Thursday, July 30, 2009
Bonn Banjo Festival returns!
Bonn Banjo Festival 2009.
It's back! The Bonn Banjo Festival will take place on November 14th, 2009 at the Fiddlers Irish Pub, Frongasse, Bonn-Endenich.Doors will open at 12.00 for lots of jamming. A banjo workshop scheduled for 17.00 and the evening concert from 20.30 until 23.00. Entry will be just 10 Euro. If you wish to play on the evening concert stage or reserve a sales table please contact me. sean@seanmoyses.com
A unique added bonus to the festival will be an exhibition about the great Eddie Peabody which will present not only the banjo legend's music but also one of his original VegaVox banjos. You can pay for your Bonn Banjo Festival entry already online at www.seanmoyses.com. Please print out your payment for door admission:-
ENDLICH WIEDER DA - DAS BONNER BANJO FESTIVAL!
Es findet am 14. November 2009 im Fiddlers Irish Pub in der Frongasse in Bonn-Endenich statt. Einlaß ist ab 12.00 Uhr, so daß sich für die Banjo-Freunde reichlich Gelegenheit zur Jam-Session bietet. Ab 17 Uhr ist ein Banjo Workshop angesetzt, gefolgt von einem Abendkonzert von 20.30 Uhr bis 23.00 Uhr. Der Eintritt beträgt nur 10 Euro. Wenn Sie im Konzert mitwirken oder eine Tischreservierung vornehmen wollen, kontaktieren Sie mich bitte über meine e-mail: sean@seanmoyses.com
Wir können Ihnen eine einzigartige Besonderheit bei diesem Festival bieten: die Ausstellung über den großartigen Banjo-Solisten Eddie Peabody, die nicht nur die Musik dieser Banjo-Legende präsentiert, sondern auch eins seiner Original Vega Vox Banjos. Sie können Ihren Bonner Banjo Festival Eintritt schon jetzt durch einen Click hier bezahlen. Bitte drucken Sie den Zahlbeleg aus zur Vorlage am Eingang des Festivals.
Plectrum and Tenor Banjo workshop between 17.00-18.00 for banjo players of all levels. I'll be showing you how to get the best out of your playing and how to improve your technique. Places are limited but you can reserve your place right now and pay for the workshop online at www.seanmoyses.com
Der Plectrum- und Tenor-Banjo-Workshop findet von 17.00 bis 18.00 Uhr für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene statt. Ich zeige Ihnen wie Sie das Beste aus sich herausholen und Ihre Spieltechnik verbessern können. Die Zahl der Workshop-Teilnehmer ist begrenzt, aber Sie können sich Ihren Platz jetzt bei mir reservieren und mit einem Click bezahlen unter www.seanmoyses.com. Bitte drucken Sie den Zahlbeleg aus zur Vorlage zu Beginn des Workshops:
Looking forward to seeing you there in Fiddlers and thanks for your support!
Vielen Dank für Ihre Unterstützung. Ich freue mich auf Ihre Teilnahme und Ihren Besuch!
Friday, July 24, 2009
The New Banjo Kings
I am pleased to anounce a special "one-off" concert with super banjoist Lee Floyd 3rd in Hofheim (Taunus, Germany). Contacts and reservations welcome. Lee will giving a workshop prior to the concert and welcomes all students.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Lee Floyd the 3rd, touring in Germany.
Lee "Plink" Floyd on Tour
Datum: Ort: Location: Band:
13.08.2009 Donnerstag Frankfurt/M. Arrival
16.08.2009 Sonntag Hofheim/Ts. JazzWanderung NOLA Allstars
19.08.2009 Mittwoch Mainz ZDF, Firmenparty Quartett + Caroline Mhlanga
21.08.2009 Freitag Einöllen Horse Ranch BBQ Jam Band + Workshop
22.08.2009 Samstag Einöllen Horse Ranch Workshop
23.08.2009 Sonntag Einöllen Horse Ranch Jazz Brunch Jam Band
27.08.2009 Donnerstag Hofheim/Ts. Hexenstübchen "Banjo Kings" concert with Sean Moyses 30.08.2009 Sonntag Östrich-Winkel Jazz Wanderung NOLA Allstars
03.09.2009 Donnerstag Chinon (F) Wineyard t.b.a.
05.09.2009 Samstag Kaiserslautern Stadfest NOLA Allstars
09.09.2009 Mittwoch Frankfurt/M. Departure
Workshops + Clinics on all off days available !
Monday, July 13, 2009
Attractions
Hi banjo friends,
I wanted to share some news I received last week..... I'm proud to say that my CD, "Attractions" just received it's 2nd award nomination this year -- for the Just Plain Folks 2009 Music Awards (USA). It was previously nominated for the 2009 Swing Disc Award (Japan).
"Attractions" received it's first honor in early 2008 when it was selected by the Jazz Journalist Association (USA) for the "Best CDs of 2007" list.
Thanks, and hope I'll be seeing all of you soon!
Warm wishes,
-Cynthia
www.cynthiasayer.com
I wanted to share some news I received last week..... I'm proud to say that my CD, "Attractions" just received it's 2nd award nomination this year -- for the Just Plain Folks 2009 Music Awards (USA). It was previously nominated for the 2009 Swing Disc Award (Japan).
"Attractions" received it's first honor in early 2008 when it was selected by the Jazz Journalist Association (USA) for the "Best CDs of 2007" list.
Thanks, and hope I'll be seeing all of you soon!
Warm wishes,
-Cynthia
www.cynthiasayer.com
Sunday, July 12, 2009
More about Eddie Collins....
My father, Fred Grant, was a pretty good amateur trombone player. When he and my mom (Deone Grant) would go to nightclubs in Detroit, my dad would sometimes sit in with the band. (He used to say "You don't have to be the best trombone player in the world, you just have to be the best trombone player in the bar.) In the early-to-mid 1960's, when I was in my early teens, my dad used to have Dixieland jam sessions from time to time on Sundays. Back then, the blue laws didn't allow serving alcohol on Sunday, so most of the nightclubs were closed. My dad had become friends with a lot of musicians, and they would come over to the house and jam. (I had job of recording the sessions on our little tape recorder, though I don't think many of the tapes have survived.)
If I remember correctly, my dad met Eddie Collins when he was playing at a nightclub in Detroit called Gaygan's. It was run by a man named Frank Gaygan. Other entertainers who worked there were a comedian named Lenny Schick (he used to joke about his brothers Bull and Horst), and Saucy Silvia, a risque singer/comedienne.
The way my dad told the story was that he asked Eddie Collins if he would like to come to one of his jam sessions, and Eddie said "I don't play with amateurs!" Then he told him who would be there, and he said, "On second thought...." After that, he was a regular attendee.
Some of the others I remember were:
Bill Roper - Clarinet (He apparently idolized Edmond Hall when he was younger, and he sounded so much like him that the first time I heard an Edmond Hall recording, I thought it was Bill),Nate Panacassi - Trumpet, Web Pierce - Guitar, Bob Meek - Drums, There was a white-haired bass player who was close friends with Bob Meek, if I remember correctly. I can't think of his name right now. Jack LaBreque - Vibrophone and trombone and maybe piano (he had a band called the "Zug Island All-Stars", named after an industrial island in the Detroit river.)Tom Martin - Trombone, Larry Merkling - Guitar (his nickname was "Curly", because he had been the studio guitarist for WJR radio, and the guy he replaced had the nickname "Curly". He had a Gibson L4 guitar, which was like a round-hole version of the L5.)
One night someone brought a guest named Hank Francis, who was a nuclear physicist by day, but played piano like Fats Waller. He played a song, which I believe he wrote, called "Bringing in the Cheese." The tapes were always interesting to listen to, because these weren't recording sessions, we'd just have the tape running the whole evening. Sometimes we'd have a guitar player who didn't know the chords for some song, and my dad could be heard on the tape calling out the chords to him. One thing that was kind of funny is that early on in the evening, some of the musicians played a bit ragged because they hadn't loosened up yet. They would have a few drinks to loosen up, and there would be several hours where they just played the most beautiful Dixieland you could imagine. Then as the night, and the drinks, wore on, there were a few hours toward the end where they started getting ragged again, because they were half in the bag.
Eddie came to most of the sessions. If I remember correctly, he usually played guitar, sometimes banjo. (I remember him showing us his business card with the "Principal Banjo, DSO" on it.) Sometimes he would bring other interesting instruments....one time I remember him bringing a piccolo trumpet with him. He may have been the one who introduced my dad to the trombonium, a valve trombone in the shape of a euphonium. (My dad usually played slide trombone, but he played various valve instruments from time to time, as well as his Gibson L7 guitar.) I think most of the sessions were between 1963 and 1967. After that, we moved to Romeo, Michigan, which was a bit of a drive for the musicians. Also, the blue laws had been repealed by then, and most of the guys were working on Sundays. We had a couple of sessions up there, but that was about all.
I personally remember Eddie as being a very interesting guy, who always had something interesting to report. Sometimes it was a new instrument he had acquired, sometimes it was some interesting recording he had discovered. (I remember him telling us about some musician/comedian who would purposely play songs wrong, and Eddie would demonstrate for us how he did this.)
Anyway, I have happy memories from that time period, and I thought I'd share them.
Be well,
Mr. Lynn Grant
lgrant@adamscon.com
If I remember correctly, my dad met Eddie Collins when he was playing at a nightclub in Detroit called Gaygan's. It was run by a man named Frank Gaygan. Other entertainers who worked there were a comedian named Lenny Schick (he used to joke about his brothers Bull and Horst), and Saucy Silvia, a risque singer/comedienne.
The way my dad told the story was that he asked Eddie Collins if he would like to come to one of his jam sessions, and Eddie said "I don't play with amateurs!" Then he told him who would be there, and he said, "On second thought...." After that, he was a regular attendee.
Some of the others I remember were:
Bill Roper - Clarinet (He apparently idolized Edmond Hall when he was younger, and he sounded so much like him that the first time I heard an Edmond Hall recording, I thought it was Bill),Nate Panacassi - Trumpet, Web Pierce - Guitar, Bob Meek - Drums, There was a white-haired bass player who was close friends with Bob Meek, if I remember correctly. I can't think of his name right now. Jack LaBreque - Vibrophone and trombone and maybe piano (he had a band called the "Zug Island All-Stars", named after an industrial island in the Detroit river.)Tom Martin - Trombone, Larry Merkling - Guitar (his nickname was "Curly", because he had been the studio guitarist for WJR radio, and the guy he replaced had the nickname "Curly". He had a Gibson L4 guitar, which was like a round-hole version of the L5.)
One night someone brought a guest named Hank Francis, who was a nuclear physicist by day, but played piano like Fats Waller. He played a song, which I believe he wrote, called "Bringing in the Cheese." The tapes were always interesting to listen to, because these weren't recording sessions, we'd just have the tape running the whole evening. Sometimes we'd have a guitar player who didn't know the chords for some song, and my dad could be heard on the tape calling out the chords to him. One thing that was kind of funny is that early on in the evening, some of the musicians played a bit ragged because they hadn't loosened up yet. They would have a few drinks to loosen up, and there would be several hours where they just played the most beautiful Dixieland you could imagine. Then as the night, and the drinks, wore on, there were a few hours toward the end where they started getting ragged again, because they were half in the bag.
Eddie came to most of the sessions. If I remember correctly, he usually played guitar, sometimes banjo. (I remember him showing us his business card with the "Principal Banjo, DSO" on it.) Sometimes he would bring other interesting instruments....one time I remember him bringing a piccolo trumpet with him. He may have been the one who introduced my dad to the trombonium, a valve trombone in the shape of a euphonium. (My dad usually played slide trombone, but he played various valve instruments from time to time, as well as his Gibson L7 guitar.) I think most of the sessions were between 1963 and 1967. After that, we moved to Romeo, Michigan, which was a bit of a drive for the musicians. Also, the blue laws had been repealed by then, and most of the guys were working on Sundays. We had a couple of sessions up there, but that was about all.
I personally remember Eddie as being a very interesting guy, who always had something interesting to report. Sometimes it was a new instrument he had acquired, sometimes it was some interesting recording he had discovered. (I remember him telling us about some musician/comedian who would purposely play songs wrong, and Eddie would demonstrate for us how he did this.)
Anyway, I have happy memories from that time period, and I thought I'd share them.
Be well,
Mr. Lynn Grant
lgrant@adamscon.com
Chrille's First Hot And Jazzy Melodies For The Tenor Banjo
Dear friends.I would like to inform you about my new tenor banjo book. It is called "Chrille's First Hot And Jazzy Melodies For The Tenor Banjo".
Six songs (of which I have arranged) are Banjomania, Bye Bye Blues, I'll Get By, Marie, Pals just Pals and Take Your pick.
These are real-time arrangments with normal musical notation and TAB accompaniament.
The Book comes with a CD. I have played and recorded the piano accompaniment (from the original piano accompaniment music)in three different tempos, slow, medium and fast. It makes the perfect partner for rhythm control and practise.
The introductions have a count in of four beats, then one bar break, then the music starts, so you can easily play along from the very start.
Musical tips, like Down and Upstrokes, Dynamics and the tempo are given too.
For more information, please feel free to send me an e-mail bertbrecht56@yahoo.de
Many greetings Christian Loos.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Farewell Ralph Martin.
Received the sad news that Ralph Martin passed away this morning. Ralph was a legend in the 4-string banjo community having started the Southern California Banjo Band, taught many kids to play banjo at his banjo camps, hosted several Banjo Spectaculars in Los Angeles and at he Hollywood Paladium that featured many of the worlds top banjoists including Eddie Peabody and a young Buddy Wachter many years ago.
One of his most well-known pupils was Howard Alden...know one of the world’s most renowned jazz guitarists.
Ralph attended many banjo events including our Banjo Jam here in Pittsburgh. His son Dick Martin and Helen Wick Martin
are well known on the banjo circuit. The Martin Family moved to Oregon a few years ago and hosted a 4th of July banjo bash at Ralph’s home in Sweet Home, OR every year attracting banjoists from around the nation and overseas.
Ralph was inducted into the National 4-String Banjo Hall of Fame in 2003 in the category of promotion. I had the opportunity to attend his induction ceremony in Guthrie.
He was a good friend and will be missed by the banjo community. Our sympathy goes out to the Martin Family.
Frank Rossi
One of his most well-known pupils was Howard Alden...know one of the world’s most renowned jazz guitarists.
Ralph attended many banjo events including our Banjo Jam here in Pittsburgh. His son Dick Martin and Helen Wick Martin
are well known on the banjo circuit. The Martin Family moved to Oregon a few years ago and hosted a 4th of July banjo bash at Ralph’s home in Sweet Home, OR every year attracting banjoists from around the nation and overseas.
Ralph was inducted into the National 4-String Banjo Hall of Fame in 2003 in the category of promotion. I had the opportunity to attend his induction ceremony in Guthrie.
He was a good friend and will be missed by the banjo community. Our sympathy goes out to the Martin Family.
Frank Rossi
