Just a reminder of the Jim Hurst Concert and Guitar workshop

Concert: 8 pm at Mother Fools Coffee House, 1101 Williamson St., Madison, Wisconsin.

Workshop: 1 pm – 4 pm at the Wil-Mar Center, 953 Jenifer St., Madison, WI.  Contact Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-244-2184 for more information and a registration form.

“In a field known for great instrumental work, Hurst is as good as they come…His guitar playing is marked by pure abandon.”
- Country Standard Time

Workshop, $60
1-4pm at:
Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center
953 Jenifer St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone (608) 257-4576
www.madison.com/communities/wil-mar

For workshop registration, call Julie Cherney at 608-244-2184, or email cherney@uwalumni.com Some workshop topics include flat-picking and finger-style guitar styles; rhythm and melodies, solos and improvisation, timing, tone, and taste; Practice techniques, time management; Emphasis on raising the enjoyment level.

Concert, $10
8 p.m. at:
Mother Fool’s Coffee House
1101 Williamson St.
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 259-1301
www.motherfools.com

Information about Jim Hurst can be found at www.jimhurst.com.

Do you love flat-picking guitar?  Are you looking for a Christmas gift for the guitar player in your life?  Well you’re in for a treat because Jim Hurst, two-time IBMA Guitar Player of the Year and member of the Grammy-nominated Claire Lynch Band, comes to Madison January 30 for a guitar workshop and concert.

Jim’s mastery of the guitar and expert vocal harmonies earned him membership in Trisha Yearwood’s band, as well as the opportunity to perform with Sara Evans, Travis Tritt, and the McCarter Sisters.   As a popular Nashville studio musician, he’s performed and recorded with John Cowan, Mark Schatz, Tim O’Brien, and Sam Bush.  Collaborating with bassist Missy Raines, the duet wowed the bluegrass community and won IBMA Guitar and Bass Player of the year for 2001and 2002.  Jim currently tours with the Claire Lynch Band not only as a wizard on the guitar, but also as a remarkable frailing banjoist.

Jim’s skill as a vocal and guitar instructor makes him highly sought-after.  He teaches at guitar workshops, clinics, and music camps around the country.  So take advantage of this opportunity to learn from and enjoy a concert by this maestro!  For more information about Jim, go to www.jimhurst.com.

“There’s not a more inventive, talented guitar player in the bluegrass business than Jim Hurst. He brings a world of experience in so many different kinds of music and formats to everything he does.”
- Tim Stafford

Workshop, $60
1-4pm at:
Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center
953 Jenifer St.
Madison, WI 53703
Phone (608) 257-4576
www.madison.com/communities/wil-mar

For workshop registration, call Julie Cherney at 608-244-2184, or email cherney@uwalumni.com

Some workshop topics include:

• Flat-picking and finger-style guitar styles.
• Rhythm and melodies, solos and improvisation, timing, tone, and taste.
• Practice techniques, time management.
• Emphasis on raising the enjoyment level.

Concert, $10
8 p.m. at:
Mother Fool’s Coffee House
1101 Williamson St.
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 259-1301
www.motherfools.com

World-Class multi-instrumentalist from Finland, Arto Järvelä, is coming to the Kettle Moraine State Forest!  He plays fiddle, mandolin, mandola, guitar, kantele, etc and plays with several groups including JPP, and the Helsinki Mandoliners.  He will be teaching workshops in the afternoon- one for fiddle and one mandolin (other string instruments are welcome too- main focus is mandolin).  The workshops will be followed by a concert in an intimate setting.  Here is your chance to see and learn from a master musician.  For more info about Arto Järvelä and music samples see his MySpace page:  http://www.myspace.com/artojarvela

Reservations (it would be nice to have an idea how many folks might show up), more info, directions: send email to:   LPFConcerts@gmail.com

We are located in the Town of LaGrange, WI, 1.4 miles north of the intersection of US Highway 12 and County Road H on the west side of County Road H.  We are immediately south of the entrances to the Nordic Ski & John Muir Mountain Bike Trails.

Madison was once again graced with musical virtuosity last weekend, in the form of the Kruger Brothers. Hailing from Switzerland via North Carolina, they epitomize the brother duet with their familial harmonies and tight musicianship, expanding on traditional bluegrass while continuing to honor it. Their Sunday night performance at the High Noon Saloon was nothing short of amazing and was received with two standing ovations.

The real treat, however, was the afternoon workshops. I was lucky enough to attend the session conducted by banjoist Jens Kruger. In addition to being incredibly knowledgeable about the banjo, music theory and musicianship, his compassion, kindness, humor and passion flowed like a mountain waterfall. He made each of us attendees feel as if we were his equal, that we could all be masters (after 3000-4000 hours of practice that is) and that we were all artists. Additionally, he reviewed basic concepts but in a way that was new and unique. After the three hour session, which flew by, I was reinvigorated and motivated again to dedicate time and effort to my instrument.

We are so lucky to have musical masters come to our city fairly often. If you are in need of inspiration, a bit more education, or motivation, I would highly recommend attending an instrument workshop. The connections you make to the instructor and other participants are as golden as the technical information you go away with.

The Krüger Brothers will also host an informal 30-minute session earlier in the afternoon where bluegrass players and fans can meet them “up close and personal” and get a taste of their music. On Sunday, August 16 they will lead workshops from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Drive, Madison. Sessions include Banjo with Jens Krüger, Guitar with Uwe Krüger, Bass with Joel Landsberg and Sound Technology with Phillip Zanon. For more information or to register for a workshop contact Carolyn Hegeler at chegeler@tds.net.
At 7:00 p.m. on Sunday evening the Krüger Brothers will wind up their visit to the Midwest with a performance at the High Noon Saloon, 701 East Washington Avenue, Madison. Concert tickets can be
purchased now at the High Noon Saloon, online at www.high-noon.com, or at the Gandy Dancer
Festival. For the complete schedule and listing of festival events, visit http://midcontinent.org.
The Gandy Dancer Festival is supported by the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission with additional funds from the American Girl’s Fund for Children, the Evjue Foundation, the Overture Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.

On Tuesday, June 2, bluegrass banjo legend Alan Munde will take the stage with Wisconsin’s own Nob Hill Boys for a 90-minute concert at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center (953 Jenifer St.) beginning at 10pm. The concert will be emcee’d by Bill C. Malone, host of WORT89.9FM Radio’s Back to the Country. General admission (door only) is $13.

For true students of the five-string, Alan will give a 3-hour banjo workshop earlier in the evening from 6-9pm in the Quarry Arts Building, 714 Hill St. (3 blocks east of Hilldale between Whole Foods and Century House). The workshop is open to all levels of players. Alan will tailor the workshop to participants’ skill levels and address topics from the fundamental (e.g., Review of Rolls; Roll Logic; Back-up/Closed Positions Up the Neck) to the more advanced (e.g., Creating Solos to Songs; Playing in Keys other than G without a Capo). Register for the workshop by contacting Carolyn Hegeler (608-238-6863 or chegeler@tds.net) and send a check for $60 (made payable to “Alan Munde”) to 18 S. Owen Dr., Madison 53705. (Concert tickets for workshop participants are $10.)

Alan’s long and luminous 40-year career as an internationally renowned bluegrass banjo player, teacher and recording artist includes two years with Jimmy Martin in the late 60’s; 20+ years as the anchor of Country Gazette; 20+ years of teaching banjo and bluegrass music at South Plains College in Levelland, TX; and organizer/coordinator/instructor of hundreds of bluegrass workshops in the U.S. and abroad.

On Friday, May 22, tune in to an interview with Alan on Chris Powers’ Mud Acres Bluegrass Special on WORT89.9FM; and on Tuesday, June 2, to Alan’s appearance on John Fabke’s Pastures of Plenty in the WORT studio.

Bill Monroe’s Bean Blossom, Indiana, Bluegrass Festival will be held from Sat. June 13 thru Sat. June 20, 2009. Eight big days of entertainment with 50 bands, workshops, and youth bluegrass boot camp assure a good time for all. Camping tent sites are $6.00 /person/night, and RV water & electric sites are $20.00/ day.

SWBMAI has had several members and  friends attending previous festivals, and we expect the same this year. Come for just a couple of days, or one of the two weekends, or for the entire 8 day duration. You will enjoy the day and night campfire jam sessions, meeting people from all over the country and world, and hearing superb world-class professional and amateur musicians playing on stage and in the campsites.

For more information call Bruce Nichols at 608-273-4807 , or BruceNbanjo@yahoo.com. Or contact the festival park at beanblossombg@hotmail.com

It’s just a little over three weeks until Bill Evans and Megan Lynch are at the Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center in Madison for an instructive, fun-filled day of banjo, fiddle, and jam workshops and a concert. There is still room in each workshop for more participants, and advance concert tickets are available online right here,  at Spruce Tree Music in Madison, and by contacting Julie Cherney at cherney@uwalumni.com or 608-260-2675.  Contact Julie also about registering for the workshops, or download the registration form here. 

SWBMAI is excited to present these top-notch musicians/teachers/performers in a day-long event. (Learn more about Bill and Megan at www.nativeandfine.com or google bill evans and megan lynch.) If you’ve never attended a workshop with professional bluegrass musicians, this is the perfect chance. And if you’ve never participated in a jam with professional musicians – especially a fiddle champion and a hot banjo picker – you’re in for a real treat!

This is the first time in several years that SWBMAI has offered such a wonderful educational opportunity for area musicians and, with the concert, a perfect family event for the Madison community (children under 12 may attend the concert free of charge). There’s something for everyone.

Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum

Advance registration is strongly recommended. Please email Karen Sonnenblick or call 786-417-9339 to register or with questions. This workshop will be excellent!

Laurie is known in bluegrass not only for her excellent musicianship, but also for her great teaching abilities. She and Tom instruct every year at music camps across the country. In fact, Laurie is the coordinator of the instructional Bluegrass at the Beach camp in Oregon state every year. IBMA executive director Dan Hays says “Laurie is one of the pre-eminent bluegrass and Americana artists of our time. She spreads her talent over several genres – bluegrass, folk, country – and with the recognition she has within all those fields, I would certainly say she’s one of the top five female artists of the last 30 years. And she continues to make great music.”