Posted by ChuckJo on Sunday, September 5, 2010
Hello friends,
Two weekends ago I had the honor of playing music with Aisha Ivey, an outstanding fiddler from Tallahassee, and Gainesville’s guitar virtuoso, Bill Paine. On Friday evening, we were joined by one of our favorite dancers, Diane Shaw, for a concert at Gainesville’s Bo Diddley Community Plaza, and on Saturday Evening we played the Gainesville Old-Time Dance Society’s 3rd Saturday dance, with Andy Kane calling. It was great to see so many of you from Gainesville and Tallahassee . We very much appreciate the support.
Suzanna Mars wrote a lovely and generous review of the concert entitled “Chuck Levy With A Little Help From His Friends”. Well I thought I had a lot of help! The article opens with the following sentence: “To call Chuck Levy a banjo player seems to be a bit of a disservice, akin to calling Wolfgang Puck a cook or Tim Tebow a guy who tosses a ball.” Wow! To read the full review, go to http://gainesville365.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/chuck-levy-and-friends-and-friends/
If you have a facebook account, you can see a clip from the dance posted by Dan Peterson at http://www.facebook.com/chuck.levy#!/video/video.php?v=1535547184702&ref=mf
The August/September issue of the Old-Time Herald (http://www.oldtimeherald.org/) includes a review of Banjourneys by Pete Peterson. Pete is an accomplished old-time banjoist in a number of picking styles. He plays banjo in the Orpheus Supertones (Walt Koken, Clare Milliner, and Kellie Allen), Waking Up Tillie (Randy Johnson, Terry Burtyk, and Kellie Allen) and sometimes in Jane's Gang (Jane Rothfield, Allan Carr, Paul Sidlick, and Kellie Allen). Check http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kennett-Square-PA/Orpheus-Supertones/164804755746 for more on the Supertones.
Pete is a frequent visitor at the Florida Old-Time Music Championships.
It is a privilege to be reviewed by Pete. Here are the opening sentences to the review: “What happens when an already good musician decides to broaden his horizons by learning more about the roots of the banjo and learns some tunes and songs from Gambia in the process? A CD as interesting and enjoyable as this one. (And how did he ever get Roz Chast of the New Yorker to draw the cover?)” The Old-Time Herald has graciously allowed me to post the entire review at http://www.banjourneys.com/publicfiles/Banjourneys_Review_Peterson.pdf
Earlier this year I was asked to profile Gold Tone for Banjo Newsletter. It was great to spend time in Titusville with Wayne and Robyn Rogers getting background information for the article. The article that resulted appears in this month’s Banjo Newsletter. To read the article check http://www.banjourneys.com/publicfiles/BNL_Gold_Tone_9_10.pdf
The same issue includes Adam Hurt’s review of Banjourneys. To my mind, Adam is one of the most exciting clawhammer players to come on the scene for quite some time http://adamhurt.com/ . In it, Adam states “Chuck Levy’s musical Autobiography of sorts proves to be enjoyable and engaging throughout, and has already been worthy of many repeat listens for me. I am happy to recommend it, and look forward to hearing future musical journeys taken by this fine player.”
To read the entire review, check http://www.banjourneys.com/publicfiles/BNL_Banjourneys_review_9_10.pdf
My thanks to BNL Editor, Donald Nitchie for allowing me to post these links. To get a free copy of BNL check http://www.banjonews.com/
For more about Banjourneys check to www.banjourneys.com
We have less than a week to go before the Suwannee Old-Time Music Weekend (September 10- 12) at the Stephen Foster Folk Culture State Park in White Springs, Florida, with the Dillbillies (Paula Bradley, Bill Dillof, and Stephanie Coleman) Chuck Anton, Aisha Ivey, the Dunehoppers, Devine and LaRoche, and Chuck Levy. SOTMW features instruction on fiddle, guitar, banjo, and voice, as well as demos, jams, concerts and low-level mischief. We would love to have you join us! For more info, check http://www.floridastateparks.org/stephenfoster/events.cfm?viewevent=5735#5735
4 comments on “Reviews, articles, and general activities in August and September”
blanham Says:
Monday, September 13, 2010 @7:49:43 PM
Chuck,
The 2010 Suwannee Old-Time Music Weekend was a BLAST! I already knew of your banjo playing and teaching talent, from banjo camp, and I was amazed at the fiddling of Chuck Anton, and the Dillbillies string band in concert. Then, to be sitting in workshops the next morning with all you pros ... well, let's just say I'm glad I didn't let that opportunity pass me by. Plus, all the other attendees couldn't have been nicer people. I hope I can make it again next year.
ChuckJo Says:
Monday, September 13, 2010 @8:23:09 PM
Thanks Bob,
Thanks for the kind remarks about the camp. It was great having you in class. You are quite skilled yourself, and a quick learner too. I look forward to the next time we get together.
Chuck
John Herrington Says:
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 @2:24:10 PM
Chuck, I have long admired your banjo playing on the Gold Tone site. I have a WL 250, made in Korea and it is the prize of my bunch of 'jos.
Old John on the Big Horn
ChuckJo Says:
Friday, March 25, 2011 @7:02:44 AM
Hi John,
Great to hear from you. Sorry I missed this earlier. Thanks for the kind remark. I am really pleased that you like your Gold Tone. I am proud to be associated with the bunch in Titusville, and am happy to hear that you like your WL 250.
We just finished our annual Suwannee Banjo Camp. You might enjoy checking out some of the videos posted at suwanneebanjocamp.com
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