The Deborah McDonnell Band opens the new season of outstanding music at Hezekiah Stone's Coffee House, located in Christ Episcopal Church, 1089 Stafford St., Rochdale, MA 01542, Thursday, Sept. 10, Doors open 7 PM, show 7:30. Americana and bluegrass with Steve Smith, Stu Ervin, Jackie Damsky and Allen Pratt. 508-751-1634 or [email protected]
Jam’n Coming Your Way! The Boston Bluegrass Union is pleased to present Fall Jam’n Weekend 2015 November 20-22, 2015 at the historic Colonial Inn in Concord,MA. Jam all weekend long or attend instructor-led jams and free workshops (with your paid registration). The Fall Jam'n Weekend will be dedicated to bluegrass! All jammers welcome at any level, from beginner to advanced. You can pick around the clock within the beautiful historic spaces of the Colonial Inn.The Spring Jam'n Weekend will begin Friday at 5 pm with 24-hour jamming through Sunday at 1 pm. There will also be workshops in banjo, fiddle, mandolin, singing, etc. for different levels and instructor-led Directed Slow Jams for beginners. We are looking for volunteers to help us out at Fall Jam'n 2015, and you can get a free pass for helping out. If you're interested in volunteering, please e-mail Jim McDonough directly at [email protected] Click here to purchase a ticket and reserve your spot
Laurie Lewis and Friends Saturday, January 15, 2016 National Heritage Museum (aka Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc.) Lexington, MA 7:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm) $24 for Members $26 for Non-Members click here to buy advance tickets on-line via credit card. Two-time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year, Laurie Lewis is an amazing singer, songwriter, and fiddler who has been impressing bluegrass crowds for over 30 years. Known for her lively stage shows, Laurie and her band are not to be missed. Since forming a musical partnership in 1986, when Tom first joined Laurie’s acclaimed band, Grant Street, Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum have recorded 12 albums and performed around the globe. These Grammy-nominated artists (for their 1995 album The Oak and the Laurel) are widely regarded as among the leading lights of modern bluegrass and are highly-prized by their peers as sidemen and producers. Her "friends" for this concert will likely include long-time playing partner Tom Rozum (mandolin), fiddler virtuoso Daroll Anger, and Greg Litzt on banjo. Tickets can be purchased online or by mailing a check (payable to the BBU) and self-addressed stamped envelope to Boston Bluegrass Union, PO Box 650061, West Newton, MA 02465. The National Heritage Museum (aka Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc.) is located at 33 Marrett Rd. (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421. Directions can be found at www.monh.org or call (781) 861-6559.
Join the Boston Bluegrass Union and celebrate the legacy of the late Joe Val with three big days of indoor bluegrass at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel. We have a great lineup of national and regional talent, expanded workshops, Kid’s Academy, music vendors, and round-the-clock jamming. Our 2006 event won the coveted “Event of the Year” award from the International Bluegrass Music Association.
Dry Branch Fire Squad Saturday, March 12, 2016 National Heritage Museum (aka Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc.) Lexington, MA 7:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm) $24 for Members $26 for Non-Members click here to buy advance tickets on-line via credit card. Entertaining crowds for decades, the Ohio-nurtured Dry Branch Fire Squad are now a quartet with one of their strongest lineups ever. The band spotlights the talents of Tom Boyd on banjo and dobro (who worked with Larry Sparks in the 1970’s and 80’s and was featured on such classic Sparks releases as “You Could Have Called” and “John Deere Tractor”), Adam McIntosh on guitar and mandolin and Jeff Byrd on bass. As always, Dry Branch Fire Squad is led by mandolinist, lead singer and storytelling master Ron Thomason. The band’s music touches the deepest veins of traditional bluegrass and old-time sounds while Ron’s humor cultural satire hits harder than ever. Tickets can be purchased online or by mailing a check (payable to the BBU) and self-addressed stamped envelope to Boston Bluegrass Union, PO Box 650061, West Newton, MA 02465. The National Heritage Museum (aka Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc.) is located at 33 Marrett Rd. (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421. Directions can be found at www.monh.org or call (781) 861-6559.
Claire Lynch Saturday, April 2, 2016 National Heritage Museum (aka Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc.) Lexington, MA 7:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm) $24 for Members $26 for Non-Members click here to buy advance tickets on-line via credit card. Claire Lynch has long been recognized as a creative force in acoustic music and at the forefront of women who have expanded the bluegrass genre. With her 2013 award, Claire has now earned The International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Female Vocalist of the Year” title three times, as well as two GRAMMY nominations. Dear Sister, her new album released May 28th, was also nominated for IBMA’s 2013 Album of the Year. Recently she was awarded the prestigous 2012 Walker Fellowship and $50k grant for her music and songwriting accomplishments. She has been a huge crowd favorite at Joe Val and BBU concerts for years. Joining her is two-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year Mark Schatz, virtuoso guitar and mandolin picker Jarrod Walker, and mandolin, fiddle, and guitar powerhouse and 2009 Winfield national guitar champ Bryan McDowell. Tickets can be purchased online or by mailing a check (payable to the BBU) and self-addressed stamped envelope to Boston Bluegrass Union, PO Box 650061, West Newton, MA 02465. The National Heritage Museum (aka Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, Inc.) is located at 33 Marrett Rd. (Route 2A), Lexington, MA 02421. Directions can be found at www.monh.org or call (781) 861-6559.
Claire Lynch Songwriting Master Class: Upward Writing, The Songwriter's Journey If you want your song to engage the listener and impact your audience, what are the steps toward that goal? How can you communicate heart-to-heart and leave the "fluff" behind? In this master class setting we will deconstruct songs written and presented by the attendees and identify specific ways to elevate them. Due to the hands on focus, this class is limited to 10 attendees. When: Sunday, April 3, 2016 from 1 - 5 PM Where: Waltham, MA - location and directions provided upon registration. Cost: $55. Registration: http://www.forthesong.com/workshops.html For more info contact: [email protected]
As a mandolinist, singer, and composer, David Grisman is a great pioneer of jamgrass. After founding a band in 1973 called Old and in the Way with close friend Jerry Garcia (who gave him the nickname "Dawg"), Grisman created the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience and hit the road for forty years. With influences ranging from hot jazz to classic rock and even old-world Mediterranean folk, Grisman come to the Chevalier Theatre, this time with his hard-hitting sextet. The Sextet includes Jim Kerwin (bass), Matt Eakle (flute and bass flute), George Marsh (drums and percussion), Chad Manning (violin, viola and mandolin) and George Cole (guitar). Opening act is the Boston area up and coming jazzgrass band, Cold Chocolate!
Fall Jam'n Weekend is an indoor "non-festival" where you can jam all weekend long or attend instructor-led jams and free workshops (with your paid registration). All jammers are welcome at any level, from beginner to advanced. You can pick around the clock within the beautiful spaces of the Colonial Inn from Friday evening through early Sunday afternoon. The late-night jams in the "cottage" are getting quite popular!
Seldom Scene is always a favorite band in the Boston area. They have been featured at Joe Val several times, and are always a big draw when they play our concert series. They have been playing great, and inventive bluegrass music for decades. Don't miss this chance to come out and see them. They put on a great show! The opening band is Sick, Sad, and Lonesome, who got rave reviews at the Showcase Stage at the latest Joe Val festival.