Banjo
Banjo, bluegrass, level 1—This class will focus on building arrangements of two well known bluegrass songs, "Will the Circle be Unbroken" and "Bury Me Beneath the Willow", using roll patterns. If time permits, we will cover roll-based back up techniques as well as vamping. We’ll spend a lot of time working on fundamentals like slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs. We will also spend time working on going smoothly from lead to back up.
Prerequisites: Students should know how to tune their banjo with a tuner, be familiar with forward, backward and alternating thumb rolls, and know how to play the first position G, C and D7 chords. Knowledge of up-the- neck chord shapes is encouraged, but not required. Since we will be spending a lot of time playing together, patience and a sense of humor are most welcome! Students are encouraged to bring a recording device to class, and tab will be provided of all material covered in class.
Nick Hornbuckle is a member of the Juno nominated Bluegrass group, John Reischman and the Jaybirds. Nick began playing the banjo at the age of 11, and has been teaching since he was 13. He was recently featured on the cover of Banjo Newsletter.
Nick has taught at the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop, Cottage Music's Cruise to Alaska, and the Rockygrass Bluegrass camp. Nick lives in Nanaimo, BC, Canada. He was a well-liked teacher last year at the CBA Music Camp, and we’re happy to have him back.
www.thejaybirds.com
Banjo, bluegrass, level 2—After making sure we’re all on the same page in terms of the basics of Scruggs technique, we’ll first play tunes together to see what we’re all comfortable playing. We’ll then move on to refining the skills you need to successfully play with others in jam sessions or bands. Topics include vamping, jam etiquette, switching from accompaniment to lead, basic up-the-neck and down-the-neck backup techniques using leading and target tones, and slow song and fiddle tune backup. We’ll also discuss how to create solos in Scruggs style and go over many of Earl Scruggs’ most essential licks for leads and backup. If time permits, we’ll also explore basic melodic and single-string techniques. No player will be left behind!
Prerequisites: You should have one or more years of playing experience and be able to execute the fundamental left and right-hand techniques of Scruggs style banjo (roll patterns plus slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and chokes). Prior playing experience with others is not necessary but it will be helpful for you to be comfortable playing up-the-neck chord positions for G, C and D major. You should be able to play through some of the standards of beginning level Scruggs-style banjo but it’s okay if you’re not playing up to speed yet (tunes such as “Cripple Creek,” “Cumberland Gap,” “Fireball Mail” and “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” for instance). As in all of Bill’s sessions, this will be a “hands on, let’s play” style of class where the entire class will do a lot of group playing. While tab reading is helpful, it is not necessary to read tab quickly to still get a lot out of the class. Audio and/or video taping is encouraged. Bill will provide tab examples of most everything covered in class.
Bill Evans is a CBA Music Camp favorite and one of the world’s most celebrated players and teachers. His latest accomplishment is writing Banjo For Dummies, which has quickly become the best selling banjo instructional book in the world. In addition, Bill hosts three instructional DVDs for AcuTab Publications, is the co-author of the popular Mel Bay book Parking Lot Pickers Songbook: Banjo Edition and has written instructional columns for Banjo Newsletter magazine for the last fifteen years. As a performer, Bill has toured all over the world and has played with David Grisman, Kathy Kallick, Maria Muldaur, Darol Anger, Peter Rowan, Laurie Lewis, Tony Trischka, Jody Stecher, Megan Lynch, Alan Munde, & Dry Branch Fire Squad among many others. We’re proud to have him on our staff.
http://www.nativeandfine.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/billevansstringsummit
Banjo, bluegrass, level 3— Jason will be teaching his students how to play tunes, and play them well. He will bring some tab of tunes he likes to teach, but is also open to requests from his students. If they want to learn some Blue Highway songs that’s fine with him, but he will start by going over some traditional Scruggs tunes and making sure everyone plays them correctly. Jason’s teaching philosophy is that students want to learn, rather than listen to their teacher talk, so come prepared to play and learn. Audio and video recording is encouraged.
Prerequisites: To be a level 3 student, you should have at least two years of playing experience, including some experience playing with others in jam sessions or in informal bands. Students need to come to class with a banjo, picks, strap, capo and a fifth string capo (or spikes) installed on their instrument. Students should consider bringing the following items with them: music stand, notebook, pencil, capo, metronome, extra picks and strings.
Jason Burleson, a North Carolina native, is the original banjo player with Blue Highway. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he brings all-around musicianship to the group, not the least of which is his distinctive, rock-solid banjo style. Jason also anchors the group’s vocal quartets with his growling bass. A jazz devotee, Jason’s talent hasn’t been fully revealed yet to the bluegrass community and gives Blue Highway unlimited options for the future.
Jason has taught at Rockygrass Academy and Wintergrass Academy. He’s also taught for two years at Mayland Community College in North Carolina as well as various workshops at festivals across the country. We’re pleased to have him join our staff this year.
www.bluehighwayband.com
Banjo, oldime, level 1—Once the “bum ditty” is in your blood, you can play almost any old time banjo tune. That being so, the overall emphasis in this class will be on right hand technique and rhythm. We will learn how to take that basic frailing pattern ("bum ditty") and apply it to playing music, working on creating a lively and effortless groove. We will then apply that pattern to several tunes, and hopefully each student will emerge from the class with an expanded repertoire of pieces, perhaps even a couple of them in different tunings. We will also spend some time on the basic drop-thumb and double-thumbing techniques, and probably sing a song or two to practice accompanying ourselves.
Prerequisites: Because this class focuses on applying the frailing technique to playing tunes, students will benefit most if they already know that basic pattern. Because this class will cover a lot of material, it will be helpful for students to bring a tape recorder to class. Students should be able to tune their banjo, and expect to spend lots of time in class playing!
Steve Baughman has been on staff for eight years at the Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina, teaching guitar and old time banjo. He produced the classic double CD, Banjo Gathering, which Bluegrass Unlimited called “a momentous undertaking and a must addition to any serious collection of old-time music.” Steve has recorded with Rounder Records and performs and teaches all across the United States and Canada. He believes in the life-changing power of banjo playing and strives to communicate this to his students. His classes are very “hands-on”, which is what we strive for at this camp, and we’re pleased to have him join us.
http://www.celticguitar.com
Banjo, oldime, level 2— We will look at the way older generation musicians played banjo prior to the influence of radio and records. These are the elements of archaic styles that will help give your banjo playing more of a traditional sound. We start by learning a simple, basic version of a tune, then consider different techniques, one by one, that add musical interest and complexity without compromising the clock-like rhythm and drive of traditional banjo picking. Many of the tunes and techniques are from the rich musical traditions of southwestern Virginia, notably the Galax area; and northwestern North Carolina, especially the Round Peak area.
Prerequisites: Participants should have already mastered the basic right-hand downpicking motion (clawhammer, frailing), and the basic left-hand techniques: pull-offs, hammer-ons, and slides. It would be very helpful if you also have some experience with drop-thumb technique, but we can review this if neccessary and you should be able to get a a significant amount from the class even if you don't. Ear training is vital to traditional music, so I don't use tablature in teaching. I encourage you to bring tape recorders, plenty of tape, batteries, and extra strings.
Brad Leftwich grew up hearing the old-time music of his father, grandfather, and great-uncle, and learned from many of the last great traditional musicians from the turn of the 20th century. A well-known fiddler, banjo player, and singer, Brad has been performing and teaching traditional music for more than 30 years. Recordings of his music appear on the County, Copper Creek, Rounder, and Chubby Dragon labels, and he has published instructional materials with Homespun and Mel Bay, including a definitive book on Round Peak style clawhammer banjo. Brad has won the fiddle contest at the prestigious Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia, and his fiddling has been acclaimed by critics in magazines as diverse as Billboard and Bluegrass Unlimited. He tours internationally and has performed at venues from
Merlefest to the White House. These days Brad continues to appear with his wife and longtime musical partner, Linda Higginbotham, often joined by friends, and also with Tom Sauber and Alice Gerrard in the trio
Tom, Brad & Alice.
Brad is especially regarded for his teaching of traditional fiddle and banjo style. He is a frequent staff member at workshops and teaching camps throughout the country. He has a book on Round Peak style clawhammer banjo published by Mel Bay, and two old-time fiddle teaching videos on Homespun Tapes. He was a raved-about teacher at our camp two years ago, and we’re pleased to have back.
www.bradleftwich.net
