Bass Track @ 2011 Midwest Banjo Camp

[Stev187]

I thought folks on this list might want to know about something new at the Midwest Banjo Camp here in Michigan. I played bass for this camp back in 2007, and it has turned into a fantastic old-time/bluegrass gathering. It takes place at Olivet College in Michigan.

Hello,

We'd like you to know about the full-time bass track at Midwest Banjo Camp, where you can study the fine points of bass playing for an entire weekend with world class players and teachers.

For 2011, we have two bass instructors -- both stalwarts of Michigan's acoustic music scene -- Tom Ball and Frank Youngman.

Players of electric bass are welcome to take part in our program, but they must provide their own amplifiers and extension cords. We advise bringing fairly small and light amps for two reasons. First, you might have to carry the amp around. Second, MBC policy is that sound volume for electric bass instruments at classes and jams must be no higher than the sound volume of acoustic bass instruments.

We're also delighted to announce that our preliminary schedule for MBC-2011 is now up on the web site. As usual we've got a fantastic staff lined up, and all the makings for an exciting, rewarding program.

General Information:

Although the precise level of bass instruction will depend on students' skills, we anticipate that classes will be conducted at intermediate to advanced levels.

In addition to instruction, the MBC program also includes concerts featuring our world-class faculty, and faculty-hosted jams.

Although we are primarily a banjo camp, and if you attend you'll probably find yourself "surrounded" by a couple of hundred avid banjoists, we definitely have the welcome mat out for players of other instruments. And keep in mind that at our jams bass players are at a premium, so you could easily wind up anchoring a music session that includes some pretty special pickers.

One more thing. Anyone who enrolls at MBC is free to take any mix of classes. So you can enroll in the bass program and also take banjo, fiddle, or guitar classes.

Here are the particulars:

Dates: June 3-5, 2011
Place: Olivet College, Olivet, Michigan
Times: Check-in opens 11 AM on Friday; June 3; Camp ends 2:30 PM on Sunday, June 5
Web site: Midwest Banjo Camp - 2011

The "Pre-Camp": Our low pressure Pre-Camp Program takes place this year on the evening of Thursday June 2 and the morning of Friday June 3. It consists of staff-led jams, Q &; A sessions, and demonstrations. We also plan to hold a square dance on Thursday evening. Check-in for the pre-camp begins at 3:30PM on Thursday June 2.

We're proud to announce our instructors for 2011:

Bass: Tom Ball and Frank Youngman. For more details and links see our web site at Midwest Banjo Camp - 2011

Old-time Banjo: Cathy Barton Para, Paul Brown, Bob Carlin, Dan Gellert, Michael Miles, Ken Perlman, Art Rosenbaum, and Mac Traynham. Terri McMurray is our primary instructor for old-time novices.

Bluegrass Banjo: Janet Beazley, Ryan Cavanaugh, Bill Evans, Murphy Henry, Bill Keith, James McKinney, Jim Mills, Alan Munde, and Eric Weissberg. Mike Sumner is our primary instructor for bluegrass novices.

Fiddle Tracks: This year we have two fiddle tracks - one for bluegrass and one for old-time.

Old-time Fiddle. Our principal old-time fiddle instructor this year is Alan Jabbour. Old-time fiddle classes will also be taught by Paul Brown and Dan Gellert.

Bluegrass Fiddle. Our principal bluegrass fiddle instructor for 2011 is Byron Berline. A couple of bluegrass fiddle classes will be taught by other instructors.

Guitar Track: This year our principal guitar instructor is David Grier, one of today's most prominent bluegrass guitarists. For more on his career see his web site, http://davidgrier.com/. Also teaching classes in the 2011 MBC Guitar Program is versatile guitarist-vocalist Dave Para.

If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact us at info@midwestbanjocamp.com. As usual, you can find more information, instructor bios, registration forms etc., on the web site: http://www.midwestbanjocamp

Cheers,
Ken Perlman and Stan Werbin
Directors, Midwest Banjo Camp