Sounds of summer...

John Jackson's "Whimsical Metal Sculpture"/Jefferson, NY

Another confession of procrastination in creating this post as I've had so many intense musical experiences since my last one that trying to do justice to the great performances we've heard is truly daunting. I'll make this one mostly visual, since I've got some pretty cool shots and frankly it's faster than lots of verbiage. We'll start with a Monday night run to the predictably perfect Birchmere in Alexandria for a triple header on Eminor's 22nd birthday to hear Chatham County Line, The Infamous Stringdusters and Crooked Still. I've waxed glowingly about the virtues of the second group listed but let me say how much I enjoyed my first taste of the opening band from Raleigh and their folky hybrid that to me fell somewhere between Railroad Earth and the old King Wilkie. If you like either of those, you should seek out the Line. And the more we get to hear the sweet voice of Aoife (that's Ee-fah) O'Donovan, the more we're convinced that the linchpin of Crooked Still is every bit as talented and compelling a vocalist as Alison Krauss...only different. Less fragile. Fabulous. And Tristan Clarridge's cello makes the rest of the difference for this string band for the new millenium. I'm excited that they'll also be on the schedule at FloydFest this weekend up on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hope we'll see you there...Railroad Earth closes the main stage on Friday and Cadillac Sky plays on Sunday...life is good.

After three days of delightful decompression in the Catskills with good friends, Em and I made our way east to Oak Hill, NY to the new home of the venerable Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival (formerly Winterhawk) which found out in December they had to find a new home after years at Rothvoss Farm in Ancramdale. I had to see how Mary Tyler Doub and her dedicated staff and volunteers were able to not only find a new place for the festival but make all the political, logistical and practical arrangements to basically build a small town in the middle of farmer's hay field. Fortunately, the farmer was John Walsh and he had a big family up for a big adventure and it all fell together in an amazing way. The language of good music and good people gathering to enjoy it doesn't need translation. Grey Fox is and has always been a lot more open and unregimented than most other festivals we're used to like MerleFest and Graves Mountain which don't sell alcohol or allow it in the open. There's virtually no checking of what you bring in your coolers, little or no wristband inspection and I don't think I saw a uniformed officer of the law all weekend long. But it was amazing how well behaved everyone was...very family-friendly and safe feeling. It was gratifying to see that grownups could behave and respect their neighbors without being forced to. So hats off to those who made this whole thing happen. Here are a few things you missed if you weren't there:

Seventeen-year-old sensation Sarah Jarosz with Stringduster's fiddler Jeremy Garrett


Two young masters-in-the-making working on "Soldier's Joy"

Adrienne Young & Little Sadie holding forth in one of 3 Dance Pavilion sets

The g'earls of Uncle Earl setting feet in motion in the Dance Pavilion

Banjo masters Bill Keith, Bela Fleck, Peter Wernick and Chris Pandolfi bring rich perspective to the Workshop Stage

Bela, Abigail Washburn, Ben Sollee and Casey Driessen enjoy their Sparrow Quartet set

Whoo let the Dawgs out?

All in the family...Ronnie, Rob & Del McCoury

Great hearing the Eric & Leigh Gibson's brotherly harmony again

All the Stringdusters flanking Tim O'Brien in an inspired Friday night set


Travis Book, Tim O'Brien & Jeremy Garrett

Taking festival camping to a whole new level...

Bryan Sutton, Andy Falco & Chaz Justus in a serious six-string workshop

Sam Bush in silhouette in the Master's Tent

Nate Gawron, Ike Sheldon & Phil Wade of The Wilders

A 30th anniversary Hot Rize reunion with Bryan Sutton in Charles Sawtelle's shoes

Elmo & Waldo Otto, Suede, Red Knuckles and Wendell Mercantile...the Trailblazers ride again

Red and Wendell render a tender number

That's all for now folks. Thanks to Mary Burdette at Grey Fox for her hospitality and to Lesley & Hollace for the best accomodations anyone could ask for. Now it's on to fabulous Floydfest...hope to see you on the Parkway.

If you're home this weekend, be sure to tune in Page Wilson's Out O' The Blue Radio Revue for our premiere JAMinc/In Your Ear Studio A concert featuring John Cephas and Eliza Lynn. It airs Saturday from 8-10pm on 88.9 WCVE-FM
and streams at http://www.ideastations.org/.
Always great to have you here...please pass it on to whomever you think might care...TT