Slide & Steel Guitars at Centrum

While we're on the subject...

This isn't entirely slide-related, but I hope you'll pardon the indulgence!

As Orville mentioned recently, there's been a bit of "conjurin'" happening around here. In that spirit, I want you all to know that the great Wanda Jackson will be here in a few days for a Rock-n-Roll intensive called "The Roots of Rock."

Wanda is a legendary figure in the history of rock and rockabilly, and we feel as if some lucky conjurin' brought her to us. Workshop participants will get to be her backing band for a rockabilly dance taking place on Tuesday, August 5. Either as a player or a dancer/listener...it's an event not to be missed.

Brad Bechtel's Photos from Dobro Intensive

Brad Bechtel runs one of the finest websites devoted to slide and steel guitars, Brad's Page of Steel.  We were fortunate to have Brad as a participant at our recent Dobro Intensive with Orville Johnson, Mike Witcher, Don Rooke, and Mike Neer. In addition to his skills as a player, Brad is also a fine photographer, and he's shared his photos from the gathering.

View his photos from the weekend at his flickr page.

Orville Johnson: Dobro Mojo Conjured!

A note from Orville Johnson...

"The dobro intensive workshop is now history and also had a brush WITH history to cap it off.

The teachers and students were fantastic and the week ended with a concert, open to the public, at the Wheeler Theater. We had a nice house and I, as emcee of the show, started off by telling the audience how fitting it was to have the Slide & Steel Workshop in Port Townsend since Chris Knutsun, the creator of an iconic type of slide guitar commonly known as the Weissenborn guitar, lived in Port Townsend at the time he came up with his invention. Little did I know that more historical connections were to come this evening!

We had a wonderful show, everyone played mightily, and the crowd was well pleased. Afterwards, as we lounged backstage, a fellow came back to compliment us on the evening. He said he was in town on vacation with his wife and had seen a sign that said Dobro Concert Tonight at Fort Worden. He said they had a special interest in dobros and felt they should come and check it out. I asked his name. Emil Dopyera, he replied. WOW!

The Dopyera Brothers invented the freakin' DOBRO! This man was a direct descendant of the inventors! Who happened to be in Port Townsend on vacation the night we had our public concert! And saw the sign and came! Powerful dobro mojo had been conjured and ancestral figures appeared to the acolytes!

I hesitate to consider what might happen at future Slide & Steel events. You'll have to come to find out, I guess. BTW, this is a true story."

Dobro Show!

We've got a special dobro show happening at 7:30 pm, on July 12 at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater.

General Admission Seats are $16; 18 & under free. Follow this link to purchase tickets or call Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117.

Performers

Equally at home in myriad styles of music, Mike Neer made a name for himself playing Hawaiian steel guitar with the Moonlighters. Neer uses his knowledge of jazz and old-time Hawaiian music to great advantage by fusing them together, much in the same way that the early masters like Sol Hoopii and Benny Nawahi did. Mike still considers himself primarily a guitarist, although these days he’s returned to his roots of electric guitar.

Orville Johnson, Centrum's Artistic Director of Slide and Steel, came up in the St. Louis music scene, where he participated in a wide variety of blues, bluegrass, and American roots music. He moved to Seattle in 1978, where he was a founding member of the folk/rock group the Dynamic Logs. Johnson has played on over one hundred albums and released four recordings.

Mike Witcher is a resonator guitarist who boasts a long list of credits both as a session player and as a sideman. He has performed with many artists, including Dolly Parton, Laurie Lewis, Sean and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, Tyler Hilton, and many others. His playing offers a strong contemporary sensibility balanced with a deep respect for tradition.

Kicking It in the Music Business: The Music of Mike Neer

Mike Neer, who has been kicking it in the music business for more than twenty years, will be teaching at Centrum's Dobro Intensive, July 10-13, 2008. 

Equally at home in myriad styles of music, Mike made a name for himself playing Hawaiian steel guitar with The Moonlighters from 2004 through 2007. “I fell in love with the instrument years ago, but after a few failed attempts to play it, I kind of gave up. It wasn’t until I found the Moonlighters and my National Tricone that I had a purpose for playing other than my own enjoyment. I now had a voice.”

Mike used his knowledge of jazz and old-time Hawaiian music to great advantage by fusing them together, much in the same way that the early masters like Sol Hoopii and Benny Nawahi did. “I like to approach the instrument fresh every time I play, and I like to improvise most of my parts. It’s just the way I’ve always been. I guess I have a pretty small attention span, but that’s resulted in me having better ears.”

WANTED: Bloggers

When we redesigned this site last year, we had a vision that at some point, we could invite community members to post/write for the site, sharing their passion with other members of the Centrum community.

That time is NOW!

If you are passionate about slide and steel guitars, and would like to share your knowledge and a sense of discovery with others, we want YOU. Please contact Keven Elliff at keven at centrum dot org for more information.

Registration Opens for 2008 Workshops

Registration has opened for Centrum's 2008 workshops. Follow the links in the top right column to learn more, or bookmark http://www.centrum.org/admin/register.html, which is our new launch page for registrations.

New in 2008, we've upgraded the software we use to handle registrations, which will give you more information, more quickly than ever before. As always, your feedback will help us improve how we serve you.

New Food
Also new in 2008, we are excited to announce a new food partner at Fort Worden. Bon Appétit Management Company is bringing their passion for great food inspired by a deep commitment to sustainability and locally grown and produced fare. They share our own belief that food serves a much larger purpose for the community. Breaking bread together helps create a sense of community and comfort. We can't wait for you to come to Fort Worden to experience a new era in excellent cuisine. Learn more at http://www.cafebonappetit.com/fortworden/.

We look forward to seeing you at Fort Worden in 2008.

Birth of Bodie: An Email from Mary Lucey

hey y'all!!!!!!!!

woweeee, a lil angel touched down on tuesday sept 25th at 7:05pm! a full moon rising over the mountains outside our hospital window. everything went smoothly and relatively quickly, so they say ;-)  a very beautiful and powerful experience. we are sooo happy to be home. and are so grateful for this healthy nugget of love. billy has been master chef cardine, so we are all gaining our strength back. adrenaline is an amazing thing and has been keeping me chugging through days and nights that total sleep in the minutes.   

imagine the jam sessions that could be going on with this unstoppable energy! or is it obsessive compulsive hawk-like awareness and sensitivity to this new lil bugger? his name is william bodie cardine, and we are calling him bodie. we want to thank you all so very much for all of the love and support. we know how blessed we are for friends like y'all!  ok, so here are some photos...i had to restrain myself a bit ;-)

much love, mary and billy and bodie boy

Mary Lucey and Billy Cardine taught and performed at Centrum in 2007. Together, they play in the fiery mountain music band the Biscuit Burners.

Leo Kottke in Concert at Fort Worden!

[Leo Kottke onstage playing "Rings"] 

Leo Kottke, who has been referred to as "quite possibly the greatest guitarist on earth," will give a special performance at McCurdy Pavilion on October 5, at 7:30 pm. Listen to Kottke's classic hard-driving tune "Vaseline Machine Gun" here.

"Once you fall prey to Kottke's rollicking groove, it's hard to deny its allure, year after year," writes critic Josef Woodward. "He doesn't sweat the small stuff. It's all about an energy force, captured in well-honed musical terms."

Kottke's unique sytle of music draws on blues, jazz, and folk music influences. Growing up in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Kottke played trombone and violin before moving to the guitar. A mishap with a firecracker permanently damaged his hearing in one ear, a condition that would be exacerbated during firing practice during his service in the Navy.

After receiving his discharge, Kottke attended St. Cloud State University in central Minnesota where he was known for skipping class and instead going to the auditorium and playing his guitar for hours on end!

He calls his guitar playing "fussin'" with the guitar. And sometimes during performances, his mind floats off the stage, he says. "It just plain leaves," he says. "Gone until the night's over. There's no room for me. Sometimes when I come back I don't have a clue where I've been, I mean, while I was playing. Where I go when I'm gone is another story. I'm not there, either."

Kottke has collaborated on his records with his mentor John Fahey, as well as with Chet Atkins, Lyle Lovett, Margo Timmins, and Rickie Lee Jones. He is also a frequent guest on A Prairie Home Companion. For Tickets to the October 5 show, call Centrum toll-free at 800.733.3608 or 360.385.3102, x117 or visit our secure online Acteva site.

Free Fridays at the Fort Concerts

Centum invites you to come to Fort Worden each Friday at noon for our free concert series "Free Fridays at the Fort." From June 29 through August 10 on the lawn at the Fort Worden Commons, audiences sample music from Centrum's summer festivals, as well as outstanding local and regional musicians.

Free Fridays at the Fort
12n-1pm
Fort Worden Commons

June 29: Voiceworks/Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival
July 6: The Festival of American Fiddle Tunes
July 13: Rhythm Planet
July 20: Navy Band Northwest: Five Star Brass
July 27: Jazz Port Townsend
August 3: Port Townsend Country Blues Festival
August 10: Dwyer Family Band

Centrum's Bottleneck Slide Weekend

BOTTLENECK SLIDE WEEKEND
Workshop: January 31–February 3, 2008
Concert: 7:30pm, February 2, 2008

Join Mike Dowling, Steve James, and Centrum’s Artistic Director for Slide and Steel, Orville Johnson (pictured left), for a weekend gathering celebrating one of the most expressive and tuneful sounds ever conceived! The weekend will include workshop sessions, faculty demonstrations, tutorials, and open jams.

Participants for this gathering must have a basic technical command of their instrument(s) and a basic knowledge of music theory. “Differing levels of ability are expected, and the classes are designed to accommodate these differences,” says program manager Peter McCracken.

As part of the workshop, participants will also receive free admission to the February 2 public evening performance in the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater.

• For Workshop Registration, call Centrum at 360.385.3102 x114 or register securely online.
  $550 includes all meals and lodging.
• For Concert Tickets, call Centrum at 360-385-3102 x117.

THE ARTISTS

In 1995, Mike Dowling launched his solo performance career with the release of the critically acclaimed Swamp Dog Blues. Dowling’s engaging voice, self-deprecating wit, and arsenal of elegant interpretations of old blues are well known—as is the quality of tone he produces when he lays a slide on a string.

Steve James is known internationally for his playing, songcraft, and original approach to the roots music he’s heard since childhood. A workshop veteran, Steve has published numerous articles and books, as well as instructional DVDs. His studio work, both solo and in support of other artists, has earned him many accolades, including Grammy nominations.

Orville Johnson, the Artistic Director of Slide and Steel, came up in the St. Louis music scene, where he participated in a wide variety of blues, bluegrass, and American roots music. He moved to Seattle in 1978, where he was a founding member of the folk/rock group the Dynamic Logs. Johnson has played on over one hundred albums and released four recordings.

Summer Tickets Now On Sale

We're pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for Centrum's summer performances at Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend. Highlights of the 2007 summer season include:

• Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec and Trio Solisti anchor the Port Townsend Chamber Music Festival, led by new Artistic Director Helen Callus.
• Centrum's June 10 special sneak preview of the Seattle Men’s Chorus’ new show “Scared Faithless,” a look at religion through the lens of experiences by gay men and women.
• South African teaspoon slide guitar player Hannes Coetzee and Grammy winning vocalist Laurie Lewis performing at the combined Voiceworks/Port Townsend Slide & Steel Festival.
• National Heritage Award fellows Liz Carroll and Paul Dahlin, along with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and dozens more, turning up the temperature during the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes.
• Writers Eileen Myles, Arthur Sze, Thomas Glave Camille Dungy and others whom Artistic Director Rebecca Brown says “work beyond the bounds of well-behaved American literature” at the Port Townsend Writers’ Conference.
• Roberta Gambarini, the Banda Brothers Latin All-Stars and NEA Jazz Master Gerald Wilson joining Artistic Director John Clayton and others at Jazz Port Townsend, Washington’s longest-running summer jazz festival.
• The Port Townsend Country Blues Festival, the nation’s largest gathering of acoustic blues musicians, welcomes National Heritage Award winners Eddie Pennington, Henry Gray and John Cephas, as well as Robert Belfour and many more.

Information on ordering tickets is available on our Information Center site.

Orville Johnson Named First Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival

Orville Johnson has been named the first Artistic Director of the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival.

"We’re blessed to be working with Orville,” said Centrum program manager Peter McCracken. “Orville is someone who has the greatest respect of players and the field. The combination of characteristics that make Orville unique, his superb musicianship, his multi-instrument virtuosity and his singing ability, will serve the Slide and Steel workshop well.”

The Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival is the only week-long experience in the nation devoted to the repertoire and technique of slide and steel guitar. The Festival is a total-immersion workshop presenting many styles of slide guitar music and pedal steel guitar music. The workshop’s wide spectrum includes workshop sessions, faculty demonstrations, tutorials, concerts, open jams, parties, and informal and spontaneous gatherings.

Participants in this gathering have basic technical command of their instrument, as well as basic
knowledge of music theory. Differing levels of ability are expected, and classes are designed to accommodate those differences.

The Port Townsend Slide & Steel Festival

Join us for the return of the Port Townsend Slide and Steel Festival June 24-July 1, 2007, a week-long gathering that celebrates what is considered by many to be the most expressive and tuneful sound ever conceived. Spend a week living, learning, and jamming with masters of country, Hawaiian, old-time, and bluegrass traditions.

The core of the week is a total-immersion workshop presenting many styles of slide guitar music and pedal steel guitar music.

Most evenings, and on the culminating weekend, the artist/faculty take to the stage for a series of public performances closely intertwined with Voiceworks: A Week of Singing, which takes place the very same week.