Lovin' you on CD Baby and YouTube: update

Lilly Drumeva writes from Bulgaria:

Dear friends,

My new album Lovin’you is now available on the internet through CD Baby.

You may watch a video on YouTube of the song 'If I needed you', duet with Jakub Racek (CZ).

Lilly Drumeva
Lilly of the West
e-mail
M: +359 888 660 990

Update 12 Mar.: Erio Meili of the Sao Paulo Bluegrass Music Association in Brazil sends his translation from Portuguese into English of a short original review of Lovin' you, written by Quesia Nunes, singer for the Brazilian band Bluegrass 4 union (MySpace):

I enjoyed the CD overall. It is the first time I am listening to a CD of that singer, and enjoyed it very much. Her smooth voice timbre is pleasant, and the choice of repertoire has a very good taste! I found the tracks in Bulgarian being different and bold!... and it shows the pride from her roots. The music that I liked most on the CD was 'Red clay halo'... and also the Bill Monroe song 'Cry, cry darlin''. I think it's wonderful to hear bluegrass from other regions of the world. Each country and interpreter is giving its touch. I loved the CD and I will recommend it to bluegrass lovers... and I will do more follow up on Lilly Drumeva's career.

The original review by Quesia Nunes can be read here.

Kudos for Acousticure

Congratulations to Acousticure from Hungary, current #1 European Bluegrass Band, whose CD Bluegrass van (Gryllus Records GCD 073) has been reviewed in the March 2010 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. The reviewer, Bill Conger, writes:

This acoustic quartet demonstrates the worldwide influence of bluegrass music. Labeled a Hungarian bluegrass band, I really would not have known these guys were from across the pond... tight vocals and superb chops... make this album a must have for your collection.

Another European reference in the same issue of BU: David McCarty's article on Chuck Ogsbury of Ome Banjos mentions the 'eighty-year-old Swedish woodworker' in Ogsbury's home town of Louisville, KY, who helped him get started in building banjos. Perhaps Swedish bluegrassers should identify and commemorate this craftsman as a Bluegrass Pioneer?

Toy Hearts: March 2010 newsletter

Thanks to Sophia Johnson of the Toy Hearts (UK) for the four-page March 2010 issue of the band's magazine-format, fully illustrated newsletter, which includes the big news that their third album, Femme fatale, is scheduled for release in June 2010 with distribution from a record label. The Toy Hearts will be touring in the UK and Europe during the summer in connection with the new album before their next trip to the US.

Other features include the band's endorsement of BlueChip picks (also featured in the March 2010 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine); Hannah's new Collings mandolin; and many photos from the Bluegrass Jamboree tour in December, and from the Femme fatale recording sessions. The list of forthcoming appearances on page 4 includes the Picnic Festival at Namur, Belgium (3-5 September 2010).

View the Toy Hearts' March newsletter here.

New CD from Blackjack

Blackjack at Bühl, 6 Feb. 2010, during the 2nd European Bluegrass Summit (photo: Lilly Pavlak)

Thanks to Ondra Plucha for the news that Blackjack (CZ) will begin recording a new CD next week for release at the beginning of May. It will be available at the EWOB Festival 2010 in Voorthuizen, NL.

The album features the lineup (Ondra Plucha, guitar; Martin Kubec, banjo; Slavek Podhrasky, mandolin; Richard Podhrasky, bass) which Blackjack have kept for ten years, plus Ondra Kozak on fiddle. Ondra, who plays guitar with Kreni and the Petr Brandejs Band, took part in Blackjack's previous CD and has became a steady guest of the band. Karel Zacal (dobro player of Kreni and also producer of Coner resonator guitars) plays dobro on some cuts. The material of the recording is based on forgotten songs from 1950s bluegrass, as usual with Blackjack. Along with previous recordings, it will be available at Blackjack's live shows or from their website.

Blackjack will perform this year at the EWOB Festival in Voorthuizen, NL on 14 May (they received an Audience Popularity Award there last year); at the Banjo Jamboree festival in Caslav, CZ, on 18-19 June; at the Appalachian & Bluegrass Music Festival, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland on 3-5 September; and hopefully as well for the first time at the La Roche Bluegrass Festival in France on 29 July-1 August.

Contact: Ondra Plucha
Vaclava Trojana 1483/3
104 00 Praha 10
Czech Republic
e-mail
Website | MySpace

Jens Kruger, Kathy Mattea on new Si Kahn album

Strictly Country Records (NL) announce that Si Kahn's new CD Courage will be released this month as SCR-69. The album is produced by Jens Kruger, of the Kruger Brothers, who also plays all instruments. Backup vocals and liner notes are by Kathy Mattea. Pieter Groenveld of SCR says:

We are very proud of this new release. More details will soon be available.

A track from Courage can be heard through this link to the Utne Reader Music Sampler for March 2010.

Gerry O'Connor on tour!

Thanks to Chris Keenan for reporting the following:

BANJO TOUR! Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as 'the best ever banjoist in the history of Irish music', Gerry O'Connor will be on tour beginning March, in support of his most recent recording, High up - low down. The new CD features Gerry's unique treatment of Irish traditional music, American bluegrass, and ground-breaking new compositions.

Gerry's tour begins on Tues. 2 March at Whelan's in Dublin. Performing with him at Whelan's will be well renowned guitarist Tim Edey. Tickets €22. Doors open 8.00 p.m. Not to be missed!

The above photo shows Gerry O'Connor (standing, centre) in the finale of the 2008 Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Longford, Ireland; other banjoists visible are Barney McKenna (godfather of Irish tenor-banjo playing), Peter Wernick, and Bill Whelan of the Rough Deal String Band. Chris Keenan, who founded and organises the festival, was among those taking part in the recent European Bluegrass Summit.

Kathy Kallick Band in Europe, May 2010: update

As posted last month and on 3 Feb., the Kathy Kallick Band bring their brand of 'hot bluegrass & cool originals' to Europe in May 2010. Kathy previously toured Europe four times with the Good Ol' Persons and twice with the Kathy Kallick Band. Kathy and the band will bring with them a brand-new album, Between the hollow & the high-rise, with a number of new Kathy compositions and significant contributions from everyone in the band.

Their European tour now includes shows in these places:

May 6: Denmark
May 7: Copenhagen, Denmark
May 8: Spring Bluegrass Festival - Willisau, Switzerland
May 9: Basel/Binningen, Switzerland
May 10: La Roche-sur-Foron, France
May 11: Leipheim/Danube, Germany
May 12: Dortmund, Germany
May 13: Valthermond, Netherlands
May 14: European World Of Bluegrass, Voorthuizen, Netherlands
*May 15-17, May 19: TBA
May 18: Hoofddorp, Netherlands
May 20: Aubinges, France
May 21: Preaux, France
May 22: Arleuf, France

For this tour, Kathy is joined by band members Dan Booth (bass, vocals), Greg Booth (dobro, banjo, vocals), and Annie Staninec (fiddle), plus special guest Martino Coppo (mandolin, vocals).

The band performs Kathy's song 'Wildflowers' on 30 Aug. 2009 on YouTube. The band's electronic press kit (with five tracks from their forthcoming album) is here.

Thank you & please don't hesitate to contact me for additional information and/or to inquire about bookings.

Peter Thompson (e-mail)

Durango: new Coal Porters CD

The Coal Porters (UK), who claim to be the world’s first alternative bluegrass band, launched their latest album, Durango (Prima Records, distributed in the UK by Proper and in the USA by Burnside) with a party at the Arts Theatre Club, in London’s West End, on 25 January.

Durango is the Coal Porters’ ninth album – although the band’s been through a number of incarnations since it was formed in Los Angeles back in the late 'eighties. The new album was recorded in the southern Colorado town bearing the same name and was produced by the legendary Ed Stasium, who has worked with the Ramones, Talking Heads, Gladys Knight, and Mick Jagger.

Naturally, their set was almost completely made up from tracks on the new album, with the foot-stomping 'Roadkill breakdown', the very moving 'Permanent twilight' and 'No more chains' being highlights among their own original material along with a cover of the Undertones’ 'Teenage kicks'.

Currently the Coal Porters are Sid Griffin (mandolin, harmonica, autoharp and vocals), Neil Robert Herd (guitar, sporran and vocals), Andrew Stafford (bass), Carly Frey (fiddle), and Dick Smith (banjo).

Among other dates on their schedule, the Coal Porters will head the bill at this year's Westport Folk & Bluegrass Festival in Ireland at the end of June.

'If I needed you': video clip

Hi all,

Below is a link to the clip of 'If I needed you' from my new album [see the EBB post of 21 Jan.]: 'If I needed you'

Kind regards,

Lilly Drumeva
Lilly of the West
e-mail
M: +359 888 660 990
website

Thanks to Richard F. Thompson of the BBMA for the news that issue #37 (Oct. 2009) of Vagabond, an English-language monthly publication, includes an article by Ani Ivanova about Lilly Drumeva and bluegrass in Bulgaria. It can be read here.

Lovin' you - now out

Lilly Drumeva reports from Bulgaria:

My new album Lovin’ you is out now. It was recorded in two countries – Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, with Monogram and Lilly of the West. It will be available through CD Baby on my new website very soon. There you may hear sound clips, get photos and more info. A video to the song 'If I needed you' (with Jakub Racek) will be featured there soon. In the meantime, please write to me with your address, for a copy of the new album. I have attached some info.

All the best,

Lilly Drumeva
Lilly of the West
e-mail
M: +359 888 660 990

Read full details of the new album Lovin' you here.

Boogiemen's new CD: Hits of Hank Williams

The Blue Grass Boogiemen (NL) are releasing on the CRS (Continental) label a new album, Hits of Hank Williams, originally commissioned by Starsound. The Boogiemen announce:

... Ever since we started playing together, Hank's songs have been an integral part of our repertoire... to say the least, we love his music, on and off stage, and we're convinced... that the world can never have too many albums with Hank's songs, whether they're well-known hits or not.

Hits of Hank Williams can be bought through PayPal on the Boogiemen's website, and there is a special New Year internet price of €12.50. Read more about the album here; reviews can be read here.

Bluegrass events in Germany, 2010

Michael Zumstein reports that the German festival season begins with the 8th International Bluegrass Festival (14-15 May) in Bühl, with its international lineup including Uncle Earl (USA) (above). Bühl is followed closely by the second Greven Grass Festival (22-23 May), and two months later by the second Munich Bluegrass Festival (9-11 July).

Michael's own band Blue Side of Town (founded 1992) are now recording a new CD for release in March; it will include the title song 'Blue side of town', written by band member Niels Kaiser and Elke Sachsenmaier.

Also in southern Germany, the Wodan Halle in Freiburg will be presenting some fine music including the French Cajun band Le Clou (12 Mar.) and Uncle Earl (30 Apr.). And the Black Forest Bluegrass Jam, first held in autumn 2009, attracts lots of musicians from the French/Swiss/German border, forming a melting point for bluegrass and acoustic music in the area. More info here.

Other dates played by Uncle Earl in Europe - nearly all of which are in Germany - can be seen here. Also in Germany, there will be a European first-timer: the Gibson Brothers perform uniquely in Oldenburg on Sunday 11 April (see the EBB for 3 January).

Coming events in Norway

Ila Auto

Dagfinn Pedersen, EBMA board member, reports from the Norwegian Bluegrass Music Association that no fewer than five bands are currently about to release, or are working on, new CDs. The hard-working Ila Auto, whose debut CD won the Norwegian Best Country Album 2006 award, will release their third CD - predominantly original material, all in Norwegian - on 18 January, on the Universal Records label, with full national TV and radio promotion package.

Risør Bluegrass Festival (15-17 July 2010) is receiving the first significant financial support from central or local authorities in its nine years of existence. The festival website will soon open for enrolment in the workshop (for all bluegrass instruments, plus harmony singing and clawhammer banjo). EBMA members travelling to Risør from outside Norway will be eligible for a 50% discount. Dagfinn's full report, which will appear in the next Bluegrass Europe, can also be read here.

Lovin' you - new album from Lilly Drumeva

Lilly Drumeva has released a new album entitled Lovin' you, featuring Monogram (CZ) and Lilly of the West (BG). It contains fifteen tracks of traditional bluegrass, country, and swing; among them two duets with Monogram's singer/guitarist Jakub Racek. A video to the song 'If I needed you' will be posted shortly on YouTube.

A new website is being designed to launch the new album. Lovin' you will be soon available through cdbaby. Samples of tracks from the new album can be heard on MySpace, till the physical CD is out.

'Randy Kohrs with G2': 2010 tour of Europe UPDATE

Randy Kohrs

Multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, record producer, and engineer Randy Kohrs (USA) and the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden), #1 European Bluegrass Band 2007, will tour Europe together in May 2010, with Randy Kohrs as main lead vocalist and dobro player, and his regular fiddler Ashley Brown also part of the ensemble. In June, G2 will leave Europe to tour in the USA till October.

Jim Lauderdale and Randy Kohrs won a Grammy award for the album Bluegrass diaries in 2008, and are nominated for the 2010 Grammy awards. Untapped routes, the second album by G2, will be released worldwide in 2010.

The full press release on the tour can be seen here. Please note that the tour will be in May, and not in April as stated in the release. To book Randy Kohrs and G2, contact Tobias Strömberg by e-mail or 'phone +46 (0)7022 94505.

Roberto Dalla Vecchia: December e-newsletter

Guitarist Roberto Dalla Vecchia reports:

I've been really blessed this year, and my travels have taken me to some wonderful new places here in Europe and also to US. I performed to large crowds and intimate audiences; familiar faces and new friends. Highlights of the year are my tour with guitar wizard Mark Cosgrove, sharing the stage with guitar greats David Bromberg, Frank Vignola, Muriel Anderson, Jacques Stotzem, saying goodbye to Stefano's bibs ... wow what a year!

Roberto's latest album, Unknown legends, is being well received; another favourable review has appeared on Minor 7th online magazine. This month's issue of the German magazine Akustik Gitarre includes an interview with Roberto, and his tune 'Surprised' is included on the companion CD.

In a special Christmas sale, all Roberto Dalla Vecchia CDs can be bought on CD Baby at $9.95 during the month of December. The offer is good until 31 December while supplies last. As a free seasonal gift, a simple arrangement of the classic Christmas carol 'Silent night', arranged for solo acoustic guitar, can be downloaded as an mp3 and with tablature from here. Non-players who like listening to Christmas music should download the mp3 file labelled 'long version'. Most of Roberto's music is available at iTunes, or as downloadable mp3s at Amazon.

In January active booking will begin for dates in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland for Roberto's June 2010 tour with Mark Cosgrove. Anyone in these countries who would like priority consideration for a concert in home, school, or venue, or who just has questions about the process, should contact Roberto by e-mail. Video footage from a house concert in the USA by the Cosgrove/dalla Vecchia combination can be seen on YouTube.

Roberto (who can be followed on Facebook) concludes:

I wish each and every one of you the best of holiday seasons, and here's to a wonderfully happiness-filled 2010. Thank you for being there, and for supporting music and the arts.

Mismountain Boys December newsletter

In the latest newsletter from the Mismountain Boys of Bergamo, Italy, you can read a review of their latest CD, Spaghetti Western Cafe, by Fabrizio Poggi from Folk Bulletin magazine; buy the mp3 of their single 'Jingle Bells (Suna Campanèll)' with a donation to the Red Cross; see photos from their Eurobrasserie live concert on 14 November; and check on their upcoming shows.

The Mismountain Boys are Roberto 'The Hook' Braiato (mandolin, guitar, background vocals), Remo 'Mr Cadillac' Ceriotti (5-string banjo, dobro), Franco 'The Captain' Fanizzi (guitar, lead vocals), Fabio 'Cowboy Smile' Bestetti (upright bass, background vocals), Italo 'Babayou' Gualandris (accordion, vocals), Isabella 'Belle Starr' Saradini (vocals, guitar, and Tista 'West Point Records' Rota (drums and percussion).

The band are also on Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube.

Beppe Gambetta at the New Acoustic Gallery, 6 Dec. 2009

World-class guitarist Beppe Gambetta will present his new CD, Rendez-vous, in a solo concert at the New Acoustic Gallery in Solingen, Germany, on Sunday 6 December, beginning at 8.00 p.m.

Beppe Gambetta, 'with Italian roots in his blood and American music in his heart', has created Rendez-vous as a series of duets with the guitarists he most admires. Tickets for the concert are €18 VV - €22 AK - €14 for students and pensioners. The hotline for booking is +49 0212/2474007.

New Acoustic Gallery
Oliver Waitze
Neuenhofer Str. 122
42657 Solingen (Höhscheid)
Germany
Tel. +49 0212/2474007
e-mail

Tangarine & Friends: folk/ roots/ bluegrass from the Netherlands

Thanks to Floris de Vries, banjo-player in Tangarine & Friends (NL), for news of the band - 'seven young musicians with a big heart for folk and bluegrass music', who play their own folk songs with traditional bluegrass instruments, and share in their songs their vision on politics, religion, and life.

Tangarine & Friends started out with the brothers Arnout and Sander Brinks who started writing songs at an early age, influenced by Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, and the Beatles. After a few years of playing in a changing combination of band members, their first album, Between the lines, was released in January 2008. Their second album was released not long after that, in October 2008, with the name Fields of poetry. Later more people joined the band and Tangarine became Tangarine & Friends.

Last month they released a new single, 'Fields of poetry', with a very fancy videoclip on YouTube. Last August the band recorded their third album, which is scheduled for release in January 2010.

Bookings
Tel. +31 (0)6 15 264 250
e-mail

Management
DRC Entertainment
Dalipassage 46
7811DB Emmen
Tel. +31 (0)6 53 977 391
e-mail

New stock in the New Acoustic Gallery

Oliver Waitze of the New Acoustic Gallery in Solingen, Germany, reports that in the last few days many interesting new items - books, instruments, accessories, and CDs - have been added to the Gallery's stock.

The books include Jim Mills's Gibson Mastertone flathead 5-string banjos and Manfred Fuchs's Gypsy jazz workshop; the accessories include new Blue Chip picks and Paige capos, mandolin tailpieces, arm-rests, and ToneGards; the CDs include Mike Marshall albums (left); and the instruments include the Weber mandocello (right).

All of these can be ordered through the NAG Internet Shop or by the Hotline: +49 0212/2474007.

New CD from Lou Reid & Carolina

Lou Reid & Carolina (USA) have a new CD on Rural Rhythm, My own set of rules.

This exciting band have expressed interest in coming to Europe. In 2007, when the IBMA enlisted members from outside the USA as MCs for World of Bluegrass's Fan Fest, Lou Reid & Carolina were introduced by Thierry Schoysman of Bluegrass in Belgium.

The band's sound can be sampled through the many videos on their YouTube channel, where you can see and hear Lou Reid not only with Carolina but with the Seldom Scene, Longview, and guests such as Bobby Hicks.

Other up-to-date news on the band is here and on their website.

G2 on the Tube

Subscribers to Bluegrass on the Tube receive by e-mail a video every day of bluegrass music, chosen from a very wide assortment of performers. Today, subscribers received 'Where the tall grass grows' by the G2 Bluegrass Band from Sweden (#1 European Bluegrass Band 2007), who are making a big impact in the USA.

The song can also be heard on Cosmos Records' YouTube channel, together with G2's 'All I need'. Other videos of the band at live shows can be seen on their MySpace site. G2 have recently been spending time in the recording studio.

Editors' note: With the publication of this post, there are now 1,000 posts on the European Bluegrass Blog.

Beppe Gambetta on tour, 12 Nov.-20 Dec.

Thanks to Hans-Bernd Sick, who sends the schedule of a tour in Germany, Austria, and Belgium by guitarist Beppe Gambetta, beginning next week. The tour will introduce Beppe Gambetta's latest CD, Collection, just released on Peter Fingers's Acoustic Music Records label.

Dates and locations are shown below; all events are solo concerts unless otherwise stated. Full details, including websites, addresses, and contact data, can be seen here.

12 Nov. Acoustic Corner Erik Berthold, Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, 20:00
13 Nov. Bräustüberl, Maisach, Germany, 20:00
14 Nov. Schütte Keller, Bühl, Germany, 20:00
15 Nov. Phoenix Irish Pub, Lauffen, Germany, 20:00
17 Nov. Clubheim, Vöhringen-Illerberg, Germany, 20:00
18 Nov. Folkladen, Munich, Germany; workshop, 18:00-21:00
19 Nov. Freysitz, Hallein, Austria, 20:00
20 Nov. Haus der Kultur, Waldkraiburg, Germany, 20:00
24 Nov. Gitarrissimo, Oberhausen, Germany, 20:00
25 Nov. Kanapee, Hanover, Germany, 20:00
26 Nov. Petruskirche, Berlin-Lichterfelde, Germany, 20:00
27 Nov. Hamburger Gitarrentage, Hamburg, Germany, 20:30
28-29 Nov. Hamburger Gitarrentage, Hamburg, Germany: workshop
1 Dec. Prisma Folk-Club, Pforzheim, Germany, 20:15
4 Dec. Toogenblik, Brussels, Belgium, 20:00
5 Dec. Talbahnhof, Eschweiler, Germany, 20:00
6 Dec. New Acoustic Gallery, Solingen, Germany,, 20:00
7 Dec. Neue Welt, Ingolstadt, Germany, 20:30
19 Dec. Städtische Musikschule, Ladenburg, Germany (hosted by GLL/GRÜNE Ladenburg)
20 Dec. Bermuda Halle, Bochum, Germany (Große Nacht der akustischen Gitarren), 18:00

A busy autumn for Lilly of the West

Lilly in the recording studio

Lilly Drumeva reports:

October was a busy month for Lilly of the West. The band worked with guest musicians from the UK (Mike Black), USA (Daniel Beaulaurier), Hungary (Zsolt Pintér and Géza Kremnitzky of Acousticure), and the Czech Republic (Jakub Racek of Monogram). The events featured concerts, jam sessions, and appearances on national radio and TV.

A full report, with photos, on the special reception at the Hungarian embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, for the Hungarian National day on 21 October (see the EBB for 23 Oct.) can be seen on the Lilly of the West website.

Recordings have been finalised for Lilly Drumeva’s new album, Lovin’ you. Scheduled for release in January 2010, it will contain sixteen tracks recorded in two sessions, in Sofia with Lilly of the West and in Prague with Monogram. The repertoire is traditional bluegrass, swing, country ballads, Bulgarian folk songs, an original song by Lilly, and two duets with Jakub Racek. Jakub visited Bulgaria at the end of October to co-produce Lilly’s album. A video clip was made to one of the duet songs; it will be featured on the album in multimedia format. More info and photos are here.

On 25 November 2009 Lilly of the West will perform live at the Bulgarian National Radio. The concert will be recorded in Studio 1 for the Golden Radio Fund and may be released on CD in 2010. The band will close the season with a Christmas concert on 10 December at the Czech Cultural Center in Sofia. Special guests are invited, among them Mr Martin Klepetko, Czech ambassador in Bulgaria. All info here.

News from the Czech Republic

Greg Cahill (back to camera), David Thomas (bass), and Petr Brandejs (banjo) after the Jicin concert

In addition to the recent PBB workshop featured on the European Bluegrass Blog on 19 Oct., Petr Brandejs reports that the number of bluegrass-related bands on the Czech Bluegrass Music Association (CzBMA) website has risen to 208.

The CzBMA organised a fine concert of the Special Consensus (USA) in Jicin, Czech Republic. IBMA president and banjo player Greg Cahill and his boys had such a good time afterwards that they unfortunately overslept and missed their plane the following day from Frankfurt to the US. Pictures from the show can be seen here.

New recordings by Czech bands: Benefit have a new CD out, recorded live in the studio; Monogram are preparing a new CD, mostly with original material by their lead singer, Jakub Racek; and the Petr Brandejs Band have started work on their next CD. This time it should be in Czech, specially for children. It will include some originals, but mostly bluegrass standards with (hopefully) funny Czech lyrics.

Outlands

Thanks to Archie MacLullich for news of the new CD Outlands by innovative Scottish piper Fred Morrison, which explores the links between bluegrass and Celtic music. The ten tracks are mostly original compositions; the artists taking part include Ron Block (banjo, guitar) and Tim O'Brien (mandolin); and the album is produced by Gary Paczosa (Dolly Parton, Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek).

More details and audio samples are available on the Fred Morrison website and MySpace site. Archie also draws attention to an interesting interview with Fred by reporter Sue Wilson for the Hi-Arts [Highlands & Islands Arts] website, which includes his affinities with Irish uillean pipers such as Paddy Keenan and Finbarr Furey, as well as with bluegrass - for which he first acquired a taste in Amsterdam.

The footage of Fred Morrison on YouTube includes one video of him playing 'Kansas City hornpipe/Jarlath's tune' with Bruce Molsky on 5-string banjo.

Strictly Country and its artists on air

Thanks to Liz Meyer for news from the Folk & Bluegrass Radio Airplay Chart, which is now also the official chart for the Folk Alliance. The following facts come from the August 2009 chart, compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L radio playlists, and based on 15,350 airplays from 140 different DJs.

Jonathan Edwards's album Rollin' along (produced by Liz for Strictly Country Records) is at #4 among top albums and songs for August 2009, while Liz's own THE STORM (SCR-59) is at #15 - no small achievement for an album released in 2005.

In the chart of top songs for August 2009 Jonathan Edwards's 'Red light, green light' from Rollin' along is at #18, and Edwards shares the #6 place among thirty-eight Top Artists of the Month with Catie Curtis, while Liz herself appears at #23. Strictly Country Records appears at #11 among the forty top labels for the month.

These lists are compiled and posted every month (since October 1997) to the official FOLKDJ-L website, where the archive of past Top Album lists is also available. An extended version is at Richard Gillman's personal website.

Mideando String Quintet: available for 2010

Stefano Santangelo of the Mideando String Quintet (Italy) reports that the band is available for bookings in 2010. The MSQ performs original acoustic music and covers from a wide variety of styles on mandolin, octave mandolin, mandocello, violin, acoustic or nylon-strung guitar, and electric bass, with five-part vocal harmony.

At the EWOB Festival in the Netherlands the band won the 3# European Bluegrass Band award in 2003, and the 1# award in 2006; as a result they represented European bluegrass at IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2007. Their version of 'Talk about suffering' appeared on the EWOB 2003 CD and the compilation 10 years of EWOB (both from Strictly Country Records).

Their CDs Viaggio (2005) and Tutte le direzioni (2007) have earned critical acclaim and received much airplay. They have also played at many other events including the 40th Montreux Jazz Festival and the La Roche Bluegrass Festival 2008 at La-Roche-sur-Foron, France.

The full text of Stefano's release can be read here.

MSQ website
MSQ MySpace site
Associazione Musicale MIDEANDO
Via P. Vergerio 6
35126 PADOVA, Italy
tel. +39 049 8021556; cell. +39 338 8227001
e-mail

First European band to play on IBMA Awards Show

The original Bluegrass Blog carried yesterday a post on the forthcoming appearances in the USA by the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden), #1 European Bluegrass Band 2007. These include playing on the IBMA Awards Show, where they will be the first European band ever to do so.

The post also includes sound clips from their next CD (still in preparation) and a video from the band's show at the Station Inn in Nashville during their 2008 visit.

Casey Joe Abair & Hunter Robertson: new CD

Hunter Robertson (USA), whose appearances in Europe during 2009 included the major festivals at Voorthuizen and La Roche, reports:

I'm pleased to announce the release of a new album: Casey Joe Abair & Hunter Robertson, If you want to go to sleep, go to bed (Yodel-Ay-Hee 074), an album of old-timey banjo-and-fiddle duets. It comprises seventeen traditional songs and tunes, learnt from a variety of sources - mainly musicians long gone.

Samples and more information on the album are here. It is available from CDBaby and Menzies Stringed Instruments and shortly from County Sales and Elderly Instruments, and will soon be available through iTunes, Rhapsody, Amazon, eMusic and other purveyors of fine mp3s as well.

Bluegrass in eastern Europe

Lilly Drumeva, EBMA national representative for Bulgaria, reports:

This summer was a busy one for Lilly of the West. We traveled to Hungary (Budapest concert), France (La Roche bluegrass festival), and the UK (Sevenoaks bluegrass festival). You can see detailed reports on my website. Half of the new album has been recorded in Sofia, mid July as well. The next session will be in Prague late September with Monogram.

I made contact with musicians and festivals in Rumania. One is a singer-songwriter 7-days event in Calafat, on the Danube river. They would welcome a bluegrass band as well, but you have to have a song in Rumanian in the repertoire. Dan Vana, the organizer, has also a radio show and is a musician himself. Another contact is Maria Gheorghiu in Bucharest. She is a well known folk singer and has her own show on Rumanian national radio. There is a country club in Timishoara where bluegrass music could be played. One of the contacts there is Sandy Deac, leader of country music band Desperado. I plan to visit Rumania soon and report more in detail about the acoustic scene there.

Early September in the town of Lovech, Bulgaria, I visited the festival of the 'Poets with guitars'. It is a singer-songwriter event, organized by the municipality. It is mostly singers with acoustic guitars, but there are also bands who play folk, blues, country... and why not bluegrass? Musicians get free accommodation, meals, and some gifts from the committee.

In the next months Lilly of the West will have the following gigs:

9 Oct. Stara Zagora, Il Mondo Club (promotion of Tullamore Dew whiskey)
21 Oct. Sofia, Hungarian Embassy (together with Zsolt Pinter and Geza Kremitsky from Acousticure, Hungarian national day)
25 Nov. Sofia, Bulgarian National Radio, Studio 1 (concert is going to be recorded for the Golden Fund, with special guest Rayko Pepelanov on guitar)
10 Dec. Sofia, Czech Cultural Center (Christmas show)

Rockridge Brothers: latest CD

Rockridge hollerin', the latest CD by the Rockridge Brothers from Sweden (Pontus Juth, upright bass; Peter Frövik, guitar; Ralf Fredblad, banjo, fiddle; and Kristian Herner, clawhammer banjo), has seventeen tracks of tunes and songs drawn from the core of the south-eastern US old-time repertoire.

The album is available from the band at live shows, from Amazon, Ginza, iTunes, or Cdbaby, and via the Brothers' own website.

Chatham County Line in Europe

Dagfinn Pedersen from Norway (board member of EBMA and coordinator of EBMA National Rep programme) reports:
Just in case there hasn't been anything on the blog about Chatham County Line from North Carolina being in Europe again. CCL - Dave Wilson (guitar, vocal, harmonica), John Teer (mandolin, fiddle, vocal), Chandler Holt (banjo, vocal), and Greg Readling (3/4 bass, pedal steel, piano, vocal) - have made a big impression at "Herr Nilsen" in Oslo on Saturday, 22 August, and they went on to Holland from there. Shows of the current tour are on their website.

CCL has been in Norway 11 times, including 4 extensive 4-week tours with the Norwegian artist Jonas Fjeld. Together with him they won the Norwegian equivalent to a Grammy and they are just winding up their Brother Of Song tour with him. Brother Of Song is a highly successful CD and tour project they did together this year. They are working on a new CCL CD at the moment and plan to come back to Norway next summer to follow up the CD release there.

France Bluegrass Vol. 2

The France Bluegrass Musique Association has released volume 2 of France Bluegrass. The double CD features the work of thirty bands, for whom photos, information, and contact details are given in the accompanying full-colour booklet. The full list of bands and songs appears on the back of the album (shown below).

France Bluegrass Vol. 2 can be obtained from Christopher Howard-Williams, FBMA president, for €20 (including shipping within Europe). Send money order or cheque payable to France Bluegrass Musique Association (or to cash), 145 rue de la Croix, F - 74800 La Roche-sur-Foron, Haute Savoie, France. Contact Christopher Howard-Williams by e-mail.

Lilly of the West preparing a new album

Thanks to Lilly Drumeva for the news that she is currently recording her eighth album in Sofia and Prague, featuring musicians from Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Seven songs have already been recorded at Key Studios in Sofia on 12-13 July 2009, with sound engineer Asen Dragnev. Lilly has produced the songs together with long-time friend and sound master Stamen Yanev.

The repertoire is a mix of country, blues and swing standards, together with two Bulgarian folk songs, in unusual rhythms like 7/8 and 11/16. Musicians include Yasen Vasilev (guitar), Ivan Penchev (fiddle), Svoboda Bozduganova (upright bass), Borislav Bojadjiev (drums, percussion, special effects), Michail Shishkov (Dobro, pedal steel), and Lilly herself (vocals, guitar).

Another studio session is scheduled for late September in Prague. Czech bluegrass band Monogram will be featured on five bluegrass standards, together with an original song written by Lilly. A duet with Monogram’s lead singer Jakub Racek is also planned. Mixing and mastering will be done in Bulgaria by Stamen Yanev and Lilly Drumeva; the production should be ready for release early in 2010. More info is on Lilly's website, and photos of the recording sessions so far can be seen here.

L.Bow Grease (Germany): “Let’s call it Home“

Thanks to Guntmar Feuerstein for the news about L.Bow Grease's activities and their latest CD.

Guntmar reports: "...Their third CD, “Let’s call it Home“ (ruhrfolk 4005), has just been released on which, alongside the trusted regular line-up, numerous guest musicians can be heard such as Nils Tuxen (Texas Lightning), Andrew Cadie (Broom Bezzums), Chris Hall und Hartmut Hegewald (Cajun Roosters), as well Matthias Malcher and Ulli Sieker (Looping Brothers). L.BOW GREASE will be presenting their new album on their 30-day “Let’s call it Home“ – Tour 2009. As well as concerts all across Germany, there are also six appearances in England and Scotland on the tour plan, including the Cornish Bluegrass Festival in Newquay, the Dunbar Traditional Music Festival and the Moniaive Bluegrass Festival. L.BOW GREASE are “back to the roots“, and they give each of their songs convincing authenticity with their seemingly effortless virtuosity and their fantastic voices..."

Contact:
signatur feuerstein
Guntmar Feuerstein
Harpener Feld 11
D-44805 Bochum
www.guntmarfeuerstein.de
www.myspace.com/lbowgrease
www.sonicbids.com/lbowgrease
www.acoustic-live.de
www.ruhrfolk.de

LBOWGREASEinfoE.pdf
LBOWGREASEcdMedia.pdf

New Barbara Lamb Release and Video!

Thanks to Brigid from Totem Pole PR (Denver CO), who is spreading the word about something that European Bluegrass Blog readers might be interested in.

Go ahead and download two mp3s from Barbara Lamb's newest album "Twisty Girl" here:

"Frying Pan" - www.mediafire.com/download.php?ut4nzvjlxkn
"What Are You Doing Today" - www.mediafire.com/download.php?cmmmenzttgg

...and check out the video for "What Are You Doing Today" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6NMA92fO9E

Barbara Lamb's newest album "Twisty Girl" incorporates elements of Americana, bluegrass, traditional folk, live looping and electronic beats. A fiddler by trade, Barbara gathered inspiration from her transition to electronic looping and from tales about her friends, relationships and her dog. Produced by Barbara herself, "Twisty Girl" is a hodgepodge of genres and stories and a landmark in her career.

Barbara started the expertly run NashCamp in Nashville in 1996 and is a producer, composer and a teacher. She's been featured on albums with Peter Rowan, John Cowan, Asleep At The Wheel, Laura Love, Peter Rowan, Tony Trischka, Riders in the Sky and many more.

For any questions, contact Brigid Moore directly. Thank you for supporting independent music!

--
Brigid Moore
Totem Pole PR
Denver, CO

A wonderful time for Bononia Grass

On stage at Conwy 2009: (l-r) Paolo Ercoli (dobro, vocals), Gianni Stefanini (mandolin, vocals), Pedro Judkowski (upright bass) Luca Bartolini (guitar, vocals), Gianluca Naldi (banjo, vocals)

Bononia Grass, from Bologna, Italy, have a lot of good news to report. Luca Bartolini, formerly of Red Wine, has joined them, playing guitar and singing lead. Their mandolinist, Gianni Stefanini, has won second prize in the mandolin contest at the 38th Annual Blue Grass & Old Time Fiddlers' Convention in North Carolina, USA.

For the second year running, the band have played at the North Wales Bluegrass Festival; and similarly for the second year running their dobro player, Paolo Ercoli, has been asked to give the dobro workshop there. Video clips of Bononia Grass playing at Conwy in 2008 - with Martino Coppo of Red Wine on electric bass - can be seen on Paolo's YouTube channel. They are about to take part in the European Bluegrass Festival (29 July-2 August) at La Roche-sur-Foron, in the French Alps, where they have been selected as one of the twelve bands in the 2009 band competition.

Bononia Grass also have a new website with many improvements, and are starting work on their second CD. A full account of the band's good news can be read here.


(l-r) Paolo Ercoli, Gianni Stefanini, Gianluca Naldi, Luca Bartolini, Pedro Judkowski

New Toy Hearts video

Today the Bluegrass Blog features a new video on YouTube by the Toy Hearts (UK), who were featured in the latest issue of Bluegrass Europe. The video shows the band performing their contribution to the 'train song' genre - the title track from their last album, When I cut loose - at the Ely Folk Festival in England on 11 July.

It also includes powerful guitar work by Sophia Johnson, who is featured in the current issue of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine. More info, including details of the Toy Hearts' coming tour in the US, is on the Bluegrass Blog.

Barcelona Bluegrass Band: new CD

Thanks to Lluís Antonio Gómez Martinez for news of the new self-titled album by the Barcelona Bluegrass Band. The musicians taking part are Ricky Araiza (guitar), Albert Bello (guitar), Lluís Gómez (5-string banjo), Joan Pau Cumellas (harmonica), Robbie K. Jones (cajón), Oriol Saña (violín), Maribel Sánchez (upright bass), and Miguel Talavera (guitar), plus two special American guests: Alison Brown (5-string banjo) and Tim Carter (5- string banjo). Tony Trischka comments:

Though the band is stretching the boundaries of bluegrass, they’ve obviously listened to their elders and have a deep love and respect for the music that’s gone before them. At the same time, they’re making their own mark in the burgeoning new-acoustic music world. Hearty congratulations to Lluis and Joan Pau and the band for creating this lovely music.

The CD can be bought at Cd Baby and will soon be available through iTunes.

Nomination and prize for Roberto Dalla Vecchia

Guitarist Roberto Dalla Vecchia (Italy) reports:

I'm very happy to announce:

1. the Grateful album has received a nomination at this year's Just Plain Folks awards, for Best Instrumental Album. Just Plain Folks awards are the world's largest music awards with over 42,000 entries from 160 countries. You can find out more here.

2. my tune 'Sunflowers', from my new CD Unknown legends, won the Channel Prize for Instrumental Solo in June 2009, receiving the highest rank in OurStage's Instrumental Solo Channel!

See also Roberto's OurStage Fan Club page.

Non-US bluegrass CD covers wanted for Blue Ridge Music Center

Ken Irwin of Rounder Records sends this message to the IBMA Members' e-mail discussion list:

The Blue Ridge Music Center is working on a permanent exhibit which will trace the history of the music of America through the Blue Ridge region. The contemporary perspective includes primarily bluegrass and old-time.

The design team has come up with the concept of a large three-dimensional cube which allows for the display of some thousand or more CD covers. Part of the story involves how the music has gone all over the world - both in terms of musicians from here traveling and musicians in various countries learning to play bluegrass and old-time.

They are looking for CD covers going back to the Bluegrass 45 on Rebel Records and everything since then. Unfortunately, they do not have the ability to display LPs.

They are interested in music of non-American bluegrass groups, preferably released in countries other than America.

If people wish to send items (just need the jacket) it would be to Blue Ridge Traditional Arts, P.O. Box 1010, Galax, VA 24333. The project will be the permanent exhibit for the Blue Ridge Music Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway outside Galax. Here is a bit of text from website.

The Blue Ridge Music Center celebrates the music and musicians of the Blue Ridge. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1985, the site includes an outdoor amphitheater and an indoor interpretive center used to highlight an important strand of American musical culture, which is still alive and thriving in the region. The site is operated through a partnership between the National Park Service and the National Council for the Traditional Arts. The permanent exhibit will open in summer 2010.

Street address:

Attn. Bill Kornrich
Blue Ridge Traditional Arts
Blue Ridge Music Center
700 Foothills Road
Galax, VA 24333

Trnava - latest CD from Ferrell Stowe

Trnava (SSPC 000002), the latest CD by resonator guitarist Ferrell Stowe (USA) is named for the city and region of the Slovak Republic, where the dobro guitar and its historic origins are celebrated in the Dobrofest.

The twelve tracks include eight original numbers (including 'Return to Trnava' and the song 'Death from Nashville causes'), with guest vocals by Carl Jackson and Toni Otts, and fine pickers from the Nashville bluegrass community. The album is reviewed by Bill Wagner in the May 2009 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited.

Toy Hearts Newsletter #7

Thanks to Sophia Johnson, guitarist of the Toy Hearts (UK) for the seventh instalment of the band's monthly bulletin.

The Toy Hearts thank everyone who sent messages of goodwill and sympathy for Hannah Johnson, their lead singer and mandolinist, who was admitted to hospital early in May with a disabling illness that was finally diagnosed as a kidney infection and successfully treated. She is now fully recovered and back on top form! One show on 13 May had to be cancelled, and has been rescheduled for 14 October. The band also thanks Rainer Zellner of Music Contact for their enjoyable and well received shows in Germany.

Within the next four weeks both Toy Hearts albums, If the blues come calling and When I cut loose, will be available to buy on iTunes and Amazon mp3. Both albums are currently available from the band's website, CD Baby, and Smart Choice. The band are currently working on new material for the summer festival season, with a view to recording something like an EP before their US tour in September.

Full details of the Toy Hearts' schedule of appearances in Britain, Europe, and further afield are on their website, which has all the latest news about the band: gigs, venues, and releases, reviews, and biographies of band members, plus photographs, videos, and music samples. You can also buy both Toy Hearts albums, sign up to the mailing list, and more.

New CDs from Ulster gospel groups

The Low Country Boys from east Co. Down, Northern Ireland, have just released their latest gospel CD, 'No lang tae go'. The sixteen tracks include familiar material such as 'Rock of ages', 'Angel band', and 'Shield of faith' along with original tunes and songs: the four instrumentals include a banjo tune, 'Granda's 35'. Several songs and the final spoken track, which retells the story of the prodigal son, are in the Ulster Scots tongue.

The CD notes include many old photos of life in the 'Low Country' of Co. Down. Gibson Young (banjo, guitar) and Ivan McFerran (electric bass, mandolin, fiddle) are joined by guest musicians on flute, snare drum, pipes, and guitar. Since the recording, the band has been augmented to a three-piece with dobro guitar; details are on the Low Country Boys blog. The CD can be bought online or from selected shops, from the Belfast News Letter newspaper, or at Low Country Boys concerts.

Mark Thompson and his brother Graeme Thompson, formerly mandolinist and guitarist with the Low Country Boys, have been playing since late 2008 as the Thompson Brothers in traditional close-harmony brother duet style. An album's worth of free downloads is scheduled for release this spring, with packaged CDs available at cost price.

Good news from IBMA

The International Bluegrass Music Association has recently published its reference list of bluegrass recordings eligible for nomination for an award, compiled from product reported as released between 31 March 2008 and 1 April 2009.

The list includes the latest CDs from two European bands: Tutte le direzioni by the Mideando String Quintet (Italy), #1 European Bluegrass Band 2006, released on the Velut Luna label; and From Vyborg to L.A. by Jussi Syren & the Groundbreakers (Finland), released on Goofin' Records.

Also on the list is Home away from home, by Vincent Cross & Good Company. Vincent Cross, though now based in New York, is a former member of the bluegrass community in Ireland, with which he keeps in close contact. The IBMA adds:

This list does not necessarily contain 100% of the bluegrass recordings first released during the eligibility period, so members are not restricted to the entries on this list when making their first ballot write-in nominations.

New CD from Andy Glandt: help save rock art

Andy Glandt (D) reports that his new CD Murujuga has been released, with 14 original songs and tunes, mostly about Australia. 'Murujuga' is the Aboriginal name of the Burrup Peninsula in north-western Western Australia. Andy explains:

This CD supports, specifically, the fight to save the over 30,000-year-old stone engravings (petroglyphs) on the Burrup Peninsula. These are threatened by the settlements of companies wishing to mine for gas and plutonium. About a quarter of them has been already destroyed. For this reason a portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of this CD will be donated to FARA (Friends of Australian Rock Art). To get more information go to the FARA campaign website.

To get more information on the CD or to listen to some sound files, please go to my website and then to the section 'CDs & Books'. You can also order the CD at the German version of Amazon. Or just contact me.

Best wishes and please help to save the petroglyphs,

Andy Glandt
Musician and songwriter
Lady Sou & the Singing Banjoman (YouTube)
YouTube (Singing Banjoman)
Author
+49-3641-331001; +49-172-941-3523

Update 19 May: Andy (who is learning clawhammer banjo and will tour Mexico with his banjo in October) reports that a video of one of the songs from the new album can be seen on YouTube.

The Carrivick Sisters

The Carrivick Sisters

Hannah Johnson of the Toy Hearts (UK) reports for the next issue of Bluegrass Europe on events in the UK during June and July, including tours by the Wilders and Crooked Still (USA).

Hannah's report also features the Carrivick Sisters (UK), who appeared at the EWOB Festival in 2007, and have built a strong reputation with their multi-instrumental skills, original material, and duet singing. Their summer appearances in Britain include the Gower and Crawley Folk Festivals, and an autumn tour in Ireland is under consideration.

To hear Charlotte (vocals, guitar, mandolin, clawhammer banjo) and Laura Carrivick (vocals, dobro, fiddle, cello, guitar), and for more information, visit their MySpace and SonicBids sites. Their brand new album Jupiter's corner is available now.

New 2-CD banjo compilation by Gérard de Smaele

Thanks to Gérard de Smaele (Belgium) for news of his latest project, issued by Frémaux & Associés: the compilation Banjo 1901-1956: an American five-string history (FA5179).

The set consists of forty tracks on two CDs, beginning with 'classical' banjo recordings by eight of the leading players of the early twentieth century, including Farland, Van Eps, Ossman, and Oakley (an Englishman). The next twenty-four tracks are from old-time Southern musicians - Dock Boggs, Charlie Poole, Dave Macon, and many others. Then there are four tracks by pioneers of the bluegrass style (Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, Rudy Lyle) and three by Pete Seeger. The last track is Wade Ward's fine 1939 version of 'Old Joe Clark'.

Banjo 1901-1956: an American five-string history will be in the shops from Monday 20 April and is also available from La Librairie Sonore and Audio Archives.

G2's new album in progress

The original Bluegrass Blog reports that the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden) are halfway through the making of their next album, which is being recorded at Cosmos Studios, Stockholm. All songs on the album are original compositions by band members, including 'Conwy', written by guitarist and lead singer Christoffer Olsson about the location of the annual North Wales Bluegrass Festival.

More details can be found on the band's website and on the Bluegrass Blog, where there is a video made by G2 about working on their album. Coming shows by G2 in 2009 include the Jamboree at Strakonice (CZ) on 29-30 May.

Mideando String Quintet news and schedule

Stefano Santangelo of the Mideando String Quintet (Italy) reports on the band's shows and plans for 2009:

Our next gigs are:

17 Apr. Conamara Irish Pub, Torre Padova, Italy
1 May 1 of May Festival, Rovigo, Italy
17 May Concert in Padova, Italy
24 May Piazza Cuoco, Guizza Padova, Italy
3 July Stardust, Albignasego, Italy
26 Sept. Concert to L.Battisti, S. Giorgio delle Pertiche, Italy

At the moment the band is working at the new CD; in fact they are writing some new songs with Italian and English lyrics, plus some re-arrangement of international covers and American bluegrass ones. In the meantime their CD Tutte le direzioni continues to receive many good reviews from magazines all over the world. The last one - from the Italian Kataweb, the most important musical web site - writes: 'One of the best, original and innovative acoustic band in Italy'.


The Mideando String Quintet, which already has a website and MySpace site, is now also on Facebook.