EWOB Events, 6 - 13 May 2008

.357 Stringband 07-05-2008 Fuerth Germany

Infamous Stringdusters 07-05-2008 Lauf Germany

Sally Jones & the Sidewinders 07-05-2008 Spanbroek (Wadway) Netherlands

Midwob Festival 07-05-2008 Zoeterwoude Netherlands

Chatham County Line 07-05-2008 Leicester United Kingdom

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 07-05-2008 Manchester United Kingdom

Bill Keith Banjo Workshop 08-05-2008 Solingen Germany

Infamous Stringdusters 08-05-2008 Meiningen Germany

Fredericia Bluegrass Festival 08-05-2008 Fredericia Denmark

Acoustic Night 08-05-2008 Genova Italy

Sally Jones & the Sidewinders 08-05-2008 Valthermond Netherlands

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 08-05-2008 Cardiff United Kingdom

Chatham County Line 08-05-2008 Renfrewshire United Kingdom

Beverly Smith & Carl Jones 08-05-2008 Pembroke, Wales United Kingdom

CCC Inc 09-05-2008 Hoofddorp Netherlands

Infamous Stringdusters 09-05-2008 Lutherstadt-Eisleben Germany

Fredericia Bluegrass Festival 09-05-2008 Fredericia Denmark

Acoustic Night 09-05-2008 Genova Italy

Chatham County Line 09-05-2008 Chorley United Kingdom

Beverly Smith & Carl Jones 09-05-2008 South Molton United Kingdom

Irish Night 10-05-2008 Greifenburg Germany

Bluegrass 10-05-2008 Skrolovice near Zdar nad Sazavou Czech Republic

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 10-05-2008 Duesseldorf Germany

Fredericia Bluegrass Festival 10-05-2008 Fredericia Denmark

Acoustic Night 10-05-2008 Genova Italy

Mideando String Quintet 11-05-2008 Vlagtwedde (Harpel) Netherlands

Beverly Smith & Carl Jones 11-05-2008 Bridgewater (Somerset) United Kingdom

Chatham County Line 11-05-2008 Newcastle United Kingdom

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 11-05-2008 Brussels Belgium

Infamous Stringdusters 11-05-2008 Lievelde Netherlands

Chatham County Line 11-05-2008 London United Kingdom

Big Bear Festival 12-05-2008 Zuidlaren Netherlands

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant 13-05-2008 Paris France

Sally Jones & the Sidewinders 14-05-2008 Teufen Switzerland

The 2008 European Bluegrass Band Awards

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.