Saturday at Jenny Brook was a celebration of old favorites and friends of the festival along with the introduction of a new show band, good fellowship and lots of fun. The weather offered all it could - sunshine, clouds, enough rain to let you know you're at a festival, a little mist and welcome chill in the evening, and jamming late into the night. I know there's no model for a bluegrass festival, but Jenny Brook comes pretty close and Tunbridge World's Fairground is a nearly ideal place to have it.
Smokey Greene
Smokey Greene has been an institution in New York, New England, and Florida country music for sixty-five years now. For years he has performed as a single act with his vintage Martin guitar singing old country standards laced with amusing songs that his fans know and love. At age 82 he's still trooping. He missed a year to illness and has come back as a reliable fixture on the festival scene. Professional to the core, it's always good to see him. He might not look good naked any more, but he sure looks good.
Smokey Greene
White Mountain Bluegrass
Mac and Hazel McGee are examples of how the post WW II southern migration seeded New England with a rich heritage of country and bluegrass music. Emigrating from Georgia and Tennessee respectively, Mac and Hazel met and married in New England and for over 40 years have shared their musical heritage with their band, introducing scores of local and regional musicians to a music which, though not a part of their heritage became a part of them.
Mac McGee
Hazel McGee
Herman McGee
John Roc
Gary Pomerleau
Rob Ravlin
Continental Divide
With David Parmley unable to be at Jenny Brook this section and their fiddler injured, Continental Divide arrived with Darrell Webb in tow to provide singing and musicianship at the highest level. The result, although not filled with old Bluegrass Cardinals material, provided a feast for lovers of classic bluegrass covers done right. Randy Graham, a veteran from Cardinal days is filled with good humor and ability. Matt Wallace on bass and Josh Hymer on banjo are both masters of their instruments. Darrell Webb has matured into a fine band emcee and vocal caricaturist doing Lester Flatt, Willy Nelson, and Del McCoury to a tee. Combined with his already recognized singing and flat picking, he helped bring the band to a level which, while still missing Parmley, offered fine entertainment.
Randy Graham
Darrell Webb
Josh Hymer
Matt Wallace
The Gibson Brothers
The Gibson Brothers own upstate New York and New England when it comes to bluegrass music, and if they have a home festival it's Jenny Brook. They've appeared at every Jenny Brook festival and their fans come out in droves, they know their music and love them as people. If there's even one small flaw it's that the fans love the music so much they want to sing along. We came to hear the boys, as may Jenny Brookers refer to them. Each year the band becomes tighter, the songs more heart rending, inspirational, and meaningful, and Eric and Leigh funnier and more real in their relationship. The band proves with each performance that entertainment lies most clearly in a band's ability to establish and maintain its relationship with its audience.
Candi, Wendy & Nicole
Shari and Betty Attend About 20 GB Shows a Year
The Gibson Family
Mother Shannon between Eric's Sons
Kelley and Kieran
Andrea Norcross
Mike Barber
Clayton Campbell
Joe Walsh
Eric Gibson
Leigh Gibson
Leigh Gibson
Two Brothers - Two New Henderson Guitars
Great Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment