CTBA Newsletter
November 1, 2018 Volume 40, Number 11
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 1 / 16 Central Texas Bluegrass Association Serving Central Texas Since 1978 – Member of IBMA Monthly Newsletter October 1 , 2018 – Volume 40, Number 11
Contents
CTBA Workshop of the Month Banjo Forum
Reader Review Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Mark Your Calendar Fischer Fest CTBA 40th Birthday Party
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 2 / 16 From the Editor
CTBA members enjoy helping each other learn. Some even go as far as to host workshops. This month, we salute Chuck Middleton and Jon Lundbom for hosting the Banjo Forum on October 28.
See the Mark Your Calendar section for announcements on Fischer Fest and on the CTBA Annual Meeting / 40th Birthday Party.
Yours truly,
Ed Seykota c/o [email protected]
Link to: CTBA | Link to: Upcoming Events | Link to: Join Your CTBA
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 3 / 16 The Banjo Forum – October 28, 2018
Banjo Forum organizer Chuck Middleton.
Host Jon Lundbom
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 4 / 16 Al Morgan
Al Morgan told us about banjo legend Tony Ellis. Tony taught himself banjo and went on to associate with other legends such as Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Don Reno and Tommy Thompson. Tony liked to say, “It's not about speed or virtuosity; it's about the tone.” After the talk, Al presented his rendition of Tony Ellis' Quaker Girl.
Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins shared some of his experiences at the recent Banjo Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He also told us about the American Banjo Museum that has more banjos than space to put them all.
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 5 / 16 Alan Munde
Alan Munde presented his philosophy of music theory. Notably, he says music theory is simply a way to organize lots of experiments people have tried since the beginning of music. It can seem confusing and discouraging for beginners until they, too, run their own experiments and build experience.
He recommends playing around with your banjo and trying new things just to see what happens. After a while, you get to know what sounds good and what doesn't. At that point music theory starts to make sense as it helps organize what you already know and feel.
For example, banjo students typically start by learning a few tunes in the key of G. They come to know that G, C and D go together.
When a tune calls for, say, a G-augmented or a C-minor, they might have no idea what these names mean or how these chords sound or how to use them. Studying music theory doesn't help much. He recommends another approach. For example, you might try various ways to go from G to C.
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 6 / 16 Alan Munde's Experimental Approach to Music Theory
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 7 / 16 Chuck Middleton and John Downing Round Out the Banjo Forum Show
The Banjo Forum originated from a conversation between Chuck Middleton and Alan Munde. Chuck plans to have these events every three months. They provide a wonderful opportunity for Austin-area banjoists to swap stories and experiences. They also provide a good example of how CTBA members get together and help each other learn.
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Reader Review of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings Show in Houston
Near the end of summer, I had the distinct pleasure of representing the CTBA at Gillian Welch and David Rawlings’s show at the Stafford Center just outside of Houston, TX. It was, as expected, a fantastic performance. Over the course of two long sets (!!), Ms. Welch and Mr. Rawlings worked their way through selections from their records (Gillian Welch, Dave Rawlings Machine, and last year’s “Poor David’s Almanac”) as well as some Americana classics. I was especially interested to hear songs from Ms. Welch’s “Soul Journey” (e.g. “Look at Miss Ohio,” “Wayside/Back in Time”), an album I somehow managed to miss entirely at the time. Mr. Rawlings’s idiosyncratic guitar work was, of course, on display; each artist also took their turn on clawhammer banjo (dangerously near to “bluegrass”). This was my first time at the Stafford Center - a lovely venue - and the sound engineering was flawless. Then again, it’s hard to mess with simple acoustic perfection. My only hope is that their next tour brings them through Central Texas. – Jon Lundbom
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 8 / 16 Mark Your Calendar
November 9-11 2018 Fischer Fest http://www.fischerfest.org/ Doug Moreland Line-up: Milkdrive, Della Mae, Bill Kirchen, , Lipbone Redding, Billy Crockett, Danny Schmidt and Carrie Elkin, Ordinary Elephant, and Andy Corwin Fischer, TX
December 2, 2018 CTBA Annual Meeting / 40th Birthday Party Central Market, 4001 N. Lamar, Austin 78756.
For the latest event announcements http://centraltexasbluegrass.org/
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 9 / 16
Support Your Bands
Band/Website Contact Phone Email Music Iron & Embers Molly Johnson email listen One Eye Open Max Zimmet (512) 924-0505 email listen The Page Turners Jake Howard (330) 701-0005 email Pine Island Station Gary & Janine Carter (936) 520-2952 email The Piney Grove Ramblers Wayne Brooks (512) 699-8282 email Randy Collier & Grassland Leslie Collier (512) 328-0144 email The Sieker Band Rolf & Beate Sieker (512) 937-4496 email mp3 The Stray Bullets Bob Cartwright (512) 415-8080 email listen Los Bluegrass Vatos Danny Santos (512) 826-4685 email Dark Holler Clifford Robbins (701) 770-8962 email Hot Pickin 57s Max Zimmet (512) 924-0505 email listen Out of the Blue Rob Lifford (512) 422-7706 email Listen The Lost Pines Four Fights Per Pint The Grass Burrs Blue Skyz Band
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 10 / 16 Attend Your Jams Your CTBA encourages you to find a jam group in your area – or to start one and post it on your CTBA website. You may also see a list of jams below. Call ahead to make sure jams are still active. Please send corrections and updates to [email protected]
AUSTIN AREA, CTBA • 2nd & 4th Saturday, CTBA, Beginner/Intermediate Jam 3-5 PM, at Wildflower Terrace, 3801 Berkman Drive, Info: Steve Mangold – (512) 345-6155 • Every Thursday, Open Jam, 6-9 PM, at The Texican Cafe, Info: 11940 Manchaca Road , Intermediate - all pickers welcome, Dave Stritzinger – (512) 689-4433 • Every Tuesday, Texas Old Time Fiddling, 8-10 PM, at Scholz Garten, Info: 1607 San Jacinto, - (512) 474-1958
BANDERA • 4th Friday, 6 PM, at Silver Sage Corral, east of Bandera, Info: (830) 796-4969 (No jam on Good Friday, Nov. & Dec.)
BLANCO • 1st Saturday, 2-5 PM, at the Buggy Barn Museum, 1915 Hwy 281 North, Info: Deanna Dosser (830) 554-0006
BELLVILLE • 4th Saturday (Jan. - Sep.), Spring Creek Club Jam & Show, 4 PM - Jam, 6:30 PM - Show, at Coushatte Recreation Ranch, Info: (979) 865-5250, [email protected]
BOERNE • 2nd & 4th Thursday, Boerne Pickers Jam, at Longhorn Cafe, 6:30-8:30 PM, 369 S. Esser, Info: contact Dave Moore (210) 846-9745, [email protected]
CLEBURNE • 2nd & 4th Friday, NTB Show and Jam, 7 PM, at Senior Citizen Center behind Cleburne Civic Center, Info: 1501 W. Henderson (Hwy 67)
FAYETTEVILLE • 2nd Saturday (Jan.-Nov.), Fayetteville Picking Park, Jam, 1-? PM, on the Courthouse Square, Info: Slow Jam - 1 PM, contact: Lou-Lou Barbour (979) 451-0067 or [email protected]
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 11 / 16 GARLAND • Every Saturday (Mar. - Nov.), Bluegrass on the Square, 7:30PM-1AM, Info: at 6th between Main and State Sts.
GLEN ROSE • 3rd Saturday, All Day, Oakdale Park, Info: Paluxy River Bluegrass Assn., free stage show, camping encouraged. Potluck & jam Friday night before. Jim Chapman, (469) 231-6616
HENLY • LAST Saturday, Dally's Down Under: Jam, 2 PM, Info: Between Dripping Springs & Johnson City, contact Cliff by email or phone (701) 770-8962 for more
HONDO • 1st Friday, Hondo Hootenanny, 11 AM, at Hondo Community Center, Info: 1014 E. 18th St., (830) 426-2831
HOUSTON • 1st Tuesday, Jam, ??, at Fuddruckers, Info: 2040 NASA Rd 1, (281) 333-1598
JOHNSON CITY • 3rd Saturday (Jan. - Nov.), Jam, 2-6 PM, at The Dome, Info: 706 W. Main St., Hwy 290 W, Charlene Crump – (512) 632-5999 • LAST Saturday, Dally's Down Under: Jam, 2 PM, Info: contact Cliff by email or phone (701) 770-8962 for more
LEAGUE CITY • 3rd Saturday (Jan. - Nov.), Bay Area Bluegrass Jam & Free Bluegrass Show, Jam - 5 PM, Show - 6:30 PM, at League City Civic Center, Info: 300 W. Walker St., (281) 636- 9419
LILLIAN • 2nd Saturday, 4 PM Jam, 7 PM Show, at First Baptist Church, Info: Dale Brawner - (972) 935-4525
LLANO • 4th Saturday, Open Bluegrass Jam, 2-5 PM, at the Fuel Coffee House, Info: [email protected]
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 12 / 16 MEDINA • 2nd Tuesday, All Gospel Jam, 6 PM, at the First Baptist Church, Info: Linda Barton (830) 589-2486 • 2nd Friday, Jam Session, 6-? PM, at the Masonic Lodge, Medina, Info: Maude Arnold (830) 796-8422
PEARL • 1st Saturday, Pearl Bluegrass Jam & Stage Show, Jam all day/night, Stage show 12:15 - 6:15 PM, food and RV hookups available. Pearl Community Center, on FM 183, 7 mi South of Purmela, [email protected]; www.pearlbluegrass.com
SAN ANTONIO • Every Monday, "In-A-Jam" Bluegrass Jam Session, 6:30-8:30 PM, at The BBQ Station, Info: 1610 N. E. Loop 410, (210) 824-9191 Peyton Starr or Sheryl Sultenfuss
SCHULENBERG • 1st & 3rd Tuesday, Jam, 6 PM, at Schulenburg RV Park Community Center, 65 N. Kessler Ave., Info: Laretta Baumgarten – (979) 743-4388, [email protected]
TOMBALL • 4th Saturday, Jam, Noon-4 PM, at Kleb Woods Nature Center, 20301 Mueschke Rd., Info: (281) 373-1777 or (281) 910-4396
Chord Charts, Lyrics, etc:
-Chord Charts (2016) (pdf) -Lyric Sheets and Chords (2016) (pdf) -Conversion Chart (pdf) -Bluegrass Jamming Basics (link) -Jam Etiquette (link)
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 13 / 16 Support Your Sponsors
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 14 / 16
CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 15 / 16 Brauntex Performing Arts Center Layne Lauritzen, Music CPA Heart & Hands Massage
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CTBA Monthly Newsletter – (c) November 1, 2018 – Page 16 / 16