jones

A good night - but not goodbye!

Thanks to Tony O'Brien, who has just posted this on Woodbine's Facebook:

Woodbine host a special retirement night for Richard on Sat. 18th Feb. in Athy GAA Centre @ 8.30 p.m. Many guest musicians will attend and we hope to see many of our loyal supporters there for a great night of bluegrass.

Fashion note: The 'blazer' is a cowboy shirt cut down into a short jacker. 'Keep on the Bluegrass' T-shirt by Anne Steel of Maui Waui Graphic Design. Taken at Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival 2015.

DanGem Bluegrass Get-Together at Lisburn, 28 May 2016: last before the summer break

DanGem Bluegrass in Craigavon, Co. Armagh (with the largest range of banjos for sale on this island), announce in their latest e-newsletter that Howard Walker of the Down and Out Bluegrass Band will be giving banjo lessons at this month's Bluegrass Get-Together, which will be held on this coming Saturday (28 May), at the usual place and time (the Lagan Valley Island Civic Centre, Lisburn, Co. Antrim BT27 4RL, from 9.30/10.00 a.m. to noon) and with the usual schedule:

10.00-10.30 Warm-up
10.30-11.00(ish) Break out time for beginners; rest of players, jam time
11.00(ish) to 12.00(ish) All back together

This is the last Get-Together to be held before the summer break.

*

The DanGem Get-Together combines a jam session for those who are already active pickers, with the opportunity to learn for those who are beginners or just want to listen. DanGem add: 'Bring along your banjos, guitars, mandolins, fiddles, dobros, and bass, or just come along and enjoy. Look forward to seeing as many of you who can attend.' A location map for the Centre is on Dangem's website.

European Bluegrass Gathering, 13-15 Mar. 2015

2015 European Bluegrass Gathering IN THIS EMAIL Invitation to join the 2015 European Bluegrass Gathering in Munich, Germany. Registration deadline 20 January 2015 3rd EBMA Pioneers & Personality Awards Presentation Award ceremony to take place during the Munich Bluegrass Festival with 5 bands from across Europe (more tbc) on Saturday 14th March 2015. And if you are an EBMA member: EBMA's 13th General Membership Assembly will be held on Sunday, 15th March 2015, 9.00 am as part of the gathering. Panel sessions aimed at providing practical insights and useful advice Lots of fun and extra-curricular activities planned throughout the weekend A number of rooms have been reserved in the IBIS Hotel Book now! Dear European Bluegrass Friends, Since 2009, a highlight in the European bluegrass calendar has been the annual meeting in early spring where musicians, fans, event organisers, and other activists share ideas and plan coordinated development initiatives for Bluegrass across Europe. The EBMA is now happy to confirm that arrangements have been made for the 2015 European Bluegrass Gathering (formerly “Summit”) to be held on the weekend of 13-15 March 2015 in Munich, Germany. The Gathering is open to all, professionals and non-professionals, members and non-members of the European or other bluegrass associations, and previous participants include fans, musicians, promoters, journalists, webmasters, national association reps, and anyone else with a personal, professional, or organisational interest in Bluegrass in Europe. The meeting will follow up on plans laid out last year in Prague and and will be hosted by the Munich Bluegrass Friends and their 5th Munich Bluegrass Festival. Everybody is invited, from all European regions, and we hope to make the 2015 European Bluegrass Gathering a unique event for everybody involved. Costs and arrangements for travel, food, and accommodation as usual are the entire responsibility of the participants. The gathering will be limited to 60 delegates and early booking (in particular of rooms) is advised. Detailed information and registration to be online shortly at www.ebma.org/gathering2015 Please help us spread the word to people you think should attend this summit. Kind regards, Angelika Torrie Chairman of EBMA

And more... Find out about the Bluegrass Treasure Hunt, Bluegrass films, Bluegrass History in Europe, or just simply join the jamming going on all weekend. Link Thanks for reading, and see you soon in Munich, Germany! Angelika Torrie, EBMA Chairman Rienk Janssen, Gathering Administration Emanuel Niklas & the board of Munich Bluegrass Friends European Bluegrass Music Association Working together to support Bluegrass Music across borders. http://www.ebma.org