Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival 2013: The Weekend and Final Assessment

In the years we've been coming to Strawberry Park we've never experienced four days of the kind of  clear, warm, delightful weather we had this year. The park, under new management, was crowded and music was superb. The stunning Saturday lineup brought in a sizable day crowd, which responded with enthusiasm to the efforts of all the bands. The highlight of the day, among many better than fine performances, was the Kruger Brothers set with Michael Cleveland sitting in, but that was only a portion of a wonderful day.

The Greecards

The Greencards arrived from Australia a few years ago as a bluegrass band searching for a unique identity and sound. They've found is for sure as they've moved from Nashville to the rich musical environment in Austin, Texas and become a staple of bluesy, jazzy, bands who astound with their versatility. Hardly a bluegrass band any longer, they remain favorites at Strawberry Park. Kym Warner, who has no need to prove anything, showed his bluegrass chops in a guest appearance with the Gibson Brothers on Friday night. Brittany Haas is a delightful addition to the band, while Carl Minor continues as a guitar virtuoso. Bassist and lead singer Carol Young, chose her material well as opening act on Saturday by selecting music ideally suited for that second cup of coffee. 

Carol Young

 

Kym Warner

Carl Minor

Brittany Haas

Carol Young

Roger Moss with Kym & Carol

Quite a Handful

Tripping Lilly on the Workshop Stage

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper - Warmup

Jens Kruger - Always Studying

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper

 

Mike Cleveland has proven himself to have remarkable staying power in a world populated with lots of outstanding fiddle players. A musician of remarkable versatility, he powers his way through the great fiddle repertoire while adding his own touch. With his current band, he's surrounded himself with musicians who can stand on their own and work to complement his fiddle repertoire.  Always willing to play more, Mike is a true wonder. This weekend, the band took a backseat to Mike's guest appearance in the Kruger Brother's second set, which is too bad, because they themselves are a worthy band. Singer Josh Richards has added a solid voice and good guitar work, and we hope he'll stay for a while. Nathan Livers and Glenn Gibson have settled in well and make a very nice fit with Michael's style. Flamekeeper has rebuilt itself as a solid backup band for the most highly awarded fiddle player yet.

 Michael Cleveland

Josh Richards

 

Nathan Livers

Tyler Griffith

Glenn Gibson

Josh Richards

Cobra Sound Provided Music Not Too Loud

for Tender Ears 

Irene Looks On from the Merch Tables

The Kruger Brothers

 

The Kruger Brothers moved to Wilkesboro, NC to further develop their Europe nurtured sound through proximity to Doc Watson and the rich musical heritage of Wilkes County.  They bring a classical sensibility and a sensitivity to the sounds of the mountain environment to their music, which reaches from plaintive country ballads to orchestral suites now performed with major symphony orchestras. Jens (pronounced "Yens") Kruger is probably the greatest banjo virtuoso on the planet, his only possible rival being Bela Fleck. He reaches out to his audiences with lightning fast glissandi along with touching them with the most tender melodies imaginable.  Uwe Kruger on guitar is a wonderfully inventive guitar player as well as bringing a deep, resonant baritone voice that can wring hearts. Joel Landsburg, often called the third Kruger Brother, on bass turns the instrument into a solo vehicle which also blends to help create more power than you could imagine a trio developing. Don't ever miss an opportunity to see this wonderful group, as much at home at bluegrass festivals as on concert stages.

 Jens Kruger

Uwe Kruger

Joel Landsberg

The Kruger Brothers second set featured Michael Cleveland as a guest. Whenever this combination happens at a festival, there's real magic. The contrast between the cerebral, soul stirring work of the Kruger Brothers and the hard-driving, in-your-face bluegrass when Michael plays with them is remarkable. Watching the joy on Michael and Jens' faces as they speak musically to each other in call and response fashion, each challenging  and appreciating the other's  greatness provides a signal moment wherever they appear.

 

Jens & Michael

Photos by Steve Ide

 

Dudley & Sally Love Connell

Meghan & Melissa Malbaurn

Mellissa is the New Recreation Director at Strawberry Park

 The Seldom Scene

Seldom Scene created a revolution in bluegrass music. By bringing folk and rock influences into the already well-established amalgam of mountain music, blues, western swing, and country music of which bluegrass was composed, Seldom Scene established forever the versatility of the bluegrass format as well as its ability to adapt to and incorporate new influences in music.  It's interesting that Dudley Connell, lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Seldom Scene, in his day job is an archivist and cataloger for the National Folk Archive of the Smithsonian Institution, since, in his musical work, he has served to celebrate and conserve so much traditional music with two iconic bands. Dudley commented that the role of The Seldom Scene in continuing to produce a sound that affected so many in the 1970's and 1980's is a similar role to that he played in the Johnson Mountain Boys of preserving and re-popularizing the music of the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, and Flatt & Scruggs in the eighties. Other, newer, bands are continuing the same function in bluegrass today of bringing new forms and experiences under the bluegrass umbrella and making it accessible to older, more staid audiences.  Ben Eldridge, the original banjo player with The Scene, continues to tour with them after more than forty years.  Composed of standout musicians at every position, The Seldom Scene continues to entertain and please audiences of all ages.

 Ben Eldridge

 Ronnie Simpkins

Lou Reid

Fred Travers

Dudley Connell

 

The SteelDrivers with Their Fans

Gary Nichols 

Tami Rogers

The SteelDrivers

 The SteelDrivers have carefully nurtured a hard drinking, barroom image while becoming an increasingly disciplined and enjoyable bluegrass band with the emphasis on the blue(s).  Gary Nichols addition as lead singer and guitarist has added to the quality of the band's singing and made the guitar a factor in the band's sound. Brent Truitt is personable and able on the mandolin. When Nichols broke a G-string on Saturday evening, Tami Rogers played and sang a plaintive and deeply affecting traditional gospel song that left the audience breathless with both its quality and the change of pace it represented.  After their afternoon set they stayed at the merch table for a long time and interacted with their young fans as well as their many adult admirers. They communicate an approachability at odds with their adopted image, and most enjoyable.

Gary Nichols

Richard Bailey

Brent Truitt

Tami Rogers

Mike Fleming

Tami Rogers & Mike Fleming

 Gary Nichols

The Strawberry Park Pool Complex

The Adult Pool

 Sunday

Mike & Mary Robinson's Gospel Sing & Jam

 It's difficult to hold an audience at a bluegrass festival, or any other event, very far into the day. People have been at the festival for two or three days. They're tired and ready to get home to prepare for the coming week. Threatening weather coming from the west didn't help much either, even though the morning was warm and a languorous sense of ease lay over the grounds as Dry Branch Fire Squad, after a year's absence, gathered for the traditional Sunday gospel program.

Dry Branch Fire Squad

 Ron Thomason's unique take on American life and his gospel singing and speaking have been a feature of Sunday morning at Strawberry Park for over thirty years. This year, because Junior Sisk was late due to a late night flat tire somewhere along the Jersey Turnpike. Like the trooper he is, Thomason treated the audience to nearly an extra hour of singing and patter.

 Ron Thomason

Brian Aldridge

Dan Russell

Kim Cyr and Barry Ford

Soon to be Wed

Three Tall Pines

This Cambridge-based band Three Tall Pines won last year's Podunk band contest and justly deserves a main stage appearance. Their rough-edged traditional sound and contemporary outlook leads to some musical surprises. Mandolinist Joe Lurgio is leaving to assume a staff position at IBMA in Nashville, but I expect to hear more from this band.

 Connor Smith & Joe Lurgi

Joe Lurgio

Ethan Robbins

Dan Bourdeau

Gale Wade & Turning Point

We've had the pleasure of seeing Gale Wade perform in both Bristol and at WDVX in Knoxville, but have never seen her with her own band. Our Loss.  Gale is a powerful, emotive singer and first rate, prize winning song writer. Her band is filled with first rate musicians, prize winners in their own right.  Her performances in Tennessee were excellent, too, and she deserves wider attention than her customary New England setting. 

 Gale Wade

 Peggy Harvey

Rob Rainwater

 Tim St. Jean

Danny Manzone

Blogger at Work

Photos by Steve Ide

Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice

 After a grueling weekend that took his band to four states on four days as far west as Tennessee and Ohio, he unfortunately arrived late at Strawberry Park due to a flat tire. Sadly, many fans wishing to see him could wait no longer and missed his performance. Junior is a very solid performer with a top notch band which won both IBMA Aong of the Year and Record of the Year in 2012. Junior's great strength is finding newly written songs that sound like they stepped right out of the forties or fifties, filled with rawness and a sly humor. There are few bands that successfully pull this off, many preferring warmed over covers. When Sisk plays covers, they sparkle as if he were the originator, particularly with his strong work taken from the Stanley Brothers. His genuine humility combines with an exceptional voice and being one of the top rhythm guitar players around to make him well-deserving of Friday and Saturday featured gigs at festivals like Strawberry Park.

Junior Sisk

 Billy Hawks

Chris Davis, Jason Tomlin, Junior Sisk

Jason Davis

Chris Davis

Strawberry Park has survived bankruptcy, receivership, and has now thrived with the new management's first bluegrass festival. Former attendees who have not been to Strawberry Park in the past couple of years may rest assured that the festival is back on a thriving status. The Americana/Workshop staged showcased a number of fine young bands as well as offering first rate workshops on all days.  The main stage offered a wide range of bluegrass from traditional to progressive to strong response. There's a whisper in the air that, with luck, the Kids Academy will be restored. Perhaps a willing sponsor for this effort could be found or it could be run through one of the many tax exempt bluegrass associations in New England to make sponsorship possible. Sound from Cobra Sound and the natural amphitheater work together to provide some of the best sound anywhere.  The comprehensive nature of the Park itself and the increased professionalism in its operation bodes well for the future. Some jammers expressed disappointment that more of them didn't appear this year. Think about coming out next year if you're a dedicated jammer.  On Monday morning we happily renewed our campsite reservation for next year and look forward to participating again.