Teenage Instrumentalists

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 21 May 08 - 11:55 PM

Bearfoot Bluegrass

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 21 May 08 - 11:15 PM

Well, some already have a good clip on the ear -- some have several good clips on the ear, more on their eyebrows, noses, belly buttons, and, perhaps, on the naughty bits. Do you reckon the clips help them play better?
- Phil

Jimmy Bowskill

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Ebbie
Date: 21 May 08 - 11:14 PM

An Alaska bamd called 'Bearfoot Bluegrass' is getting older now- a couple of the five are now 21 or 22 years old - and one of them is now married - but when they started touring they were in their mid teens.

Most of them are from Cordova, a small town off Prince William Sound. Most of them have parents who are heavily into music and the kids have come up through the ranks. Plus every summer there is an intensive music camp where they study with the best of the best.

Several years ago they took a first at Telluride. They are becoming very good.

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: goodbar
Date: 21 May 08 - 10:45 PM

I'm part of a duo called The Trio That Is Regis and Kathy Lee. We mostly play for drunk kids (while drunk ourselves) around our college campus on Tuesdays at dorm smoking benches and weekends in the quad. We're gonna break out soon, so keep your eyes out.

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: meself
Date: 21 May 08 - 09:15 PM

All the same - a good clip on the ear wouldn't do any of them any harm!

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Barry Finn
Date: 21 May 08 - 04:01 PM

Here in the Boston (USA) area we have loads of kids that hit the Irish sessions that are fantastic. Back in January I went to a Celtic festival, they had a session of Cape Britan musicians, I sat in & could've been father to most. It was mostly kids & young adults but it was wild, they kept the dances going till they dropped. The festival was geared towards the younger folks but I don't know where they all came from, they were hundreds of them & it wasn't even that big of a festival.

Barry

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 21 May 08 - 03:54 PM

I forgot to mention that he plays fiddle too.

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 21 May 08 - 03:53 PM

What about Jimmy Bowskill, a great blues guitarist who also plays stand up bass, 5 string banjo, mandolin, drums, trombon and anything else he sets his mind to. He's seventeen now, but was about twelve when he cut his first CD. Check him out on Youtube.

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 21 May 08 - 09:34 AM

I forgot to mention that the young man playing guitar with The Greencards is named Jake Stargil. The mature quality of the playing is part of what struck me last weekend -- the guys I was listening weren't child prodigy novelty acts, they were just part of the band.
- Phil

Chris Thile
Gareth Pearson
Sierra Hull
Lucus and Ray Not great quality video but you get the idea
Celtic Spring

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: pdq
Date: 20 May 08 - 07:37 PM

Chris Thile did his first solo record when he was only 12. Actually, there is a mature quality to his playing as well as the expected flash. I think he probably came from another planet, though.

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: GUEST,Bill the sound
Date: 20 May 08 - 07:26 PM

Check out Gareth Pearson-He has only been playing about 4 years -he is amazing

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: mandotim
Date: 20 May 08 - 08:18 AM

Sierra Hull? Check out the youtube stuff of her playing on stage with Alison Krauss. I think she was about 12 at the time.
Tim

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 20 May 08 - 07:36 AM

They absorb the culture as well as the music. This may explain a bit:
http://www.youthinarts.org/images/sg_celtic.pdf

Subject: RE: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Nick
Date: 20 May 08 - 04:02 AM

They practice an awful lot and are self motivated.

My son is 16 and started playing live gigs at 14 and is now getting reasonably good. Plays a little jazz, some acoustic stuff, composes a lot of his own music, mostly plays rock (progressive rock rather than heavy metal if such a thing exists) in the Steve Vai/Satriani genre. Decent improvisational skills and wide musical interests and a decent intuitive grasp of theory and harmony. Good grade 8 standard his teacher reckons (dropped 3 marks on his grade 6 which he took as he needed a formal grade to get into college in the future). Spends 2 or 3 hours a day playing but mostly practicing or writing music.

Started playing at about 10. Has a weekly lesson currently with a local teacher mostly concentrating on technique. Goes to Bath in the summer for the IGF workshops for a week and learns and plays with good players. Saved all his money for years to buy his Ibanez Jem 7W. Intends to try and make a career of it and good luck to him.

A measure of dedication - motivated by an underlying love of music and the pleasure of playing - needed.

Subject: Teenage Instrumentalists
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 20 May 08 - 01:58 AM

I've seen a lot of good teenage instrumentalists lately. The kids from a group called Celtic Spring – a bunch of siblings and cousins – were at the North Texas Irish Festival and wowed us in sessions at the festival hotel. Last weekend we saw the Greencards who were nominated for a grammy this year for a bluegrass instrumental. Their guitarist for the current tour is all of 17 years old and taking his turns playing lead with one very hot band. Then yesterday we saw local Texas musical hero Ray Wylie Hubbard. His son Lucus played lead blues guitar for part of the gig, right up there with the big dogs. Lucus is 15 years old.

I can't help but wonder how a teenager learns to play at that level. What kind of lessons do they take? At what age to they have to start? Who are some other teenage instrumentalists to watch for?
- Phil