2007 Classes & Teachers

Classes & Teachers - 2007

Week 1

RICH DELGROSSO

RICH DELGROSSO is a teacher, writer, and performer living in Houston, TX. He is a veteran of workshops across the country. His writing appears regularly in Blues Revue and Mandolin magazine, and he has written three mandolin books for Hal Leonard Publishing. A multi-instrumentalist (guitar, harmonica. and mandolin), Rich has been nominated for a Memphis Blues Music Award as Best Instrumentalist (mandolin) two years in a row.

Every Day I Get the Blues (level 3) The focus here is on guitar, as we study and play in a variety of blues styles, from Delta blues to west coast, classic to swing, Texas to Chicago. Most of the playing is fingerstyle but you can adapt to a flatpick if you prefer.

Blues Band Lab (all levels) Open to all instruments (really!) and voices. We’ll play popular blues songs from many different blues genres blues, arranging on the fly and stomping our feet! Learn how “Sittin’ on Top of the World” was originally played!

PAUL ELLIOTT

PAUL ELLIOTT is a fiddle player who's at home in a wide range of musical styles, from old-time to straight-ahead jazz. He has performed with The Good Old Persons, John Reischman, Michelle Shocked, Alison Brown, Buell Neidlinger, and others. His recording credits span film, television, and radio, and a long list of CDs including Scott Nygaard’s No Hurry on the Rounder label.

Beginning Fiddle (level 1) We’ll start right at the beginning with how to hold the bow and the fiddle, then work on making a tone that doesn’t sound so much like a cat, and how to convince your fingers to go to the right spots. By the end of the week we’ll learn some simple songs by ear.

A Tale Of Two Styles: Western Swing and Bluegrass (level 3-4) How does the fiddle work in these two styles of music? We’ll do some listening and learn some standard songs from each genre, learn some of the characteristic ornaments and licks that give the styles their sound, and work on how to approach improvising in each style.

ALICE GERRARD

ALICE GERRARD is a musician/singer/songwriter who has been a long-time advocate for traditional music. Her influential early recordings with Hazel Dickens are classics, and she has remained a strong presence through her solo recordings, publications, and performances.

Traditional and Country Song Repertoire (level 2) While learning accompanied and unaccompanied songs, we’ll delve into the details of style and what makes the singing sound traditional or country. We will explore finding your voice. Students should bring a recording device and a capo to class. Guitarists should be able to play the I-IV-V chords in all keys.

Old-Time Backup Guitar (level 2–3) In this flatpicking class, we’ll work on rhythm, timing, chord choices, knowing when to change chords, the function of the guitar in a band, and more. Students should know the I-IV-V chords in the keys of A, D, G, and C. Bring capos and recording devices to class.

CHRIS GRAMPP has been playing with jazz, blues, rock, and traditional bands, and as a solo guitarist, for over 25 years. He has studied with Tuck Andress, Warren Nunes, Davis Ramey, Howard Roberts, and George Barnes. He frequently teaches at CCMC and the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, and is a contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine.

Jazz and Swing Improvisation (level 4–5) This class covers various approaches to developing improvised solos, including melodic development, applied scale theory, harmonic substitutions, and phrasing. We’ll work with some less-commonly played tunes, and focus on making our solos really fit the chords and melodies in question.

Vocal/Guitar Duets (level 3–5) Each day vocalists will pair up with guitar players to work out arrangements for jazz, blues, and pop songs. We’ll cover intros and endings, tempos, time signatures, solo breaks, creative harmonization, and vocal/instrument interplay. At the end of every class, each duet will perform its song for the other students.

KEITH GREENINGER is a seasoned troubadour, political activist, award-winning songwriter, and performer. He has toured the national folk and Americana circuit extensively for the last decade and a half, and has taught workshops, appeared on countless radio shows, and earned top songwriting awards at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the Kerrville Folk Festival, and the Napa Valley Folk Festival.

Songwriting (all levels) Through co-writing and creative exercises, this class will help strengthen each student’s unique voice. We’ll also look at the art of political songwriting. Students will be encouraged to share their own songs throughout.

Rhythm and Groove Guitar (all levels) This class will focus on the importance of groove and dynamics in supporting the singer and the song. We’ll explore percussive guitar techniques, as well as fingerpicking and strumming styles, to offer the singer, the songwriter, or the accompanist a wider range of tools to help tap into the emotional essence of the songs.

SYLVIA HEROLD has been singing and playing nonstop for 30 years. She was a member of the swing trio Cats & Jammers and played in the Django-inspired Hot Club of San Francisco. Sylvia currently performs with the Celtic Grateful Dead band Wake the Dead, and her own folk quartet, Euphonia. She has recorded three albums of folk songs.

Intro to Swing Guitar (level 3) Take the mystery out of swing rhythm guitar in this fun introductory course. Using just a few chord shapes, we’ll begin with easy songs and gradually work up to more complicated ones. The focus is on singing and playing great songs. Fretboard knowledge and increased musical understanding are side benefits. Bring a collapsible music stand and feel free to record.

Camp Without Pity (level 3) How does one chase the elusive butterfly of love? (With nets of wonder.) And who left the cake out in the rain? (Someone.) We’ll ponder these questions in a guitar class featuring weird and wonderful songs of the ’60s and ’70s. The innovative ideas of Burt Bacharach and Jimmy Webb are worth studying while other songs of the period are . . . remarkable in other ways. (Good taste may be detrimental to the enjoyment of this class.)

Considered a “rare peer” of Hawaii’s premier `ukulelists with a “world-class command of the instrument” (John Berger, Honolulu Star-Bulletin), JAMES HILL’s latest CD, A Flying Leap, is a “tour de force” mix of jazz, classical and folk influences (Yvonne Zacharias, The Vancouver Sun).

Ukulele Basics (level 1–2) The short path to `ukulele bliss. Discover the simple joys of this little four-stringed wonder in a fun, hands-on setting. First-timers and casual strummers welcome! Learn a bunch of songs and, along the way, absorb a few things about picking, strumming, vocal accompaniment, and harmony.

Ukulele: I Know the Basics... Now What? (level 3–5) Want to go beyond three chords and a double strum? Learn how to kick-start your `ukulele sound with simple ways to spice up your playing. Improve your understanding of chord melody, learn a bunch of new tunes, and get tips on arranging. Whether you strum and sing or prefer to pick, this class will help you get the most out of your uke.

JACK JOSHUA has played everything from Scottish airs to blues to bluegrass to contras to country to Zydeco and everything in between over the last 30 years, all over the U.S. and Canada. He plays and teaches in the Santa Barbara area and at Westmont College.

Fundamental Bass Technique, The Easy Way! (level 1–2) Have you ever watched a great bass player play seemingly impossible stuff and make it look easy? This class will emphasize how to play with ease by using balance and leverage instead of brute strength.

Basically Bass and Practically Practical Bass (level 3–4) We’ll cover practical subjects mostly having to do with creating bass lines for different styles of music. Lose your fear of heights—use the whole fingerboard!

A strong and extremely imaginative player, PETER LANGSTON (Instigator) appears to play every instrument in every style and is equally adept at hot improvisation and supportive backup. His performing credits include work with such diverse artists as Doc Watson, Chill Wills, Bill Keith, and Reverend Gary Davis. Peter is active in recording (as artist, composer, and producer) and is a frequent instructor at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop.

FRANNIE LEOPOLD is an ethnically diverse guitarist and vocalist, grounded in good old-time string band and harmony singing. For the last 10 years, she has also delved into Mexican music and performed with Cynthia Llano. Her work with Jeanie McLerie as the Delta Sisters has included a healthy dose of Cajun. Frannie also performs with Hank Bradley and Cathie Whitesides as the Balkan Cafe Orchestra. She has been an instructor for 20 years.

Nonthreatening Beginning Guitar (level 1) Learn the basics of playing simply with good tone and rhythm, as well as how to listen for the chord changes. We’ll learn to back up easy songs and tunes in several keys. You’ll need a recording device and a little notebook.

American and Latin Songs With Guitar Backup (level 2–3) We’ll work on a variety of songs in English and simple Spanish. Learn to flatpick the guitar backup and rhythms. This class will be taught by ear; you’ll need a recording device and notebook.

A nationally acclaimed bluegrass musician, vocalist, recording artist, and composer, KEITH LITTLE (Instrumentalist) performed on the Grammy award–winning recordings The Grass Is Blue and Little Sparrow by Dolly Parton, and Another Country by the Chieftains. His compositions have been recorded by Crystal Gayle, Tim O’Brien, and the Whites. Keith performs regularly with Jim Nunally and is a member of the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience.

Bluegrass Banjo Soloing (level 3–5) Explore the musical language of Earl Scruggs and his contemporaries. We’ll find the most basic melody line and then weave it into a rhythmic pattern. Students should have a working knowledge of the chord progressions to standard bluegrass songs, and some familiarity with basic right-hand roll patterns.

TONY MARCUS (Instrumentalist) has played numerous instruments in bands encompassing many styles over the last 30 years, including R. Crumb and the Cheap Suit Serenaders, Geoff Muldaur’s Fountain of Youth, Cats and Jammers, the Frank Wakefield Band and, most recently, Leftover Dreams. He has played on many recordings as an instrumentalist. He also plays in musical theatre productions, and is currently in “Fire on the Mountain,” an evocation of Appalachian coal miners.

Sideperson Boot Camp (level 3–4) This class will explore how to accompany a vocalist/guitarist. We’ll look at how to come up with tasteful fills that complement what a singer is doing, and learn what color tones help move the harmonies along. When can you be more of an active player and when should you lay back? How can you avoid drawing focus from the singer while still adding to the music? Instruments other than guitar are welcome too.

CAROL McCOMB is a vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with 40 years of performing, recording, and teaching experience. She has authored a best-selling guitar instruction book, taught thousands of people to play guitar, and is a frequent contributor to Acoustic Guitar magazine. When Carol is not teaching, she tours with her band, as one half of the duo “Kathy and Carol,” and occasionally with Linda Ronstadt. Carol is a founding member of CCMC and has taught at several other music camps around the country.

Mother Maybelle’s Guitar Style (level 3) Maybelle Carter’s distinctive guitar lead style is surprisingly easy and very satisfying to play. We’ll learn at least a dozen Carter Family songs with lead breaks, starting out with easy leads and then making them more complex by varying the rhythm and adding more melodic movement.

Vocal Technique and Harmony Singing (all levels) We’ll learn how to sing with good breath support and diaphragm control, paying special attention to tone and blend while singing with others. After covering the basic building blocks of harmony theory, we'll learn how to create harmony in a variety of styles, singing new songs every day.

Seattle guitarist RON PETERS has been playing professionally for more than 30 years. Competent in several styles, he is a busy teacher and an in-demand sideman. Ron has studied privately with Joe Pass, Ted Greene, and Mick Goodrick, and is an alumnus of Berklee College of Music in Boston. Ron’s teaching credits include Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, CCMC, Georgia Strait Guitar Workshop, B.C. Swing Camp, and Seattle Pacific University. He has toured internationally and has been heard on radio and TV.

A Rhythm a Day (level 3) You’RE strumming along in a big jam, playing all the classic ol’ faves, but you don’t know how to make it sound right. In this class we will learn how to play rhythm guitar in different styles such as pop, R&B, rock, blues and reggae. We’ll cover chord shapes, strum/picking patterns, and other subtleties that define the style. Increase your confidence and stand out at your next jam.

Beyond Swing Chords: Jazz Comping (level 4–5) Designed to move guitarists beyond the “4 to the bar” approach to rhythm playing common in swing styles, this class will delve into “comping,” the more conversational and rhythmically varied approach common in jazz. We’ll cover chord shapes and how to connect them using “voice leading,” rhythm, and right-hand techniques. Some experience in jazz or swing is required.

ERIC SCHOENBERG has taught since 1963. He’s written a book, Fingerpicking Beatles, released two solo albums on Rounder Records, and contributed to several anthologies. As the proprietor of Eric Schoenberg Guitars in Tiburon, CA, he’s produced a line of high-end classic steel-string guitars.

Intro to Fingerpicking (level 2–3) Learn the basics in a conceptual (as opposed to rote) approach—the actual mechanics of playing melody in the treble with accompaniment in the bass. We’ll explore the melodic and pattern styles, using slow tunes. Make rich and full arrangements and play beautiful melodies.

Advanced Fingerstyle Arranging (level 4–5) Explore the basic building blocks of arranging for fingerstyle, focusing on developing your own spontaneous arrangements by combining melodies with interesting accompaniments that are harmonically sufficient to stand alone as solo arrangements. We’ll look at bass and counterpoint lines, harmonies, subtle and not-so-subtle techniques that make a piece interesting to hear and fun to play.

SHIRLEY MAE SPRINGER-STATEN is an international performer who lives in Anchorage, AK. A child of Harlem and rural Georgia, she has sung all her life. Founder of the International Peace Choir, Shirley Mae has performed nationally and in China, France, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Cuba.

Coming Together and Singing Together (all levels) This experiential class invites you to leap into the power of singing from the heart. Explore listening to harmonies, projection, and expanding your range. Accentuate and enhance your vocal style while learning traditional gospel, African, and other energetic music.

Bring Your Blues Songs to Life (all levels) Take an exciting new step toward experiencing the fun of singing the blues. Learn correct breathing and mouth position, as well as exercises for extending your vocal range. We’ll sing music from Big Mama Thornton, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and other great blues singers. The only requirement: The desire to have fun with music.

ORRIN STAR is a former National Flatpicking Champ who was once described as “Arlo Guthrie meets Doc Watson.” He is also widely known in folk and bluegrass circles for his teaching skills. He has a popular bluegrass guitar instruction book, two DVDs, a long-running column in Flatpicking Guitar magazine, and has taught at dozens of day- and week-long workshops around the country.

Bluegrass Band (all levels) Bluegrass is a precise and interactive musical style based on the band form. And—like learning to speak a language—there are conventions and structures that need to be mastered in order to do it right. By looking at the lead and rhythm roles of each instrument, as well as dynamics, timing, and arranging, you’ll be “speaking grass” in no time (and with good time, hopefully).

Lead Flatpicking: Lifestyles of the Licks Contagious (level 4–5) Flatpicking revolves around two things: playing instrumentals and creating solos for songs. We’ll examine both of these areas while also delving into the subtleties of the style: using rest strokes and strums as well as building dynamics into our leads.

RADIM ZENKL, mandolin player, composer, and instructor, plays many musical styles including bluegrass, folk, flamenco, jazz, and classical. He has recorded five solo CDs and appeared on numerous others. This U.S. National Champion is at the cutting edge of the mandolin’s future, performing solo concerts worldwide, collaborating with leading artists of the acoustic music scene and inventing new playing techniques.

Beginning Mandolin (level 1–2) No experience necessary (though you will need a mandolin). We'll focus on tuning, right-hand techniques for picking and strumming, left-hand positions, tremolo, chords, and backup rhythms while learning several folk tunes.

World Mandolin (level 3–4) We'll follow the footsteps of mandolin from its birth in Italy to Spain, Balkan countries, and then overseas to Ireland and Brazil. Each day will be dedicated to a different country. We'll cover the basics of each style and learn a sample tune. Sheet music for additional tunes will be provided too.

Week 2

STEVE BAUGHMAN

STEVE BAUGHMAN has recorded extensively and appears with Martin Simpson and Pierre Bensusan on the Rounder Records Celtic Fingerstyle Guitar CD/video series. He is the author of three Mel Bay guitar books.

All-Purpose Fingerpicking (level 2–3) We’ll dive deeply into several important right-hand patterns and learn to apply them in the real world of songs. We’ll learn the Travis pick, the Julie Andrews pick, the calypso pick, the cowboy strum, and some basic country blues picking patterns. This is a hands-on class with lots of playing.

Celtic Repertoire (all levels) We’ll learn 10 to 15 standard Celtic tunes (instrumentals) or songs (things with words that you sing), and how to accompany them using exotic open tunings as well as the standard Missionary Tuning. We’ll learn both how to pick the melodies (play the lead) and how to accompany them with basic right-hand strum patterns. If you can change chords easily, you can handle this class.

MIKE DOWLING

MIKE DOWLING has worked with some of the finest acoustic musicians in the country, including Joe Venuti, Jethro Burns, and Vassar Clements. Mike teaches traditional blues and swing guitar at music camps throughout the country. A frequent guest on Prairie Home Companion, his most recent CD, Two of a Kind, comprises guitar duets with fingerstylist Pat Donohue.

Advanced Fingerpicking Arrangements (level 4-5) This class is designed for the student who has developed some independence of the thumb and fingers. (If you can play alternating thumb-style pattern picking, a la “Freight Train,” you qualify.) We’ll concentrate on timing, balance, and arranging techniques that will help you develop your own unique sound. Repertoire will include original as well as traditional Piedmont blues–style arrangements. Bring a recording device.

Intro to Swing Guitar (level 3) Emphasis will be on learning solid 4-to-the-bar swing rhythm techniques. You’ll learn 3-note rhythm chords, riffs, syncopations, arpeggios, and other melodic embellishments. Songs are from the classic swing and jump blues repertoire. More adventuresome students can try their hand at improvisation. Recording devices encouraged.

NINA GERBER

NINA GERBER has been playing guitar for over 25 years. She toured and recorded with singer/songwriter Kate Wolf from 1978 until Kate’s death in 1986. Since then, Nina has performed and/or recorded with Nanci Griffith, Greg Brown, Ferron, Tom Paxton, Karla Bonoff and Kenny Edwards, Lucy Kaplansky, Mollie O’Brien, and many others. Nina attended the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, where she learned how to torture her students with scales and arpeggios.

Theory Applied to Guitar (level 2–4) Designed to help you play lead and backup guitar, this class uses the C-A-G-E-D method to provide an overview of the fretboard. Learn how to build major scales and then how to alter them to give you the sounds you are looking for. We will go slowly and thoroughly. Speed freaks need not apply.

Sideperson Strategies: Care and Feeding of a Front Person (level 5) Stressing the concept that “less is more than enough,” this class explores how to approach being the second guitar player for a rhythm guitarist/vocalist. Bring your own guitar licks, as the focus here is how to be a sensitive, tasteful, and thoughtful sideperson. The lovely and talented Kristina Olsen co-teaches this class as our “chick singer.”

MARY GIBBONS has played and sung bluegrass and country music with the All Girl Boys, Laurie Lewis and Her Bluegrass Pals, Michael Stadler, and others. Her highly regarded dynamic rhythm guitar playing has earned her teaching slots at major music camps and a feature article in Flatpicking Guitar magazine. When the Muse cooperates, Mary is also an accomplished songwriter.

Country Guitar Backup (level 2–3) We’ll cover rhythm guitar styles appropriate to bluegrass and country, with emphasis on creating a full, powerful sound. We’ll also look at techniques for backing singers and different lead instruments. Time permitting, we’ll study a few songs containing classic guitar riffs that have to be played or the song ain’t right.

Country Repertoire (level 2) So many songs, so little time. This class will present songs from the 1930s through the 1950s—brother duets, the Carter Family, bluegrass repertoire, honky tonk, country swing, and maybe some material from current writers. Focus will be on learning new songs, singing with style, and accompanying yourself and others appropriately.

ED JOHNSON has been prominent in the Bay Area music scene for over 30 years as both a performer and teacher. As a vocalist, he is frequently compared to Brazilians Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento. As a guitarist and band leader, critics often cite the lush, exotic sounds of Airto and Flora Purim. Ed performs frequently with his Brazilian jazz group, Novo Tempo. His latest recording project, The Other Road (Cumulus Records), is scheduled for release in March 2007.

Multi-Part Vocal Harmony (level 3–5) Come make a joyful noise as we work through lush choral arrangements in styles ranging from Brazilian to jazz to gospel and beyond! Parts will be written out in standard notation, but the emphasis will be on learning by ear. Prior experience singing harmony is highly recommended.

Jazz/Swing Band Lab (level 3–5) Calling all players and singers! Learn to play with others and experience the joy and fun of making music as an ensemble. Taking a couple of tunes a day, we’ll learn how to put together arrangements, intros, and endings, and how to play or sing in different grooves. Songs will include standards from the Great American Songbook, blues, and Latin numbers. All instruments and singers welcome!

DAVID KEENAN (aka “Twangmaster”) lives in Seattle is a regular teacher at camps along the west coast. Although proficient on several stringed instruments, it’s his innovative guitar style that is widely respected and garners accolades surpassing even the height of his hair. David was a member of Ranch Romance and now plays with several roots-music bands.

Hillbilly Jazz Lead (level 4–5) This is a non-bluegrass flatpicking class that will improve your plectrum dexterity for both rhythm and melody. We’ll focus on flatpicking fundamentals in different styles and syncopations that will open new musical doors and take your playing up a notch or two. Lots of playing in class.

Western Swing Repertoire (level 3) We’ll listen to (and sing—words or no words!) the classic songs and more obscure material from the ’40s and ’50s western swing collection. Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, Tex Williams, Hank Thompson and more!

CELIA MALHEIROS is a vocalist, composer, arranger, producer, educator and multi-instrumentalist from Rio de Janeiro. For the past 24 years, she has lived in the Bay Area and Rio. Her versatility and ability to compose and play all kinds of Brazilian instruments and styles is well represented in her greatly acclaimed CD Sempre Crescendo, which features Hermeto Pascoal. Her latest recording Cenário Brasileiro, features João Bosco and will be released in May 2007.

Brazilian Repertoire for Singers and Guitarists (all levels for singers; level 3–5 for guitarists) For anyone who would love to sing in Portuguese and wonders which songs Brazilians sing when they get together. We’ll explore different rhythms and styles of old and new Brazilian songs, with emphasis on pronunciation, phrasing, and comping.

Brazilian Ensemble (all levels) Play like a Brazilian! We’ll work on understanding and translating to your instrument the varied and exciting Brazilian styles, while accompanying singers and playing instrumental music. All instruments and singers welcome!

DORIAN MICHAEL, blue-collar guitarist, travels around the country half the year playing and teaching solo fingerstyle guitar. He spends the other half at home playing electric blues with the Cinders and flatpicking Americana with mandolinist Kenny Blackwell. He has recorded a whole mess of CDs and a DVD, and has written two books on open tuning for Centerstream Publishing. He has played and taught workshops at the Healdsburg Guitar Festival.

Contemporary Blues Improvisation (level 3) This class will focus on the jamming aspect of blues—what happens when the singer looks at you and says “take it!” From simple pentatonic blues to more harmonically sophisticated chord changes that provoke the use of modal and chromatic melodic playing, we’ll learn about phrasing, varying textures, thematic development, and creating your own style within the blues framework. Flatpickers and fingerpickers welcome.

Doc Watson Meets Joe Pass (level 3) In this fingerstyle class, we’ll do folk/country picking, jazz chord-melody, and open-tuning/contemporary music. From “Deep River Blues” to “All The Things You Are” to who-knows-what in open G, we’ll be truly eclectic. Students should have experience with some basic Travis pick patterns, be able to barre a major 7th chord, and have dropped an E string to D at least once in their life.

KRISTINA OLSEN makes fun a four-letter word! Kristina plays guitar, slide guitar, concertina, piano, and sax, and writes award-winning songs covered by the likes of Fairport Convention, Eric Bibb, Maddy Prior, and Mollie O’Brien. She teaches guitar, songwriting, performing, and dancing at camps in Australia, Canada, the U.K, and the U.S. She’s been a session player for Michelle Shocked, Rickie Lee Jones, and Mary Coughlan, and is on the road some ten months a year.

Blues Slide Guitar (level 3) Come learn the seductive sound of the slide guitar! We’ll focus mostly on blues and open tunings. This is a great class to take when your left hand fingers are sore; no calluses required! You don’t need any previous experience playing slide, but you do need fundamental knowledge of the guitar.

Kristina will also co-teach the “Sideperson” class with Nina Gerber.

STEVE POTTIER has been playing bluegrass guitar, bass, and mandolin in the Bay Area for over 30 years. Well known for his Clarence White–style guitar, he has a CD with Sandy Rothman on Sierra Records, the highly acclaimed Bluegrass Guitar Duets. He also writes a column for Flatpicking Guitar magazine.

Beginning/Intermediate Bluegrass Lead (level 3) Bluegrass lead guitar begins with the melody, and if you can play the chords to the song, you will find most of the melody already under your fingers! With just a few techniques, you can expand that melody into a simple and effective solo. Along the way you’ll learn some of the essential licks of bluegrass style guitar.

Clarence White Lead (level 4–5) We’ll focus on some of the innovative techniques of guitar great Clarence White, including crosspicking, bluesy notes and rhythms, and of course his interesting approach to phrasing and timing. Not all of this is complicated, but students should have good timing and confidence in taking leads to get the most out of this class.

BOB REID was born in Berkeley in 1950, just in time to be aware of the folk music boom. He attended the Berkeley Folk Festival on a school field trip at 12 and saw Pete Seeger, as well as the New Lost City Ramblers, thus beginning a long relationship with the music. He has been a member of the San Francisco Folk Music Club for over 35 years and has an album of original children’s tunes.

Beginning Guitar (level 1) An entry into the guitar, tailored to each student’s needs with individual attention. No experience necessary and the more questions you have the better! We’ll pursue the answers together.

Simple Classics (level 2) There can be great beauty in simplicity. This class will present classic songs—mainly from the folk genre—that achieved their goals using few chords. This is a great opportunity put those chords you’ve been working on to good use and add some simple beauty to your repertoire.

BRIAN RICE is an acclaimed performer, educator, and recording artist from the San Francisco Bay Area, where he performs with many groups including Wake the Dead, Mike Marshall & Choro Famoso, Potaje, and Mike Smolen’s Earplay Jazz Quintet. Brian has a B.M. in Percussion and Ethnomusicology from the Oberlin Conservatory and is well versed in musical styles from around the globe.

Batucada! Brazilian Percussion Ensemble (all levels) We’ll discover the Carnaval rhythms of Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, with an emphasis on playing together and with feeling. We’ll finish the week with a samba parade through camp. Bring any Brazilian percussion instruments you have or want to learn to play. (Earplugs are also a good idea.)

Hands-on Beginning Percussion (level 1–2) This is the perfect class for you if you want to learn about keeping time, the percussionist’s musical palette, percussion etiquette, shaker techniques, or what to do while you wait for those pesky soloist to finish blowing so you can sing the verse already! We’ll hit it, shake it, and scrape it in a fun, low-pressure environment.

JENNIFER SCOTT is considered one of the most important jazz artists working, recording, and teaching in Canada and the U.S. Her vibrant voice and solid piano playing have been featured on many CBC and NPR shows, including “JazzBeat.” Jennifer sings and plays piano with Novo Tempo, a Brazilian group based in the San Francisco area. She has several solo albums and has performed with jazz greats including Clark Terry, Tommy Banks, Rufus Reid, Paul Horn, and Don Thompson.

Beginning Singing (all levels) A great class for stretching new muscles (vocal cords) or for resting tired hands! No singing experience is needed for this class where we’ll learn breathing techniques; work on good, healthy tone production; and find sounds from unexpected places. All songs and exercises will be provided for you—all you need to do is come and sing!

Sing Like a Pro! (level 3–5) Working with provided repertoire and songs brought by students, we’ll focus on the components of a good performance: counting in, intros and outros, arrangements, microphone technique, and how to make the performance run smoothly from technical and personal points of view. All song styles are welcome. Creative visualization and useful vocal and body warmups will also be covered.

JULIAN SMEDLEY (Instrumentalist) has appeared as a jazz violinist in Europe on BBC TV & Radio, the Decca recording label, and the 2006 Olympics. In the U.S., he’s played with Art Lande, Chico Freeman, Ralph Towner, Gary Peacock, Gil Evans, Johnny Matthis, Dan Hicks, Paul Horn, and the Hot Club of San Francisco. Recently he’s been a visiting lecturer at U.C. Berkeley.

STEVE SMITH has been performing and teaching for more than 27 years, playing bluegrass, old-time, Celtic, jazz, and baroque on mandolin, mandola, and mandocello. He has been on the staff at Camp Bluegrass for eight years and has taught at the Puget Sound Guitar workshop, as well as numerous individual workshops around the U.S. He currently works with his group Steve Smith and Hard Road, the Alan Munde Gazette, the Bill Evans String Summit, and the Jim Hurst Band, along with his solo endeavors.

Intro to Mandolin (level 1–2) Each day we’ll work on developing the right hand and a chord vocabulary using open- and closed-position chords. Using bluegrass and old-time tunes, we’ll work on hearing and making chord changes, learning melodies, and getting over the hump between the roles of playing lead and backup. Bring a recording device.

Advanced Mandolin (level 3–4) Each day we’ll look at scales and chords, and how they can be used to develop solos and improvisation for bluegrass styles (old and new) and new acoustic styles. Enhanced chord voicing and ear training will be emphasized. Lots of group and individual playing. Bring a recording device.

Singer/multi-instrumentalist/writer MIKE STADLER (Instigator) plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, clawhammer banjo, lap steel, dulcimer, country, folk, bluegrass, swing, and old time. His complex guitar work includes flatpicked, clawhammer, and fingerstyle arrangements. Raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the south shore of Lake Superior, he was taken by music by the age of six. He has lived and taught in the San Francisco area since the early ’80s.

LINDA WATERFALL has released ten albums of original songs, and composed choral music for numerous grants and commissions. The Seattle Times calls her “a Seattle treasure, the queen of regional singer-songwriters.” Currently she is doing concert tours, studio work, and choral composing, and teaching songwriting at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

Songwriting (all levels) We’ll do some exercises involving words, melody, chords, and rhythm; talk about form; and explore the process of taking a partial fragment and developing it into a song. By week’s end, you might have completed a whole new song, a song you’ve been stuck on, or started a couple of new ones. There will be a fair amount of emphasis on the instrumental aspect of songwriting; if you’re relatively inexperienced on your instrument, you could collaborate with a more experienced partner.

Rock and Roll Jam Session! (level 2–4) If those rock-and-roll jam sessions look like fun but you’ve never played rock and roll, here’s your class! Learn repertoire, some basic jamming strategies, and a few important tricks (like “power chords”) that will give you the rock sound. There will be barre chords. If you’re a level 2 guitar player, this class is do-able, especially if you are comfortable with a flatpick, but expect a stretch.

RENE WORST, an internationally known and respected jazz bass player, has toured Canada with jazz legends Chet Baker, Gene Bertoncini, and Joe Pass; toured internationally with Paul Horn; and recorded and performed with other jazz greats, including Jack Sheldon, Tommy Banks, Herb Ellis, Freddie Hubbard, Ernestine Anderson, John Faddis, Don Thompson, and Jennifer Scott. A virtuoso on both string and electric basses, he also tours with the Brazilian jazz band Novo Tempo.

Beginning Bass (level 1–2) This class will start right at the beginning: holding, carrying, and basic hand positions. We’ll learn how simple bass lines are created and play some tunes.

Intermediate/Advanced Bass (level 3–4) We’ll concentrate on grooves—swing, bossa, samba, and so on—and sound with a minimal amount of “math” (scales, modes). We’ll fix problems and zero in on how to sound better and have more fun playing. Some basic scales and reading skills would be helpful but aren’t mandatory.