Workshops ASBF 2017

We have many exciting workshops and jams for you this year.  Scheduling and list is subject to change, watch for announcements.

Saturday workshops and Jams

Workshops and Jams are open to all skill levels. The jams will begin with accessable tunes played slowly, and advance in skill and speed. Come to play or just listen with our master musicians. Bring a chair and your instruments.  Jams will be held in Area E.

11:00 AM

  • Old Time Guitar - Stash Wyslouch.  Stash’s guitar playing is simply like no other, and his approach to old time music is rich with new and old ideas. He’ll guide students through some very cool chord accompaniment, bass runs, and how to bring the tunes alive. Area B (concrete water tank)
  • Intro to Contra Dance - Ann Jenneman.  If you can walk, you can contra dance! Contra dance is an American folkdance with a lot of similarity to square dance.  A caller will lead you through the moves with a walk-through and teaching of each move before every dance, then will call along with the music as you dance. This workshop will be appropriate for all levels--from beginners to experienced dancers. Come join in the fun! Area C (pavilion)
  • Spencer Family Fiddling of Kansas - Tricia Specer.  Tricia will teach tunes handed down to her from her grandfather, Vernon Spencer of Big Springs, Kansas. Vernon was an old style fiddler with a knack for boiling down some the notier midwest tunes to their bare essence. She will also teach tunes from other Kansas and midwest fiddlers. Bring a recording device. Area G (large oak grove)
  • Old Time Banjo - Allison deGroot. Allison’s musical voice is precise and beautifully phrased. She will guide students through making variations on a tune with rhythmic and melodic ideas. Area D (big tree next to Merchandise Hut)
  • Old Time Guitar - Stash Wyslouch - Stash’s guitar playing is simply like no other, and his approach to old time music is rich with new and old ideas. He’ll guide students through some very cool chord accompaniment, bass runs, and how to bring the tunes alive. Area B (concrete water tank)
  • Old Time Dulcimer - Lloyd & Margaret Wright. This class will be open to dulcimer players of all levels.  If you are a new player, you will learn some basics and focus on strumming and the rhythmic vitality that can be achieved on the dulcimer.  Margaret will be working with new players and will even bring along some loaner instruments.  If you are an experienced player, Lloyd will teach Old Time tunes and touch on various techniques to improve your skill.  His aim will be to help you make your playing a vital, rhythmic addition to any Old Time jam. Area F (Prison Yard)

12 Noon

  • Old Time fiddle (with techniques) - Bruce Molsky. Bruce will take you through a couple of great old tunes as a window into what makes old time fiddling so unique and cool. We’ll use bowing, phrasing and ornamentation to hone our ability to learn by ear, and come out with some new things for participants to try in their own repertoire. Area G (large oak grove)
  • Country Dobro Licks - Gary Mortensen. This workshop will explore strategies for developing leads, fills, intros & outros for country/folk/bluegrass tunes on the Dobro. Area B (concrete water tank)
  • Old Style Texas Fiddle Tunes - Howard Rains and Matthew Harmon. Howard and Mathew will present  tunes from their repertoire of old style Texas fiddle tunes. This is a more archaic style than is commonly thought of in regards to Texas fiddling and comes from a variety of sources from across Texas. Mathew Harmon is 2017 Texas Folklife Apprenticeship Program recipient. Bring a recording device. Area D (big tree next to Merch Hut)
  • Shape Note Singing, The Sacred Harp - Margaret Wright, Sacred Harp Singing is an old style of teaching people to read music and sing.  This early American system was developed about 1800.  By the use of shaped notes, which represent the different pitches in the scale, the singers are trained to sing in four-part harmony with relative ease.  You do not need prior experience to attend this class.  Margaret will give full instructions, will lead the group and can guarantee your success and that you will be intrigued to sing Sacred Harp again and again.   Area C (pavilion)

1:00 PM

  • Get Your Kicks Clogging - Rodney Sutton. Rodney shares the history of Appalachian step-dancing in an informative and entertaining manner, and demonstrates the steps that define flatfooting, buck dancing, and clogging while weaving stories of his friendship with dance legends Willard Watson and Robert Dotson. Will be accompanied by live fiddle and banjo (please, no taps)  Area C (pavilion)
  • Old School Conjunto - Rabbit Sanchez and Lorenzo Martinez, Conjunto accordion master Lorenzo Martinez and Rabbit Sanchez, legendary bajo sexto player, from the West Side of San Antonio, will talk about their lives in traditional conjunto music and illustrate with music. Moderated by Dan Margolies,this workshop is for everyone with an interest in this rich musical tradition of south Texas, no musical experience is required. For those who do play,  Rabbit and Lorenzo will also teach how to play a traditional polka; participants will learn to back up the polka on a bajo sexto, the unique 12 string bass of conjunto. Bring an accordion, and a bajo sexto or a guitar (it can be re-tuned), and learn some true old school conjunto from living legends.

1:30-2:30 PM

2:00 PM

  • Amazing Puppets from Ordinary Materials - Natasha LaGuitana. Natasha returns with her wildly popular and fun puppet-making workshop for kids of all ages. Parental supervision recommended for younger children, please. Area F

3:30-4:30

  • Old Time Jam - Bruce Molsky

4:00 PM

  • Passionate about Possums - Rodney Sutton.  For little kids, big kids and inner kids.  Join Appalachian dancer, ballad singer and storyteller, Rodney Sutton, as he weaves stories and unusual facts about the most unusual of all ​creatures - our lovable North American marsupial, the opossum.  Using puppets and his amazing collection of "Possum paraphernalia”, Rodney includes the entertaining story of his pet possum "Flat Alf" as it is revealed in the children's book "Alfred the Possum - On the Road with The Green Grass Cloggers", written by Leanne E. Smith and illustrated by Madalyn McLeod. This book chronicles the life of Alfred with amusing tales of a tiny possum who aspires to become a clogger. This performance includes possum sing-along songs and learning the famous possum dance! A special appearance by the original mummified Alfred, who has resided in a pizza box for the past 39 years, highlights the show - you can't make this stuff up! Area F

5:30-6:30

  • Cajun Jam - Jesse Lege