Year after year, they hit it out of the ballpark. We are talking about key players of the Telluride Musicfest, now entering its 9th season, June 22 – July 3.
Musicfest's artistic director Maria Bachmann and her Trio Solisti colleague, Jon Klibonoff received raves from a Fanfare critic for their premiere performance of Philip Glass's "First Violin Sonata," on their latest CD, Glass Heart.
By Rosemerry Wahtola Trommmer (ed. note: I love it when Rosemerry sends us some of her writing. Fathers' Day was the excuse for these two poems. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.) Inheriting PatienceHear how the galaxy’s engine runs...
By Tracy Shaffer
Sunday afternoons at the Mercury Café are always an eclectic mix with swing dance, poetry slams and tarot readings on the calendar. But last week the place levitated to a place even the Tibetan meditation class would envy. The occasion was a concert by the brilliant jazz band, Zuri, featuring the angelic voice of Prudence Mabhena, to benefit the Cunningham Foundation.
Hosted by Zuri cellist James Bailey, the event opened with some “world-inspired, improvisational, high-energy jazz”, as vibes playing percussionist Greg Tanner Harris describes the Zuri sound (I’d have gone with “jaw-dropping, eye-popping” myself), while artist Laurie Maves painted the scene on canvas for auction. Soon Prudence rolled in gracefully; the most grounded human being I’ve ever seen, with a soul that emanates from her brown/black eyes. She is pure spirit and a set of pipes that will make you believe in God.
I first met Abigail Washburn in a basement studio in Packard Hall at Colorado College. We were hosting tryouts for our female a cappella group, Ellement. She showed up and needless to say, tryouts were done for the day. Her voice was so beautiful that we actually started rehearsing with her that same afternoon. We’d found the final member of our group.
kicker: Performs all-star Sunday Gospel set and in weekend closer with Robert Plant
Telluride Bluegrass guest artist (James) Darrell Scott was born August 1959 in London, Kentucky, the son of the singer/songwriter Wayne Scott. When Scott was 16, his dad purchased a four-track, reel-to-reel recorder, which the teen virtually adopted, spending many long nights in a shed, laying down parts and harmonizing with himself on a variety of instruments.The experience was a vital part of Scott's musical schooling, as he figured out how instruments sound together and how to layer parts with grace and taste.
Bela Fleck & the original Flecktones return to Telluride for the 38th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, June 16 – June 19, 2011. Yes, you read that correctly, the original, the Fab Four, together again for the first time in just over 20 years on the Fred Shellman Main Stage: pianist/harmonica player Howard Levy, "the man with two brains," reunited with Bela, uber bassist Victor Wooten, and innovative percussionist/ drummer Roy "Futureman" Wooten.
Some reunions – think "The Big Chill" – produce joy; others, regret. This one produced "Rocket Science", a CD which includes some of the most forward thinking music of the group's long and storied career. Rocket Science is vintage Flecktones, a meeting of musical minds fluent in classical, jazz, African, electric blues and Eastern European folk dances. Trying to describe this indescribable hodgepodge is like trying to hold on to quicksilver. Impossible. I go with what one critic said:
The Infamous Stringdusters visit Telluride so often, the progressive acoustic group is starting look like the boys next door. They return after their last visit in March, when they performed at the historic Sheridan Opera House, to perform on the Main Stage at Telluride Bluegrass, Friday, June 17.
"The young Nashville bluegrass sextet continues to evolve their sound from Nashville bluegrass to a bigger music targeted at larger rock clubs," explained Planet Bluegrass's Brian Eyster. "And for trivia buffs, bassist Travis Book lived in Durango before joining the band in 2005."
by Jim Bedford
The Nugget Theatre in beautiful downtown Telluride shows movies all year long and screens a hot new film this coming week. Bluegrass Festival is in town and the weather's beautiful, but find time for a little movie fun.
Friday through Thursday, June 17-22, the Nugget heads to Thailand for some pre-wedding hijinks with the HANGOVER II crowd. Our old pals from last year, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha are careful not to make the same mistakes twice, so they make a bunch of hilarious new ones. Along the way they meet up with Paul Giamatti and of course, Mike Tyson again.
See the Nugget website for trailers and reviews, and below for movie times.
It takes a lot more than water. To grow a band requires blood, sweat, and tears. Also, you need to find someone to do your laundry. The Western premiere of the show-all, tell-all feature-length documentary, "How To Grow A Band," takes place during Telluride Bluegrass. The FREE screening is scheduled for Saturday, June 18. 2011, 11 a.m. at The Nugget. (Seating is limited, so reserve your ticket in advance at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/181677)
"This film documents the beginnings of Chris Thile's grand vision for a truly modern stringband and the struggles to realize this vision," explained Brian Eyster of Planet Bluegrass. "Personally I am very excited to see the results of the filmmakers' efforts. They will be on-hand for the screening and the band may join them."
“…A gripping look at the nature of creativity and performance art," raved The Tennessean.
Joe Pug is one of the new names in the line-up for the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, but Festival director Craig Ferguson is betting we will like his soulful voice and lyrical vignettes.
"Craig is a huge huge fan of this fine young Dylan-esque singer-songwriter," said Planet Bluegrass marketing director Brian Eyster.
Turns out Joe Pug is not just a talented troubadour. The young man also has a gift for marketing. But I am getting ahead of myself.
