Hello folks!
Spring is in the air here in the Pacific Northwest and here in Fiddleville, workshops, festivals, and music camps are looming on the horizon. Most of my energy is still focused in my work with Olympia Indivisible, but music continues to be a wellspring for joy and renewal. Hope to see some of you in my travels this summer, which will include Oregon, California, Vermont, British Columbia, Quebec, and Newfoundland.
MAY: Workshops in Quebecois and Cajun Music!
In Olympia: Spring Sing Mouth Music Fling SATURDAY, MAY 11, 10:15am-12:15pm. Come learn how to do turlutte, the Québécois answer to scat-singing. You’ll learn how to sound authentic lilting some great tunes from Quebec and Acadie. AND enjoy some rhubarb crisp, a quintessential Québec Springtime treat! To register, visit the Spring Fling registration page on the Classes and Workshops dropdown menu.
In Portland, OR: Cajun Tune Workshop, SATURDAY, MAY 18, 10:30am-12:30pm. We will start off with Bosco Stomp, that great Cajun tune which, unfortunately, is also often a Total Jam-Buster because there are too many dang different versions. We will get our act together collectively so that Portland’s Cajun jam can rock out on this classic. And then, we will go on to learn a Mazurka (one of the many kinds of waltzes in circulation in Louisiana in days of yore) from Dennis McGee. To register, visit the PDX May 18 Cajun Tune registration page on the Classes and Workshops dropdown menu.
In Seattle: Cajun Tune Workshop, SUNDAY, May 19: 2-4pm. We will focus on upping our game on Eunice Two Step, getting some great variations and a solid “seconding” line. If time allows, we’ll go review “Bon Tempss Rouler,” that Lawrence Walker song we worked on in January. If you missed that workshop, here’s a great chance to catch up! . To register, visit the SEA Cajun Spring Workshop page on the Classes and Workshops dropdown menu.
JUNE: Oregon/California Tour and Northern Heritage Music Camp!
In June, I’ll be heading down the coast with musical partner-in-crime Dan Compton for a series of concerts:
OREGON AND CALIFORNIA TOUR: June 3-8 (details to follow)
June 3: Ashland
June 4: Sebastopol
June 5: Berkeley
June 6: Santa Cruz
June 7: Mountain View
June 8: Eugene
June 23-29: Northeast Heritage Music Camp (Starksboro, VT). I’ll be teaching French-Canadian fiddle along with Yann Falquet and Nicol Williams of Genticorum. The line-up of teachers is stunning: Becky Tracy, Katie McNally, Pete Sutherland, David Surette, Alex Kehler, David Kaynor, and more. I think there are still a couple of slots left, so hustle to the website if you’d like to be part of this amazing week of music, dance, song, great food, and fellowship in beautiful northern Vermont.