UK Old Time Music festival - Feb '09 Gainsborough

    First and foremost for Susette and me, the Gainsborough Old Time Festival will stand out in our memory because of the wonderfully welcoming people there. From Friday to Sunday we moved through a friendly sea of FOAOTMADs. And friends of the music and us they were. The school, while spacious, having many rooms and halls for jamming and gathering, still is an intimate environment for fiddles and banjos and clogging boards. Somehow the space and the warmth of the individuals set a beautiful tone.
    Nick and Claire Pilley, the hosts of the festival, were simply stellar. Years of experience and a genuine desire to facilitate a beautiful festival experience were evident in their hospitality and organization. For Susette and me, it was as good as it gets. Period.
Susette and I truly enjoyed our time on stage, and were pleased with the sound and overall production. Our MC, Bob Ward, gave informative and well-informed introductions, and brought us and all the acts on stage with a rousing welcome. It was tremendously gratifying to us that the UK audience enjoyed our take on Old Time Country Music and found our brand of humor enjoyable. Our workshop, Old Time Country Music Singing, was great fun for us. Susette's yodeling instruction may have started the latest craze; several folks told me they had carried on yodeling on Sunday.
    Gainsborough is Banjo Land, my friends. Witness how Tim Bing's Banjo Workshop was jammed, 36 banjos in one room. I'm not sure that's even legal in the states. If the Gainsborough festival isn't Banjo Heaven, then you can surely see it from there.
There were other opportunities for great workshops; one of Susette's favorites was Round Peak repertoire on Sunday with Adam Hurt & Beth Hartness providing a rare look at this almost unique and closely guarded body of tunes.
    Unfortunately I missed Beth's Round Peak guitar style workshop. I would like to know how much Round Peak has influenced her style. Beth's guitar backup to Adam's fiddle or banjo is clean and crisp and interactive. She weaves root notes and harmony notes into her bass runs, while holding the rhythm solid, and syncopates the cadence of the tunes. If you want to know how to play old time backup give Beth a listen. She's the real deal.
Adam's banjo playing is melodic and often wonderfully gentle, lending warmth to the tunes. And his recordings with Beth and others which came away with Susette have been providing the musical backdrop around our house since our return. Beautiful music.
    In concert, Kate Lissauer's singing and playing along with the Bing Brothers fine instrumental work was a highlight of the festival for me. Her voice and vocal style hits you right where old time music ought to, and reminds me strongly of another Marylander, Ola Belle Reed. Her banjo and guitar were extra fine, as well.
    Chats in the corridors and sitting in the dining hall were often strikingly memorable and filled out the corners of a genuinely rewarding festival experience.
In the end, it's a simple equation, really.   Excellent people, excellent music, excellent location and excellent organization equal a great festival. Susette and I hope to see you all again.
Chance Shiver