Fiddle Tunes at Centrum

Centrum Names Suzy Thompson Next Artistic Director for Fiddle Tunes

Fiddler Suzy Thompson has been named Centrum’s new Artistic Director of the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, succeeding outgoing Artistic Director Dirk Powell.

Steeped in many fiddle styles, including old-time, Cajun, and blues, Thompson has been a Fiddle Tunes faculty member multiple times, and has also taught and been a featured performer for Centrum’s Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival.

In addition to her active teaching and performing schedule, Thompson is the founder and currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Berkeley Old-Time Music Convention in Berkeley, California where she resides.  Thompson will begin her duties at Centrum in the fall, working with program manager Peter McCracken to select artists and curate the Fiddle Tunes festival experience, now in its 34th year.

“We are thrilled to have Suzy join our artistic staff, said Centrum Executive Director John MacElwee. “She has been an active part of the Centrum workshop experience for many years and is revered as both a performer and a teacher. I have known of her talent—as a fiddler, guitarist and a singer—for nearly thirty years, and also of her passion for exploring and understanding the context of the fiddle in American music. She is indeed a worthy successor to Dirk Powell, who greatly helped to shape this important festival over the last five years.”

The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes is one of the largest celebrations of traditional American music— and other fiddle traditions from around the world—west of the Mississippi. Hundreds of players come to Fort Worden State Park for a full week of workshop classes, band labs, tutorials, dances, concerts, open jams, parties, and informal and spontaneous gatherings. These workshops lead into mainstage shows where thousands of audience members pack McCurdy Pavilion, a World War I-era balloon hangar converted into one of the west’s most distinctive performance halls, to listen to the masters. Past performers have included Dennis McGhee, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Marc and Ann Savoy, Howard Armstrong and Buddy McMaster, among many others.

“I am thrilled to accept this position with Centrum” said Thompson, from the Swannanoa Gathering in North Carolina where she is teaching fiddle this week. “Fiddle Tunes is known all over the world for bringing the authentic tradition bearers of fiddle styles to Port Townsend. There is no other festival and workshop quite like it. I am honored to succeed Dirk Powell and look forward to working with the Centrum staff, including Peter McCracken, in planning the 2011 festival.”

“We’re looking forward to working with Suzy, “ said program mamanger Peter McCracken, “She has a thoughtfulness about the way she creates programming, and a lot of experience. We’ve known each other for since Fiddle Tunes began 34 years ago, and we’re looking forward to continuing the traditions of Fiddle Tunes.” 

Listen to Fiddle Tunes Performers Wednesday on KEXP

Join KEXP's Greg Vandy in the Roadhouse this Wednesday night (6-9pm) for an in-studio performance from Caleb Klauder's Country Band, with very special guests Jesse Lege and Joel Savoy. KEXP invited Caleb into the studio to share some of the songs off his brand-new album, Western Country. Backed by a full country band (including Sammy Lind, also on Fiddle Tunes Faculty) Caleb played "Worn Out Shoes" and "Hole In My Heart", two greats songs off the album. He also talked with host Greg Vandy about his influences growing up in the Northwest music scene.

Joining Caleb as special guests, Jesse Lége brought his powerhouse Cajun singing and deep knowledge of traditional Cajun French. Along with fiddler Joel Savoy, and with Caleb's full country band, the two Cajun musicians brought the house down. Greg also had a fascinating interview with Joel about the current state of Louisiana's folk music and folk culture.

Tune in online at www.kexp.org.  The Roadhouse lasts from 6-9, and they'll be on around 6:30 or so.

Of course, Jesse and Joel will be part of this Friday's big Cajun and Creole Dance Party on Friday - so this is a great opportunity to check them out before buying tickets to the Friday show. Tickets are available online, or by calling 800-746-1982.

Friday July 9
La Fête de la Louisiane: A Cajun & Creole Dance Party
Littlefield Green | 7:30 pm | $15

• Creole La La: Nolton Simien and David Greely and Friends
• Little Band of Silver: (Cajun Superstar jam with Steve Riley, Sam Broussard, Jesse Lége, Joel Savoy, Dirk and Christine Powell.)

The Next Generation at Fiddle Tunes

Seattle musician and Fiddle Tunes regular Devon Leger has written a very interesting piece in Victory Music about the emergence of a new generation of participants and faculty at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. For all of you in the I-5 area, Devon offers this nugget:

"The Festival is now more successful than ever, but few people in Seattle realize that the Festival also offers public concerts. These concerts feature master musicians and are relatively cheap. So if you’ve never heard of the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, check out their concert page and plan a fun outing to the Peninsula. These artists are often impossible to catch outside of the Festival!"

We couldn't have said it better ourselves. Read the whole article to learn more.

Tickets for the Festival's July 4 and July 9 shows are available online, or by calling 800-746-1982.

July 4 is a Big Day for Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend

Fireworks and The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes are traditions in Port Townsend during the summer. At Centrum, we do our best to make sure that the fireworks last all day.

For our July 4 shows at Fiddle Tunes in 2010, we are pulling out all of the stops. We have an afternoon show at 1:30pm featuring more than a dozen of the most accomplished and outstanding musicians from around the world. In the evening at 7:30pm, the fireworks begin in earnest onstage before we send you to the bluffs at Fort Worden to watch the real thing.

The concerts are a highlight of summer in Port Townsend, and we have great seats available. Tickets for our July 4 shows are available online, or by calling 800-746-1982.

Sunday, July 4 - A Port Townsend Independence Day Tradition
Fiddlin’ – Old World, New World
McCurdy Pavilion | 1:30 pm | $18/$25/$36

• Olof Söderbäck and Peter Michaelson: Swedish Fiddling
  
• Paul Anastasio and Juan Barco: A Musical Tour of Mexico
  
• Peter Arsenault and Jacques Arsenault: Traditional Music of Prince Edward Island
• Joseba Tapia, Arkaitz Miner, and Javier Berasaluce: Basque Dance Music
  
  
• Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum: Bluegrass
  
• David Kaynor and Betsy Branch: New England Dance Music
  
• Mike Bryant, Joseph Decosimo: Old Time
  
• Kevin Healy and Keith Holter: Western Swing

Sunday, July 4 - Fireworks!
Fiddle Grand Finale
McCurdy Pavilion | 7 pm | $17/$24/$34

• John Carty: One of Ireland's Finest Traditional Musicians
  
• Genticorum: Canada's Young Quebecois Powerhouse Trio
  
• James Cheechoo and family: Music of the Moose Cree First Nation
  
• Dirk Powell and Friends: Fiddle Tunes Artistic Director and Multi-instrument Virtuoso
• Fireworks Follow on the Bluffs of Fort Worden

Sunday, July 4 - A Port Townsend Independence Day Tradition
Fiddlin’ – Old World, New World
McCurdy Pavilion | 1:30 pm | $18/$25/$36

Sunday, July 4 - Fireworks!
Fiddle Grand Finale
McCurdy Pavilion | 7 pm | $17/$24/$34

Creole Accordion in Port Townsend

Nolton Semien is a venerable Creole accordionist who exudes the early days of La-La, and he'll make his first trip to Port Townsend this summer.

Born in 1939, he comes from St Landry Parish, an area that has produced many Creole players - Goldman Thibodeaux, Lil' John Simien, Bebe and Eraste ‘Dolon' Carriere, and Delton Broussard and the Lawtell Playboys.

The fiddler in that band, Calvin Carriere, played for many years with Nolton as the St. Landry Playboys. This is a rare opportunity to spend some time with him, as he rarely leaves home.

2010 Fiddle Tunes Faculty Updates

With great regret we report that Charlie McCarroll, Tony Thomas, and Bobby Fulcher won't make it to Port Townsend this summer. We're working on them for next year, but in their place we've invited the legendary Mike Bryant and the National Old Time Banjo Champion Joseph Decosimo, from Tennessee.

Mike Bryant was born in 1954 Georgia, but has spent most of his adult life in upper East Tennessee. He’s perhaps most recognized for his work with his band, The New Dixie Entertainers, named after fiddler Earl Johnson’s 1930s-era outfit. Mike has twice won the prestigious fiddle competition at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival, in Clifftop, WV; he’s considered one of the preeminent old time fiddlers in the United States.

He’ll be accompanied by National Old Time Banjo Champion Joseph Decosimo, one of the new generation of young musicians connecting with older regional traditions of music. His playing is deeply rooted in the old time traditions of the Cumberland Plateau and reflects time spent studying under some of the finest older musicians of that region. Both Mike and Joseph play both fiddle and banjo.

We've also added Alison Hedlund to our intermediate tutorial staff in Swedish Fiddling. Alison discovered her true musical passion when she heard her first record of traditional Swedish music - you know, that blue and white one, featuring the music of Bjorn Stabi and Ole Hjorth - and started the band “Swedes for a Day.” Two trips to Sweden to meet her cousins, travel, collect tunes and attend music festivals were inspiring. She played with the Scandinavian Clover Blossom Band for 12 years, and is a member of various ensembles for dances and other Scandinavian events in Western Washington.

Learn more about these folks, and the rest of our 2010 Faculty and tutors on our Festival of American Fiddle Tunes Faculty page.

Fiddle Tunes Poster Earns Kudos

Kris Tucker, the Executive Director of the Washington State Arts Commission, has some very nice things to say on the NEA's "Art Works" blog about our 2010 Fiddle Tunes Poster, designed and printed by Pilar McCracken.

"In vivid red and somewhat quirky lettering and symbols, her poster captures the heritage and atmosphere of Fiddle Tunes. It makes me want to be there. And I’m already thinking of who I’ll hear, where I’ll stay, and what other creative experiences I might come across en route."

Thanks for note, Kris, and we hope to see you in Port Townsend in July!