We heard this week from noted Spanish banjoist and teacher, Lluis Gómez, with a report on the first bluegrass instruction camp held in Barcelona.
More than 70 people met last March 5th in Barcelona for a full day of bluegrass tunes, G-runs, banjo rolls, improvised jams and lots of fun. The first Barcelona Bluegrass Camp welcomed bluegrass players and aficionados from Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia, Castellón, Tarragona… even Marseille and Paris!
The day ended with a concert by students and teachers and a general sense of having enjoyed our favorite music and everybody’s promise to come back next year. The teachers were Lluis Gómez (banjo, and director of the Camp), Agus Zubiaga (banjo), Joan Pau Cumellas (harmonica), Miguel Talavera (fingerpicking guitar), Josep Traver (flatpicking guitar), and Oriol Saña (fiddle), and there was also an old time banjo masterclass by David Prat (banjo).
The organization of the Barcelona Bluegrass Camp was done by Al Ras Bluegrass & Old Time Association (organizers of the Al Ras Festival, which next November will reach its 15th edtion!) and there’s already a date fixed for the second Camp, on March 4th, 2017!
Stay tuned by visiting Al Ras website: www.alrasfestival.com
