OM at Da vinci's

2012-02-17T17:17:00.001-05:00

Great time at Davinci's last night! Good crowd and great tunes. Got a chance to play a few with Jim Felton on washtub and Mad Willie on harp. Hopefully video coming soon.

Flutemaking Demo Saturday

2011-11-25T16:34:00.001-05:00

Going to be having a flutemaking demo and sale at Dominique Art, 1401 E. New York Ave. DeLand, this Saturday the 26th. Show runs from 10am-4pm both Saturday and Sunday. Lots of great gifts at the gallery too. CD release party Sat night starting at 5pm with Ten Cent Poetry. Check them out at tencentpoetry.com Small donation for the party and that includes snacks and Sangria!

Barberville Fall Jamboree 2011

2011-11-07T16:35:00.000-05:00

The Pioneer Settlements Fall Jamboree is gone for another year. Luckily I made it up there both days! On Saturday my daughter and I met several other family members there. When we got there they were gathered at the Jam #1 Area Old Time Jam where my Uncle W.L. was sitting in with his guitar. We listened to them for a few songs then started to 'make the rounds'.

There were two Jam Areas set up along with two Workshop Areas and six stages, with over eighty acts! Just a few of the acts we were able to take in: Jackson Creek, MT Pawketts, Al Poindexter & River Rise* and Bardic Rose. Some of the best music came from the hourly jam sessions though. This was where the spit and polish came off and the folks who had performed, or were going to perform on a stage, were WAY more relaxed and laid back. It was also a place for the less experienced to sit in and enjoy the comradery and to learn a bit.

If you missed this event, you missed some of the greatest talent in the state. Strike that, in the WORLD. My daughter enjoyed at least one tune by Al Poindexter so much she was planning on looking for the mp3 download for her gadget. I have included a YouTube link to it, if that helps.

Keep in mind, with all this outstanding music there were artists, craftsmen, demonstrators, blacksmiths, train people AND trains, animals, tool collectors, cane boiling, live bees, food, dancing and stuff that I didn't even see. If you didn't get your six bucks worth out of this place, you were in a coma.

On Sunday morning I got a call from my buddy Rich saying he was there with his family and it was great. I looked at my workload for the day, checked the weather, and after a brief discussion with that little voice of reason inside my head, I packed myself a lunch, scrounged up another six bucks and jumped in the jalopy and headed north. When I got to Barberville the road was wet from a downpour and I almost turned around. I did have a bunch of work to finish. That little voice lost out again though and I pressed on.

A lot of people left after the rain, including Rich and family, so the lines were short. That didn't deter the artists, crafters hoping to make a sale or musicians, who came to play or the demonstrators who were there to share their knowledge.

One of my main reasons for going back was to attend the Writing Florida Songs Workshop with Emmett Carlisle* and Starbird*. I don't think there's any other state with as many songs written about it as Florida and I was curious to find out what drives people to write about it. Having five generations rooted here in Fla I know what my feelings are, but have not actually written much about it. That may change.

The sporadic rain kept people from wandering over to Workshop Area #2 so the group was small. In fact, it was just me and a couple of other interested people, and hosts Emmett along with Valinda and Jay of Starbird. That was fine with me. Since the group was small it was a chance to ask questions and also to hear some of the songs written by our hosts. Emmett was kind enough to offer his Martin guitar those interested in playing a song or two. I couldn't pass up that offer! I even played and sang one of my two Florida songs, Devils Shoal, which recieved a warm and positive response. It was inspiring, to say the least. I even walked away with a line for a new song, based on my recently getting lost on the road I learned to drive on, forty years ago.

After leaving that workshop I stopped by the Gypsy Jazz Guitar workshop with Sydney Horne. It was a bit over my head, since I didn't have a guitar to work with, but I did pick up an interesting chord progression and fingering pattern. I hope I can still remember it. <mental note: next year bring guitar>

From there I made the rounds and listened to some great music and talked with some interesting people, including wheelright Lester Hollenback. I've had the chance to work with Lester on a few occasions. If you ever get the chance, stop by and talk to him about wagons, charcoal making or blacksmithing. He is a wealth of knowledge.

I closed out the day at the Jam Area #2 with a Florida Jam hosted by Starbird, where Jay was kind enough to loan me his guitar to do my Devils Shoal tune. Again, it was well recieved and Valinda's remark that I "should write more like that" has me inspired.

On my way out I noticed the crowd gathered at the Family Stage and was privilaged enough to catch Jackson Creek closing out the event. I thought it was funny that the closing bell on the school house chimed right in time to one of their tunes. It may have even been in key! If you ever get a chance to catch this group perform, do it! You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to all who make this event possible. See ya'll again next year!

* Some of the music videos of folks mentioned:

Al Poindexter with Eric Wendorf -- St Johns House Boat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58zmQL_LytA

The Saga of Lewis Powell Payne by Emmett Carlisle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Od3Z_GyHCs

Valinda McQueen and Jay Wood- Starbird
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buCFFW9yDz0

Tuesday Line-up

2011-10-25T12:53:00.000-04:00

Heading out to Travis' Hierarchy Studio tonight to work on some tunes.
Hope to see all previous participants there. Anybody interested in
joining the fun, contact me at ctl@eaandm.com. Looking for bass player.
Might be a new drummer there tonight too.

If this works

2011-10-24T21:58:00.001-04:00

I'll be a happy camper!

Getting it together

2011-10-24T21:40:00.001-04:00