California Banjo Extravaganza

8th Annual California Banjo Extravaganza, November 9, 2019
Each November, San Francisco Bay Area banjo player Bill Evans brings together some of the best banjo players in the world and combines them with an ace backup band featuring several West Coast favorites for a series of incredible concerts across northern California and an afternoon of workshops in Berkeley. This year’s annual northern California five-string banjo celebration features the incomparable old-time banjo entertainer Leroy Troy, the Virginia-based three-finger banjo virtuoso Gina Furtado, and, of course, California favorite Bill Evans. Joining this trio of banjo greats is their All-Star band, this year featuring John Reischman (mandolin), Chad Manning (fiddle), Dale Adkins (guitar) & Sharon Gilchrist (bass) for an evening of bluegrass, old-time, and beyond, celebrating the many different ways music is made today on the five-string banjo. Each musician will be featured individually with the All-Star Band as well as teaming up for one-of-a-kind duet and trio performances.

In previous years, the California Banjo Extravaganza has presented many of the best banjo players in the world, including Bill Keith, Tony Trischka, Danny Barnes, Alan Munde, and Charlie Cushman, among many others. This year offers another spectacular concert tour featuring three unique banjo talents.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH • DOORS: 7:00 PM / SHOW: 8:00 PM

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WORKSHOPS

All workshops take place at Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison St. Workshops are organized into three tracks, each with two sessions (from 1 to 2:15 p.m & 2:45 to 4 p.m), and concluding with a grand finale session from 4:15 to 5 p.m bringing all three tracks together in an open-ended Q&A session & preview of the evening’s concert. The three tracks are the Banjo Mini-Camp, Mandolin Workshops, and Bluegrass Guitar Mini-Camp.

BANJO MINI-CAMP FEATURING GINA FURTADO, LEROY TROY & BILL EVANS

The 8th Annual California Banjo Extravaganza Banjo Mini-Camp Featuring Gina Furtado, Leroy Troy & Bill Evans

Saturday, November 9th, 1 to 5 p.m., $70. Choose two 75-minute banjo workshops of your choice in bluegrass or clawhammer style, followed by an all-group Q & A session with banjo and mandolin instructors.

Sponsored by Banjo Boy Coffee, Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Homespun Tapes & Miniflex Microphones.

For all levels of bluegrass and clawhammer banjo players, Gina Furtado, Leroy Troy & Bill Evans will each teach two 75-minute small group sessions from 1 to 4pm. You will choose which workshop session you want to attend. All participants will the come together at 4pm in the Littlefield Room for a final Q & A session. Your $70 admission covers the entire afternoon of workshop sessions.

This is a hands-on, “bring your banjo and let’s pick” afternoon with topics appropriate for all levels of banjo players. Audio and videotaping of workshops are allowed and students can attend any session of their choice. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn up close from three of the best players and teachers in the world.

At the conclusion of the Mini-Camp, store your instrument safely at the Freight, grab dinner in downtown Berkeley and come back to enjoy the California Banjo Extravaganza in concert at 8 p.m.

BANJO MINI CAMP, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH • 1 – 5 PM • $70

Session 1: 1 to 2:15 pm

Gina Furtado: Getting The Most Out of the Fretboard (bluegrass, intermediate but beginners also welcome) – A key to improvisation is knowing the fretboard. In this session, Gina will locate all of the major chord positions up and down the neck and demonstrate licks and techniques that are associated with each position. You’ll be able to put this knowledge right to work whether you’re improvising on standard bluegrass tunes or creating your own music. Gina teaches without tab but she will provide a written summary of what is covered and students are invited to record her recap/review at the end of the session.

Leroy Troy: The Legacy of Uncle Dave Macon (and Other Things) (old-time, all levels) – Uncle Dave Macon was one of the first stars of the Grand Ole Opry in the late 1920’s and is viewed as a bridge between 19th century American folk and vaudeville music and 20th century rurally-derived styles. Leroy is the present-day embodiment of Uncle Dave’s lively stage presence and musical personality. As a young man, Leroy learned man of Uncle Dave’s banjo techniques from Cordell Kemp, who knew Uncle Dave personally. Enjoy this rare opportunity to experience the early roots of country music as Leroy informally discusses Uncle Dave, his career and his banjo and singing style. Students do not have to bring banjos to this session.

Bill Evans: Bluegrass Banjo Jam Survival Skills (all levels) – This will be a practical, “hands-on, bring your banjo and let’s pick” kind of workshop covering easy-to-learn techniques that you can put to immediate use in your jam session. Topics to be discussed include navigating the fretboard using movable chord shapes for vamping, up-the-neck backup using the F and D shapes and the “In The Mood” roll, down-the-neck backup using forward rolls and target tones, how to “hear” chord progressions, and using the capo to play in different keys. Tab examples will be presented for everything covered in the session but its not necessary to read tab to get a lot out of this workshop. This workshop is ideal for those with six months or more of playing experience who are ready to start playing in jams and informal bands. Audio and/or video recording is encouraged.

Session 2: 2:45 to 4 pm

Gina Furtado: The Beautiful World of Double C Tuning (bluegrass, upper intermediate/advanced) – An often-overlooked tuning in the land of bluegrass banjo, double C tuning (where you tune the 2nd string up one fret from B to C and lower the 4th string down two frets from D to C) can drastically change the overall feel of what we play and open the door to exciting new playing possibilities in the keys of C and D. In this class, you’ll learn the basics of double C tuning, along with tips and tricks for when and how to use it to create a more subdued vibe when needed and you’ll even learn a simple tune. Gina teaches without tab but she will provide a written summary of what is covered and students are invited to record her recap/review at the end of the session.

Leroy Troy: Singing With the Banjo (old-time and bluegrass, all levels) – Leroy is one of the most entertaining performers in old-time country music today and in this workshop, he’ll share his ideas on how to sing with the banjo. He’ll discuss the different right-hand rhythms he uses and show various walk-ups and walk-downs used in banjo accompaniment to vocal tunes. He’ll also cover projecting your voice and singing with and without a microphone. This is a hands-on session, so bring your banjo! Leroy might even teach you some of his banjo tricks!

Bill Evans: Working Up Scruggs-Style Solos (bluegrass, all levels) – One of the greatest challenges for banjo players at all levels is finding the melody and choosing just the right rolls and licks to create legitimate sounding, driving bluegrass solos. In this “hands on, let’s pick” style of workshop designed for players with one or more years of experience, Bill shows you a step-by-step process that will unlock the secrets of great soloing. You’ll first learn short shortcuts on how to find melody notes on the fingerboard, and how melodies relate to chord progressions. Bill will then cover how roll choices can enhance the effectiveness of solos and he’ll teach some of the most essential licks that come up again and again in the greatest bluegrass banjo solos. The class will also analyze and play several classic Earl Scruggs solos note-for-note as time allows. Tab examples will be presented for everything covered in calss and audio/video recording is welcome.

Session 3: 4:15 to 5 pm

Grand finale with Gina Furtado (banjo), Leroy Troy (banjo), Bill Evans (banjo), Dale Adkins (guitar), and John Reischman (mandolin). An open-ended Q & A, comparing styles and approaches, playing your requests and providing a concert preview.

Full teacher bios available on the registration page. Jump to: TopMandolin Workshop | Guitar Mini-Camp

JOHN REISCHMAN MANDOLIN WORKSHOPS

Saturday, November 9th, 1 to 5 p.m., $70.  Two 75-minute mandolin workshops $40 each session, $70 for both (with Promo Code MANDO8) followed by an all-group Q & A session with banjo and guitar instructors. Attend one or both sessions. Session 1 runs 1 to 2:15 p.m. and session 2 continues from 2:45 to 4:00 p.m.

 

Sponsored by Banjo Boy Coffee, Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Homespun Tapes & Miniflex Microphones.

JOHN REISCHMAN MANDOLIN WORKSHOPS, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH
1 – 5 PM 
• $40 per session or $70 for both (USE PROMO CODE MANDO8)

Session 1: 1 to 2:15 pm

Double Stops for Bluegrass Songs (beginner/intermediate). Double stops are a great way to make vocal melodies more interesting when played on the mandolin. We will look at a variety of chord voicings and apply them to standards such as “Long Journey Home” and “All the Good Times Are Past and Gone.” You’ll unlock a great deal of the mystery of the mandolin when you’ve mastered these techniques! Includes admission to Session 3.

Session 2: 2:45 to 4 p.m.

Tone, Timing and Technique: The Three T’s (all levels). In this class, we will look at these essential elements of solid mandolin playing and apply them to a few tunes. We will also explore some of the other T’s like Tuning, Taste and Tremolo! You’ll be able to apply what you learn in this session to all aspects of your mandolin playing. Includes admission to Session 3.

Session 3: 4:15 to 5 pm

Grand finale with Gina Furtado (banjo), Leroy Troy (banjo), Bill Evans (banjo), Dale Adkins (guitar), and John Reischman (mandolin). An open-ended Q & A, comparing styles and approaches, playing your requests and providing a concert preview.

Full teacher bio available on the registration page. Jump to: Top | Banjo Mini-Camp | Guitar Mini-Camp

DALE ADKINS BLUEGRASS GUITAR MINI-CAMP

Saturday, November 9th, 1 to 5 p.m. Two 75-minute guitar workshops followed by an all-group Q & A session with banjo and mandolin instructors.

Sponsored by Banjo Boy Coffee, Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Homespun Tapes & Miniflex Microphones.

The guitar mini-camp will consist of two 75-minute sessions, $40/session, $70 for both (with Promo Code GUITAR6). Attend one or both sessions. Session 1 runs 1 to 2:15 p.m. and session 2 continues from 2:45 to 4:00 p.m. Receive one complimentary CD per session! This workshop is designed for all levels of bluegrass flatpick guitar players, both workshops are “hands-on” with a focus on playing. Each session has distinct learning outcomes, but is flexible enough to allow for questions/answers and new topics.

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DALE ADKINS BLUEGRASS GUITAR MINI-CAMP, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH
1 – 5 PM 
• $40 per session or $70 for both (USE PROMO CODE GUITAR6)

Session 1: 1 to 2:15 pm

Traditional and modern rhythm guitar techniques. This session is appropriate for guitar players of all skill levels. Dale takes a systematic approach using songs as a context to teach various strumming patterns and runs that can be used in nearly all bluegrass songs. The goal is to create a menu of appropriate options that can be applied to a large repertoire of songs building on the traditional approaches of Lester Flatt, Jimmy Martin, Dudley Connell and many others. he will also examine some more advanced rhythm patterns and runs as they fit in a variety of songs including support for different instruments and vocalists. Includes admission to Session 3.

Session 2: 2:45 to 4 pm

Seeing the patterns – Teach yourself to play flatpick guitar leads. This session will focus on techniques, tips and simple hacks for taking guitar lead solos. With an emphasis on getting off of the page for crafting leads. Dale’s approach is liberating to those who rely on sheet music or tab. Topics will include but are not limited to: surviving a jam (when they look at you to take a solo!), an essential listening list, a plan for continued learning after the workshop, solo construction utilizing popular chord shapes (and scales) and much more. Includes admission to Session 3.

 

Session 3: 4:15 to 5 pm

Grand finale with Gina Furtado (banjo), Leroy Troy (banjo), Bill Evans (banjo), Dale Adkins (guitar), and John Reischman (mandolin). An open-ended Q & A, comparing styles and approaches, playing your requests and providing a concert preview.

Full teacher bio available on the registration page. Jump to: Top | Banjo Mini-Camp | Mandolin Workshop