Alex Ruiz & Jody Miller show in Great Falls

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This just in from Pastor Tim

Hi everyone —

While we had hoped we could’ve done this one at the church, the date snuck up a little faster than expected so the guys have decided to do this one down at Machinery Row, but I’m still excited about this and wanted to share it with the friends of Stone Soup Productions.

ALEX RUIZ & JODY MILLER
Friday, March 19, 2010 from 6:30 – 9:30 PM
Machinery Row (below The Breaks)
202 – 2nd Avenue South
NO COVER!

Anyone who’s been around the bluegrass pick on Thursday night’s at Bert & Ernie’s knows who Alex Ruiz is.  He’s a very talented fiddler and vocalist, and unfortunately his Air Force assignment is going to have him leaving our community so that he can work in a little place called The Pentagon.  While he assures me he’ll be back one day, I’d advice everyone who loves his fiddle strides to get out and see him while you can.  Plus he’s just one of the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet.

Jody Miller is a
singer/songwriter based out of Missoula, MT.  He started as a junior in
college writing songs in his dorm room, then entered into the Music City
Madness Song & Video competition and placed top 16 in the nation with
the first song that he wrote called “The Other
Side of the World.”  The song was about a prisoner of war wishing
that he could get home to his wife.  He has written a lot of songs since
then ranging from country to alternative and you can expect a lot of diversity in what he and Alex play as a duo.

Here’s hoping to see you at the show on Friday night!

+ Tim Christensen

======================================================

Stone Soup Productions: A not-for-profit community arts organization
dedicated to bringing great music to Great Falls!

Tim Christensen ~ Stone Soup Productions (406) 771-1544
517 – 4th Avenue North
Great Falls, Montana 59401-2312

MySpace URL:
http://www.myspace.com/PastorTim_TheMusicFreak

Sammy Lind and Nadine Landry of the Foghorn Stringband, April 3 Concert!

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On Saturday, April 3 Sammy Lind and Nadine Landry of Portland, Oregon’s Foghorn Stringband (www.myspace.com/foghornstringband) will play a family-friendly acoustic concert at the Open Way Mindfulness Center in Missoula. After the duo’s set of Old Time, Cajun, and French Canadian folk tunes, Missoula’s own Wise River Mercantile (www.myspace.com/wiserivermercantile) will join in the fun and the evening will morph into a square dance.

Originally from Minnesota, Stephen “Sammy” Lind is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most recognizable fiddlers and a mover and shaker in the thriving Portland, Oregon old time scene. He has fiddled for the past decade with Foghorn Stringband and the Caleb Klauder Country Band, among others. Nadine Landry is originally from eastern Quebec, but has made her way as a musician in the Yukon Territory for the past ten years—she plays upright bass and is comfortable in any country, old time, swing, honky-tonk, or bluegrass environment. The two met in Alaska at a music camp a few years ago and have been playing together ever since.

Sammy and Nadine spent a chunk of this winter in Louisiana studying and playing music with old-time and Cajun music guru Dirk Powell (who has done recording and film work with T-Bone Burnett, Tim O’Brien, Joan Baez, Jack White, The Wilders, and former Missoulian Martha Scanlan). As well as their stop in Missoula, Sammy and Nadine’s trip back to Portland from Louisiana also includes shows at legendary listening venues across the country and a stop to teach workshops at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. This concert and dance is an exciting opportunity for Montanans of any age to come experience music both via listening and dance.

About Square Dancing:

Square Dance is a folk dance that originated in the Southern Appalachians, has recently made a splash in the Pacific Northwest with well-attended weekly dances held in both Seattle and Portland, and is creeping its way towards interior Montana.

In some ways Square Dancing is like contra dancing, but it is done in sets of four couples rather than in long lines. No need to bring a partner, you will find one. A caller will walk you through the dance before and as it is happening. A little footage from Portland’s vibrant Square Dancing Scene: vimeo.com/3459435#

Partner-swapping is encouraged!

The 411

What: Acoustic Concert and Square Dance

Who: Sammy Lind & Nadine Landry of Foghorn Stringband + Missoula’s Wise River Mercantile

Where: Open Way Mindfulness Center, 702 Brooks St, Missoula

When: Saturday, April 3 7:30pm

How much: Suggested donation of $5-10 per person

Contact: Brian Herbel wise_river_merc@yahoo.com 406-360-1060

Gary McKnight health update from Linda

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just in from Linda – keep your positive thoughts flowing for her and Gary:

Hi all– Gary is still in ICU-going on 9 days now, but with great hope that he will transfered to the regular floor, hopefully in the next 2 days. He’s been having a rough time breathing, but finally able to get some air in him now. Each day a touch better.Had a bunch of hurdles to jump but he seems to be nailing them one at a time. Thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers. It makes all of this survivable, thanks again to all of you OUR “First Family.” Love’s, Linda

Ten Jammandments

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Great tips for jamming from Folkjam.org

Ten Jammandments

by Charlie Hall and Robert Rosenburg, as printed in the January/February 2002 Folknik newsletter of the San Francisco Folk Music Club

THOU SHALT TUNE THY INSTRUMENT. There are too many good, cheap tuners around not to do this.

THOU SHALT LISTEN. If you can’t hear the lead instrument or vocalist, then consider yourself too loud.

THOU SHALT PASS. When handing off an instrumental solo, try to follow a pattern either clockwise or counter clockwise. If you want to skip the next solo or pass it on to the next picker, be sure that the next person is aware of the handoff. No one wants to start his or her solo in the middle of the song.

THOU SHALT WELCOME OTHERS. Open up the circle if others want to join. The jam can’t be too big if people are polite.

THOU SHALT SHARE IN THE SELECTION. Open the choice of songs to the pickers around the circle. Don’t monopolize the jam.

THOU SHALT TRY NEW STUFF. Once in a while a participant may suggest original material or one that is out of character with the jam. This is A-OK (refer to Jammandments #2 and #4).

THOU SHALT LET OTHERS KNOW WHEN YOU ARE NOT JAMMING.
Bands may sometimes be rehearsing and may need to exclude non-band members from jamming. If so, an explanation would be nice for the would be jammers.

THOU SHALT NOT RAID. Don’t interrupt an active jam by calling musicians away to begin another jam. (Bob’s note: Also don’t raid and take over a jam, by having your full band suddenly decide to sit in on a jam and end up playing all your own songs.)

THOU SHALT KEEPTH THY RHYTHM STEADYTH. Errors in rhythm are most difficult to overcome. Avoid adding or dropping beats. Play quietly if you can’t keep up and pay attention (refer to Jammandment #2).

THOU SHALT NOT SPEED. Do not start a song too fast for the others to play. Once everyone has had a turn at the lead, then one may announce that the temp is about to increase.

Preparing for next weeks Jam at Ruby’s

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As you practice for next week’s jam at Ruby’s you might find it fun to check out our Playlists on the MRBA YouTube Channel.  These include a lot o the standards performed by the guys who made ’em standards.

Current Playlists:

  • Rank Beginner Jamming
  • Bluegrass Instrumental
  • Bluegrass Jam Standards
  • Bluegrass Jam Standards – Gospel

To see the Playlists:

  1. Go to http://www.youtube.com/mtbluegrass
  2. Click on Playlists

March 20 – Baba Ganoush & Bluegrass Coalition

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2010-03 MRBA BabaGanoush & Bluegrass Coalition

March 20 Show - Baba Ganoush & Bluegrass Coalition

The Montana Rockies Bluegrass Association is presenting an evening of bluegrass music on Saturday, March 20th, at the Downtown Dance Collective, 121 West Main Street, Missoula, MT. Two bluegrass bands will play the show. Baba Ganoush, a band with diverse members that find common ground in a love of homegrown music and a wish to share it with a broader audience, will open the show at 8 p.m.. The Bluegrass Coalition, a newly formed group featuring the up-the-creek traditional style of Mike and Tari Conroy and the driving more modern style of Fred and Emily Frank, will play at 9 p.m. Tickets which are available at the door are $10 for the general public, $8 for association members and $6 for students. For more information visit www.mtbluegrass.com or call 777-7028.