Suwannee Roots Revival Adds Mother Finest, Chatham County Line, Guy Clark Tribute & More

Lineup Additions For Suwannee Roots Revival Include Mother’s Finest,
Chatham County Line, The Revelers, and More!

October 12-15, 2017 at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL

The Dance Tent Features Contra and Square Dance, Cajun/Zydeco, Waltz, Salsa & Latin Dance

Special Guy Clark Tribute Set with Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp

Permaculture Action Day Workshop Announced!

Tickets→ www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/tickets/

LIVE OAK, FL — Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is pleased to announce additions to the lineup for Suwannee Roots Revival taking place in Live Oak, Florida October 12-15, 2017. The already incredible lineup is expanded to include Mother’s Finest, Chatham County Line, The Revelers, The Lee Boys, Richie and Rosie, Katie Skene, LPT, The Dunehoppers, and The Walker Family Band.

Artists previously announced include Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, The Wood Brothers, Peter Rowan Dharma Blues featuring Jack Casady, Donna the Buffalo, Steep Canyon Rangers, Rev Jeff Mosier Band, Willie Sugarcapps and more! See the complete lineup below.

The family friendly festival includes four days of music, camping, campground pickin’ sessions hosted by Sloppy Joe at Slopryland and Quartermoon at Bill Monroe Shrine, the Dance Tent, hands on and performance workshops, yoga, a Kids Tent, and much more! Hosted by long time friends of the park Randy Judy and Beth Judy, Suwannee Roots Revival focuses on amazing roots music that ties together a weekend laced with community based fun, growing friendships, laughing families, and that feel good feeling you get from hanging out in such a beautiful natural setting.

Get ready to rock out with Mother’s Finest, a funk rock band founded in Atlanta, Georgia by Joyce Kennedy and Glenn Murdock in the early 1970s. The group charted with the singles “Fire,” “Baby Love,” “Don’t Wanna Come Back,” “Love Changes,” and “Piece Of The Rock” in the mid to late 1970s. Known internationally, for their fusion of Funk, Rock, Gospel, R&B Metal, and Jazz, they are incomparable and unique in their ability to bring it to you in concert. And now after several year’s quiet, they’re still one of the best LIVE bands on the planet and we are happy to host them for their debut appearance at SOSMP

Raleigh, NC­ based Bluegrass band Chatham County Line made their debut appearance at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater opening for the Avett Brothers this July and we are eager for them to perform at Suwannee Roots Revival this Fall! They’ve been traveling the country with their most recent Yep Roc album release, Autumn. Pop Matters says, “They are masterful pickers and varied songwriters capable of creating an infectious backdrop for their audiences to behold with their innovative, masterclass harmonies.”

The Revelers combine Cajun, Country, Blues and Zydeco into a powerful tonic of roots music straight from southwest Louisiana that’s sure to get you moving. The Revelers include founding members of the Red Stick Ramblers and The Pine Leaf Boys, two of the groups unquestionably at the vanguard of the Louisiana cultural renaissance. The band’s second full-length album, Get Ready, featured all original material and was nominated for a GRAMMY in 2016. OffBeat Magazine calls them “groove bound and dance compelling.”

The Lee Boys are one of America’s finest sacred steel ensembles bringing forth what eTown calls a ““powerhouse, gospel-influenced sound.” Although this style of music was virtually unknown outside the House of God church until the past decade, the music has a rich history dating back to the 1930’s. The Lee Family has been an integral part of both the church and its music for decades and has made a plethora of appearances at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park over the years.

The Dance Tent will feature organized dance sets along with performance sets designed to get your body moving! The Dunehoppers return with their classic take on Contra and Square Dance. There will be brief instruction prior to each of the organized dance sets. The Walker Family Band will feature incredible music designed for the Waltz. Jacksonville’s LPT, an Afro-Cuban band will get hips moving with opportunity for Salsa and other Latin Dance. And then for your fix of Cajun/Zydeco, The Revelers will bring that Louisiana gumbo mix right to Live Oak!

Suwannee Roots Revival will feature a special set of Guy Clark music presented by Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp. Guy Clark made his first appearance at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park at the 2nd Annual Suwannee Springfest in 1998 and he joined the Suwannee Family every spring over the next 14 years with only a couple exceptions due to illness. Both Verlon and Shawn have a long history of not only performing with Guy, but also co-writing with him. So many of the Guy songs we’ll hear them share weave parts of their personal histories with Guys into the magical world the songs create. We are delighted to pay tribute to Guy Clark with this performance by two of his favorite performers and friends.

The festival pays tribute and remembers our beloved artists who have passed on with our memorial Vassar Sunday. There will also be a special set to honor the amazing and legendary Col. Bruce Hampton – details will be forthcoming.

Fall is a wonderful time to reconnect with nature and enjoy the garden and we are thrilled to offer a Permaculture Action Day Workshop on Thursday, Oct 12th, 10am – 1pm called “The Low Maintenance Food Forest.” Food forests can be very low maintenance gardening solution and create food independence for you and your family. Learn the basics of maintaining a food forest as part of our series of educational, hands-on learning experiences. Chop and drop, natural mulching and fertilizing techniques, laying seeds for winter crops and beneficial bugs will be covered in this workshop. Our partners Great Southern Forestry and Grow Here Now will answer questions about bringing permaculture principles to your garden. Space is limited.
Sign up to participate at SuwanneeRootsRevival.com/actionday.

A limited number of Early Bird Tickets are on sale until August 31st for $155 for a 4-­day Weekend Pass (all taxes, fees and primitive camping included). Kids age 12 and under are invited to join for free when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who buys a multi-day ticket. There are also military and student discounts available. See all rates and tiers and get tickets at www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/tickets.

Set in the midst of 800 acres of Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress trees along the Suwannee River, the venue is a playground for endless activities such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking, disc golf and biking.The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park offers a unique experience like no other, a true playground for all that attend. The Park also offers guest comforts including a general store, full service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms and water stations. Upgraded Camping, including RV hook ups and cabin rentals, is currently on sale and reservations may be made by calling the Park office at (386) 364­-1683. Attendees can also reserve golf cart rentals by calling the park.

SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com for further information.

Suwannee Roots Revival Lineup
Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn
The Wood Brothers
Peter Rowan Dharma Blues featuring Jack Casady
Donna the Buffalo
Steep Canyon Rangers
Mother’s Finest
Chatham County Line
Jim Lauderdale
Verlon Thompson
Shawn Camp
Rev Jeff Mosier Band
Willie Sugarcapps
The Lee Boys
The Revelers
Joe Craven & The Sometimers
Seth Walker
River Whyless
Nation of Two
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters
The Grass Is Dead
Rumpke Mountain Boys
Dread Clampitt
Richie & Rosie
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine
The Pine Box Dwellers
Katie Skene
Belle and The Band
The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn
Quartermoon
Sloppy Joe
LPT
The Walker Family Band
The Dunehoppers
Habanero Honeys
Jeff Bradley
Suwannee Spirit Kids Music Camp
Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus

Further information at www.SuwanneeRootsRevival.com. Also visit us on at www.facebook.com/suwanneeroots, Twitter & Instagram: @SuwanneeRoots (#SuwanneeRoots)

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Suwannee Roots Revival Announces Initial Lineup: Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, The Wood Brothers, Peter Rowan Dharma Blues featuring Jack Casady

Artwork by Marci Davis

Suwannee Roots Revival Takes Place October 12-15, 2017
at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL

Featuring:
Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, The Wood Brothers, Peter Rowan Dharma Blues featuring Jack Casady, Donna the Buffalo, Steep Canyon Rangers, Rev Jeff Mosier Band, Willie Sugarcapps and more!

Early Bird Tickets On Sale Now
Tickets→ www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/tickets/

LIVE OAK, FL — Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is excited to announce the 2nd Annual Suwannee Roots Revival taking place Thursday, October 12th, 2017 through Sunday, October 15th, 2017 at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, FL. The stellar lineup includes Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn, The Wood Brothers, Peter Rowan Dharma Blues featuring Jack Casady, Donna the Buffalo, Steep Canyon Rangers, Jim Lauderdale, Verlon Thompson, Shawn Camp, Rev Jeff Mosier Band, Willie Sugarcapps, Joe Craven & The Sometimers, River Whyless, Seth Walker, Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Rumpke Mountain Boys, The Grass Is Dead, Grandpa’s Cough Medicine, Nation of Two, Dread Clampitt, Belle and The Band, and more! See the full initial lineup below.

The family friendly festival includes four days of music, camping, campground pickin’ sessions hosted by Sloppy Joe at Slopryland and Quartermoon at Bill Monroe Shrine, the Dance Tent, hands on and performance workshops, yoga, a Kids Tent, and much more!  Hosted by long time friends of the park Randy Judy and Beth Judy, Suwannee Roots Revival focuses on amazing roots music that ties together a weekend laced with community based fun, growing friendships, laughing families, and that feel good feeling you get from hanging out in such a beautiful natural setting.

Festival Director Beth Judy says “Our goal is festival therapy. We want each person to experience the festival in such a way that when they leave, they are better than when they arrived. The unique participation of the musicians at such a soul level, combined with an open, loving community, placed in the aptly named Spirit of the Suwannee, creates the perfect environment for letting go of the cares of your regular life. This makes it a healing event. But it’s the most fun you ever had getting healed!”

The festival pays tribute and remembers our beloved artists who have passed on with our memorial Vassar Sunday. For this festival, we will also have some very special memorial musical presentations earlier in the weekend. Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp will join forces to present a special set of music by the legendary Guy Clark. There will also be a special set to honor the amazing and also legendary Col. Bruce Hampton – details will be forthcoming.

Be on the lookout for additional artists to be added to this already incredible line up, including a group of bands designed specially to get you out on the Dance Tent Floor.  We’ll have Contra, Cajun, and more – maybe even a little Salsa thrown in there for you!

A limited number of Early Bird Tickets are on sale now for $155 for a 4-­day Weekend Pass (all taxes, fees and primitive camping included). Kids age 12 and under are invited to join for free when accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who buys a multi-day ticket. There are also military and student discounts available. See all rates and tiers and get tickets at www.suwanneerootsrevival.com/tickets.

Set in the midst of 800 acres of Spanish moss-draped oak and cypress trees along the Suwannee River, the venue is a playground for endless activities such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking, disc golf and biking.The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park offers a unique experience like no other, a true playground for all that attend. The Park also offers guest comforts including a general store, full service restaurant, free showers, indoor bathrooms and water stations. Upgraded Camping, including RV hook ups and cabin rentals, is currently on sale and reservations may be made by calling the Park office at (386) 364­-1683. Attendees can also reserve golf cart rentals by calling the park.

SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events. Please visit the park’s web site at www.musicliveshere.com for further information.

Suwannee Roots Revival Initial Lineup
Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn
The Wood Brothers
Peter Rowan Dharma Blues featuring Jack Casady
Donna the Buffalo
Steep Canyon Rangers
Jim Lauderdale
Verlon Thompson
Shawn Camp
Rev Jeff Mosier Band
Willie Sugarcapps
Joe Craven & The Sometimers
Seth Walker
River Whyless
Nation of Two
Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters
The Grass Is Dead
Rumpke Mountain Boys
Dread Clampitt
Grandpa’s Cough Medicine
The Pine Box Dwellers
Belle and The Band
The Adventures of Annabelle Lyn
Quartermoon
Sloppy Joe
Habanero Honeys
Jeff Bradley
Suwannee Spirit Kids Music Camp
Tania & Magic Moon Traveling Circus
More to be announced…

Further information at www.SuwanneeRootsRevival.com. Also visit us on at www.facebook.com/suwanneeroots, Twitter & Instagram: @SuwanneeRoots (#SuwanneeRoots)

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Danny Barnes Awarded 2015 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo – New Music on the Way

Danny Barnes. Photo by Jame Curtis.

Danny Barnes Wins Sixth Annual Steve Martin Prize For Excellence In Banjo And Bluegrass,
Set to Release Got Myself Together November 2015 Through Eight 30 Records

“As if dedicating your life to an instrument like the banjo wasn’t sufficiently avant-garde, the winner of this year’s Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass is a musician recognized for his experimental approach to that seemingly quaint stringed instrument.”
—The New York Times, Dave Itzkoff

“Saying that Danny Barnes plays the banjo is like saying Lionel Messi kicks a soccer ball. Barnes doesn’t just play the banjo—he plucks it, thrums it, claws it, bashes it, runs it through processors, plays it backward, drenches it in reverb, and layers it over computerized drums, distorted guitars, and weird chicken sounds. His prowess with the instrument makes him a deserving winner…”
—Texas Monthly, Michael Hall

Banjo player extraordinaire Danny Barnes is the 2015 recipient of the 6th annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. Described as “one of a kind” and widely acknowledged as “one of the best banjo players in America,” Barnes is recognized for his experimental sound. The raw and unpolished musical breadth of his compositions has propelled him across the industry today. Barnes will be releasing a new solo record, a ten year anniversary re-recording of an earlier album called Get Myself Together [2005]. The new release, Got Myself Together, comes out in November on Eight 30 Records. He will be on the road solo this fall and winter; stay tuned for dates to be announced.

A Texas native now living northwest of Seattle, Barnes is one of bluegrass music’s most distinctive and innovative performers. He is known for blending together different sounds which defy labeling while redefining the banjo’s perceived image in a wide-ranging and four-decade long career. From his early days as the driving force behind the impressive Austin-based Bad Livers, a band of pioneering Americana missionaries, through a prolific solo career and the development of his trademark approach he calls “Barnyard Electronics” (which is also the name of his 2007 album) that incorporates digital technology and various effect pedals to stretch the tonal range of the instrument, Barnes has always listened to his proudly offbeat inner voice. His live shows involve a computer program he built in max/msp and a banjo.

Recently, he was recording in his home lab when a package arrived from Steve Martin with a letter notifying him that he was the recipient of 2015 recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass.

“The day that package came from Steve, I had gotten up at like 4am when it’s real quiet and I can get recording done. When FedEx came, I was kind of preoccupied. I saw that it was from Steve and thought, ‘Oh cool… he’s sent me one of his records.’” says Barnes in an interview with John Lawless in Bluegrass Today. “But then I thought… ‘Hey, I never gave him my address.’ I had met Steve earlier this year at a show with the Steep Canyon Rangers, and we got to talk a little bit, but I didn’t remember giving him my address. When I opened it up and saw what it was, I was completely stunned. I was speechless. I’ve never won anything, and it amazes me that anyone knows what I am doing.”

The Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass provides the winner with an unrestricted cash prize of fifty-thousand dollars, as well as a bronze sculpture created specifically for the prize by noted artist Eric Fischl. Created to bring recognition to an individual or group for outstanding accomplishment in the field of five-string banjo or bluegrass music, the prize highlights the extraordinary musicianship of these artists and bluegrass music worldwide. The winner is determined by a board consisting of J.D Crowe, Pete Wernick, Tony Trischka, Anne Stringfield, Alison Brown, Neil V. Rosenberg, Béla Fleck, and Steve Martin. Previous winners have included Noam Pikelny (2010), Sammy Shelor (2011), Mark Johnson (2012), Jens Kruger (2013), and Eddie Adcock (2014).

When asked by Bluegrass Today what he would be doing with the honorarium from his Steve Martin Prize, Danny says, “I’m going to invest it back into the art, back into the banjo community. I have a new record coming out in November, and then I’m thinking of doing a straight up banjo record. I’ve never done that, and I’ve started talking to some of the guys I’d like to have play on there with me. I also have an idea for a contemporary piece for banjo, and I hope to finally get to work on that.”

Got Myself Together hits the streets this fall with another in the works this winter for a straight up banjo record, and he’s also working on a suite of contemporary music for banjo and tuba. Barnes has released over ten albums and has been featured on over 50 others. His most recent album, Junior Sampled [June 2014], is available to stream at http://dannybarnes.bandcamp.com/album/junior-sampled.

In addition to the above, Barnes will be releasing an avant garde “kinda” noise cassette coming out on his own label, Minner Bucket Records which specializes in limited run cassettes, for Cassette Store Day (10/17/15). Only 50 will be made.

Barnes says, “I’ve been at this a pretty long time. The main thing I use to get my ideas across has been the banjo. It has an unusual sound and is capable of a wide range of expression, however it isn’t very developed yet, in terms of what is being done with it in a current macro sense. It’s untapped.”

His skills as an instrumentalist and his open embrace and infectious love of music for music’s sake, have brought him to share the stage and record with a wide array of marquee artists that reads like a who’s who among broad musical landscapes, ranging from bluegrass greats Bela Fleck, Del McCoury, and Sam Bush, newgrass stars Yonder Mountain String band, to Americana artists Robert Earl Keen, Lyle Lovett, and Nickel Creek, to Jam friendly Gov’t Mule, Leftover Salmon, and Keller Williams, to jazz and blues instrumentalists Bill Frisell, Chuck Leavell, and John Popper, to members of the punk and metal Butthole Surfers, Dead Kennedys, and Ministry. He’s collaborated and shared stages with the likes of Bill Frisell, Yonder Mountain String Band, Robert Earl Keen and Dave Matthews, as well as wailed on a flying V guitar with members of the Butthole Surfers.

Stay up-to-date with news from Danny Barnes at www.dannybarnes.com, twitter.com/Wildknees, and Facebook.com/DannyBarnesBanjo.  Also feel free to ask him a question at http://dannybarnes.com/ask-barnes.

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Jonathan Scales Fourchestra & Galen Kipar Project Perform at Isis Music Hall on Sat 3/15

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra & Galen Kipar Project
Isis Restaurant & Music Hall
Saturday, March 15, 2014
www.isisasheville.com

Isis Music Hall in Asheville is proud to host an evening with Jonathan Scales Fourchestra and Galen Kipar Project on Saturday, March 15th. Both bands have been busy writing new music for upcoming albums and are excited to present some of the tunes at the show. Scroll to the bottom of this for a couple of videos of Jonathan Scales Fourchestra and Galen Kipar Project Performing live.

Doors are at 5pm if you would like to sit down for dinner prior to the show. The show starts at 9pmas and general admission tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. There will be some balcony seating available. Call 828-575-2737 for dinner reservations or with questions. Isis Music Hall is located at 743 Haywood Road Asheville, NC 28806.

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. Photo by Mike Morel.

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra is heading into the studio in the middle-of-nowhere Virginia at Summit Sound to record the bands first TRIO record, no guests, not extra orchestration, just raw Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. This will be their most ambitious record for the band, inspired by Roy “Futureman” Wooten, the album will be their first real attempt to put together an “epic, long-form masterpiece.” The new release, Mixtape Symphony, is expected to drop in late spring through Ropeadope Records.

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra is an example of musical sincerity. Weaving together collective and individual influences without compromise, they are as much themselves as they are a unit—a crucial trait of landmark instrumental ensembles. Equally captivating is steel pannist and founder Jonathan Scales’ compositional skill as is his tasteful, avant-garde improvisational approach.

“Scales is to steel pans ….what Béla Fleck is to the banjo—an über innovator,” says Driftwood Magazine. Drummer and percussionist Phill Bronson drives the Fourchestra’s time-shifting, modern grooves with graceful polyrhythmic chops and the listening ability of a true master. (His talent has been praised by Victor Wooten, Oteil Burbridge, Ellie Mannette, and others.) Bassist Cody Wright rounds out the ensemble with a groundbreaking hybrid picking style stemming from his background as a highly practiced fusion guitarist. With gut-wrenching grooves and blistering, soulful melodic lines, Wright’s mix of flash and feel adds a unique depth to the Fourchestra.

Together, the group explodes onto stages with an indescribable sound that is as much felt as it is heard, and is said to have “a Thelonious Monk-like attitude with a Mozart creativity that works.” (Pan on the Net) The group’s self-titled debut collaborative album features unparalleled sonic density and envelope-pushing compositions. Guest collaborators include Grammy winning masters Victor Wooten and Howard Levy (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) and is fully orchestrated with horns and strings.

For more about Jonathan Scales Fourchestra and tour dates, please visit www.jonscales.com.

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Galen Kipar Project. Photo by Folktography

Galen Kipar Project has been on the rise since 2006, and are currently recording their fifth album at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, NC and at the Jefferson Center with Summit Sound’s engineer in Roanoke, VA. They will be launching a kickstarter campaign soon to help fund getting the new music out to the world and expect to release the album by the end of the year.

Crafting a fusion of folk, classical, jazz, and blues, Galen Kipar Project has been hailed as “complex yet accessible” and “cohesive and poignant” with “experimental folk masterpieces.” Based in Asheville, GKP is Lyndsay Pruett (violin/ vocals), Jeremy Young (Drums), Ben Portwood (upright bass/ vocals), Galen Kipar (guitar/ harmonicas and vocals), Aaron Ballance (lap steel guitar/ dobro) and Jon Morrow (8 string Novak guitar/bass).

Galen Kipar Project has released four albums, the most recent being The Scenic Route in 2010. “The aptly titled effort is loaded with images of mountains, rivers, forests and streams, and backed by lush arrangements, fluid vocals and Appalachian instrumentation that bring to life what is essentially a musical portrait of Western North Carolina,” says the Mountain Xpress.

Songwriter and host of the Grateful Dead Hour, David Gans states about the album, “It’s like a collection of short stories, brilliantly constructed and with a unique and compelling literary voice. I keep coming back to each song, listening more deeply and being drawn more deeply in.” Gans says about Galen’s music, ” I was hooked right away… Strange, slightly other-worldly acoustic music sung in a sweet, slightly distracted voice. I think of it as a sort of American Primitive, with hits of Sandy Bull in the guitars, Brett Dennen in the voice, Donna the Buffalo in the rustic simplicity, and something altogether new in the wonderful orchestrations… In the words of Tina Fey, “When I hear the sounds of this nearby world, I want to go to there.'”

For more about Galen Kipar Project and upcoming shows, please visit www.galenkipar.com.

 

 

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Doc Watson Biography ‘Blind But Now I See’ by Kent Gustavson: A Definitive Biography of an American Icon

Doc Watson Biography ‘Blind But Now I See’
by Kent Gustavson
A Definitive Biography of an American Icon

“A touching story about overcoming life’s obstacles…”
–Vintage Guitar Magazine

“Musicologists will appreciate the chapters on Doc’s singing style and guitar work… Music fans will delight in the book as a whole, a splendid recounting of Doc Watson as man whose ‘…approach to folk music on a guitar was like Horowitz’s approach to the piano…”
–Gary Presley, The Internet Review of Books

“This is a highly informative, fascinating biography of the great Doc Watson. What a life. It’s a page-turner that will keep you up past your bedtime. Don’t miss it.”
–The Inland Northwest Bluegrass Association

“This is a valuable, anecdotal work anyone interested in Doc’s music and life will enjoy reading.” –Bluegrass Unlimited

***   ***   ***

Award-winning author Kent Gustavson was born immersed in a rich musical heritage. As the son of peaceniks, he grew up with family sing-alongs. From Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan, he darted to classical, jazz, and avant-garde jazz, before circling back to the Greenwich Village folk canon and tracing that music back. In singer-guitarist Doc Watson, Gustavson found a treasure of American music. His biography of Watson, Blind But Now I See (Sumach-Red Books) is the definitive biography of an American icon.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma-based author is uniquely qualified to write a book that merges myth, musicology, and American history. He holds a PhD in classical composition from Stony Brook University in New York, where he taught leadership, writing, literature, music and German for ten years. He’s an active musician with 14 critically acclaimed albums, and his music has been featured on National Public Radio’s All Songs Considered. He also hosts a radio show, Sound Authors, where he has interviewed hundreds of award-winning authors and musicians.

Blind But Now I See is the first comprehensive biography of Doc Watson. It was written over 6 years, culled from meticulous archival research and well over a hundred interviews. The book brims with insights from such legendary musicians as Bela Fleck, Ben Harper, David Grisman, David Moultrup, Jerry Douglas, Jonathan Byrd, Marty Stuart, Michelle Shocked, Mike Seeger, Norman Blake, Ricky Skaggs, Tommy Emmanuel, Tony Rice, Tony Trischka, and Warren Haynes, among many others. It is a winner of a Next Generation Indie Book Award, and finalist in the Foreword Book of the Year Awards. The book has sold 5,000 paperbacks and 25,000 e-books. Vintage Guitar Magazine praises it as: “A touching story about overcoming life’s obstacles.” Blind But Now I See is now available in its expanded second printing, with a third and even more expansive edition already in the works.

Two-time Grammy Award winner Ben Harper says in his Blind But Now I See interview: “There was a sense of grace, effortlessness, and fluidity to Doc Watson’s musicianship and singing that is nothing short of miraculous.”

Watson’s influence has been recognized by presidents and by heroes of modern music such as Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Ben Harper, Robert Plant, and Gillian Welch, but little is known about his personal life, his complex relationship with his son, Merle, his mythical rise to prominence, and his awe-inspiring musicality. Watson was a blind boy from the small town of Deep Gap, North Carolina who grew up in the Depression, then lived in abject poverty until being brought into the 1960s folk scene. For over 52 years, Watson mesmerized bluegrass, folk, and rock audiences with his soft baritone and fiery guitar licks

Gustavson’s congenial but probingly insightful interview skills help piece together a powerful and honest character mosaic. His vibrant, erudite, and enthusiastic prose demystifies Watson’s astounding musicality and dissects the paradoxes and complexities of the man with bold sensitivity.

In an interview with esteemed alt-country publication No Depression Gustavson said: “I stumbled across a copy of The Watson Family by Folkways records. Watson’s voice was so rock-solid in those family hymns that I still sing the bass part today, because it’s stronger in my mind than the melody! He pointed me towards the blues, early rock and roll, traditional Appalachian fiddle music, and balladry. He literally started a brush fire in my musical mind.”

In 2004 Gustavson began writing Blind But Now I See, and nearly 10 years later and three editions in he’s emerged an authority on the enigmatic icon. He told No Depression: “Countless close friends and family members of Doc have come to me over the past two years and thanked me for writing this biography, and for really framing the reality surrounding his life.” Besides the plaudits from insiders, the biggest reward is bringing this journey back home. “In the new edition I finally got a chance to speak to Pete Seeger,” Gustavson says. “I called my parents and told them ‘Pete Seeger just spoke to me!’ What an honor.”

Biography Written By: Lorne Behrman

www.kentgustavson.com

Great review by Professor Puppet

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Howard Levy and Joe Craven Perform at Isis Music Hall on Fri, March 15th

Two creative forces, Howard Levy and Joe Craven, are coming together for an evening of amazing musical energy at Isis Music Hallin Asheville, NC on Friday, March 15th.

Brought together three years ago for a night of unrehearsed interaction as a fundraiser for school programs by The Rooster’s Wife, an arts organization in Aberdeen, NC that focuses on education and specializes in unusual pairings of artists, the two fell into a serendipitous experience. Not until the evening was winding down did it become known that the two had last seen each other when performing on Jerry Garcia’s final recording. The program was a resounding success, not only for the small non profit, but as kindling for a renewed musical friendship. Isis is happy to be keep this musical spirit growing.

Multiple Grammy- Award Winner Howard Levy is an acknowledged master of the diatonic harmonica, a superb pianist, innovative composer, recording artist, bandleader, teacher, producer, and Chicago area resident. His musical travels have taken him all over the geographical world and the musical map. Equally at home in Jazz, Classical music, Rock, Folk, Latin, and World Music, he brings a fresh lyrical approach to whatever he plays. This has made him a favorite with audiences worldwide, and a recording artist sought after by the likes of Kenny Loggins, Dolly Parton, Paquito D’Rivera, Styx, Donald Fagen, and Paul Simon. As a sideman, Howard has appeared on hundreds of CDs and played on many movie soundtracks.
He is perhaps best known for the four CD’s he recorded with Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, a unique band that set the musical world on its ear back in the early 1990’s. He got back together with the band in 2010 and recorded the CD Rocket Science. They toured extensively in 2011-2012, and Howard won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for “Life in Eleven”, which he wrote with Bela Fleck.

Creativity educator, former museum curator, visual artist, actor/storyteller, festival emcee and recipient of the 2009 Folk Alliance Far-West Performer of the Year, Joe Craven has made music with many folks ranging from multi-string instrumentalist David Lindley to Blues slide guitar master Roy Rogers to Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia and groups from Psychograss to The Persuasions to The Horseflies. He was percussionist and fiddler for mandolinist David Grisman for almost 17 years and was special guest with fusion banjo player Alison Brown and her Quartet for almost 7 years.

Always looking for the next expression and object to make music with, Joe is a musical madman with anything that has strings attached or not; violin, mandolin, tin can, bedpan, cookie tin, tenor guitar/banjo, mouth bow, canjoe, cuatro, balalaika, boot ‘n lace and double-necked whatever. He has created music and sound effects for commercials, soundtracks, computer games and contributions to several Grammy nominated projects. Joe’s performed at festivals and theaters worldwide, from Hardly Strictly to The Kennedy Center and from CA Worldfest to Carnegie Hall, where he joined folks like Yo-Yo Ma and Mark O’Connor to help celebrate Stephane Grappelli’s 80th birthday.

On March 15th at Isis, expect the unexpected with percussion of the highest order and in all types of arrangements- from piano to Bundt pan, along with mandolin, violin and of course harmonica played like no one else.

http://www.levyland.com
http://joecraven.com

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SHOW DETAILS AT A GLANCE:
Howard Levy and Joe Craven
Isis Music Hall and Restaurant
Friday, March 15th 
828-575-2737
743 Haywood Rd. Asheville, NC 28806

Tickets: http://isisasheville.com/events/howard-levy-and-joe-craven/
$18 advance / $22 at the door; 5pm doors; 9pm show

This is a seated concert with dinner reservations.  Reservations can be made by calling Isis at 828-575-2737.  There are a limited number of reservations at tables of 4 or 8. There is also theater-style and limited balcony seating seating available on a first come first serve basis.

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Premier of Jonathan Scales Fourchestra’s NEW Video “The Longest December”

Jonathan Scales announced the World Premier of his new video for the song “The Longest December” from the 2011 album “Character Farm and Other Short Stories”

“Scales showcases his dexterity with a searing torrent of par runs on the devious, guitar-tinged The Longest December.” —Exclaim.ca

“Overall, there is a crisp sound to the album as the instrumental stories take shape. The title track Character Farm is a relaxing ride after the darker side of The Longest December takes a steel pan frenzy.” — Sarah Morgan, Atlanta Music Examiner

Get the Character Farm and Other Short Stories at: http://www.jonscales.com/shop.cfm

“The term ‘genius’ is not a platitude I bandy about regularly, but it fits here.  Jonathan Scales is to the steel pans what Bela Fleck is to the banjo or David Grisman is to the mandolin – instrumental innovator and brilliant composer – and his Character Farm & Other Short Stories is a mindbender of pan-driven jazz, with guest spots by Jeff Coffin and Kofi Burbridge.  My favorite record of the year for its sheer virtuosity and pure inventiveness.  It’s unlike anything else I heard in 2011.” —Dave Stallard, Honest Tune

“Character Farm features the churning 6/8 Jam We Did, the slightly-island strut of Science Fair Project, the breakneck steel-drum’n’bass of The Longest December, and Muddy Vishnu, a dynamic tune filled with plot twists reminiscent of The Flecktones’ classic Sinister Minister.” —ROBIN TOLLESON, Bold Life 

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Jonathan Scales Fourchestra “The Longest December”

Directed by Daniel Judson
Theatre lighting director – Erik McDaniel
Band: Phill Bronson – drums. Cody Wright/Michael Libramento – bass. Duane Simpson -Guitar. Jonathan Scales – steel pan
Sound engineering by Michael Hynes
Dancer: Cherry Oh

http://www.jonscales.com

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Dreamspider Interviews with Jonathan Scales Fourchestra on Lingua Musica

New Lingua Musica Episode: Erin Scholze from Dreamspider Publicity talks with Jonathan Scales Fourchestra at The Musicians Workshop on Merrimon Ave. in Asheville, NC in July 2011. Daniel Judson filmed and edited this video which is copyright Luminescence LLC 2011 and may be used as long as proper credit is given.

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Jonathan Scales has been called a “…rising star of the steel drums…” by Traps Magazine and “The Real Deal” by Pan on the Net and as having “A Thelonius Monk-like attitude with a Mozart creativity that works.” Premier Steel Pan magazine, When Steel Talks states , “At the end of the day, Scales is going to be a major play in rewriting the books on steelpan music outside of the box.”

In this episode of Lingua Musica, Jonathan Scales discusses how he came about his style of Steel Pan. Also hear more about his new album, Character Farm & Other Short Stories, which is a 45-minute dive deeper into the compositionally-twisted work. There are nine original instrumental “stories” on the album which transport listeners from the primal Jam We Did to the lush Hallucinations of the Dream Chasers. The title track Character Farm brings the audience into a chilled, ‘worldly’ ride after the frantically emotional The Longest December. Guest appearance on the record include Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews Band / Bela Fleck & the Flecktones), Yonrico Scott and Kofi Burbridge (of Derek Trucks Band fame) and the dazzling work of fiddle virtuoso Casey Driessen.  Also, you will meet the cast of Characters that make up the Fourchestra: classically trained composer turned steel pan maestro and front man of the Fourchestra, Jonathan Scales, is heavily influenced by the complexity of banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck to the hustle of Jay-Z. Gritty blues guitarist, Duane Simpson, and fusion-chops bassist, Cody Wright, provide the harmonic support for Scales’ sound; while jazz/hip-hop drummer, Phill Bronson, drives the time-shifting, modern grooves. 

Scales, along with fimmaker Daniel Judson, produced an insightful Music Video for the song Muddy Vishnu; snippets of the music video are shown in the interview. Watching Muddy Vishnu is “almost like a Being John Malkovich set inside Scales’ own world of found rhythms, visions, colors, friends, inspirations and rare silence,” writes Asheville’s Mountain Xpress.

In this episode of Lingua Musica, Scales’s also talks about the album’s comic book-inspired images, designed by Gregory Keyzer, that tie together the musical fusion of his Fourchestra. “There’s a different illustration for every song,” Scales says in an interview with Robin Tolleson in Bold Life. “It’s cool because you can kind of put a visual image with each piece. The album is packaged like a book of short stories, but there’s an overlying theme. The sonic tapestry, mixed with the congruent artwork, really ties the whole thing together. The pictures help people make their judgments about what it’s about and how they feel about it. It’s not complete long form, but it’s closer.”

Character Farm, along with a glossy 19 x 13 poster depicting the custom designed comic book graphics illustrating each song are available at www.jonscales.com.

This video was brought to you by Lingua Musica: Where Music is the Universal Language…

www.jonscales.com

www.linguamusicalive.com

www.danieljudson.com

www.dreamspider.net

www.musiciansworkshop.com

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A Few Reviews of Steel Pannist Jonathan Scales’ “Character Farm & Other Short Stories”

Steel Pannist, Jonathan Scales recently released a new album entitled “Character Farm and Other Short Stories”. Here are a few reviews that have come in…

Kevin Jones with Exclaim.CA wrote:

Admittedly, the idea of a steel pan virtuoso likely conjures up images of a human carnival dynamo setting festivals ablaze with a mesmerizing display of some hot, hot island heat. Thusly hailed pannist Jonathan Scales, however, offers none of this, instead delivering a far more impressive collection of heady, multi-directional jazz soundscapes that bristle as his Fourchestra bandmates flip, slip and slide through the myriad tempo twists and compositional turns that make up Character Farm & Other Short Stories. Scales showcases his dexterity with a searing torrent of par runs on the devious, guitar-tinged “The Longest December,” while the epic tale told on “Complete,” with its double-time jazz opening descending into a tense, cavernous midsection, and the unconventional, shape-shifting “Science Fair Project” offer a scattershot glimpse at the gathered musicians’ fertile minds at work. Through the album’s countless turns, Scales manages to blend in the very particular sound of steel pan seamlessly with everything from a flute, horn and saxophone to the oft-accompanying electric guitar, all while showing off the easily stereotyped instrument in a new light.

See the post here: http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/SoulFunkAndWorld/jonathan_scales_fourchestra-character_farm_other_short_stories

MyJoog.com wrote:

Just in time for Spring Break, we received Jonathan Scales – Character Farm & Other Short Stories. Scales plays the steel pan – an instrument associated with Trinidad & Tobago, but this is nowhere near conventional Island music. I love this CD, particularly “The Trap” which includes fiddler  Casey Driessen. Other guest artists include Jeff Coffin, Yonrico Scott and Kofi Burbridge. “Hallucinations of the Dream Chasers ” is hypnotic while “Muddy Vishnu” gets rockin’. The title track is as close as you get to an Island sound – can’t wait to listen on the beaches in south Florida with a bottle of rhum.

See the review here: http://myjoog.blogspot.com/2011/04/trying-to-find-room-on-ipod.html?spref=tw

Ashley Wilson with the Mountain Times in Boone writes:

To come across a band with a full-time steel pannist is rare. To come across a band with the steel pan as the central instrument is even more rare.

. . .   . . .    . . .  In April 2011, Scales releases his third album “Character Farm and Other Short Stories.”

“Character Farm” is a collection of nine instrumental “stories.” The album is accompanied by a comic book design sleeve. Scales is depicted on the cover as a superhero wielding pansticks. Inside, artist Gregory Keyzer provides graphic interpretations of each song. With Scales’ music being entirely instrumental, the visual aids are a nice touch that may help listeners better understand his vision.

Scales considers his music “jazz fusion.” The steel pan is not traditionally associated with jazz, but he has adapted well to the style. Scales credits innovative banjoist Bela Fleck with inspiring him to disregard the imaginary boundaries placed on instruments.

The members of the Fourchestra, guitarist Duane Simpson, drummer Phill Bronson and bassist Michael Libramento, are excellent at jazz craft and assist Scales in achieving his distinct sound. The lengthy opener, “Jam We Did,” is an excellent example of the camaraderie of the performers, with Scales opening the floor for everyone to have a solo. Another jam on the album, “Complete,” showcases the members’ jazz abilities and serves as proof that the steel pan can indeed be considered a jazz instrument.

Jonathan Scales does not limit himself to a strict jazz regimen. His penchant for experimentation is most obvious in the last two songs of “Character Farm.” The appropriately titled “Science Fair Project” incorporates the flute of Kofi Burbridge, from the Derek Trucks Band. “The Trap,” with guest Casey Driessen, could very well be the first time a fiddler and steel pannist have performed on the same song.

Other guests on “Character Farm” include Dave Matthews Band saxophonist Jeff Coffin and Derek Trucks Band percussionist Yonrico Scott. They join the Fourchestra on “Hallucinations of the Dream Chasers.” The combination of steel pan, African percussion and the saxophone make it the most diverse song of the album.

Scales is promoting “Muddy Vishnu” as the first single from “Character Farm.” The title is a cross between Muddy Waters and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, a 1970s jazz fusion group. Verging on urban hip-hop territory, it furthers the idea that for Scales, the steel pan has no bounds. He has released a colorful video online, which is well worth checking out.

“Character Farm” solidifies Jonathan Scales’ place as one of western North Carolina’s most innovative and creative artists. Not only as a performer, but as the composer of all the music on the album, Scales is a groundbreaker.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: http://www2.mountaintimes.com/entertainment_focus/Jonathan_Scales_Fourchestra_id_003326

To find out more about Jonathan Scales and get the album, visit: www.JonScales.com

Live footage from the Album Release show in Asheville:

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Jonathan Scales Fourchestra releases NEW Album “Character Farm & Other Short Stories” Celebrate at the Emerald Lounge April 1st with Casey Driessen opening the show!

Jonathan Scales Fourchestra
Casey Driessen opens the show!
Friday, April 1st, 2011
Emerald Lounge

9pm, 21+
$7 cover / $15 gets you a copy of the new album AND ticket
828.232.4372
112 N. Lexington Ave.
Asheville, NC
www.emeraldlounge.com

The steel pan, an amazing musical discovery born in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago, is often times associated with sandy beaches, tropical climates, and cruise ships: that’s not exactly what you get at a show by the jazz-fusion quartet, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra. Modern Drummer Magazine recognizes, “… Jonathan Scales makes the pans fit in unconventional musical spaces…” and Jazz Times goes on to state that Scales’ brings forth a “new vitality to the traditional Caribbean instrument… picking up where Othello Molineaux left off 20 years ago with Jaco Pastorius.”

Here you have a classically trained composer turned steel pan maestro and front man of the Fourchestra, Jonathan Scales, heavily influenced by the complexity of banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck to the hustle of Jay-Z. Gritty blues guitarist, Duane Simpson, and fusion-chops bassist, Cody Wright, provide the harmonic support for Scales’ sound, while jazz/hip-hop drummer, Phill Bronson, drives the time-shifting, modern grooves. The cast of Characters hold this mind-bending concoction together with jazz edge and classical sensibility.

The 3rd installment in the Jonathan Scales’ musical saga, Character Farm & Other Short Stories, is a 45-minute dive deeper into the compositionally-twisted work of steel pannist Jonathan Scales.  The nine original instrumental “stories” on the album take listeners from the primal Jam We Did to the lush Hallucinations of the Dream Chasers. The title track Character Farm takes the audience into a chilled, ‘worldly’ ride after the frantically emotional The Longest December.   Guest appearance on the record include Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews Band / Bela Fleck & the Flecktones), Yonrico Scott and Kofi Burbridge (of Derek Trucks Band fame) and the dazzling work of fiddle virtuoso Casey Driessen.

Jonathan Scales has also been busy creating a NEW Music Video for the song Muddy Vishnu from the album shown above. The album is available for pre-sale through the brand new website www.jonscales.com in a variety of options through April 1st. Scales’ also got a lot of fun new merch including a glossy 19 x 13 poster depicting the custom designed comic book graphics illustrating each song with artwork by Gregory Keyzer.

19x13 poster. Full artwork for "Character Farm & Other Short Stories". Illustrations by Gregory Keyzer.

Steel pannist and virtuoso composer, Jonathan Scales, formed his ‘Fourchestra’ in 2007 as a means to deliver his musically complex, but somehow accessible ideas to anyone willing to listen. Since then, Scales has released two well received, full-length works, 2007’s One-Track Mind and 2008’s Plot/Scheme which features the likes of Jeff Coffin (of Dave Matthews Band), Joseph Wooten (of Steve Miller Band), and Jeff Sipe (of Aquarium Rescue Unit). 2011 will usher in Character Farm & Other Short Stories.  Scales’ versatility and innovative nature have allowed him to share the stage with acts like The Wooten Brothers Band, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, The Duhks, Everyone Orchestra, Toubab Krewe, Ben Sollee, Casey Dreissen, and Futureman.

Scales has been called a “…rising star of the steel drums…” by Traps Magazine, while Pan on the Net refers to him as “the Real Deal” and having “A Thelonius Monk-like attitude with a Mozart creativity that works.”  When Steel Talks sums it up with, “At the end of the day, Scales is going to be a major play in rewriting the books on steelpan music outside of the box.”

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