Archive for March 4, 2008

Balkan Beat Box Forced to Cancel US Tour

March 4, 2008 at 7:41 pm · Filed under 3. People, Places & Miscellany

Balkan Beat BoxMARCH 4, 2008 – NEW YORK, NY – JDub Records artists Balkan Beat Box were turned away from the border, which forced them to cancel the remainder of their scheduled US dates, including a much anticipated performance at the Langerado Festival in Florida this week. Ticket refunds will be available at the point of purchase. The band sincerely apologizes to those fans that had been looking forward to seeing Balkan Beat Box bring the house down.

The crowned-princes of live performance, Balkan Beat Box crosses borders in sound blending electronic music with hard-edged folk music from North Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Their newest album, Nu Med, has been dubbed “a global peacekeeping mission you can dance to” (SPIN). Despite this setback, BBB’s musicians are committed to making the connection that politics often serve-between Jewish, Gypsy, Arabic, and American; thereby uniting their crowds through hip hop beats and dancehall toasts.

More information regarding future tour dates will be available shortly. A statement from Balkan Beat Box’s Orli Kaplan follows below.

Dear BBB’s:

We r so bummed … What can we say …

We were basically stuck in a hotel room and couldn’t move anywhere as this cascaded day by day and we saw all our fans and clubs face this small disaster for bbb. We are extremely disappointed and were so looking forward to putting on a great show for you.

To all of you who came we hope to make it up to you soon in a grand old show. We will keep touring and trying to make it to the west coast and Florida and to all the rest of our fans out there.

We want to thank all our fans for the amazing support you have shown. We apologize to all those who drove and flew and looked forward, and will try to return as soon as possible. Thanks so much to all the wonderful crew and all those who worked hard to make this event. Our hearts are with you.

Yours, BBB

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3rd Annual Monroe – Style Mandolin Camp Opens Registration

March 4, 2008 at 5:17 pm · Filed under 4. Events

Bill MonroeOWENSBORO, KY: February 28, 2008 – The International Bluegrass Music Museum has now opened registration to its 2008 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp. This popular, internationally attended camp coincides with the anniversary of Bill Monroe’s birth (he would have been 97 on September 13). Dates for this year’s camp are September 12-14.

Most of the full weekend of events will take place within the Museum, located at 117 Daviess Street, on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Owensboro, Kentucky. Campers will find themselves learning the performance style of this legendary musician, while being in a welcoming yet rarified environment surrounded by the history, artifacts, and collections of bluegrass music from around the world.

The Monroe-Style Camps have been designed for Monroe enthusiasts with a desire to immerse themselves in–and to assimilate–the highly acclaimed and unique performance style of the “Father of Bluegrass Music.” The 2008 Faculty includes these world-famous mandolinists: Richie Brown, Mike Compton, Bobby Osborne, Frank Wakefield and Butch Waller.

With a curriculum that focus on Monroe’s tone, historical influences, nuances, rhythm chop, implied melodies, right & left hand technique, utilization of blues music, translation of traditional fiddle tunes to mandolin, and the art of the waltz, this specialized camp is heaven to any mandolinist or budding mandolinist with an interest in Bill Monroe.

The camp also features an All-Star Faculty Concert wherein all five instructors will be accompanied by singer/guitarist, Tom Ewing. Ewing played with Monroe as one of his “Blue Grass Boys” from 1986 until 1996.

New to the camp this year is a field trip to the historic music barn in Monroe’s birthplace; Rosine, KY. Campers will enjoy a fish fry at the General Store next door to the barn, pose for a souvenir group photo, then join in a giant jam session with scores of musicians who attend the Barn jams on Friday nights.

More information as well as 2008 Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp Registration Forms are available at Bluegrassmuseum.org or by calling 888-MY-BANJO.

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