Impossible to Ignore

Today’s column from Bruce Campbell January 17, 2008 Right after the selections of the California Showcase Bands is announced, there is always some debate over the results. For every band that submitted, but didn’t get selected, there is some consternation. If...

Improvisation – When You Need It Most

One of the most endearing things about bluegrass is the improvisation. Songs (or tunes) have a melody, which establishes the identity of the piece, but when the instrumentalists take their solos, the music joins other great musical forms (like jazz or the blues) in...

Improvisation as an Avocation

My son gave me a very interesting book – “Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans”. When I began reading it, I realized it wasn’t a linear biography in the normal sense. Basically, the author is overlaying the presence of Armstrong in the context of the development of...

In a Holiday of Miracles; THIS ONE is Mine.

It can be a game of wit, the game of life; a game of scrabble; but the luckiest game I ever played was fourteen years ago on line…. backgammon.  I was tired of sick relationships, I had spent my last four years being the only one that was doing the work to...

In Case You Need Something Else to Worry About

I’ve always said “Safety is No Accident”, and with bluegrass festival season upon us, I think it’s important to raise awareness of some of hidden dangers that await happy festival denizens. After all, we’re going to festivals to have FUN, not fumble around for the...