CENTRAL ASSOCIATION Member IBMA July 2017 Volume 39, Number 7 July 2: CTBA’s 21st Annual Band Scramble and Garage Sale at Threadgill’s Sunday, July 2, 2:00-6:00 pm, at Threadgill’s North (6416 North Lamar, Austin) is the time and place for this year’s annual band scramble, proba- bly the most popular event that we do. The garage sale portion of the event will be where the buffet is usually set up. We’ll have CDs, -T shirts, magazines, instructional materials, maybe even some instruments for sale, and if you want to renew your membership or join the CTBA for the first time, there’ll be some board members at the The CTBA garage sale table at the 2016 Band Scramble tables to help you. and Garage Sale. Photo by Bob Vestal. The second part of the event is the band scramble, Here is the order of events. Hope to see you where dozens of area musicians come by and there! throw their names in the appropriate hat as to what instrument they will play. Names are then 2:00 - 4:30: Buy new/used music - related items, such as instruments, CDs, DVDs, drawn to form up to six new bands with each strings, books, etc. working up a couple of tunes to share after a brief 3:00: Up to six new, on-the-spot bands rehearsal period. are formed from bluegrass/old-time pick- The performances will be on Threadgill’s state of ers with stage experience who sign up to join the fun. the art stage with their sound system and Randy Collier as the MC and band wrangler. 4:00 - 6:00 Bands perform their tunes This is a super event, so come on by to cheer on your favorite pickers. It’s a free, family-friendly event. We’ll pass the tip jar. All the money raised goes to CTBA to help with its mission to support bluegrass in Central Texas and to award scholarships to music camps and workshops for deserving youth. One of the impromptu bands that formed and performed at the 2016 CTBA band scramble. Photo by Bob Vestal. © 2017 Central Texas Bluegrass Association 2 MEET THE MOPAC TRAVELERS BY BOB VESTAL There are lots of professional and be willing to listen. Or, not. World Deli) open mic. semi-professional bluegrass bands in Often times, the only places groups Central Texas. In fact, there’s a good I think I asked Randy Frazier like that perform in public are for (mandolin) and Mark Condos chance you can enjoy the sounds of the occasional retirement communi- a fantastic bluegrass band, usually (guitar) to play after a jam at Bruce ty, nursing home, or at the New along with some mighty tasty food, Manbridge's. World Deli Open Mic hosted by Ed- somewhere in the area just about We got Stan VanSandt to play bass die Collins the second Thursday of any night of the week. most months. a little later and Steve Mangold to What we sometimes forget to notice sing and play fiddle. Randy's wife One such group of like-minded pick- Patti sang with us a few times. is that there are probably an even ers is The Mopac Travelers. All of more number of non-professional the members are either retired or Stan has since moved on. I really bands around, too. Groups, actually. enjoy playing with these guys. are still working which, I guess, Most of which are not organized pretty much covers the qualifications enough to be classified as aband . We pretty much restrict our prac- other than their love of playing blue- tices to improving the songs we Some of them (us) play with whom- grass music together. plan to play. We still are making ever we happen upon at the time, Recently, I had the good fortune to mistakes, but I think we're getting like we do at jams or impromptu have an email conversation with the better. That's what I enjoy most. gatherings. Others are a bit more guys about the group and their par- organized and have formed, howev- Randy Frazier: I’ve been at mando- ticipation in it. er haphazardly, a gaggle of folks lin about 10 years; feels like I just started playing it for about three who just like to get together on a Sam Dunn: I play banjo and sing oc- years. regular basis and play or practice casionally. I wanted to get a group songs and tunes in hopes of per- together to prepare a limited num- It seems like bluegrass players are forming for other folks who might ber of songs to perform at the (New The Mopac Travelers, Randy Frazier (mando), Sam Dunn (banjo), & Steve Mangold (fiddle) play a couple of tunes with Eddie Collins (guitar) and Vance Hazen (bass) at the May 11th New World Deli Open Mic. Photo by Bob Vestal. 3 the ones I meet and get together with the most, but I love Swing, folk, and what now seems to be called Americana. I grew up on the Beatles and loved the music of the ‘70s (Eagles, Jackson Brown, Neil Young, etc.). Attending the BIG Jam at Bruce and Elaine’s was a major boost to my playing and integration into the bluegrass community. It was there I met Sam, Mark, Steve, and Stan, the founding members The original Mopac Travelers (l to r), Randy, Mark, Stan, Sam, and Steve. of our current band the Mopac Travelers. For the past three years, we have been traveling eternally grateful to Eddie Collins for “grove” with a group of players. Mopac (hence the name!) to providing the venue for us to per- Working out arrangements and per- practice at each other’s homes form, and sitting in on guitar and forming them for a crowd is just spread out over Austin. bass when needed! exhilarating, especially when you play well!! The Travelers are currently made Like Sam says, we were all playing up of two retired guys, Sam and regularly at the Big Jam at Bruce and We are always looking for a more Steve, and two working stiffs, Elaine's home on Thursday nights. accomplished vocalist, wishing for a Mark and I. Given our respective Sam, our banjo player, was the or- talented female bassist with a sweet responsibilities, the probability of ganizer. He reached out to each of voice! I think we all hope to contin- playing together much more than us and proposed we form a jam ue as we are, 2-3 songs a month and we currently do is likely pretty band to perform 2-3 songs monthly improving our musicianship and low. That being said, I think we all at Eddie’s Open Mic at New World performance skills. Given our place enjoy playing together and would Deli. in life and skill level, I think the pace and venues really fit. gladly continue indefinitely as we Currently Stan, our bass player and are now. best vocalist, has dropped out. We Playing in this band has taught me Each month we have committed usually have Eddie fill in on bass or how to be patient with myself as ourselves to learn 2 or 3 songs to guitar if Mark can’t make one of the well as others. I've learned how to perform at Eddie Collin’s Open Thursday open mics. be flexible yet have an idea of what I think and want musically. Most im- Mic at New World Deli. During Individually, I love to practice. portantly, I’ve learned to keep this period we have changed Whether it’s the technical stuff in “having fun” in the forefront of all membership, but the core of learning scales, timing and rhythm that I do musically Sam, Mark, Steve, and I remain. exercises, chord substitution theory, Many of our performances have or just wood-shedding on my latest For me individually, I plan to contin- included stand-ins on bass or tune to learn, I love practicing. But, ue my Lessons with Paul Glasse, guitar, and even a guest appear- there is nothing quite as satisfying hopefully develop my “swing ance by my wife, Patricia. We are as establishing a good sound and 4 groove” even more. My wife Patricia the average age of the group. :) of a “band” or group of regulars has written a CD or more worth of I originally met the gang at or irregulars who get together songs and we are hoping to get a Bruce's beginner jam at his every now and then just to pick. recording in the next year or so. I house. look forward to accompanying her We all know that playing with on much of that. I am also fortunate Playing with a group is much other pickers is what it’s all to have a number of close friends more challenging that just did- about—the love of sharing blue- who play and I plan for that to be an dling around by yourself (and way grass music. Playing with an orga- ongoing part of our relationship and more fun)! nized or semi-organized group, my life for as long as possible! whether in private or public, is It gives you incentive to get out just icing on the cake. Steve Mangold: Sam approached me and play in front of an audience, about a year ago to join in this ‘jam too (like the open mic at NWD). So, I asked Randy what advice he band’ and I accepted.