February 14, 2008
This duo is the perfect combination of fiddle and mandolin. I love Martin Hayes’ laid-back playing style and subtle rhythms. Here they are at an Irish festival in December 2007
Cheers
Jerry
February 12, 2008
The renowned Winnipeg Folk Festival has evolved and grown over the 35 years since its inception - but it is getting better with a purpose.
Some festivals rest on their laurels and reach their limits and then decline. But the organisers of this festival have a plan. They undertook a study over two years of how the festival actually worked - and they did so from the inside out, not just getting a bunch of consultants in.
The first step was to bring in landscape architects, their interns and families integrated as volunteers so they could experience the festival from the inside.
“The team recorded circulation patterns, seating, density of use, sun and shade preferences, acoustics, the camping experience, washroom lineups, and other interactions with an eye for the unexpected.”
This experience, was brought together with surveys and audience comments, workshops with organisers, volunteers and board members and developed into a development plan so that facilities could be designed from the ground up with sound logistics and appropriate venues in keeping with the ‘feel’ of the festival.
Don’t you wish all festivals would make this sort of effort for continuous improvement?
Cheers
Jerry
February 11, 2008
Franciscan priest first brought violin to New Mexico, establishing what became a tradition of violin making and playing. But the Hispanic folk music of New Mexico had begun to die away as times moved on.
Enter Peter White, violinist, and professor of American Studies at the university of New Mexico. According to a story in the Daily Lobo From next Autumn (Fall) UNM will offer a four semester course on violin making and playing - reviving the hispanic folk music of the region. The students, under prof White’s guidance will make their instruments, and learn to play them in the style of their forebears.
White hopes to take his students to Cremona in Italy, to the the International Violin Makers Exhibition and Competition, where they will be representatives of the first people to make violins in what became the United States.
What a wonderful story 
Cheers
Jerry
November 19, 2007
There was still quite a bit of daylight when we arrived at Majors Creek near Braidwood in New South Wales and we were fortunate in being offered a camping spot in a great location on the edge of the great sports oval on which the bulk of the Music at the Creek festival was to run.
The day was still warm and once we had set up camp, it was time to check out the layout. We were near one venue which had a number of excellent acts from bluesy duos to big sound bands.
As always the highlight for me were the informal music sessions where musicians come together to play and exchange tunes. I came away with a good list of tunes to learn, and pointed others to some great tunes I had picked up during the year.
There were excellent sessions on Friday night and on Saturday night which went until well into the morning. I had another great playoff with Tony Pyrzakowski from Mothers of Intention - a great fiddler and a great mate.
Rosie McDonald and Anne Ridgeway did a lovely set at one of the concert venues, as did Nick and Liesl - an up and coming young Sydney duo.
Will O’ the Wisp was there with stilt walkers and hoop shows and workshops adding to the festival atmosphere. The Morris dancers braved the heat on Saturday and the late afternoon thunderstorm provided a welcome cool change with the sun returning in the morning to dry everything off before packing up.
Majors is a great festival - big enough to attract great talent and small enough to remain a friendly festival - I’ll be back next year
Cheers
Jerry
