US bands in Britain and Ireland, Jan.-Feb. 2009

Thanks to FOAOTMAD for the news that before travelling to Germany in January/February 2009 to play the shows listed in the last Music Contact News, the Wilders (USA) will be playing the following ten dates in the UK in January:

Fri. 16th: Celtic Connections, Glasgow
Sat. 17th: The Warehouse, Lossiemouth
Sun. 18th: The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Mon. 19th: Tin Hut Sessions, Huntly, Aberdeenshire
Thu. 22nd: The Sage Theatre, Gateshead (with Kathy Mattea and band)
Fri. 23rd: The Musician, Leicester
Sat. 24th: Tingewick Village Hall, Buckinghamshire
Sun. 25th: The Luminaire, London (with the Hot Seats)
Mon. 26th: Maverick @ Zebra Bar, Maidstone
Tues. 27th: The Ropewalk, Barton-on-Humber

In the same time frame, the Special Consensus (USA) will be playing every night from 14 January to 3 February 2009 in Great Britain and Ireland - see the band's tour schedule for details. Both bands are among the many US acts taking part in the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow, Scotland.

Picnic Festival 2008

Thanks to Laurent Eeckhout, Picnic Festival organiser, for a report and photos of the 4th Picnic Festival, held at Terra Nova in the Citadel, Namur, Belgium, on 6 and 7 September 2008. Laurent writes:

It was a great success for the bluegrass day (and also for Celtic day), as you can see on the picture. We had five bluegrass bands : G-Runs 'n' Roses (CZ), Sons Of Navarone (B), Clo & Milo (B), Sacred Sounds Of Grass (D), and the Lovell Sisters (USA).


The weather was cloudly on the Saturday but no rain and even stars in the sky on the evening (and on stage too...). The Lovell Sisters were wonderful and the audience really loved their show.


The Irish Pub was also very nice, with jam sessions until late at night - musicians from the bands (two of the Sisters, G'Runs...) and from the audience too.


Planning for the Fifth Picnic Festival (5-6 September 2009) is in progress. For information, contact

Laurent Eeckhout
Rue de Soye 19
5190 Spy
Belgique
e-mail
+32 (0)472 22 03 26

Thomas Bailey: dates in Europe

Thomas Bailey from Virginia, multi-instrumental master of '21st-century old-time music', will be in Europe during the next ten days to play a few dates. At the Fourth Vilnius Bluegrass Festival in Lithuania, he is headlining the Friday night show (21 Nov.) and presenting an old-time fiddle workshop on Saturday afternoon (22 Nov.).

In the following week he will play two dates in Paris: as solo singer with guitar on Tuesday 25 Nov. in the Café Les Trois Arts; and as fiddler in an evening of string band music on Friday 28 Nov. at the Café Toc-Toques, with Ilan Moss of the Old Timey Messengers (banjo) and Cory Seznic of the Groanbox Boys (guitar).

Thomas Bailey, who toured Scandinavia in autumn 2007 with the Forge Mountain Diggers and has since been playing with the Freighthoppers, will be touring the UK in spring 2009. He also has a MySpace site.

21 Nov.: 4th Vilnius Bluegrass Festival, Vilnius, Lithuania, concert, 20:00

22 Nov.: 4th Vilnius Bluegrass Festival, Vilnius, Lithuania, old-time fiddle workshop, 12:00

25 Nov.: Les Trois Arts, 21 rue des Rigoles, Bellville, 75020 Paris, Ile-de-France 21:00; M° Jourdain; €5

28 Nov.: Toc-Tocques Café, 109 Boulevard Charonne, 75011 Paris, Ile-de-France; 20:00

Bluegrass earthquake at Celtic Connections 2009

Dan Tyminski

Thanks to the Scottish Bluegrass Association for news of the Celtic Connections 2009 Festival, to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 15 January to 1 February 2009.

The schedule includes the following bluegrass and old-time music talent: Cherryholmes, Dan Tyminski, the Jerry Douglas Band, Bela Fleck, Tim O'Brien, Crooked Still, Bruce Molsky, Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet, Russ Barenberg, the Hot Seats, Leon Hunt & Guests, the Wilders, Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus.

As the SBA says, this makes Scotland 'the epicentre of a European bluegrass earthquake'. More details are on the Celtic Connections website.

Greven Grass - the Neusüdende legacy

Olaf Gläsmer sends the following press release:

The Neusüdende-Festival is no more. This has led to a vacuum in the northern German scene that is to be filled now.

On 13 September 2008 a group of people came together in Greven (North Rhine-Westphalia), Germany, that has made it its business to shoulder the Neusüdende heritage. A non-profit organization was founded whose court-registration and enjoyment of tax privileges is awaited shortly. The non-profit organization, led by Olaf Gläsmer, Uli Sokoll, and Thomas Vössing, is planning a Festival in the spirit of Neusüdende in the town of Greven on Ems on Whitsuntide 2009 (30-31 May 2009).

Greven is located in North Rhine-Westphalia in between Münster and Osnabrück. The town has excellent acessibility due to to the nearby autoroute A1. The festival grounds are located near the local river Ems. A campsite with all necessary facilities is planned for the festival visitors. Between campsite and river the premises sport an open-air stage and an open-air restaurant. Plans are to present bluegrass and related music on the open-air stage. The stage aims to help ambitious musicians to find a forum for their music. The audience (and not only the hard-core fan) ought to be able to experience bluegrass as the wonderful music that it is. The adjacent open-air tavern secures that the throat stays wet and the stomach full even though vocal and instrumental highs may take the audience's breath. The nearby concert hall will sport a concert of several bluegrass bands of renown. The festival is integrated in the series of events called 'Greven an die Ems'. It is supported by different institutions and among those the city of Greven. A website is under construction at www.mybluegrass.de and www.grevengrass.de.

The non-profit organization hopes for the interest of bands to present their musical skills on the open-air stage. Likewise the non-profit organisation hopes for active assistance. The willingness to voluntary aid for the festival are sincerely appreciated. Word-of-mouth-propaganda for the planned festival will be a first essential contribution.

Contact the Greven Grass team through Olaf by e-mail.

Roberto dalla Vecchia: CD and concert news

Roberto Dalla Vecchia ('Flatpicking Guitar with Italian Gusto') has been working on his new CD Unknown legends, due for release on 28 November 2008. It celebrates, in Roberto's words, 'all the people around the world working hard everyday to make this world a better place. They will never make the news and they don't really care about that.'

Other musicians on the CD are Stefano Versolato (upright bass), Henrich Novak (dobro), Paolo Bressan (whistles and bombo), and Giovanni Costantini (cello). Photos from the recording studio can be seen here, and all the tracks can be heard here. Roberto will be doing workshops about the CD in the next few months, talking about the whole process of recording an acoustic guitar CD: choice of tunes, arrangements, recording studio set up, etc.

You can practice your Italian on an interview with Roberto on the popular blog 'Vicenza Popolare'. Roberto's free tab page will soon be updated, and he invites requests for tunes to be tabbed.

His concert and workshop schedule is as follows:

Sat. 20 Dec. 2008: Teatro Sociale, Cittadella (PD), Italy: concert 21:00

Fri. 9 Jan. 2009: Akustik Gitarre Forum, Hallein, Austria; concert

Fri. 23 Jan. and Sat. 24 Jan. 2009: Soldiers' Theatre, Vicenza, Italy; concert 19:30 (both nights)

Sat. 31 Jan. 2009: UnpluGGed Chitarre, Milan, Italy; workshop

Sat. 28 Mar. 2009: 5 vicenzAcustica, Vicenza, Italy

Mon. 6 Apr.-Sat. 11 Apr. 2009: 24th Acoustic Music International Workshop, Virton, Belgium

Roberto's link of the month is of special interest to guitar players in Europe as it offers a digital subscription to the magazine for about half the price of a hard-copy subscription, without postage problems, etc.; also the link includes downloadable instructional books and 'backup tracks' as audio mp3 files.

Drop Roberto a line or sign the Message Board when you call at his website.

Apply now for EWOB Festival 2009, 21-23 May

Liz Meyer writes:

*Your band can perform for festival bookers, agents, concert promoters, radio DJs, and music press from all over Europe! (And a wonderful bluegrass audience too!)
*Your band can compete for the European Bluegrass Band Awards! 'You gotta be in it to win it!'
*You can vote for the winning bands! Remember, only the musicians playing at the EWOB Festival vote for these awards!
*The #1 European Bluegrass Band goes to Nashville to showcase at IBMA the following October!
*You can cast a vote of pride in European bluegrass!

Join us at the European World of Bluegrass Festival 2009! Band applications are on the EWOB Festival website. And we will launch a brand-new, fantastic festival website in a few days, too!

EWOB 2009 will be the 12th European World of Bluegrass Festival; will be held in Voorthuizen, the Netherlands; and is organized under the auspices of the European Bluegrass Music Association. The European World of Bluegrass Festival is the only European festival ever to be honored with the IBMA Bluegrass Event of the Year Award.

************

Have you heard our wonderful double CD? Did you know that European bluegrass hit #1 on the Folk Radio charts in the USA this spring? 10 years of European World of Bluegrass is a great way to tell your friends about EWOB and the wonderful music there: let them hear the best of ten years of EWOB Festival recordings! They won't want to miss the EWOB Festival!

And it's a great way to support European bluegrass! For American bands: a thriving European bluegrass scene creates a strong market for touring US bluegrass bands and companies that would like to come over and earn some Euros! We're all in this together. And you should hear what your fellow bluegrassers are up to on the other side of the puddle!

Read more:

10 YEARS OF EUROPEAN WORLD OF BLUEGRASS (SCR-66):
America and Europe join hands: 48 bands ~ 15 lands
Produced by Liz Meyer for Strictly Country Records
The #1 CD on Folk Radio in the USA & Canada: April 2008
Available through CD Baby

'The festival to end all festivals, on an outstanding 2-disc set' ~ Maria Morgan Davis, Lonesome Road Review & Bluegrass Now

'This remarkable collection adds a significant new chapter to bluegrass history, and a wealth of excellent music in many styles. 10 years of European World of Bluegrass is certainly destined to become to European bluegrass what Will the circle be unbroken is to American bluegrass. This vision is clearly shared by radio and press' ~ Hilary Bean, Roots & Sprouts, Germany

'A fabulous collection showcasing incredible talent and commitment to traditional bluegrass. The most pleasant surprise is the high level of musicianship evident in the European bands. These musicians have done their homework and they clearly demonstrate a remarkable ability to understand and play the subtle fundamentals of a complex music born so many miles from their home' ~ Bob Mitchell, Louisville Music News, Kentucky, 5-star review; Best of Bluegrass, Radio Bluegrass International

'The compilation is nothing short of awesome, mixing the European and American bluegrass families to give the world this most complete taste of the bluegrass genre' ~ R.W. Shamy, TwangCast Media, Georgetown, Texas

'Maybe world peace can start with a banjo intro' ~ Liz Meyer

Strictly Country Records/ Strictly Music
PO Box 628
2130 AP Hoofddorp
The Netherlands
e-mail

9th Old Time Country Festival at Winkel, Switzerland, 25 Oct.

Big Stone Old Time Country Band (CH)

The 9th Annual Old Time Country Festival was held on 25 October 2008 in the beautiful decorated Breiti Hall in Winkel, Switzerland, organised by the American Folk Club 'Rocking Chair', together with the local Big Stone Old Time Country Band. That night three bands were playing for us.

The house band, Big Stone, were as usual nicely dressed in outfits from American pioneer days. They tied up to the string-band tradition, with clawhammer banjo and autoharp. The band is welcomed on many Swiss bluegrass and country events, and consists of Pete 'Two Feathers' Erb (bass), Godi Gammeter (guitar), Rene Zentner (clawhammer and bluegrass banjo, autoharp) and Beat Heri (mandolin). All of them sing.


Drive (CZ/SK)

The second band, Drive, came all the way from the Czech and Slovak Republics and won the hearts of the audience with a mixture of contemporary bluegrass, country, sometimes even a touch of pop. Their singer Veronika Nemeckova was voted Female Singer of the Year three times by the Czech Bluegrass Association; Martin Stehlik, a well known banjo-player, went on a solo career for a couple of years. On the guitar was David Nemecek, and on bass Antonin Vondruska, who also led charmingly through their program in his special German. You know probably the Slovak dobro player Milan Benkovic, as he plays also with the band Meantime. Drive got standing ovations, and several encores followed.


BlueGraze (CH)

Also the final band, BlueGraze, was very successful, centred on two great female singers - Swiss country star Doris Ackerman (who goes bluegrass now) and Arlette Keiser, who also plays with Rosewood Delight. So does their banjo player, Res Nobs. Their fiddle and mandolin player, Mathias Lincke, is well known not only in bluegrass circles. The band's lineup concludes with Arlette's bass-playing husband, Petr Keiser.


The hall, with about 400 seats, was well filled and the audience was attentively listening. For the Grande Finale all musicians present came on stage and played 'Will the circle be unbroken'. It was long past midnight, but they had to give some more encores. The sound (by Robi Brunner from the Sunny Mountain Grass) was excellent. Both the audience and the musicians were happy. Everybody is looking forward to the next (10th) Festival. Thanks to all promoters and volunteers!

Thanks again to Lilly Pavlak for the above report. Lilly is now a regular contributor to the California Bluegrass Association newspaper, the Bluegrass Breakdown.

7th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival, 1-2 May 2009

Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands

The programme for the 7th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival was announced this week. The festival, Germany's premier annual bluegrass event, will be held this year on two days (Friday 1 May-Saturday 2 May 2009) for the first time. The artists appearing include Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands (USA), Randy Waller & the Country Gentlemen (USA), Crooked Still (USA), Wayne Henderson & Helen White (USA), the Moonlighters (USA), Nugget (A), and the Looping Brothers (D).


Wayne Henderson & Helen White

Afternoon and evening concerts will be held in the Bürgerhaus, Neuer Markt, Bühl/Baden, Germany, and a Saturday open-air show at the Johannesplatz. Full details of the schedule and links to band websites are on the Festival's own website. The 2009 Festival flyer can be seen here.


The Looping Brothers

Kruger Brothers at Carolina in the Fall Festival

Fall colours: the Carolina in the Fall stage at night

Thanks to Lilly Pavlak of Switzerland and the Czech Republic for these photos (and many others) and a full report on the Carolina in the Fall Festival, held two weeks ago at Shepherds Farm, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, USA, at which the main guests were the Kruger Brothers, together with many local and national musicians including stars of the calibre of Bobby Hicks, Terry Baucom, and Ron Block.


9-year-old Samantha Snyder plays fiddle with Bobby Hicks and Jens Kruger; her 12-year-old brother Zeb is on guitar


The 'Uwe Kruger dream band': Bobby Hicks, Ron Block, Joel Landsberg, Adam Steffey, Uwe Kruger

The full text of Lilly's report can be read here.

Sons of Navarone hit the spot in UK

The Sons of Navarone (Belgium) received a standing ovation after heading the bill for two nights at a mini-festival in Mickleham, Surrey, England, according to the latest issue of British Bluegrass News.

Phil Thrift describes them as 'a Hot Rize type band with perfectly balanced singing and choreography, which captivated the audience from beginning to end'; compares the Sons' instrumental and vocal work with Scruggs, Stanley, Sam Bush, and Jimmy Martin; and concludes: 'This band was awesome!!'

A photo from Mickleham and reviews of other shows by the Sons are on the band's website.

Dutch bands and Irish festivals

Two of the leading bluegrass bands from the Netherlands will be playing next summer at bluegrass festivals in Ireland, where they have both made many appearances and become firm favourites over the last ten years.

The Blue Grass Boogiemen will be topping the bill at the third Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, to be held in Westport, Co. Mayo, on 26-28 June 2009. Two weeks later 4 Wheel Drive will be playing at the Athy Bluegrass Festival, on the other side of the country in Athy, Co. Kildare, on 9-12 July.

Europe at IBMA: more photos

Red Wine: Dino DiGiacomo, Stefano Cavallo, Martino Coppo, Silvio Ferretti, Marco Ferretti

Thanks to Thierry Schoysman of Bluegrass in Belgium for these photos, from among the many he took at IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2008 in Nashville two weeks ago.

Red Wine (Italy) are shown above during their spot in the main evening showcase schedule on Tuesday 30 September; and G2 (Sweden) in the International Showcase, one of their many appearances in Nashville during the week.


Tobias Strömberg (dobro), Christoffer Olsson (guitar), and Jimmy Sunnebrandt (bass) of G2 in an intense vocal trio

A major event of World of Bluegrass 2008 for IBMA members from outside the USA was the two-day International Summit meeting; two-thirds of those attending came from Europe.


Members of the International Summit meeting, ready for the official photographer

G2 at IBMA's Awards Show 2008

G2 at the awards stand (photo by Tami Roth)

The G2 Bluegrass Band from Sweden (#1 European Bluegrass Band 2007) represented Europe at the IBMA Awards Show, where they had a warm welcome as presenters of the awards for Recorded Event of the Year and Guitar Player of the Year. G2's banjo-player Jens Koch took the opportunity to invite US musicians to cross the Atlantic, where 'tens of euros' can be made by playing bluegrass in Europe.

G2's day-by-day experiences of World Of Bluegrass 2008 are shown in a blog on their website. Details of the larger European presence at IBMA appeared on the European Bluegrass Blog on 14 September.

Europe at the IBMM's ROMP, June 2008

Red Wine and G2 on the ROMP stage at Owensboro

At the International Bluegrass Music Museum's ROMP (River Of Music Party) festival in Owensboro, KY, this past summer, European bluegrass was well represented by Red Wine (Italy) and the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden; #1 European Bluegrass Band 2007).

Thanks to Jens Koch, banjo-player of G2, for photos from ROMP, where Christopher Olsson (lead vocals and guitar) held the guitar workshop, together with Skip Cherryholmes and Jim Hurst, and Tobias Strömberg (dobro) the dobro workshop, together with Andy Hall. Jens adds:

We met our good Italian friends from Red Wine – it's always so nice to meet Martino, Silvio, Luca and Stefano. These fellows asked us to join them onstage for 'I'll stay around' during their set. Fun! When it got close to us, dark clouds conquered the sky, which made us worried - the night before, the show had to be cancelled when the storms came and gave ROMP a real shower. However, as we entered the stage, the sun was shining again. (Is this good luck or what?) Our show went well and the crowd was awesome! ... When the 'Dusters asked us up to join them for their two last songs, we all agreed that there couldn't be a better ending on our amazing US tour.

Jens's full day-by-day account of G2's tour in the USA, in three instalments, can be read on the band's website.


The Infamous Stringdusters and G2 (photo by Darwin Davidson)

Europe (and the rest of the world) at IBMA's World of Bluegrass

IBMA's World of Bluegrass 2008 begins in Nashville on Monday 29 September. An important event in the schedule will be the International Summit meeting (30 Sept.-1 Oct.), aimed at reaching a new consensus on IBMA's priorities for assisting the growth of bluegrass worldwide. Europe is strongly represented, with over half of the thirty members attending the Summit.

European musicians at World of Bluegrass will include the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden; #1 European Bluegrass Band 2007) and Johnny Butten (UK; current holder of the Guinness Records title 'World's Fastest Banjo Player'). The EBMA will again be hosting the International Suite showcases at the Nashville Convention Center (NCC), Room #104. The schedule is:

Tues. 30 Sept.
11:00 Janet McGarry (Canada)
11:30 G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden)
12:00 Widow Maker (Canada)
12:30 The Toy Hearts (UK)
01:00 Lilly Drumeva (Bulgaria)
01:30 Johnny Butten (UK)

Wed. 1 Oct.
11:00 Red Wine (Italy)
11:30 C-Denny Band (Canada)
12:00 April Verch (Canada)
12:30 J.B. Rochat & Joost van Es (Switzerland/Netherlands)
01:00 Johnny Possum (New Zealand)
01:30 Tabea Anderfuhren, Aaron Till, & Steve Ledford (Switzerland/USA)

For details of other showcase appearances at World of Bluegrass by European performers, see the individual artists' websites.

G2's schedule in the US begins on Sunday 28 September at the world-famous Station Inn, Nashville, and includes an interview (with music) on Bluegrassradio.org (1 Oct.) and a slot on the main IBMA Fan Fest programme (4 Oct.). Red Wine, as well as playing in the main evening showcase programme (30 Sept.), will play for the IBMA Awards Reception Party (2 Oct.) and will go on to play at the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival (3-4 Oct.) and - for the second time - at the massive Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco (5 Oct.).

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

Bluegrass in Czech Paradise, 29-30 Aug. 2008

The Log

Thanks to Lilly Pavlak for a report and photos on the 5th Annual Traditional Bluegrass Festival - the biggest traditional bluegrass festival in Europe - held on 29-30 August in the celebrated beauty spot 'Czech Paradise' near Jicin, about 100 km north-east of Prague. The local natural marvels include the Prachov Rocks.

The festival was organised in the 'Sklar' recreation area by the traditional bluegrass lover Jirka Toman, owner of the Modra Struna (Blue String) record label. In a total of nineteen hours over the two days, twenty-five bands (mostly Czech) performed, including Bluegrass Cvrkot, Goodwill, Peter O. Ruby with all Bells & Whistles, Country Cocktail with the legendary Kristufek (Krishot) Brothers and Dennis Schut, Dessert, the Petr Brandejs Band, New River Train, Blackjack, Jirka Kralik & Rowdy Rascals, G-Runs & Roses, Kreni, and Sunny Side. Lilly adds:

A nice surprise was the spontaneous reunion of the band Modrina (the Bruise), after fifteen years. Their new name is Blue Rej and for me they had the best vocals of the night. This festival really deserves more publicity and recognition, not only as a musicians' meeting at the end of the festival season. For me it is a unique event in Europe. So let’s hope more visitors will find their way there next year. Thanks, Jirka Toman!


Poetry in motion

3rd Bluegrass Fest, 10-11 October 2008

Thanks to Agentura Camille for the news that the third Bluegrass Fest, the international festival of bluegrass and acoustic music in Bratislava, Slovakia, will be held this year in October - Friday 10th and Saturday 11th - at the same venue: Culture House Zrkadlovy Haj.

Twenty-three excellent bands from six countries will play a wide range of bluegrass and related music, including the Lonesome Mountaineers (Sweden), Czas Na Grass (Poland), and Acoustic Quartet and Banjo Jumping Band (both from Hungary). Many Czech bands will perform: Garcia, Reliéf, Monogram, Slávek Hanzlík & Groovy Lix, Křeni, Blackjack, Petr Brandejs Band, Vabank Unit, BG Cwrkot, Bluegrass Comeback, and Bluegate. The domestic Slovak bluegrass scene will present Meantime, Union Citygrass, Grasscountry and Allan Mikusek with guest Peter Dula, Šidlo, Fairway, and Bluegrass Time. Two international bands will perform: Eliska Ptackova & Waterflow (CZ/SK) and Stressed Hedgehog (US/SK).

The bands taking part can be heard by visiting the festival profile at this link. Ten per cent of the revenue from each ticket will be donated to the Peter Dula foundation Keeping the dream alive. More information (with English translation) is on the Bluegrass Fest website.

Programme for Buehl 2009 Announced

Walter Fuchs of the International Bluegrass Festival in Buehl, Germany has announced the details of the programme for the seventh edition in 2009. Dates are May 1 and 2, 2009 and the venue remains "Bürgerhaus Neuer Markt" in 77815 Buehl/Baden, Germany.

On Friday, May 1, 2009 the following bands are scheduled to appear (from 19:00): The Looping Brothers (D) feat. Wayne Henderson & Helen White (USA), Crooked Still (USA). On Saturday, May 2, 2009 (from 14:00) the programme includes Nugget (A), Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands (USA), Randy Waller & the Country Gentlemen (USA)  and The Moonlighters (USA).

Open House Festival, Belfast, 24-8 September

The Tenth Coors Open House Festival in Belfast, Northern Ireland, will be held on 24-28 September 2008, with many bands from the Americana and other traditions performing at several different venues in the city. Some have already been mentioned on the European Bluegrass Blog, and full details are on the Festival website.

The festival season in Ireland is now in its most active phase, involving many bands from the rest of Europe. The Czech band Sunnyside were in the 14th Dunmore East festival in Co. Waterford (21-4 August); the 17th Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival at Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland (5-7 September) features Jiri Kralik & the Rowdy Rascals (CZ), the Blue Grass Boogiemen (NL), and the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden). The Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival at Longford (25-8 September) features the Ranch House Favourites (NL) and the Lluis Gomez Quartet (E), while the Open House programme includes the Rockridge Brothers (Sweden).

4th Picnic Festival at Namur, 6-7 September

A reminder from Bluegrass in Belgium: the 4th Picnic Festival begins on Saturday 6 September 2008 in the Terra Nova section of the Citadel at Namur.

Doors open at 15:00 and the official opening of the Festival is at 16:45. The programme for Saturday, the 'Bluegrass Day', is:

17:00 G Runs & Roses (CZ)
19:00 The Sons of Navarone (B)
20:30 Lovell Sisters (USA)
22:00 Sacred Sounds of Grass (D)

Richard Baudry will give a master class in lutherie at 18:00, and there will be sessions at the Irish Pub from 16:00. The Sunday programme is devoted to Celtic music. Full details, with links to band websites, are on the Festival website.

More on La Roche-sur-Foron

Jakub Racek of Monogram (CZ) with Ray Whiteway-Roberts (photo by Lilly Pavlak)

Two weeks ago the European Bluegrass Blog carried a brief report on the highly successful FBMA European Bluegrass Music Festival at La Roche-sur-Foron. Thanks to Ray Whiteway-Roberts (UK) for a major report on his own experiences at the festival as a compère:

And so it came to pass, that the bands of European bluegrass did converge on the French town of La Roche-sur-Foron, where they entertained the populace for three nights and three days. And the Lord looked down and saw that the people were pleased. And so he was pleased. So much so that he sent the best sunshine one could wish for. And It Was Gorrrrrrrrrgeous!

Read Ray's full report here.


Toy Hearts (photo by Lilly Pavlak)

Niall Toner Band videos: Live at Omagh

The Niall Toner Band: Dick Gladney, Niall Toner, Clem O'Brien

The Niall Toner Band, who appeared at the EBMA's EWOB Festival this year, have just added a new series of videos to their MySpace page. These were filmed during live performances at the 2004 Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival at the Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Songs include 'Climbin'', 'The Master's resting place', 'The promise', 'The cheatin' side of town' and 'Chainsaw country blues'. Sound and visuals are both high-quality.

Greven Grass planning meeting: 13 Sept. 2008

The following message has been sent by Olaf Gläsmer (the 'Grassroots Philosopher') to people interested in setting up a bluegrass festival at Greven (between Münster, Osnabrück, and Rheine) in north Germany, to take the place of the former Neusüdende festival:

Liebe Bluegrass-Freunde,

es ist soweit: Es soll ein Bluegrass Festival in Greven aus der Taufe gehoben werden. DAZU BRAUCHEN WIR DICH!

Komme also am SAMSTAG, 13. SEPTEMBER 2008 UM 11:00 UHR in die MÖBELBRÜCKE, MÜHLENSTRASSE 7, GREVEN.

TAGESORDNUNG:

1. Begrüßung und Abstimmung der Tagesordnung
2. kurze Vorstellung der Idee Greven Grass/mybluegrass.de
3. kurze Darstellung des Sachstandes (in Greven)
4. Begehung des Festivalgeländes (Zeltplatz) und Konzertraums (Aula)
5. Mittagspause
6. Darstellung der Möglichkeiten der Festivalorganisation und Finanzierung
7. Diskussion der Festivalorganisation
8. Gründungsakt Festivalorganisation
9. allgemeine Aufgabenverteilung und Arbeitsgruppenbildung
10. Festlegung eines Organisationszeitstrahls
11. sonstiges

Für den Abend ist geplant, auf einer privaten Party und anschlließend in der Möbelbrücke zu jammen. Dort besteht auch die Möglichkeit der Übernachtung.

Ich denke, daß jeder von Euch entsprechend seiner Kompetenzen einen guten Beitrag dazu liefern kann, daß ein neues Festival entsteht.

Bekanntlich ist die Idee zu einem neuen Festival aus dem Ende von Neusüdende entstanden. Hier ein externer, lesenswerter Link.

Der bisherige Kreis der Initiatoren für das neue Festival ist nicht bereit es hinzunehmen, daß in Norddeutschland die langjährige Festivaltradition sang- und klanglos enden soll. Dazu haben wir viel zu gerne gejamt, Bluegrass im Konzert gehört, zwanglos gezeltet, neue Leute kennengelernt, alte Kontakte gepflegt und vieles mehr. Andere Festivals zeigen, daß das Konzept funktionieren kann. Hier das Festival in La Roche-sur-Foron (2008 im dritten Jahr mit mehr als 10.000 Besuchern) (auch hier, mit Links zu Bilderstrecken). Andere großartige Festivals sind das EWOB Festival in Voorthuizen NL, das Banjo Jamboree in Caslav CZ, das Appalachian Music Festival in Omagh Irl.

WIR KÖNNEN EIN FESTIVALS NUR MIT GEMEINSAMER ANSTRENGUNG INS LAUFEN BRINGEN. HELFT MIT UND BRINGT EUCH EIN.

Viele Grüße

Olaf

English translation:

Dear bluegrass friends,

The time has come: a bluegrass festival is to be implemented in Greven. THEREFORE WE NEED YOU! Come on SATURDAY 13 SEPT. AT 11:00 a.m. to the MÖBELBRÜCKE, MÜHLENSTRASSE 7, GREVEN.

AGENDA:

1. reception and coordination of the agenda,
2. short summary of the Greven festival idea,
3. summary of the status quo,
4. visiting the festival grounds (camping) and the concert grounds (school hall),
5. noon break,
6. presentation of a festival organisation and financing,
7. discussion of the organisation,
8. founding act concerning the festival organisation,
9. general assignment of tasks, appointment of workgroups,
10. definition of a timeframe,
11. miscellaneous.

In the evening there will be the possibility to jam on a private party and later in the Möbelbrücke. There you will also have the option to spend the night.

I think that each of you is able to contribute to the formation of a new festival according to your competences. As you know, the idea for a new festival was born because of the end of Neusüdende. Here is an extern link that is quite informative.

The current circle of initiators is unwilling to accept the quiet demise of the year-long festival tradition in northern Germany. We liked the jamming too well for that, listened to the bluegrass concerts, camped out leisurely, met new people, nurtured old contacts, and did many things more. Other festivals showed that this kind of concept works. Here is the festival of La Roche-sur-Foron (in the 3rd year with more than 10,000 visitors) (see also here, with links to pictures). Other excellent festivals are the EWOB Festival at Voorthuizen, NL, the Banjo Jamboree at Caslav, CZ, and the Appalachian Music Festival at Omagh, NI.

ONLY WITH COMBINED EFFORT CAN WE GET A FESTIVAL OFF THE GROUND! HELP AND GET INVOLVED!

Sincerely,

Olaf

Palomino at TarasCountry, 30 August

Thanks to the Country France newsletter for the news that the Palomino bluegrass band, from the Arles-Nîmes-Avignon-Montpellier area of southern France, are on the bill in the sixth TarasCountry festival at 8.00 p.m. on 30 August in central Tarascon, together with the 'new country' group Hat Trick, and Rebecca Venture (guitar, harmonica, vocals) from California. The festival features free concert admission, and DJ Denys will be in charge of line dancing.

Palomino consists of Claude (banjo, vocals), Mr Seams (bass, vocals), 'Blazing' Nico (mandolin), Christian Marius (guitare), and Christian Fromentin (fiddle). The band also has a Zikinf site.

Festival reports: Písek, 25-27 July...

Lilly Drumeva (Bulgaria) on stage at Písek (photo: Lilly Pavlak)

Thanks to George Simek and his team, the first Bohemian Bluegrass Festival was held in the city of Písek on 25-27 July 2008, with over twenty bands from nine European countries taking part - the Czech and Slovak Republics, Poland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Bulgaria, and Hungary.


Lusatian Grass (CZ) (photo: Lilly Pavlak)

Lilly Pavlak writes: 'The weather was beautiful, the music, sound, and acoustics were excellent, everything seemed to be just perfect for a great festival.' A full report by Lilly, with more pictures, is scheduled for the next issue of Bluegrass Europe.

... and La Roche-sur-Foron, 30 July-3 August

The audience at twilight (photo: Lilly Pavlak)

The European Bluegrass Music Festival and Band Contest was held for the third time at La Roche-sur-Foron, Haute-Savoie, France on 30 July-3 August. An estimated 8,000–10,000 people attended the festival this year.

Organised by Christopher Howard-Williams, chairman of the FBMA, and supported by the town’s mayor, the Tourist Bureau, and as many as 150 volunteers, the festival presented thirty bands from eleven different countries, including 3 Fox Drive from the US, in twenty-four hours of free concerts over the five days.

The winners of the title of European Band of the Year 2008 were

#1: Monogram (CZ)
#2: Toy Hearts (GB)
#3 (shared): G-Runs & Roses (CZ), Wyrton (CZ)


Members of the winning bands after the awards (photo: Lilly Pavlak)

A full report by Lilly Pavlak, with more photos, is also scheduled to appear in Bluegrass Europe.

New CD from the Toy Hearts

The Toy Hearts (UK) launched their second album, When I cut loose (Woodville Records) on Wednesday 6 August, with a release party at the Roadhouse, their regular venue in their home city, Birmingham. The eleven tracks are all original material. A full report is on the Bluegrass Blog.

The band have been increasingly active on the European scene, with appearances at two successive EWOB Festivals at Voorthuizen, the Netherlands, and most recently at the FBMA festival at La Roche-sur-Foron, France, where they came second to Monogram (CZ) in the European Band of the Year 2008 competition.

Toy Hearts - Stewart Johnson (banjo, Dobro®), Sophia Johnson (guitar, vocals) Hannah Johnson (mandolin, vocals), Howard Gregory (fiddle), and Lauren Rogers (double bass, vocals) - will also be attending the IBMA's World of Bluegrass in Nashville this year (29 September-5 October).

Bononia Grass all-acoustic in Bologna

From Gian Luca Naldi of Bononia Grass:

Hi guys, here is Luca from Italy, how are you?

Past July we have played at a Street Art Festival edition, near Bologna, my city. The cool thing is we played in front of people without mics! So, without typical amplification problems we have played relaxed, with a lot of fun, and sound was so natural!

I'll be happy if you could post two short videos of that performance: 'Big Mon' and 'Bononia Grass live on the road'

See also this story on the Bluegrass Blog, where Luca says more about playing bluegrass in Europe.

'Chotěbořský džem' Festival, 22-24 August

As mentioned in Lilly Pavlak's report (see the European Bluegrass Blog, 15 July), the last tour by Tony Trischka in the Czech Republic was so successful that he planned to return this month.

Thanks to Marie Vaskova for the news that Tony Trischka will be reunited with Druha Trava at the top of the bill for the new country & bluegrass festival 'Chotěbořský džem', to be held in Chotebor (CZ) from Friday 22 August to Sunday 24 August. Fourteen other acts will be taking part. Full programme details are on the festival website.

Marie adds: 'Invite also your friends and join us!' Tickets are available at Ticket Art or at the address below.

Krale Jana 511
CZ-583 01 Chotebor
mob: +420 774 311 206
e-mail
website (English version)

US, European acts at Omagh festival

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

The 17th Appalachian and Bluegrass Music Festival at the Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, will be held from Friday 5 September to Sunday 7 September 2008. The programme features nine bands from North America, headed by Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper and Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass; three leading bands from continental Europe - the G2 Bluegrass Band (Sweden), the Blue Grass Boogiemen (NL), and Jiri Kralik & the Rowdy Rascals (CZ); and six bands from Ireland and the UK. Full details are on the festival website.

Festival Européen Bluegrass Music

Yesterday 30th July, the third edition of the Festival Européen de Bluegrass Music started in the charming medieval village La Roche-sur-Foron in the French Alps.

More than 30 groups from all over Europe and some from the US

Free entry

With lots of fringe activities, playing for children, CD sales, great food matching the event and ... and ... and ...

Main Festival Programme:
Friday 1st August
18h00 - Ouverture du festival
18h30 - début du concours, concerts jusqu'à 22h15
22h15 - Concert événement avec le groupe américain "3 Fox Drive"

Saturday 2nd August
11h30 - Concours et concerts jusqu'à 23h
23h - Concert événement avec le vainqueur de l'édition 2007 , le groupe tchèque "Kralik & Rowdy Rascals"

Sunday 3rd August
12h - Concours et concerts jusqu'à 20h30
20h30 - Concert événement avec le coup de coeur de l'édition 2006, le groupe italien "Mideando String Quintet"

10 years of EWOB on air in the US: update!

Liz Meyer reports that Larry Roberts, presenter of 'Down Home' on The Globe Radio, 91.1-FM, Goshen, Indiana, devoted the whole of his two-hour programme on Tuesday 29 July to the Strictly Country Records double CD 10 years of European World of Bluegrass, broadcast at 7.00-9.00 p.m. EST (1.00-3.00 a.m. Western Europe Time).

Peter Thompson of San Francisco, California, presenter of the 'Bluegrass Signal' show, will repeat his one-hour 10 years of European World of Bluegrass CD feature every day next week (3-8 August) on WAMU's Bluegrass Country radio, which can be heard here.

Full times of broadcast, quotes from reviews, and more details are in Liz's complete release, which can be read here.

Picking party with Barry & Holly Tashian

Barry & Holly Tashian

Thanks to Roger Ryan of the Country Music Association of Ireland for news of a half-hour video on PTV Ireland, shot in June during a picking party at the Nashville home of Barry & Holly Tashian.

The musicians there include Barry (vocal, guitar), Holly (vocal, guitar, bass), Roland White (mandolin, bass), and David Lege (guitar). In addition, Barry and Holly talk to Roger about their lives in music. Also present is Peter Wroblewski of Germany, president of the Country & Western Friends Koetz 1982 e.V..

Barry and Holly Tashian recently presented a three-day workshop on harmony singing at the Risør Bluegrassfestival, Norway (15-19 July). Roger Ryan took part in this year's IBMA Leadership Bluegrass course in Nashville.

Hungry Hill in Ireland and Britain, 21 Aug.-29 Sept.

Coinciding with the release of their new album Ride, contemporary Canadian bluegrass band Hungry Hill announce their first ever tour of Ireland and Britain this summer.

With a focus on original writing and featuring five seasoned musicians including acclaimed banjo-player Ross Nickerson, Hungry Hill create a fresh sound while staying true to the roots of bluegrass and old-tyme music. Lush vocal harmonies resonate from singers around one microphone, in the traditional acoustic setting of old-tyme music.

'After hearing their sophomore disc, Ride, this critic has no problem declaring Hungry Hill the best bluegrass band in Canada' (Barry Hammond, Penguin Eggs 2007)

Aug. 21-4: 14th Guinness International Bluegrass Festival, Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, IRL
Aug. 26: Kilworth Arts Centre, Kilworth, Co. Cork, IRL
Aug. 28: Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, NI
Aug. 31: De Barra’s Folk Club, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, IRL
Sept. 2: St John’s Theatre, Listowel, Co. Kerry, IRL
Sept. 3: Tom Malone’s Marketplace Pub, Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare, IRL
Sept. 5-7: Appalachian & Bluegrass Music Festival, Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, NI
Sept. 11: Galway Americana Festival, the Crane Bar, Galway, IRL
Sept. 12: The Seamus Ennis Centre, The Naul, Co. Dublin, IRL
Sept. 13: The Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co. Wicklow, IRL
Sept. 14: Colfers Pub, Carraig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford, IRL
Sept. 18: Jumpin’ Hot Club, Newcastle on Tyne, England
Sept. 19: Cambria Arts Centre, Tregaron, Wales
Sept. 20-22: Cornish Bluegrass Association Festival, Newquay, England
Sept. 25-8: Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival, Longford Town, Co. Longford, IRL
Sept. 26: Clifden Community Arts Festival, Connemara, Co. Galway, IRL
Sept. 29: The Cherry Tree, Walkinstown, Dublin, IRL

The official Hungry Hill press release can be seen here. More information is on the band's website and MySpace site. Media contact: e-mail.

US bluegrass stars at Craponne Festival

Thanks to Friedrich Hog for the news that the many American artists appearing at the 21st Festival Country Rendez-Vous at Craponne-sur-Arzon, France (25-27 July) will include the contemporary bluegrass bands Cadillac Sky and Three Fox Drive, as well as the neo-hillbilly Big Smith.

As Friedrich will be at the Craponne festival, Peter Wroblewski will present the 'Americana' programme on Radio Free Ulm next Monday.