Note: It's time for a sabbatical for yours truly vis-a-vis Tuneweek, so I'm taking a sabbatical after hitting the send button on this one ... a month? a year? We'll see. I'll probably still send out special editions when I think they're merited, and I'll still post favorite music videos and sound clips to my Facebook page and my music words music blog, so check there if interested. Thanks for being loyal readers/listeners, it's much appreciated! - Bob Loomis, 03-17-2012
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Notable Birthday: George Avakian, who produced the first jazz album, turned 93 on March 15. Riverwalk Jazz saluted him:
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OK, here are my personal favorite acts from this year's Wintergrass Festival in Bellevue WA, Feb. 23-26. We've attended about a dozen of these annual festivals now. My picks from among the performers I saw (which leaves out about 20 others I did not see due to schedule conflicts):
Old-Time Kozmik Trio: Bruce Molsky, Darol Anger, Rashad Eggleston: I saw them as a trio, here they are joined by members of the great Swedish group Vasen, whom I was unable to see this year, though I saw them at a previous WIntergrass:
The Kruger Brothers: Jens and Uwe Kruger, two brothers from Switzerland, and their bassist Joel Landsberg comprise one of the most potent bluegrass trios of all time. I can find no vids of their appearance at Wintergrass 2012, but this will give an idea of their prowess:
Joe Craven Trio: Joe on various, John Burr on keys, Kendrick Freeman on drums. I only saw these guys at a workshop titled Puttin' A New Dress on the Pig (typical Craven humor!) ... it basically turned into a performance. Joe is maybe the most creative musician (and person) I know. And he's self-taught! Burr and Freeman are top-notch musos in their own rights. This vid gives a good sample of what the trio can do:
Tim O'Brien: He's another of my all-time favorites, He actually rivals Joe Craven for creativity ... No Wintergrass 2012 vid that I can find. He performed with Brian Sutton on guitar and Mike Bub on bass. This vid gives a small idea of his talents:
More samples of his music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdDTxvDJ1Rw&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLBDA4C8D1A002B156
Della Mae: Celia Woodsmith, vocals & guitar; Kimber Ludiker, fiddle; Amanda Kowaski, bass; Courtney Hartman, guitar; Jenni Lyn Gardner, mandolin. For me, this was the new group of the year. Celia and Courtney conducted an excellent songwriting workshop, too.
Hot Buttered Rum: Aaron Redner, fiddle & mandolin; Nat Keefe, guitar; Bryan Home, bass; Eric Yate, banjo & flute; Lucas Carlton, drums. This SF Bay Area group remains one of my favorites to dance to at Wintergrass, where one venue is always reserved for bands that are great to dance to. IMHO they were the best of these this year (doesn't hurt their case with me that their banjo player also plays flute):
The Wilders: Betse Ellis, fiddle; Ike Sheldon, guitar; Phil Wade, Dobro, mandolin, banjo; Nate Gawron, bass: The rockin'est hony-tonk band ever!:
Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys: Jim Gaudet, guitar; Bob Ristau, bass; Sten Isachsen, mandolin & guitar; Mat Kane, fiddle. Jim Gaudet is a thrice reincarnated musician, now a singer/songwriter in a band that fuses old-time roots music and the rocknroll he grew up hearing into a fine Americana sound:
Greensky Bluegrass: Dave Bruzza, guitar; Anders Beck, Dobro; Mike Devol, bass; Mike Bont, banjo; Paul Hoffman, mandolin. Though we saw them in the dance ballroom, IOHO they are better as a sit-and-listen band. Here they do doing Against The Days in 2009:
Tickets for next year's Wintergrass Festival are already on sale here:
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Gone But Not Forgot:
Donald F. Smith, champion of cabaret, 79:
Peter Bergman, Firesign Theater satirist, 72:
Jean Giraud, comic book artist Moebius, 73:
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That's all for a while, keep on musicking!
Bob Loomis
In Loving Memory of Shannon Christine Loomis, 1967-2010
