European Bluegrass Blog

The weather was almost perfect for the 11th European World of Bluegrass Festival, sponsored by the European Bluegrass Music Association on 1-3 May. Attendance remained at peak level, the little Dutch town of Voorthuizen bursting with bluegrass music for 3 days as bands performed throughout the village, and musicians jammed in every corner of the festival venue. The EWOB 2008 Festival featured 41 wonderful bands from 15 countries, including special USA guests Sally Jones & the Sidewinders, Appalachian Uprising, and Dick Staber & Judith Chasnoff, and EWOB's first groups from Norway (Ile Auto and The Holstein United Bluegrass Boys) and Spain (Lluis Gomez Quartet and Autopista 6).
The EWOB 2008 Festival in the Netherlands is the apex of the 30-day European World of Bluegrass, fostering the growth of bluegrass music in cooperation this year with 195 European festivals and events taking place during the "International Bluegrass Month" of May. The EWOB Festival is a music festival and professional convention with trade show and workshops, and hosts the annual European Bluegrass Band competition. In 2003, EWOB became the only European festival ever to win the International Bluegrass Music Association's prestigious Bluegrass Event of the Year Award.
We are very pleased to announce the winners of the 2008 European Bluegrass Band Awards, chosen by the EWOB 2008 Festival musicians as their reigning champions:
#1 European Bluegrass Band 2008: Acousticure, Hungary
#2 European Bluegrass Band 2008: Petr Brandejs Band, Czech Republic
#3 European Bluegrass Band 2008: Four Wheel Drive, NL/G/B
In addition to the professional band awards, the EWOB Festival audience always elects its own favorite groups from the three days of showcase performances:
#1 Audience Popularity Award, EWOB 2008: Bluegrass Cwrkot, Czech Republic
#2 Audience Popularity Award, EWOB 2008: Blackjack, Czech Republic
#3 Audience Popularity Award, EWOB 2008: Sunny Side, Czech Republic

The #1 European Bluegrass Band 2008, Acousticure, is the first bluegrass band from Hungary to appear at this colorful international gathering, performing at the past 2 European World of Bluegrass Festivals. An energetic 4-piece group of impressive multi-instrumentalists, Acousticure keeps the sound crew hopping with frequent instrument changes. Their young spokesman, mandolin-fiddler-guitarist Zsolt Pinter, has spent enough time in the USA to speak English like a native, and has a remarkable command of bluegrass-country vocals. Acousticure's musical vision playfully fuses bluegrass influences from old-time to newgrass, often incorporating their native Hungarian folk music. (An example of the latter, Kis Kece Lanyom, can be heard on the European World of Bluegrass 2007 CD from Strictly Country Records.) The US bluegrass scene will get a chance to experience Acousticure onstage in Nashville at the International Bluegrass Music Association's (IBMA) World of Bluegrass convention in October 2009, where they will perform as the #1 European Bluegrass Band.
ACOUSTICURE:
Zsolt Pinter: fiddle, guitar, mandolin, vocal
Geza Kremnitzky - mandolin, banjo, vocal
Peter Gyergyadesz - bass, vocal
Andras Toth - guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin, vocal
Congratulations to all the EWOB 2008 award winners, and many thanks to all the talented musicians who traveled to Holland to share their music at the EWOB 2008 Festival. It was unforgettable.
www.ewob.eu

"10 Years of European World of Bluegrass" is #1 on FOLK RADIO for airplay in April 2008

2008-05-05T03:45:00.003+01:00

Liz Meyer of Strictly Country Records and EWOB reports "European bluegrass is making its mark! Our new double CD, "10 YEARS OF EUROPEAN WORLD OF BLUEGRASS" is #1 on FOLK RADIO for airplay in April 2008! The 3 songs listed are the tracks most played, but many tracks from this remarkable album have been getting airplay. The album features 48 bands from 15 lands, including the #1 European Bluegrass Bands, 15 guest artists from the USA and Canada, and 33 of Europe's finest. Most of the radio programs reporting their playlists here are located in the USA and Canada, but a handful of Australian DJs report, as well as Israel, New Zealand, and Germany.
We'll be sending more news on the heels of this report, because the European World of Bluegrass 2008 Festival has just ended, and we are preparing the press release to let you know the winners! And the 10 YEARS OF EWOB CD has just received its first press review, from the Louisville Music News in Kentucky - a "5-star" review from bluegrass writer and DJ Bob Mitchell!"
View complete list here...
Strictly Country Records/ Strictly Music
PO Box 628, 2130 AP Hoofddorp
The Netherlands
TEL: +31-297-347-101
www.strictlycountryrecords.com

New website for Sons of Navarone

2008-04-29T10:37:00.003+01:00

It's well worth a visit to the website of the Sons of Navarone from Belgium, which has been completely redesigned with a more classical look. It retains all its power to surprise: underwear (although not the underwear of band members) is on display.

EWOB events, 29 April-6 May

2008-04-29T10:10:00.000+01:00

Contact data and website links are on the EWOB Festival website, where a list of all EWOB events up to 21 June 2008 can be downloaded.

Tues. 29 April
.357 Stringband (USA), Alkmaar, Netherlands
Waterflow (NL/SK), Nijmegen, Netherlands

Wed. 30 April-Fri. 2 May
Music Festival, Bergen, Norway

Wed. 30 April
Waterflow (NL/SK), Nijmegen, Netherlands
.357 Stringband (USA), Venlo, Netherlands
Half a Turn (NL), Heerhugowaard, Netherlands

Thurs. 1 May-Sat. 3 May
EWOB Festival, Voorthuizen, Netherlands

Thurs. 1 May
New Prohibition Band (USA/D), Dortmund, Germany
Infamous Stringdusters (USA), Recklinghausen, Germany
Mideando String Quintet (I), Rome, Italy
.357 Stringband (USA), Terneuzen, Netherlands
Dick Smith-Mike O'Reilly Band (USA/CAN), Old Colwyn, N. Wales, UK
Chris Jones & 4 Wheel Drive (USA/NL), Nieuwkoop, Netherlands

Fri. 2 May
Don Rigsby & Midnight Call (USA), Laufen, Switzerland
Infamous Stringdusters (USA), Sachsenheim, Germany
Streichholz-Schachtel (D), Wippenhausen, Germany,
Mideando String Quintet (I), Padova, Italy
.357 Stringband (USA), Vlissingen, Netherlands
Dick Smith-Mike O'Reilly Band (USA/CAN), Kenilworth, England, UK
Matching Ties (USA/D), Sachsenheim, Germany

Fri. 2 May-Mon. 5 May
Rhythm & Roots Festival, Kilkenny, Ireland

Sat. 3 May
6th Int. Bluegrass Festival, Buehl, Germany
Four Potatoes, Freising, Germany
Matching Ties (USA/D), Diessen, Germany
Hackensaw Boys (USA), Ospel, Netherlands
.357 Stringband (USA), Tilburg, Netherlands
Petr Brandejs Band (CZ), Groningen, Netherlands
Dick Smith-Mike O'Reilly Band (USA/CAN), Greenock, Scotland, UK

Sat. 3-Sun. 4 May
Karl May Festival, Radebeul, Germany

Sun. 4 May
.357 Stringband (USA), Antwerp, Belgium
Hackensaw Boys (USA), Antwerp, Belgium
EWOB Minifestival, Jilove u Prahy, Czech Republic
Don Rigsby & Midnight Call (USA), Oldenburg, Germany
Matching Ties (USA/D), Scheyern, Germany
Infamous Stringdusters (USA), Untermeitingen, Germany

Sun. 4-Tues. 6 May
Boet'n Deure Festival, Odoorn, Netherlands

Mon. 5 May
Poutnici (CZ), Sedlcany, Czech Republic
Eric Brace & Peter Cooper (USA), Leipheim, Germany
Sally Jones & the Sidewinders (USA), Lengerich, Westfalen, Germany
Hackensaw Boys (USA), Hengelo, Netherlands
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Birmingham, England, UK
Chatham County Line (USA), Belfast, N. Ireland, UK

Tues. 6 May
Sally Jones & the Sidewinders (USA), Hoofddorp, Netherlands (Hoofddorp Bluegrass Festival)
.357 Stringband (USA), Cologne, Germany
Matching Ties (USA/D), Munich, Germany
Infamous Stringdusters (USA), Ingolstadt, Germany

Radio playlists

2008-04-28T10:45:00.000+01:00

Kabel 87.5 MHz - Omroep Venray - Ether 90.2 MHz:
Peelgrass playlist: 2341st Country Programme, Sun. 27 Apr.

NeoRadio.nl:
NEO Country playlist, Tues. 15 Jan., 8.00-9.00 p.m.

Radio Vrolek, 107.7 MHz; local cable 105.5 MHz; Information TV-channel 2:
Country Music Round-up playlists, Tues. 19.00-20.00, Sat. 12.00-13.00

Radio Free FM Ulm, UKW 102.6:
Americana 219 playlist, Mon. 21 Apr., midnight-02.20*
Antistatic Country Time playlist, Mon. 25 Feb.

* Programmes in this series are broadcast live on Radio Free FM and Countrymusic24.com and repeated the following day at 17:30-20.00 European Continental time on Countrymusic24.com.

Seventh Al Ras Festival, 14 June 2008

2008-04-27T21:52:00.005+01:00

The organisers of the Seventh Al Ras Festival at Mollet del Valles, Barcelona, Spain, report:

Here at Al Ras we would like to dedicate this year's festival, our seventh, to all the musicians who introduced us to bluegrass and old-time music here in our land by organising concerts and jam sessions and by teaching the rising generations to play such little-known instruments as the banjo, mandolin, and traditional fiddle – without them, Al Ras would not be possible. A number of those pioneers will be joining us at the festival this year: Gabe Ramirez, Sedo García, Javier Sanchez, Ricky Araiza, Toni Giménez, Agustin Zubiaga, Heribert Rodenas, Maria Ricart, & Angel Matesanz. Our thanks to you all, and keep on pickin´!

14:00 Lunch
15:00 Jams
16:00 Workshop: Mandolin with Tom Corbett
17:00 Workshop: Banjo Old-Time with Sedo García, Gabriel Ramirez, & David Prat

18:00 Concerts
Gabe & Kathy
Tin Horn Hank
Lluís Gómez Bluegrass Band (Ricky Araiza, Joan Pau Comellas, Tom Corbett, Oriol Saña & Maribel Sánchez)
Autopista-6
Toni Giménez (Homenatge a John Denver)
Barcelona Ceilidh Band
Sedo & Adrià García
R.C Brothers

00:00 Final Jam

Bohemian Bluegrass Festival, 25-27 July

2008-04-27T10:56:00.005+01:00

Dear Music Friends!

Be invited to be become part of the top event for bluegrass music - with outstanding bands and artists from Europe in a pleasant atmosphere!

The Czech town Pisek (south/west CZ) - becomes capital city of BLUEGRASS Music. On 25-27 July 2008 Bohemia's largest Bluegrass Music Festival takes place. This open-air event will be held in the 'Letni Kino' amphitheatre in downtown Pisek. There is place for more than 2000 people with excellent sight and acoustics.

Over twenty bands and artists from across central Europe will perform during the three days of the Bohemian Bluegrass Festival. Countries which will be present are: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Finland, Bulgaria, Hungary.

The full line-up is on the festival website. If you need more info about our festival, don't hesitate and contact us.

With best regards

George Simek
European Culture Group

EBMA General Membership Assembly

2008-04-27T10:38:00.003+01:00

The EBMA Board of Directors invites you to the Seventh EBMA General Membership Assembly. As an active member of the EBMA, you have the right to attend the assembly as well as the right to vote, elect, and be elected. As a supporting member, you are welcome to attend the assembly.

EBMA's 7th General Membership Assembly
Thursday 1 May 2008, 18:00–19:00
't Trefpunt, Voorthuizen, the Netherlands

Agenda

1. Welcome
2. Acceptance of last years’ AGM minutes
3. Reports of Activity by EBMA Board of Directors for 2007/2008
4. Acceptance of Financial Report 2007
5. Election of EBMA Board of Directors for 2008/2009
6. Election of Financial Auditors for 2008
7. Acceptance of Budget for 2009
8. Changes to Bylaws
a. Change in §1 'with headquarters in Pratteln, Switzerland' [old] to 'with headquarters at the treasurer's office' [new]
9. EBMA Goals for 2008/2009
10. How YOU can be an active part of EBMA!
11. Questions and Answers

Make sure to attend EBMA's European World of Bluegrass 2008 Festival in Voorthuizen, NL (1-3 May) and also the EBMA Open Meeting on Friday 2 May at 11:00. We look forward to meeting you there!

Sincerely,
Paolo Dettwiler
Chair, EBMA Board of Directors

'Country Music Round-up' on Radio Vrolek

2008-04-26T12:52:00.004+01:00

Thanks to EBMA member Jan N. Evenhuis for news of his weekly radio program 'Country Music Round-up', which includes lots of bluegrass music.

The radio station - Radio Vrolek, in Nederlek (Lekkerkerk & Krimpen a.d. IJssel), the Netherlands - transmits on 107.7 MHz as well as on the local cable system 105.5 MHz, and as background music on the Information TV-channel 2. 'Country Music Round-up' is broadcast live from the studio on Tuesday night from 19.00 to 20.00, with a retransmission on Saturday from 12.00 to 13.00 LT.

Mostly on Thursday the playlist is published weekly, together with additional information, cover photos of used albums, and links to appropriate video-clips/websites of the musicians in Jan's weblog. Jan adds:

I sure hope the readers will like to go on a small bluegrass adventure / surprise every now and then, with unsuspected video-clips of sometimes 'Old Heroes of the Bluegrass' as well as stringbands, old timey, and acoustic country, sometimes with a taste of fine folk music. Hope they have lots of fun!

Kudos for Coastline Bluegrass Music Event

2008-04-24T21:38:00.005+01:00

The Coastline Bluegrass Music Event has not only been nominated as 'Favourite Bluegrass Festival 2007' by UKBluegrass.com - it is now listed in The Guardian newspaper as being among their 'Top Ten Folk Festivals for 2008'! The Guardian article can be seen here.

The third Coastline Bluegrass Music Event takes place on 6-7-8 June 2008 at Plas Uchaf Farm, near Llandudno Junction, North Wales LL28 5PD, UK. This year's lineup has a strong international element with G2 (current #1 European Bluegrass Band) from Sweden, and the Sons of Navarone from Belgium. For further details, see the Event's MySpace site.

Don Rigsby & Midnight Call in Europe, 2-4 May

2008-04-24T21:37:00.000+01:00

Karl Heinz Siber of Muff Musik-Management sends a reminder of the shows by Don Rigsby & Midnight Call in their brief tour in Europe next week:

Fri. 2 May: Kulturzentrum Altes Schlachthuus, Laufen, Switzerland

Sat. 3 May: 6th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival, Bühl (Baden), Germany

Sun. 4 May: Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Oldenburg, Germany

Thanks to Karl for the following bios of members of Midnight Call:

Patrick McAvinue (fiddle): Young, fresh, inspiring, talented, stubborn, spirited, and gifted are all adjectives that describe the bluegrass fiddler, Patrick McAvinue. Since he began his journey learning the fiddle, he has participated in many fiddling competitions. He has been honored with the title of Delaware State Fiddling Champion. The first band Patrick played with was the Salem Bottom Boys when he was at a very young age of twelve. Since then he has moved on to play with numerous bands from Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Robert Maynard (acoustic bass): ... is also a recording engineer for River Track Studios. He has a great ear for arrangements and can always be called upon to assist with the recording process. Prior to joining Midnight Call, Maynard played bass for the celebrated gospel group 5 For the Gospel for two years. His timing is rock solid, but even more important, his character is impeccable.

Dale Vanderpool (banjo): ... has been playing banjo on the bluegrass circuit for years. His familiar face and picking style has graced the stages throughout the US and Canada with such artists as Melvin Goins, Larry Stephenson, Karl Shifflett, and Rock County. Though noted for his Osborne-Crowe-influenced banjo style, Dale is a fantastic part singer, which he demonstrates with Midnight Call every show. From time to time, he even picks the guitar too! A man of many talents indeed.

Clyde Marshall (guitar): ... has been playing music since he was seven years old. He was born into a deeply religious family with a preaching father and a mother who could play. In fact, nearly all of his siblings play and sing too! He formed his first groups with banjo-picking Brother Dennis and has rarely been absent from the stage since. Marshall plays guitar, mandolin, and banjo and sings all parts. His first playing job was with South Salyer and the Brown Mountain Boys. He played for many years with Don Stanley and Middle Creek, Clyde Bowling and the Southern Bluegrass Boys and most recently with Lost N’ Lonesome. His talents and easy manner are a most welcome addition to Midnight Call.

Take care of those hands

2008-04-23T21:59:00.004+01:00

The Bluegrass Blog today carries a post entitled 'Why banjo and extreme sports don’t mix'. It's based on the hard experience of Jens Koch, banjo-player for the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden). Jens broke his left wrist badly while snowboarding three years ago, and the process of recovery was long and painful. Read the details on the Bluegrass Blog.

G2, who won the title of #1 European Bluegrass Band at the EWOB Festival 2007, will represent Europe this year at the IBMA's World of Bluegrass.

Nechville News: the Spanish connection

2008-04-23T10:57:00.005+01:00

Nechville Musical Products reports that the spring issue of Nechville News is now available for download. Banjo tablatures by Lluís Gómez (SP) have been a regular feature of Nechville News for some time now, and in this issue the tab is of the Russ Barenberg tune 'Magic foot'.

Nechville are present, as always, at MerleFest this year (24-27 April 2008). Lluís Gómez and his Quartet will be appearing at the EWOB Festival at Voorthuizen, the Netherlands (1-3 May). A full list of shows by the Quartet is on their MySpace site.

Bluegrass on the air and on CD in Ireland

2008-04-23T00:32:00.004+01:00

Niall Toner reports that NTB 3, the new CD by the Niall Toner Band, will be launched on Sunday 25 May over the national broadcasting station, at Studio One, RTE Radio Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland, starting at 7.30 p.m. Niall says:

NTB3 is another collection of original material, and includes songs co-written with Barry and Holly Tashian and Peter Rowan. Ten songs and two instrumentals, as well as a video interview/documentary shot by Kate Bradbury at Athy 2007, with comprehensive sleeve notes explaining the background to all the tracks, and a beautiful sleeve design by bass-totin' graphic artist Kelvin Busher.

Sample tracks can be heard on the NTB MySpace page. At the launch, two programmes in Niall's 'Roots Freeway' series will be recorded in front of a live audience, with NTB as the house band, and special guests Prison Love, Bray Vista, and Carmel Sheerin & the Ravens (#1 European Bluegrass Band 2005). Admission on the night will be by ticket only; seats can be booked by e-mailing Roots Freeway or the show's producer, Aidan Butler. Niall adds:

RTE are also celebrating May as International Bluegrass Music Month by broadcasting a series of radio shows on Thursday nights during May, called 'The Bluegrass Sessions'. Among the artists featured will be Bela Fleck, Ricky Skaggs, the Punch Brothers, the Paperboys, Steve Kaufman, and Greg Cahill. These shows are hosted by Niall Toner and Sandy Harsch.

Also during May, each edition of 'Roots Freeway', which is broadcast on Tuesdays at 9.00 p.m., will contain a twenty-minute segment telling the story of bluegrass music, from its beginnings with Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers, right up to today's modern masters like Chris Thile, Tony Trischa, Pete Wernick, and Peter Rowan. These mini-documentaries are intended as an introduction to bluegrass music.

The Niall Toner Band can be heard live at the EWOB Festival in Voorthuizen, the Netherlands, on 1 May, and elsewhere in the Netherlands on 2 and 3 May.

Songwriters at IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2008

2008-04-19T20:44:00.002+01:00

Louisa Branscomb, chair of the IBMA's Bluegrass Songwriter Association, gives a preview of the BSA part of this year's IBMA World of Bluegrass:

We are planning a Songwriter Crash Course, an open 'Song Circle' (all welcome), a business meeting, and a 'Virtual Mentor' project this year. In addition our rooms in the hotel will be open for spontaneous meetings between songwriters and as a place for folks to co-write or network.

For the 'Virtual Mentor' project: if you are an established and recorded songwriter and would like to volunteer, we will pair you up with a younger or newer writer in IBMA, so that person can ask basic questions about songwriting. You would volunteer an hour of your time via internet or phone to answer questions or help with their songs (and hopefully meet at IBMA). After that, if you wish to keep up the relationship or charge for your consultation, that is up to you.

Attention all songwriters: Please email me if you would like to help with any of these, or if you would like to be on our songwriter email list!

Bluegrass Europe #61

2008-04-18T11:13:00.001+01:00

Bluegrass Europe is a bi-monthly magazine provided to members of the EBMA in Europe and abroad. It is the first and only magazine dedicated to bluegrass music in Europe. Written in English, Bluegrass Europe is printed and bound with the German Bluegrass Bühne and the Dutch Strictly Country. The three journals appear together under one cover. For a free sample, contact Paolo Dettwiler or visit the EBMA website.

Features in the April–May 2008 issue*

Bluegrass Europe #61: Bluegrass in Norway (cover feature); the story of Czech bluegrass; EWOB 2008: the next ten years; European news coverage; EBMA's European bluegrass guide; concert & festival calendar

Strictly Country #223: Country Gazette exit!; Big Bear Festival 2008; SCR; news, views, and reviews; Frankie 'Blackland Farmer' Miller; Infamous Stringdusters; Columbia Series #88: Eddie Zack & Family; Hippie Hootenanny (pt 2); Half a Turn; Boet'n Deure programme 2008; Gold Tone guitar for EWOB 2008; Bluegrass Unlimited national bluegrass survey

Bluegrass Buehne #164: Lee Morse & the Bluegrass Boys; Monroe Crossing; the Steeldrivers; tab 'Golden slippers' by Steve Kaufman; EWOB CD 1998-2007; Tony Trischka in the Czech Republic; concert and record reviews

*This issue, which begins the second decade of publication, has been posted to subscribers, together with the EWOB 2008 Guide.

Stringdusters tour in May-June: update

2008-04-17T22:06:00.004+01:00

Rainer Zellner of the Music Contact Roots Music Booking and Production agency, reports that all dates on the tour schedule for the Infamous Stringdusters (USA) remain as shown in our post of 2 April, except for the unconfirmed show at Regensburg on 25 May, which will not take place.

Between 1 May and 1 June the Stringdusters (Andy Hall, dobro, vocals; Andy Falco, guitar, vocals; Chris Pandolfi, banjo, vocals; Jeremy Garrett, fiddle, vocals; Jesse Cobb, mandolin; and Travis Book, bass) will be playing twenty-four dates in five countries. The band, as Rainer says, has stood the bluegrass world on its head with one album.

Music Contact
Saarstrasse 8, D-72070 Tübingen, Germany
+49 (0) 7073 2250; fax +49 (0) 7073 2134
e-mail

Punch Brothers in Ireland and Britain, 11-18 July

2008-04-17T21:49:00.002+01:00

The Punch Brothers, led by mandolin wizard Chris Thile, will be playing in Europe for eight days in mid July 2008, beginning in Ireland at the Sugar Club, Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, on 11 July. This will be followed by six shows in England and Scotland: at Bristol, Birmingham, London, Gateshead, Glasgow, and Manchester. Full details are on the Punch Brothers tour schedule.

Gary Ferguson in Ireland, July

2008-04-15T21:07:00.004+01:00

Singer and songwriter Gary Ferguson (USA) will be touring Ireland for the fourth time from 18 July to 29 July 2008, accompanied by the Belfast dobroist Colin Henry. They will be joined for some shows by singer Janet Holmes, whose CD Wonder why was released early in 2008. Full details of the tour are on the Bluegrass Ireland Blog calendar.

Colin takes the place of David Miner, who accompanied Gary on two previous tours in Ireland, and who died in mid February this year. The Bluegrass Unlimited review of Gary's latest CD, Live at Podunk, can be read here.

Gibson and Danish audio group: NO merger

2008-04-15T20:37:00.001+01:00

The business deal discussed earlier this year, under which the Gibson Guitar Corp. (incorporating Epiphone, Dobro, Flatiron, and many other brand names) would have merged with the Danish TC Group, which manufactures audio equipment, will not now take place. The latest developments are reported on the Bluegrass Blog today.

Fastest banjo player moves to the US

2008-04-14T21:04:00.003+01:00

On Thursday 27 March Johnny Butten, current holder of the World's Fastest Banjo Player title from the Guinness Book of Records, moved with his family and household from England to Hawley, Minneapolis, USA, with a visa that enables him to perform in the US for the next three years.

Signed with the Bitzer Agency in Minneapolis, Johnny is assembling a country band and a bluegrass band around his own multi-instrumental talents, and will be available as a sideman and session man, as well as songwriting and recording instructional DVDs. His move to the US, where Sim Daley is already established as a mandolin-maker and banjo-picker, gives south-west England a strong presence in the home of Bluegrass.

Johnny Butten won the World’s Fastest Banjo Player title by playing 'Duelling banjos' at 260 bpm at the Cornish Bluegrass Association Festival, Newquay, Cornwall, UK, on 15 September 2007. This year's CBA Festival is on 19-21 September.

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike in Europe, July-Aug.: update

2008-04-14T21:01:00.001+01:00

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike at Schloss Fachsenfeld, Germany: photo by Hans Graef

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, featuring Becky Buller, will tour in Europe in the summer of 2008, beginning in July in the UK. Confirmed dates at present are:

July 20th: Freshwater Memorial Hall, Isle of Wight, England
21st: Maverick @ Zebra Bar, Maidstone, Kent, England
23rd: St Bonaventure’s, Bristol, Avon, England
24th: High Barn, Great Bardfield, Essex, England
25th: Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington, England
26th-27th: 17th Phil Murphy Weekend Festival, Carrig on Bannow, Co. Wexford, Ireland
29th: Comfort Hotel, Nottingham, England
31st: (to Germany)

August 2nd: Kulturufer Festival, Friedrichshafen
3rd: Bardentreffen Festival, Nuremberg (Nürnberg)
4th: Altes Kaufhaus, Landau

Thanks to Dee Hallett of the BBMA for the news.

New look for the EWOB Festival website

2008-04-12T21:18:00.003+01:00

On 1 April the European World of Bluegrass (EWOB) Festival relaunched its website, with a splendid new design by Fresh Pixel of the Netherlands. The home page header appears above.

But it's not just a pretty face. The website has more features and more information - including a complete list of EWOB events all over Europe - and does a better job than ever of presenting European bluegrass to the world. Visit it, and sign the guest book!

Chris Jones and Four Wheel Drive at the Turfschip, 1 May

2008-04-10T21:44:00.003+01:00

Cor and Greet Sanne of CMS Productions announce that Chris Jones (USA) will perform in concert on 1 May at 20:30 in Turfschip, Zuideinde 15, in Nieuwkoop, Holland. Tickets (€12.50 each) can be reserved via the CMS e-mail address.

As well as being a fine singer and guitarist, Chris won the IBMA Song of the Year Award last October with his song 'Fork in the road'. On the programme with him at the Turfschip will be the Netherlands' own Four Wheel Drive, featuring master fiddler Joost van Es, whose set will include material from their new CD, Another town.

Chris is also scheduled to play at Zugenhaus 562, Teufen, Switzerland, on 15 and 16 May at 19:00.