Banjo Newsletter: 35 years of achievement

Nancy Nitchie and her son Donald accept the Distinguished Achievement Award, with Tony Trischka (left), who gave the introductory address.

The most important periodical for banjo players was founded by Hub Nitchie and his wife Nancy in 1973 as The Monthly Newsletter: The 5-String Banjo, renamed Banjo Newsletter in February 1974. After Hub passed away in October 1992, his son Donald took over as editor, with Nancy as business manager; later their other son, Spencer, joined her. Together they started work on the Maryland Banjo Academy in 1997.


Maryland Banjo Academy

At the IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2008 in Nashville, Banjo Newsletter received a Distinguished Achievement Award at the Special Awards Luncheon. Thanks to Lilly Pavlak for these photos. Lilly recalls:

Nancy and Hub are (were) about my oldest bluegrass friends. I met them at the Bean Blossom festival in 1976, and then again in Carlisle at the Banjo Jamboree in Canada later on. They brought me with their car back to New York for my flight to Europe.

At that time Spencer was a little boy. I can still remember Hub shawed his hair and used some kind of spray to color his head green, so he looked like the green cover of his magazine. Nancy and Donald are still my good friends.


Lilly Pavlak and Nancy Nitchie (with Strictly Country magazine) outside the IBMA trade show stand at World of Bluegrass 2008

Tom Hanway signed to worldwide distribution deal

American bluegrass composer, banjoist, and guitarist Tom Hanway, now living in Ireland, has hit a major milestone by signing a worldwide distribution deal with Digital Revolution Entertainment for his three releases, originally on Joyous Gard Records. All music from Tom Hanway, Bucket of bees (13 tracks), Tom Hanway & Blue Horizon (15 tracks), and Tom Hanway & Vassar Clements, The Badbelly project (14 tracks) will be available as digital downloads in the following formats: (1) as entire albums, (2) a la carte - 42 songs, and (3) as ringtones. Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody, Lala, eMusic were the first to offer MP3 downloads (on 11/11/2008), with iTunes, Nokia, Liquid, MEdia Net, PassAlong, Puretracks, SNOCAP, SpiralFrog, and more online music stores to follow.

Tom Hanway, Bucket of bees, featuring Sam Bush, Vassar Clements, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, David Grier, and Tony Trischka, was recorded in New York City and Nashville, Tennessee, produced by Tony Trischka, Larry Cohen, and Tom Hanway. Tom Hanway & Blue Horizon, featuring Vassar Clements, Mark Schatz, and Roy Huskey, Jr., was recorded in Nashville, produced by Tom Hanway and engineered by Bil VornDick. Tom Hanway & Vassar Clements, The Badbelly project, featuring Larry Campbell and Lucy Kaplansky, was recorded in the Bronx, New York, co-produced by Lincoln Schleifer and Tom Hanway.

In Ireland and throughout the world, Tom Hanway’s three albums (42 songs) can now be purchased at this Amazon link, or visit Tom Hanway’s website and search under 'Music Stores'.

Europe challenged on banjo speed record

In response to yesterday's mention of Johnny Butten (UK) as world's fastest banjo player, Erio Meili (originally of Switzerland, but now head of the Sao Paulo Bluegrass Music Association in Brazil and leader of the South American Bluegrass Network), reports:

Howdy folks,

Here comes our Southern challenge for a new record for world fastest banjo player, pre-qualified in the Livro da Guineia (Guineia Book) and hopefully running now for Guinness. Check it out on YouTube. The tune is 'Sunday', home-made and faster than Johnny Butten's 'Duelling banjos'. For our alternative duelling banjos spot, watch our 'Titanic deviation medley' here.

And only last week, all we had to worry about was that the world might be destroyed by the Large Hadron Collider...

Nechville on the move

A message from Tom Nechville, banjo-player, -maker, and innovator:

Hello, my dear European friends,

I am going to be at the Cornish Bluegrass Association Bluegrass Festival next week in Newquay, England; then I'll be at the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford, Ireland. I hope to see a few of you at those events. I have several new banjo ideas to show you and more things are coming in the near future. Please visit my website for recent news.

I am writing now to plant seeds for next summer. My daughter Leslie is getting married in France to a nice guy named Lionel Schmitt. Jane and I hope to combine some music business and fun with the trip. I want to remind you that I like to play, and I do banjo workshops. I teach banjo playing styles, and also teach banjo setup, design, and construction. Maybe we could put on a demonstration together or team up to do a special event sometime next July or August. Let's stay in touch.

I bet you would know someone who is interested in my new lightweight banjos. The example shown is one of many new configurations that I am experimenting with, and I am looking for your opinions. If you or anyone you know is interested in something unique and special from Nechville, or you are interested in becoming an associated player/rep., I'l like to talk to you. Special direct pricing is available on my newest series of custom banjo ideas. You can contact me directly, or contact one of my associates listed here for more information.

Richard Webster or Leon Hunt in UK
Oliver Waitze at New Acoustic Gallery in Solingen, Germany
Lluis Gomez in Barcelona, Spain
Marco Centemeri

10th Sunny Mountain Bluegrass Festival, 6 Sept. 2008

Posters and photos from ten Sunny Mountain festivals

Thanks again to Lilly Pavlak for a report and photos of the tenth Sunny Mountain Bluegrass Festival, organised by the Swiss band Sunny Mountain Grass at Stettfurt, Switzerland, in a new venue: a big barn near the Lommis castle. Lilly adds:

We were very happy for the nice shelter, because it was raining most of the time... Although the weather was really terrible, the festival was very well attended.

Four bands took part, each playing one set in the afternoon and one in the evening: the Swiss old-time band Big Stone; a new Swiss formation, Bluegraze, who made a big impression with their two female singers; the Sunny Mountain Grass themselves; and finally the Slovak formation Meantime, well known for their appearances at last year's IBMA Fan Fest and the EBMA's EWOB Festival.

Between the two halves of the festival the banjo, its history, and its different styles, were demonstrated, and a jam on stage brought the successful event to a close.


The final jam

Eddie Adcock - Bionic Banjo-Player

Preparing for surgery

Eddie Adcock - 'Father of Newgrass', one of the most influential banjo-players in bluegrass history, and member of the 'classic' Country Gentlemen and of many Halls of Fame - has embarked on a course of Deep Brain Stimulation surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, TN. The aim is to eliminate hand tremor, which has affected his playing and writing in the last few years. The method involves implanting electrodes in the brain while the patient is conscious and playing.

The process is painful, but Eddie is in good spirits and will get a post-op check-up before fine tuning of the system in early October. He is the first person to receive this treatment at Vanderbilt, other than sufferers from Parkinson's disease.

2nd Munich Banjo-Camp, 7-9 November 2008

John Dowling sees a way ahead for the banjo

Adiaha Bürkmiller reports:

The 1st Munich Banjo-Camp took place in November 2007 with Rüdiger Helbig (D) and Ross Nickerson (USA). It was a great success and all students loved to find such a camp in Europe.

This year's 2nd Munich Banjo-Camp will take place from 7 to 9 November 2008 (it's already a three-day-camp). As we already have twenty-four sign-ups and think to get over thirty-five banjo-students for this year's camp, we have recruited Rüdiger Helbig again, John Dowling (GB), and Charles Wood (USA). For next year we are in contact with Alan Munde, Jens Kruger, and Bill Keith! The feedback that I've got during the last month tell me that the people are very thankful for this kind of offer in the bluegrass scene of Europe.

To register for the Münchner Banjo-Camp, or for more info, contact:

Adiaha Bürkmiller
Organisation
Steinbach 29
D-84567 Perach am Inn
Tel: 0176-23 64 07 02
e-mail

New Howard Burton CD

Howard Burton, a British bluegrass banjo player and singer residing in the UK, has played in bands in the UK for many years, and has also had mini-tours of the USA and Europe.

Howard's first solo CD release, Britain by bluegrass, includes some of the best bluegrass musicians and singers in the UK: Bob Winquist (fiddle), Beth Holland (bass), Lucy Holland (rhythm mandolin), Paul Hill (guitar), Dan Norton (lead mandolin), and Ross Mitson (lead and harmony vocals). The twelve tracks include a mix of traditional and progressive bluegrass as well as a couple of originals. MP3s, a review, and more info are on the website. The CD can be bought online for £8.00 sterling with free postage in the UK.

Johnny Butten: news

Johnny Butten, English-born multi-instrumentalist now resident in the USA, will bring out his new swing-flavoured bluegrass album Solo in mid July. On it he plays all the instruments - banjo, upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar. Sample tracks can be heard on his MySpace page. Solo will be available through many online outlets, including CD Baby, iTunes, Napster and Amazon.com, and will be available for order through various stores worldwide.

Also for release in mid July is the first of Johnny's Pick it right series - a beginner bluegrass banjo instructional DVD, including tablature booklet and onscreen graphics/chord charts never used in any previous banjo DVD. Other DVDs in the Pick it right series include Intermediate 1, 2, 3, and 4, advanced picking techniques, riffs and licks, speed picking, and a 1 hour DVD on banjo assembly and set-up with detailed video and graphics! These will be released throughout the summer and early fall.

Johnny Butten remains the official last holder of the World's Fastest Banjo Player title, according to the Guinness organisation. However, Guinness are now revising the rules to allow more precise comparison between players, and a rematch between Johnny and the previous record holder is possible.

Johnny's new band includes Joe Smart (guitar), a winner of the Winfield flatpicking competition, and Craig Mozley (bass); the position of mandolin player is still open.

As well as endorsing Kel Kroydon banjos, Johnny now endorses Schatten instrument pickups. They make pickups (and preamps) for many instruments, especially all bluegrass instruments, and have supplied him with their latest BJ-02 Pro Model. After a four-week trial period, he finds it superior to any other pickup he has used: 'Easy installation, well hidden, aesthetically pleasing, excellent volume control, and superior tone... I can't wait to try Schatten on my fiddle and guitar!'

An article on Johnny and his activities is in preparation for High Plains Reader, a magazine covering the mid-western USA.

2nd Munich Banjo-Camp

Adiaha Bürkmiller from Munich reminds us that the 2nd Munich Banjo-Camp takes place 7th to 9th November 2008. The 5-String-Intensive-weekend's teachers are Rüdiger Helbig (GER) and John Dowling (GB).

There are only a few places available still, so if you want to participate, you have to act quickly!

Further information may be found on www.banjocamp.de or by phone +49.176.23 64 07 02 (Adiaha Bürkmiller).

Take care of those hands

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

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.

Fastest banjo player moves to the US

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.

Banjo workshop in Belgium

Sharon Lombardi of Blue Railroad Train reports:

This year, between 24 and 29 March 2008, the Acoustic Music International Workshop was held in Virton, Belgium, for the 23rd year.

As usual, this workshop was entirely devoted to acoustic instruments, such as guitar, fiddle, double-bass and harmonica. As far as the bluegrass part was concerned, we came close to a full bluegrass band. Not only could you attend Roberto Dalla Vecchia’s guitar workshop, Jean-Marie Redon’s banjo workshop, or Jesper Rübner-Petersen’s mandolin workshop, but also the brand-new resophonic guitar workshop, taught by Henrich Novak.

Almost one hundred and thirty students came from all over Europe and even the United States and spent a week attending workshops, concerts and even jamming. It was the seventh year that Jean-Marie Redon led the banjo workshop. It was so popular that it was full only a few days after registration had started.

The next workshop is scheduled for the first week of April 2009 and you can register from January 2009. Follow this link.


In the top photo, Jean-Marie Redon is to the right of centre, in light jacket. The lower photo is included for those who prefer banjo players to remain anonymous.

Second Münchner Banjo Camp, 7-9 Nov.

After the success of the first Camp last year, the Second Münchner Banjo Camp will be presented in November 2008 at Carl-Duisberg-Straße 2a, 82208 Unterhaching b. München. The teachers will be Rüdiger Helbig (D) and John Dowling (GB).

Students can take a three-day course (€270), beginning on Friday 7 November with an intensive afternoon class with Rüdiger Helbig, or a two-day course (€180) on Saturday and Sunday, 8-9 November. The camp includes a concert on Saturday night by Rüdiger Helbig & Huckleberry 5 in the Weyhalla near Munich. For further details see the Camp website or contact Adiaha Bürkmiller, tel. 0176-23 64 07 02; e-mail.

Bill Evans and Megan Lynch in Europe, 14-28 March

Bill Evans and Megan Lynch will be teaching banjo and fiddle respectively at the annual Sore Fingers Week in England from 24 to 28 March. They will also be playing as a duo on two dates in Ireland (14, 15 March), three in England (16, 17, 20 March), and two in Scotland (21, 22 March). Full details are on their joint MySpace site.

Kruger Brothers tour begins in UK, 8 March

Eagle Music in Huddersfield, England, who presented a 'Deering Weekend' in 2007, will have a return visit from Greg and Janet Deering to promote Deering Banjos on Saturday 8 March.

This is part of a day-long workshop/concert event. The highlights are the Kruger Brothers, appearing in the first show of their European tour. The Deering Celebration Weekend takes place at Eagle Music’s own North Light Gallery, and tickets and further information are available from Eagle’s website. Thanks to UKBluegrass.com for this news.

Other dates in the tour include:

Mon. 10 Mar.: Solingen, Germany; concert at New Acoustic Gallery
Tues. 11 Mar.: Solingen, Germany; concert at New Acoustic Gallery
Wed. 12 Mar.: Bern, Switzerland; concert at the Konservatorium
Sun. 16 Mar.: Zurich, Switzerland; concert in Kammermusiksaal, Tonhalle
Tues. 18 Mar.: Prague, Czech Republic; concert

Englishman breaks record with American Made Banjo

The January 2008 issue of the American Made Banjo Co. announces that on 15 September 2007 Johnny Butten of Taunton, Somerset, England, won the title of 'fastest banjo player', awarded by the Guinness Book of Records, using a Kel Kroydon Style 10 banjo, made for him by the American Made Banjo Co.

He played 'Duelling banjos' at a speed of 260 beats per minute (bpm) at the 4th Cornish Bluegrass Association Bluegrass Festival, Hendra Holiday Park, Newquay, Cornwall, UK, breaking the previous US-held record of 210 bpm.

Johnny will be seen at the 23rd Annual Joe Val Bluegrass Festival on 15-17 February 2008 at the Sheraton Hotel Framingham, Framingham, MA. For more about him, see here or his website.

Praise for European musicians at IBMA

Casey Henry writes about this year's IBMA's World of Bluegrass in the November 2007 issue of Banjo Newsletter, and has some nice things to say about three European bands who performed there. One is the current #1 European Bluegrass Band, G2 (Sweden); another is her old friends Red Wine (Italy).

Casey has most to say about Red Wine's compatriots and G2's predecessors as #1 - 'a hilariously great band called the Mideando String Quintet... their show was incredibly entertaining. They have a sly sense of humor and can pull off outrageous stunts.'

And about London-born Sam Morrow, banjo-player with the Dixie Bee-Liners, Casey's judgment is: 'Outside of Steve Sparkman, Sam is the best Stanley player I've heard.'

Irish banjo-player for San Francisco

Photo by Ronnie Norton

Bill Whelan, clawhammer-banjo player in Dublin's highly regarded Rough Deal String Band will be playing at the 9th Annual San Francisco Bluegrass and Old-Time Festival (SFBOTF) on 1-9 February 2008.

A six-page interview with Bill by R. D. Lunceford appears in the October 2007 issue of Banjo Newsletter. Among many other things, Bill speaks highly of his banjo made by Johannes Bonefaas, originally from the Netherlands and now living in Denmark.

Lluís Gómez Quartet CD

The Lluís Gómez Quartet have released their first CD, Lluís Gómez Quartet, recorded in Spain and mixed and mastered in the USA by Tim Carter in Nashville and Dave Harris in North Carolina. Some of the eight original compositions and two Irish tunes from the album can be heard on Lluís's MySpace site.

Musicians taking part, in addition to Lluís (banjo), were Ricky Araiza (guitar), Joan Pau Comellas (harmonica), Maribel Sànchez (upright bass), Tom Corbett (mandolin, guitar), Tim Carter (banjo), Jose Mari Pulido (banjo), Bernard Molloy (fiddle), and Victor Estrada (theremin). Lluís adds: 'Help me to record a second one - the best CD for this Xmas time!'

First Munich Banjo Camp successful

The instructors provide a friendly atmosphere

The first Munich 5-String Banjo Camp, held on Saturday 3 November and Sunday 4 November and hosted by Rüdiger Helbig (D) and Ross Nickerson (USA), was a great success. The sixteen pickers attending the intense two-day workshop came from all parts of Germany, as well as from Switzerland and Austria. A second Banjo Camp is already planned for 8-9 November 2008.

Messages from satisfied students can be read here. A full account will appear in the next Bluegrass Bühne. For more information contact Adiaha Bürkmiller; tel. 0176-23 64 07 02; e-mail.


Classwork in progress

Nechville News on the Internet

Nechville Musical Products, originators of the revolutionary Helimount banjo and associated innovations, are merging their print newsletter Banjovia with the Internet-based Nechville News. Subscribers will receive banjo setup tips, notice of scheduled workshops and special events, new product announcements, and special savings on Nechville products for list members.

Newsletter back issues, product manuals, and the official Nechville screen saver can be downloaded here.

On Friday 9 November from 9:00 a.m. to noon (EST), Tom Nechville will be interviewed by host Carol Beaugard on WFDU Radio, broadcasting in the New York City area and on the World Wide Web. You can tune into the live broadcast by going to the station's website and clicking on their live radio link.

Nechville Music Center has a list of Nechville banjos in stock at dealers all over the world, and an ever-growing worldwide network of retail dealers. Nechville Banjos carry a lifetime warranty for the original owner, and a ten-day review period for new purchases.

Banjo workshop in Munich, 3-4 November 2007

Update (October 20, 2007): Adiaha Bürkmiller informs us that, while most workshop tickets are gone, there are a (very) few left. Contact her at the address below to secure your place on this banjo journey.

A bluegrass workshop for 5-string banjo will be held at Unterhaching in south Munich (München), Germany, on Saturday 3 November and Sunday 4 November 2007. The teachers are Rüdiger Helbig (D) and Ross Nickerson (USA). Rüdiger and his band, the Huckleberry Five, were the cover feature in the June-July 2007 issue of Bluegrass Europe.

The cost of the workshop, with snacks and coffee, is €180. With single room for one night and breakfast, the cost is €250. There is also a 'Bluegrass Evening' on Saturday, with the Huckleberry Five in Weyarn/OBB.

The programme includes:
· Right- and left-hand techniques
· Backup playing
· Practice habits and priorities
· Scruggs style and Keith style
· Up-the-neck work
· Jamming with others
· Rhythm and timing
· Playing in different keys and tunings
· Playing by ear and learning to play without tablature

Contact Adiaha Bürkmiller: tel. +49 (0)176-23640702; e-mail. The workshop flyer can be seen here.

Ross Nickerson, author of the Banjo encyclopedia and many other teaching aids, will also be giving workshops in Amsterdam, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen between 7 and 13 November.

Free Frailing Banjo Workshop

Wolfgang Kolibius from Kiel, Germany has started a banjo blog and is organising a free banjo workshop in northern Germany.

Continental bands at Longford festival

The sixth Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival took place at Longford, Ireland, on 13-16 September, with its successful formula combining Irish music with bluegrass, old-time, and other Americana. Among the impressive lineup (see here or the festival website), a big impression was made by two bands from the Continent of Europe - the Ranch House Favourites (NL), now on their third time at Longford, and the Lluis Gomez Quartet (E).

Lluis, one of the founders of the Al Ras Festival in Spain, was featured in the Sept. 2005 issue of Banjo News Letter. His tune 'James' can be heard on the BNL website. He also contributed an article, 'The banjo in España', to the December 2006 BNL, with a tab of his version of the Chick Corea tune 'Spain'.

Condolences go to Bertie van der Heijdt of the Ranch House Favourites, whose father died during the Festival, after the band's first concert appearance. Bertie's place on the upright bass was taken by Sean McKerr of Lurgan, Co. Armagh.

Banjo books in PDF format

Hi everybody,

I just want to inform you that both of my books, Banjo instrumentals and The 5-string banjo in D tuning, are now available in PDF format. They are a little cheaper than the printed versions, and you save the shipping costs. If you are interested in the books, please contact me. To get more informations about them, please visit my website.

Best wishes,

Andy Glandt

e-mail
+49-3641-331001
+49-0172-941-3523

Fox Tower Bluegrass Band (American Acoustic Music) *** 3unterwegs (Volkslieder und mehr zum Mitsingen) *** Familienprogramm *** Kinderprogramm *** Piece of Cheese (Irish & International Folk) *** Kralik & Glandt Trio (Bluegrass, Swing) *** Wolkenkratzer (ein vorwiegend lustiges Programm)

English banjoist aims at world speed record

Johnny Butten of Taunton, Somerset, England, will make an attempt on the title of World's Fastest Banjo Player on Saturday 15 September at the 4th Cornish Bluegrass Association Bluegrass Festival, Hendra Holiday Park, Newquay, Cornwall.

The present Guinness World Record (210 beats per minute) is held by the USA's Todd Taylor, whose version of 'Duelling banjos' can be seen on YouTube. Todd is currently featured in ads for Recording King banjos.

Johnny Butten also plays guitar (acoustic and electric), fiddle, mandolin, viola, cello, bass (electric and upright), resophonic guitar, and ukulele; has worked with such musicians as Bill Keith, Peter Rowan, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves, and Bob Black; and has won many international awards. In 1998 he was one of three nominees for a European Fiddle Player of the Year award in Vienna.

Nechville banjo featured in Acoustic

The current issue (#16) of Acoustic, the UK's only acoustic guitar magazine, includes a two-page illustrated feature by leading UK banjoist Leon Hunt on the Nechville Phantom banjo. Tom Nechville, inventor of the Helimount system and many other banjo design developments, will be attending several bluegrass events in Europe during September 2007.

German concept successful at Nashville Flugtag

The Bluegrass Blog reports on the annual Red Bull Flugtag ('flying day') at Nashville, TN, on 23 June: the competition for human-powered flight was won by the Rocky Top Rocket, which set a new North American record of 155 feet*. A link to a video recording of the flight is on the Bluegrass Blog.

For aviation buffs: the Rocket uses the Luftwaffe's Mistel (mistletoe) concept, in which a large unpiloted machine was controlled and released by a smaller aircraft mounted on its back. In the Rocket's case, the lower component took the form of an immense banjo, which did not travel as far as the launch vehicle. More research is clearly needed. Could the Rocket be booked for a flypast at the next Banjoree?

*The record at the Bognor Birdman competition in England is 89.2 metres (289.9 feet), set by a local man after a long series of German wins.

Banjo Revolutionary in Europe, Sept. 2007

Tom Nechville of the Nechville Banjo Company reports:

Last summer I made a tour of Europe and attended festivals, jams, and workshops as a banjo designer, player, and professional repair and set-up man. I am planning a return trip to Europe in early September 2007. I am looking for festivals, or places to perform banjo workshops. If you have any events or suggestions during this time, I may be available.

Best regards,

Tom Nechville
9700 Humboldt Ave S.
Bloomington, MN 55431
Phone +1 952-888-9710
Fax +1 952-884-4500
E-mail

Banjo Revolution - Rev it up!

An article by David McCarty, 'Nechville banjos: serving the denizens of Planet Banjo', appeared in the March 2007 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited.

Banjoree 2007: last call

Dear friends of the 5-string banjo,

Banjoree 2007 - June 8th through June 10th - comes close. There are still bookings possible, but it is necessary to register by May 1st, because we have to make compulsory bookings for the beds at the location ESW. After May 1st registrations can only be made as exceptions.

You find the news as usual on our website - among other things, a new page for lifts to Banjoree in Hagen. We are looking forward to a banjo-fest with many participants.

Best wishes from Hamburg, Dortmund, and Munich,

Veit Doehler, Andreas Benkhofer, Reinhard Gress

Banjoree 2007, 8-10 June

Veit Döhler, Andreas Benkhofer, and Reinhard Gress report that the schedule is complete for Banjoree 2007, to be held at the ESW, Hagen, Germany, on 8-10 June. Workshops in all styles of 5-string banjo playing will be presented, together with two additional guitar workshops, open-ended sessions, sale booths, and a session concert on Saturday.

Accommodation will be prepared. You can register online by filling out the form provided, and clicking on 'submit'! Workshop places are limited, and will be assigned on a 'first come, first served' basis. If a workshop is over-subscribed by the end of April, the organisers will try to offer an additional one in that field.

You can also register for Banjoree 2007 without attending a workshop. If you only want to jam, exchange your newest musical ideas, or simply meet other musicians, you need only register for accommodation and - if desired - meals. Accommodation, like workshops, should be booked before the end of April.

For further details, see the Banjoree website, which is being continually updated.

Deering Banjo Weekend in UK, 24-5 March

On Saturday 24 March and Sunday 25 March, Greg and Janet Deering will present a Deering Banjo weekend at Eagle Music, 1 St Paul's House, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield HD4 7NR, northern England.

On Saturday there'll be a chance to meet Greg and Janet at 10.00 a.m. A showcase from 12.00 noon till 7.30 p.m. will include a presentation from Greg Deering, 'How to set up the best sounding banjo', and performances by Kieran Hanrahan and Tom Napper (tenor banjo), Howard 'Shep' Shepherd (plectrum banjo), Tim Howard (bluegrass banjo), and Paul Bienek (clawhammer banjo).

Further details, including a draw for a Goodtime banjo, are on the Deering website. Thanks to FOAOTMAD for this news.