February, 2009 Newsletter

February 2009 Calendar

Thursdays and Sundays, Jams up at the Lake (Tahoe, that is). There is a lively community of musicians who host jams at both the north and south ends of the lake. Contact Bev at bpalfreyman@att.net

Saturday, Feb. 7 - Claire Lynch Band appearing at the First Presbyterian Church in Mountain View, CA. 1667 Miramonte Avenue at Cuesta Drive. This is part of a wonderful concert series sponsored by the Redwood Bluegrass Association and the Northern California Bluegrass Association Sound by the legendary Paul Knight!

Jamming starts at 5:30 - concert doors open at 7:00. Shows Start at 8:00
Tickets are $18 in advance, $20 at the door.

For tickets, call 650-691-9982. Pie and Coffee - Fine Folks!

NEW JAM!! Sunday, Feb. 8 3pm Bluegrass Jam at The Studio on 4th Street, downtown Reno (at the corner of 4th and Valley). All pickers (and listeners) welcome. Thank you, Mike and Kristen for allowing us to jam in your nice establishment!

More info: 348-4692

Sunday, Feb. 8, 5:30pm "Sweetie Pie Dance" (Contra Dance)

at the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada, 813 N Carson St, Carson City. Callers: George Grover and Darla Bayer. Music: "Train Wreck" $10.

Hosted by Fun Family Dance. More info: nevadamuse@aol.com

Friday, Feb. 13, 7pm Celtic Session at The Studio On Fourth Street (on the southwest corner of 4th and Valley streets, downtown Reno). All players (and listeners!) welcome. Singers and dancers are welcome, too. Come and learn more about this unique form of traditional music and dance! For more info, email Peter at: petergrant55@gmail.com

Saturday, Feb. 14, 7:30-10:30pm Contra Dance Plumas Park Gym, 475 Monroe St., just off Plumas, 6 blocks south of California St. Live dance music played by Moonlight Hoodoo Revue with caller, Bob O'Brien. The dance fee is $10.00. Sponsored by the Sierra Contra Dance Society. If you've never danced this style of "line" or "group" dance, come at 7:00 for a quick lesson. Wear sneakers! It's a blast! More info at 775-240-6117.

Saturday, Feb. 14, 2pm. Bluegrass Jam in Susanville.

All players welcome! Call or email Rick Shoen for details and directions: twothphry@earthlink.net or 530-257-1068.

Sunday, Feb. 15, 3-5pm Bluegrass Guitar Class. This class is open to beginner-intermediate guitar players. We cover rhythm techniques and soloing using a flatpick. Only pre-requisite is that you know the chords G, C and D and have your own guitar! If you've attended before, great! But if you've never attended, that's OK, too. Each lesson is "self contained". We'll do a quick run-through of the tunes we've covered so far, giving everyone who wants it a chance to play the lead. Then we'll learn a new tune. This month it will be an old time fiddle tune, "Stenson's Reel". The lesson cost is $15 (just pay when you get here) and you get printed materials (tablature, lyrics, chord charts) and recordings to practice with at home. Bring a blank CD or a flash drive for the recordings, or I can email them to you. Call or email if interested, or just show up! cgray56@sbcglobal.net or 348-4692.

Thursday - Sunday, Feb. 19-22 - Wintergrass Festival, Tacoma, WA. http://www.acousticsound.org/ If you've never been....GO!! As always, the lineup is incredible, the jamming superb and the weather will probably be awful (as it usually is in Tacoma in Feb). But it's an INDOOR festival! Pickers take over an entire block's worth of hotels in downtown Tacoma and everywhere you turn---lobbies, hallways, rooms, auditoriums, conference halls, street corners and even the bathrooms!---there is bluegrass and old time music! It's a great festie!

Friday, Feb. 27, 7-9pm, Celtic/American Tune Session

Comma Coffee House, 312 S Carson St.Carson City (just across from the Legislature). Focus will be on the repertoire of "traditional" Celtic/American fiddle tunes. Open to players of acoustic melody instruments such as fiddle, mandolin, hammer dulcimer, tenor banjo, lead guitar, penny whistle, Irish flute, etc.

More info: cdadbayer@aol.com

Saturday, Feb. 28, 2pm. Bluegrass Jam in Susanville. All players welcome!

Call or email Rick Shoen for details and directions: twothphry@earthlink.net

or 530-257-1068.

Saturday, Feb. 28, 7 pm Blue Highway in concert. This bluegrass "super group" will be playing at the First Presbyterian Church in Mountain View, CA. (Miramonte Avenue @ Cuesta Drive). Doors open at 6 pm for pre-concert jamming, socializing and the area's best pies. Hosted by the Redwood Bluegrass Association. More info: 866-468-3399 or 650-691-9982

Sunday, March 1, 3-5pm Bluegrass Guitar Class Practice Session. We'll review all the tunes we've covered over the last few months. Call 348-4692 or email cgray56@sbcglobal.net if you're interested in joining us.