Pam Weeks' Mountain Dulcimer Class

"I am delighted to announce that I will be teaching mountain dulcimer at Maine Fiddle Camp in June! Here's a chance to eat, breathe, and sleep traditional music and dulcimer in particular for a week in central Maine! We meet at a rustic camp in Maine by a pond, lots of music and dancing all week, food by the incredible "Second Breakfast" - mostly organic, mostly local fare. There are three or four class sessions each day (that may vary depending on the number of students at each level) plus concerts, guided jam sessions, swimming time, dances, all focusing on the various traditional music found in Maine. How does Appalachian dulcimer fit in? Well, I've been living and performing in Maine for almost 30 years, for starters. Anything I've played is fair game, and that's a lot of music.... And the Appalachian mountains end here, at Baxter State Park... of course it makes sense! There's lots of time to investigate whatever direction you're interested in in an intimate setting. I will have extra instruments for sale/use. (These will be very well-made cardboard dulcimers that a fellow in Ct makes.)"

Paul Anastasio

An opportunity to perform and study with the legendary jazz violinist Joe Venuti between 1976 and 1978 helped shape Paul’s swing jazz style. At about the same time, Paul’s friendship with electric mandolinist Tiny Moore resulted in a successful audition with country music legend Merle Haggard. Jumping at the chance to join Merle's band, The Strangers, Paul was able to tour the U.S. and Europe for six months. In 1980 he joined Asleep at the Wheel, and enjoyed playing their eclectic mix of music on the road for almost four years. In 1984 he joined Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Band, working with Larry and his brothers for three years. Paul then joined Loretta Lynn’s band, the Coal Miners. After two years with Loretta, he free-lanced for a bit in Nashville, then returned to his native Pacific Northwest in 1992.

This is just a taste of Paul's experience, and at Fiddlecamp he is hoping to be able to teach the Mexican style of playing that he has learned more recently. Paul says, "That style is the violin-driven style from the Hot Lands of Guerrero and Michoacán in southwestern Mexico. It's called Calentano music, and it's a great mixture of traditional tunes and composed pieces by known authors. As opposed to swing music, where the bare-bones melody is just a jumping-off point for improvisation, this Mexican music is played as written. Students can learn it by ear, from manuscript, or both. My introduction to this music came when I first heard violinist Juan Reynoso at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. His music absolutely floored me! When studying with him, I learned that he was one of just a handful of old players who were still playing the style, and that it was dying out. For me, this was like hearing that old-time fiddling or Cajun fiddling was dying out. "That can't be!" I remember thinking, and I resolved to do everything I could to keep the style alive."
Check out more about Paul and his amazing fiddling at www.swingcatenterprises.com, or Google him.

PLUS - Two Full Bands on Staff

In addition to the special features listed above, June week will feature two full bands. Both Ti Acadie and Rumblestrip will be participating at camp as complete bands, in addition to the usual wonderful individual musicians..

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