The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #122700   Message #2693601
Posted By: Duke
04-Aug-09 - 01:15 PM
Thread Name: Review: Mill Race Folk Festival
Subject: Review: Mill Race Folk Festival
It took me an hour and fifteen minutes to get there but it was well worth it!   The first workshop I saw was called bass instincts.   It was all bass players, kind of.   There was a standup bass at each end of the stage and an electric bass and a cello in the middle. I was not familiar with the people, but they were quite good.   I never heard the blues done on a bass and no other accompaniment.   Some interesting jazz sounds as well.

Next was a workshop called guitars.   It was great.   David Sinclair who played flamenco guitar, Alfie Smith who did blues,   Andy Webster who did scots music and was a great backup for Alfie's blues and Cillian O''Dalaigh who played Irish and brought along his fiddle player who was beautiful.

Next was a workshop called New Traditions.   Three Brits and Mose Scarlett who did a great version of Annie Laurie.   With Mose there, of course, it was filled with lots of stories and lots of laughter.   It was hard to say who told the best stories.   The other guys were Don McGeoch, Geoff Lewis and Alister Brown.   Great workshop!

After an early supper at the Black Badger I heard two young women who played the dulcimer.Jean Mills and Angie Stock.   This was special for me as I've allways wanter to play the dulcimer.   If I ever win the lottery, a dulcimer would be high on my list.

Next was a bluegrass session with a group called general store.   I used this set to get myself a little exercise ( I had been sitting for hour s and my bum was sore) and to meet up with my friends Doug and Pam Young who brought along Doug's son, Marc.

I ended up the evening with a concert by Mose Scarlett.   What can I say?   Mose is a class act.   Besides the beautiful music there is always Mose's way with an audience.   Its quite something to see.

So it was quite the day, I must say.   Its taken me almost two days to get over it from a physical point of view.   Lots of walking between stages.   Its a hell of a thing when you feel too old to go to a folk festival, but never the less I shall try to go every year that I can.