As part of a tribute to San Francisco-based philanthropist Warren Hellman, who passed away this past December, the San Francisco Symphony will include a suite of banjo music in their concerts this week. Hellman, a banjo player himself, was a strong supporter of the symphony, in addition to his founding and financing of the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in San Francisco.
“Jody Stecher, Scott Nygaard and myself are performing three songs near the beginning of the concert, just after the full symphony plays an opening piece. We’re performing A Ragtime Episode from Paul Eno, Hard Times by Stephen Foster and Pensacola by Parke Hunter.
The theme of these concerts is music heard in San Francisco between 1850 and 1911 and these three pieces, including two classic-era ragtime-esque pieces, are representative of what might have been heard on the five-string banjo in these years.
I’m playing five-string banjo for all three pieces and Jody and Scott are switching off between a guitar-banjo and a five-string. We’re going to make quite a racket!”
The Peaceful Bend Americana Music Fest took place last weekend, outside St. Louis, MO. Due to other commitments, I wasn’t able to attend the entire weekend, but I was on hand for the opening ceremonies on Thursday evening.
The festival is centered around flatpick guitar playing and instruction. It is held on the grounds of the Peaceful Bend Vineyard. The venue is small and intimate allowing for a great deal of interaction between performers/instructors, and the students/fans.
Thursday night I taped the 3rd in a series of performance DVDs for the festival’s promotors, Flatpicking Guitar Magazine and SimpleFolk Productions. The recording went well and I’m about to be knee deep in editing for a while.
Like the others in the series, the concert featured the guitar work of three outstanding players. This year it is Scott Nygaard, Jack Lawrence, and Robert Bowlin. Once I get the editing done I’m sure we’ll post a short clip or two to give you a taste.
Opening for the trio were the 2008 IBMA and 2009 SPGMA Guitar Player of the Year Josh Williams, and 2008 Walnut Valley International Competition and 2009 Merlefest Flatpicking Champion Tyler Grant.It was a fun night and I’m sure the rest of the weekend was great as well. Here’s a few thought from Tyler Grant.
Josh and I did four numbers on Thursday night to open for the trio’s DVD shoot. The acoustics were very nice in the wine cellar, and it was a comfortable venue to play and to sit back and listen. A little glass of wine made it even more comfortable, and every now and then one of Clyde and Katie’s dogs would wander in making the whole atmosphere feel even more down-home and country. The trio of Bowlin, Lawrence and Nygaard with Wil Maring on upright bass was outstanding. Each guitarist brought his own style to the forefront, while all three met in the middle for some truly beautiful music. It would take an entire post just to go into the details of the show, so I will just advise readers to buy the DVD and hear for themselves. Gorgeous guitar music and some stellar vocal contributions from Jack, Wil and Robert.
You can read all his thoughts on the weekend in the Flatpick-L Archives, here and here.
If you’re interested in photos of the event, be sure to check out this page on the Flatpicking Guitar Ning Network.
The article includes a good bit of historical information about Clarence, including his influences, and comments from some of today’s legends who were influenced by his playing. One quote that seems to sum up the feelings most professionals have for Clarence is from guitar great Tony Rice.
I couldn’t play like him. I still can’t play like him. Nobody else can either.
Despite Rice’s accurate assessment that no one can play like Clarence, Nygaard feels that we can still learn from him and capture at least a little part of his style in our own playing. To that end, the article includes tablature examples for 13 different licks and passages, including one rhythm passage, a turn through 9lb Hammer, and some wilder licks that might take a bit of practice to master.
The online version of the article includes mp3 audio files to let you hear Nygaard perform the lick as an aid to your learning experience.
If you are a guitar player, here is a chance to grab a couple new moves that will not only expand your mind and playing, but make the other pickers you play with take notice.
Anonymous 4 is quite probably unknown to many bluegrass fans. The reason for the anonymity (sorry, I couldn’t help it) stems from the fact that the group is not bluegrass. It’s composed of four, imagine that, women who normally sing a capella versions of medieval music.
Recently however, the group has released a CD that focuses on American Folk music, spirituals, and hymns. The CD is entitled Gloryland. The ladies made the decision to include some instrumentation on this CD and called on the talents of fiddler (and mandolinist) Darol Anger and guitarist Scott Nygaard. With the accompaniment of these two masterful musicians, the women tackle such songs as Wayfaring Stranger and Just Over In The Gloryland.
Making no attempt to adopt the vocal stylings with which these tunes are normally performed, the ladies come strait at them with a classical approach. The resulting blend of bluegrass instrumentation and classical vocals is quite interesting.
If you’re interested in hearing what this combo sounds like, tomorrow is your chance. The group, accompanied by Nygaard and Anger, will be performing for the American Public MediaThanksgiving Special.
The program will be carried on many public radio stations. You can find a radio station near you on this page.
You can also listen online if you want. I’m not sure if this program, which is currently available, is the same one which will be broadcast tomorrow.
Last year the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival held it’s first annual instructional camp for the three days prior to the festival. The camp was successful and they have organized it again this year. The camp and the festival are both held at the Grand Targhee Resort located within the Caribou/Targhee National Forest in Wyoming.
Having lived in Wyoming for three years I can attest to the beauty and splendor of the setting for this event.
The camp is scheduled for August 7-10, 2007 and boasts an impressive line up of instructors.
Ben Winship – Mandolin & Camp Director
Mike Marshall – Mandolin
Scott Nygaard – Guitar
Tony Trischka – Banjo
Brian Wicklund – Fiddle
Eric Thorin – Bass
John Lowell – Songwriting
Using bluegrass music as the common language, the camp focus is on teaching individual instrumental skills, group playing and jamming. Each day features morning and afternoon classes on your chosen instrument, elective workshops, jam sessions (both structured and unstructured) and evening performances making this Targhee Institute event extraordinary.
Registration for the camp includes 3 days of meals and lodging. Registration fees range from $700 to just over $900 depending on your willingness to share a room with another student.
For information about the festival and the camp, visit them online at the Grand Targhee Resort website.
