Sidetracks & Detours present PASS IT ON 61 weekly supplement Sunday 4th August 2024

Sidetracks & Detours

present

PASS IT ON 61

weekly supplement Sunday 4^th August 2024

CONTENTS

1 Hear The Call Com Follow Your Art by Akela

2 Authors & Writers. Hermann Hesse  by Joseph Aloysius

3 Following Festivals by Alfred Michael BAD MANNERS coming to Lanzarote

4 Live Jazz & Blues In Ribble Valley AHEAD TO AUTUMN previews by newsletter

5 Live Jazz in August MUSIC THAT´S GOING PLACES  by newsletter

6 Live Jazz In Reading CLARE TEAL preview by newsletter

7  Live Jazz In Reading TONIGHT  Derek Nash sax preview by newsletter

8 Live Music

YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAMME Manchester Music Festival (Vermont USA)

9  Readers Perspective; All Points Forward VINCE GILL essay by Peter Pearson

10 Island Insights AN AUGUST FILLED WITH FIESTAS

IN MEMORY OF ´lALO´ PACHECO

by Norman Warwick

1 Hear The Call

COME FOLLOW YOUR ART by Akela

Whilst I was having a very pesky cataract removed my wife was admitted to hospital with Pneumonia, so good old Norm, with his one eye (the second is scheduled to be looked at soon) had to feed the cats, take the rubbish to the bins, remember to lock the doors, close the fridge and,…well the list goes on. Of course, I had to visit Dee in hospital every day so she could think up new advice, instruction and more advice, so there was just no time to the create the daily blog. However, I hope everyone has noticed that from Monday last we have re-commenced our daily not for profit blogs Sidetracks & Detours. We apologise for the two weeks without any new reading material, but we do hope many of you took the opportunity to browse our archivers of almost 1,200 free to read items. Today we re-start our Sunday Supplement, PASS IT ON, including 10 articles, from favourite contributors such as Alfred Michael, Peter Pearson, Jazz In Reading, Music That´s Going Places, Ribble Valley Jazz And Blues and, of course, our Island Insight from Lanzarote. We are delighted to be also joined by ¨Grandpa´ Joseph Aloysius who has been writing since the cricket ball was only ever red, the flannels were white and girls played rounders. Snooker  was only seen on tv in black and white. His contributions will look at authors and writers from across the ages.

So we hope you enjoy today´s PASS IT ON.

2 Authors & Writers

HERMANN HESSE

a library of reading by Joseph Aloysius

Hermann Karl Hesse – 2 July 1877 – 9 August 1962, was a German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. Although Hesse was born in Germany’s Black Forest region of Swabia, his father’s celebrated heritage as a Baltic German and his grandmother’s French-Swiss roots had an intellectual influence on him. He was a precocious, if not difficult, child who shared a passion for poetry and music with his mother, and was especially well-read and cultured, due in part to the influence of his polyglot grandfather.

As a youth he studied briefly at a seminary, struggled with bouts of depression and even once attempted suicide, which temporarily landed him in a sanatorium. Hesse eventually completed Gymnasium and passed his examinations in 1893, when his formal education ended. However, he remained an autodidact and voraciously read theological treatises, Greek mythology, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Friedrich Schiller, and Friedrich Nietzsche. His first works of poetry and prose were being published in the 1890s and early 1900s with his first novel, Peter Camenzind, appearing in 1904.

In 1911, Hesse visited India, where he became acquainted with Indian mysticism. His experiences in India—combined his involvement with Jungian analysis—affected his literary work, which emphasizes Eastern spiritual values. His best-known works include: Demian, Steppenwolf, Siddhartha, Narcissus and Goldmund, and The Glass Bead Game, each of which explores an individual’s search for authenticity, self-knowledge, and spirituality. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

His books are still widely available at platforms such as Amazon and I remember grandson-in-law, Norman Warwick talking to me about Hesse´s work back in the seventies when he married my granddaughter. At the time Norman was deep into The Glass Bead game, one of the author´s most popular works.

When looking at what´s going on down on earth I realise that Norman now reads on something called Kindle, whatever that is although Hesse seems to be no longer on his reading lists. It is, perhaps, true that Hesse´s work was something of a rite of passage for young men who wished to seem worldly-wise and philosophical.

I can remember him speaking to me of titles such as Steppenwolf, The Glass Bead Game and  Siddmarta, books that he said seemed to him to be similar philosophies of the beat poets and the parable of the modern folk singers who emerged in the UK.

The novel’s beginning introduces the Music Master, the resident of Castalia who recruits Knecht as a young student and who is to have the longest-lasting and profoundest effect on Knecht throughout his life.

That would sound like a plot line that might sound attractive to Norman as he made his way into becoming a poet and folk performer.

At one point, as the Music Master nears death in his home at Monteport, Knecht obliquely refers to the Master’s “sainthood”. At the prestigious school Waldzell, Knecht develops another meaningful friendship with Plinio Designori, a student from a politically influential family, who is studying in Castalia as a guest. Knecht holds vigorous debates with Designori, who views Castalia as an “ivory tower” with little to no impact on the outside world. Knecht disagrees and argues in favor of Castalia.

Although educated in Castalia, Knecht’s path to “Magister Ludi” is atypical for the order, as he spends much of his time after graduation outside the province’s boundaries. His first such venture, to the Bamboo Grove, results in his learning Chinese and becoming something of a disciple to Elder Brother, a recluse who had given up living in Castalia. Next, as part of an assignment to foster goodwill between the order and the Catholic Church, Knecht is sent on several “missions” to the Benedictine monastery of Mariafels, where he befriends the historian Father Jacobus—a relationship that also profoundly affects Knecht.

As the novel progresses, Knecht begins to question his loyalty to the order, gradually coming to doubt that the intellectually gifted have a right to withdraw from life’s big problems. Knecht, too, comes to see Castalia as a kind of ivory tower, an ethereal and protected community, devoted to pure intellectual pursuits but oblivious to the problems of life outside its borders. This conclusion precipitates a personal crisis, and, according to his personal views regarding spiritual awakening, Knecht does the unthinkable: he resigns as Magister Ludi and asks to leave the order, ostensibly to become of value and service to the larger culture. The heads of the order deny his request, but Knecht departs Castalia anyway, initially taking a job as a tutor to his childhood friend Designori’s energetic and strong-willed son, Tito. Only a few days later, the story ends abruptly with Knecht drowning in a mountain lake while attempting to follow Tito on a swim for which Knecht was unfit.

The fictional narrator leaves off before the final sections of the book, remarking that the end of the story is beyond the scope of his biography. The concluding chapter, “The Legend”, is reportedly from a different biography. After this final chapter, several of Knecht’s “posthumous” works are then presented. The first section contains Knecht’s poetry from various periods of his life, followed by three short stories labeled “Three Lives”.

These are presented as exercises by Knecht imagining his life had he been born in another time and place. The first tells of a pagan rainmaker named Knecht who lived “many thousands of years ago, when women ruled“. Eventually the shaman‘s powers to summon rain fail, and he offers himself as a sacrifice for the good of the tribe. The second is based on the life of St Hilarion and tells of Josephus, an early Christian hermit who acquires a reputation for piety but is inwardly troubled by self-loathing and seeks a confessor, only to find that same penitent had been seeking him.

The final story concerns the life of Dasa, a prince wrongfully usurped by his half-brother as heir to a kingdom and disguised as a cowherd to save his life. While working with the herdsmen as a young boy, Dasa encounters a yogi in meditation in the forest. He wishes to experience the same tranquility as the yogi, but is unable to stay. He later leaves the herdsmen and marries a beautiful young woman, only to be cuckolded by his half-brother (now the Rajah). In a cold fury, he kills his half-brother and finds himself once again in the forest with the old yogi, who, through an experience of an alternate life, guides him on the spiritual path and out of the world of illusion (Maya).

The three lives, together with that as Magister Ludi, oscillate between extroversion (rainmaker, Indian life—both get married) and introversion (father confessor, Magister Ludi) while developing the four basic psychic functions of analytical psychology: sensation (rainmaker), intuition (Indian life), feeling (father confessor), and thinking (Magister Ludi).

Other books Norman was reading during this ´thoughtful´ phase of his life included Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, The Little Prince and One  Day In The  Life of Ivan Denisivich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

All very worthy, and Norman certainly enthused about these works. However, with my grandson at Imperial College London studying physics and my new grandson-in-law reading philosophical debate I began to think there are too many books in the world. That said, you should see the libraries up here in the clouds.

When Norman gained his degree in English Language And Literature at The University of Leeds, from a reading list that introduced him to authors like Raymond Carver and Annie Proux and Angela Carter,….and yet I see that in today´s issue he is writing about the Bad Manners of somebody called Buster Bloodvessel, whoever he is.

We´ll follow his change of literary directions over the next few issues.

3 Following Festivals by Alfred Michael

BAD MANNERS coming to Lanzarote

This month´s edition of Gazette Life Lanzarote carried news of a confirmed date for a gig by one of the seminal bands of the Brtish pop scene.

I know that  my son-in-law, Norman Warwick, will have seen this news pass across his editor´s desk in the sidetracks & detours office and also know that he has scheduled a more comprehensive article than this for Thursday 8^th August. (We can see everything from up here you know).

I´m certain that Lanzarote’s army of ska fans will be delighted to hear that Bad Manners, the legendary group led by Buster Bloodvessel, have been confirmed to play in Lanzarote in October.

The group, who had huge success during the 2-Tone craze in the early 80s with hits such as Lip Up Fatty, Special Brew, Lorraine and, of course, Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu, will be performing at the Arrecife En Vivo On Fire concert in the capital on the evening of Saturday, October 5^th .

They’ll be appearing along with Californian stoner rock band Fu Manchu, Spanish grunge duo Bala, Cordoba trio John Doe and other unconfirmed guests. Tickets for the concert are available for €30 at arrecifeenvivo.com, although a venue has yet to be announced.

Bad Manners and Buster Bloodvessel (left) reformed ten years ago after several years of inaction, during which Buster stood as London Mayor for the Ska Party and opened a hotel in Margate called Fatty Towers, “which catered for people with huge appetites”.

Buster is a born showman who is sure to be sticking his immense tongue out at Lanzarote fans, although it remains to be seen if, at the age of 65, he’ll still be dancing the Can-Can in a pink tutu.

Buster, real name Douglas Trendle, is an English singer who has been the frontman of the two-tone band Bad Manners since forming the band in 1976. He took his stage name from the bus conductor played by Ivor Cutler in the Beatles’ 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour.

Get ready for a dream summer of live events and long afternoons on the banks of the River Irwell.

Join us for a packed programme of live music, immersive art, skate demos, film screenings, family activities and delicious street food – all by the riverside.

Sit back and enjoy the summer vibes in Factory Square, where you’ll find our brand new taco truck and coffee cart. On event days, expect the best local street food traders, pop-up wellness events for adults and families, and DJs bringing the tunes.

Rainy day? Get involved in a whole programme of free events in the Social and step inside the Warehouse for a new immersive storytelling experience Sweet Dreams.

Factory Square is open Thursday and Friday (4–10pm), Saturday (12–10pm) and Sunday (12–8pm).

In our privileged seats up `here in the Gods´ we thoroughly enjoyed last weeks skateboarding and BMX adventures in the Olympic Games last week. You might then be interested in a forthcoming event in Manchester UK.

For those of you who cannot make the trip to Lanzarote for a Bad Manners concert, let me steer you towards something a little different.

Adidas Skateboarding is heading to Manchester for a 12-day stop of its global skateboarding event Build.

This summer, Aviva Studios becomes home to a custom-built public skate plaza, with a series of interactive activities hitting the agenda.

Partnering with Manchester’s most influential skate communities, Build Manchester presents a series of free events that celebrates skate culture both on and off-board.

Expect open-to-all skate contests, skate school, product launches, exhibitions, film premieres and workshops as well as the chance to see Adidas’ Global Team riders skate the plaza.

Kick off the celebrations with a launch party on opening night – featuring a Global Skate Jam, trick competitions, Palace Skate DJs and exclusive giveaways.

4 Live Jazz & Blues In Ribble Valley

AHEAD TO AUTUMN

previews by newsletter

After their fabulous 2024 Festival Ribble Valley Jazz And Blues are now looking Ahead To Autumn and some spectacular music events.

For instance, Ruby Turner, Britain´s Queen Of Soul and Gospel Music will be at the Grand in Clitheroe on Saturday 28^th September with a superb backing band.

RUBY TURNER

SATURDAY 28th September

The Grand Venue, Clitheroe, 7.30pm

Britain’s Queen of Soul-Gospel music – Ruby Turner MBE – is coming to The Grand, Clitheroe on Saturday 28th September with a superb backing band. 

Just how good is Ruby? Ask Jools Holland, who tells us Ruby is his very favourite guest singer. She has appeared with his band now for 30 years!

There really is something quite extraordinary about a Ruby Turner show. Not only is her vocal musicianship exquisite; her humour and stage rapport is entertaining, and she exudes professionalism throughout every minute of the evening.

She has played sell-out shows twice before at The Grand so make sure you act quickly to avoid disappointment.

Ruby has topped the US charts with “It’s Gonna Be Alright” and for 30 years, has travelled the world as the principal vocalist with Jools Holland and his R&B Orchestra. She has sung with some of the most well known and highly-regarded British musicians and bands; from Stevie Winwood, Mick Jagger, UB40 through to Bryan Ferry and Culture Club.

On 4th June, 2012 Ruby preformed “You Are So Beautiful” with Jools Holland at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace. In Autumn of the same year Ruby was a guest judge on the BBC’s The Choir. In 2016 she was awarded the MBE.

The Spread Eagle Jazz Lunch

In August, October and December this year, the Jazz Lunch event will welcome three favourites back to The Spread Eagle, Sawley.

August’s lunch is The Mark Lewis Trio with Lyn Fairbanks, featuring special guest John Hallam. The Mark Lewis trio with Lyn Fairbanks is a regular at The Spread Eagle Jazz Lunches and has been entertaining Jazz audiences at The Spread Eagle since 2014, and has been a regular fixture at Ribble Valley Jazz Festivals. You can expect to hear top jazz standards from the Great American Songbook from a band influenced by George Shearing, Bill Evans and Horace Silver. Lyn Fairbanks will be singing some of her wonderful songs. John Hallam is a well known figure on the jazz circuit and has performed with many of the jazz greats over the years.

October’s lunch is the Julian Gregory Quartet featuring Sarah Greene and December’s lunch ends the year with the wonderful local talent of Elbow Room.

‘These lunches are a relaxed and enjoyable way to enjoy the best of local jazz music in the beautiful surroundings of The Spread Eagle, Sawley,’ said Ed Lomax, the organiser of the events, ‘and even if you’re not a jazz aficionado, there is plenty to experience, with a two course meal perfect for socialising and meeting friends.’

Booking is essential to guarantee a table. Sunday Afternoon Jazz Lunch events need to be booked and paid for in advance by phone, 01200 441202 or in person at the pub. Gigs are still 2pm to 4pm.

5 Live Jazz in August

MUSIC THAT´S GOING PLACES

by Rob Adams via newsletter

One of these events is the return of saxophonist Tommy Smith and artist Maria Rud’s Luminescence to St Giles’ Cathedral from Thursday 15th to Saturday 17th.. An entirely spontaneous performance of solo saxophone improvisations and live art created in response, Luminescence was described by The Scotsman last year as “one of the most spectacular experiences of the Fringe”. On past experience, the music is largely melodic and uses the church acoustics to great effect as Maria’s visual creations are projected onto the church’s interior east wall.

Away from Edinburgh, Red Door’s concerts in Linlithgow resume with saxophonist Phil Bancroft and guitarist Graeme Stephen at St Peter’s Church on Friday 23rd. Phil’s live appearances have been relatively rare recently but his album releases through his Myriad Streams web platform have been earning great responses. Radio presenters across the UK and from Adelaide to Hawaii have praised Phil’s heartfelt, melodic creativity. His understanding and interaction with Graeme’s unfailingly imaginative playing are sure to impress in St Peter’s intimate space.

Young jazz musicians looking to develop their skills might want to check out Summer Jazz Camp Scotland. Held in the idyllic setting of Wiston Lodge, near Biggar, from Thursday 8th to Monday 12th, this is an opportunity to learn from hugely experienced tutors – trumpeter Ryan Quigley, saxophonist Helena Kay, pianist Tom Gibbs, bassist Brodie Laird-Jarvie and drummer Andrew Bain. Everything is set up to make it an enjoyable, encouraging and engaging experience with nutritious food and excellent accommodation

.

Fraser Fifield has had a productive spell lately. It’s just over a year since the multi-instrumentalist announced plans to release a trilogy of albums featuring his ultra-fluent and expressive low whistle playing in three different trios. The first instalment, Secret Path, found favour with jazz promoters and radio presenters. The second, One Great Circle, leant towards chamber folk with typical creativity. Now the third instalment, Second Sight was due on August 2nd. It features Fraser taking the low whistle to new levels of improvised expression with long-time colleague, guitarist Graeme Stephen and bass guitarist Elie Afif – and it’s already picking up enthusiastic responses internationally.

Jazz in August

Edinburgh
Argyle Cellar Bar
Wed 7, Mon 19, Sun 25: Elaine Crichton & Iain Carleton – Ella & Joe

artSpace@StMarks
Sat 3: Peter Seivewright Jazz Pianoforte
Sun 18, Mon 19: Dorian Ford – Koln Concert

Jazz Bar
Fri 2, Tue 6, Fri 9, Mon 12, Wed 14: Jazzmain – Blue Note Nights (8:30pm)
Sun 4 – Tue 6: David Series (5:30pm, 7:30pm)
Sun 4 – Thu 8: Soundbone Plays Led Zeppelin (10pm)
Mon 5: Jazzmain – Diggin’ Dexter (8:30pm)
Wed 7 – Sun 11: Brian Kellock & Colin Steele – Play Oliver 5:30pm
Wed 14 – Sun 18: Colin Steele Qnt – Play Miles (10pm)
Thu 15 – Sun 18: Brian Molley Qrt – Espirito do Brasil (8:30pm)
Sat 17, Sun 18: Brian Molley Qrt – And Jazz Was Born in Scotland (2:30pm)
Wed 21 – Sun 25: Colin Steele & Martin Kershaw – Chet and Stan (8:30pm)
Wed 21 – Sun 25: Valery Ponomarev (10pm)

Outhouse
Thu 8: Playtime plays Ellington (with Martin Kershaw, Mario Caribe, Tom Bancroft)
Thu 22: Playtime with Phil Bancroft

Queen’s Hall
Sat 17: Claire Martin
Tue 20: Balimaya Project

St Mary’s Catholic Cathedral
Mon 12: Schola Cantorum featuring Richard Michael & Ben Shankland

Valvona & Crolla
Wed 7, Fri 9, Mon 12, Fri 16, Mon 19: Brian Kellock & Dick Lee play Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson

Glasgow
Glad Cafe
Tue 6: Prune Karlen & Clement Waquet

Linlithgow
St Peter’s Church
Fri 23: Phil Bancroft & Graeme Stephen

London

606 Club
Thu 1: Hannah Horton
Sat 3: Brandon Allen & Alex Garnett
Wed 7; Tara Minton
Wed 14: Rob Luft Qrt
Tue 27: Allison Neale
Wed 28: David Gordon Trio

Ronnie Scott’s
Closed for refurbishment

New Galloway
Catstrand
Fri 30: Modern Vikings
Sat 31: kitti

As always, this list isn’t meant to be comprehensive; other gigs are available.

6 Live Jazz In Reading

CLARE TEAL

Haymarket, Basingstoket Saturday 21 September  7:30pm information by JIR newsletter

She’s back! Expect exhilarating swing from award-winning jazz vocalist and long-time Radio 2 and Jazz FM broadcaster Clare Teal and her marvellous band, who return with a fabulous new show celebrating the hits and hidden gems of the Great American and British Songbooks, plus contemporary covers and originals. The concert will also include favourites from her DVD, The Fireside Sessions.

Teal’s live shows are constantly evolving, always richly infused with jazz and critically renowned across the country for their fabulous arrangements, interspersed with Clare’s warm and witty storytelling.

As one of the UK’s greatest interpreters of popular song and much-loved performers, Clare and her band

Jason Rebello piano, Ferg Ireland  bass,

Will Cleasby drums, Dave Archer guitar

guarantee an evening of inspirational, uplifting music and unbridled entertainment performed by the very best.

7 Live Jazz In Reading

TONIGHT Sunday 4 August | 7:30pm start

Derek Nash (saxophone)
* Pangbourne Jazz Club rhythm section:
Jim Pollard (piano) | Terry Hutchins (guitar)
Andy Crowdy (double bass) | Brian Greene (drums)

Information by JIR newsletter

British Jazz Award-winning Derek Nash – bandleader, composer, arranger, record producer and engineer – is one of the UK’s busiest jazz musicians.

He is leader of six bands, each with its own unique sound and featuring some of the top jazz musicians in the UK today.
Derek has been a full-time member of the Jools Holland Rhythm & Blues Orchestra since 2004 and is also a member of the Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion.  With these bands, he has enjoyed sharing the stage with many great artists including Tom Jones, Eric Clapton, David Sanborn, Jack Bruce, Amy Winehouse, Michael Buble and Sir Paul McCartney.  He is one of the most in-demand and respected guest instrumentalists for jazz clubs across the UK and has received numerous nominations in the British Jazz Awards.  In the jazz-funk world he has performed with David Benoit, Brian Culbertson, Ernie Watts, Mezzoforte, Nelson Rangell and Don and Dave Grusin.

J

azz On Air

Lendanear to some great tunes with a live set from Saxophonist and composer Tom Thorp –  with Patrick Hurley, Grant Russell & Luke Flowers.

Also featured next week are tracks from Joe Webb Music and his tiger rag.

Dave Bristow Quintet remind us that So It Goes.

We also have Jaelee Small with Halo and we play the piano and vocals. Polly Gibbons, on their track Towards The Sun. You will also hear Paul Booth‘s Hoop.

We will Close the show with, My Rose from Luís Martelo – Trumpet.

If these sound interesting to you, then PASS IT ON and tune in at www.mixcloud.com/stevebewick/ 24/07.

8  Live Music

YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAMME

Manchester Music Festival (Vermont USA)

The Manchester Music Festival (MMF) Young Artists Program is a full scholarship, five-week intensive chamber music festival for string players and pianists, ages 18-26. Young Artists receive daily coaching sessions from a faculty composed of world-renowned artists in preparation for public performances of full chamber works throughout the festival. The primary focus of the Young Artists Program is to intensively study and perform chamber music at a high level, and to benefit from the outstanding musical guidance that the illustrious artist faculty offers on a daily basis.

Each MMF Young Artist receives a scholarship that provides full tuition, free accommodations, and a weekly stipend. Scholarships are made possible by the generous contributions of individual sponsors and endowments, and all of the Young Artists will have opportunities to interact socially with their patrons during their stay in Manchester.

Auditions are held every two years. Once accepted to the program, the Young Artists will participate in the Festival for two consecutive summers. Audition information for 2025 will be available soon.

Manchester Music Festival does not discriminate based on gender, race, national origin, religious beliefs, marital status, disability, or sexual orientation.

Among the young artists included in this prestigious programme  is Brian Anderson, viola. Brian Anderson is a violist from Northern Virginia working towards a Master’s degree at Stony Brook University under the direction of Matthew Lipman and Lawrence Dutton, with additional studies in the Emerson String Quartet Institute as a member of the Proust Quartet. A graduate of the Peabody Institute, where he studied with Choong-jin Chang and Victoria Chiang, Brian is a passionate chamber musician and teacher of both violin and viola. His performance activities include concerts with the Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players, frequent appearances for the Music at the MART program at the Stony Brook Cancer Center, and freelance gigs throughout Long Island. He has held fellowships at Manchester Music Festival, Madeline Island Chamber Music, the Garth Newel Emerging Artists Program and the Renova Music Festival, previously having spent three summers of study at the Eastern Music Festival. Brian has collaborated in chamber music with artists such as Andres Diaz, Isaac Melemed, and Judith Ingolfsson, and he has played in masterclasses with Kim Kashkashian, Ettore Causa, Ara Gregorian, Cynthia Phelps, Misha Amory, and the American String Quartet, among others. In his spare time, Brian enjoys playing soccer, composing and arranging music, and playing in a jazz combo.

Brian features in a programme that also includes fellow pianist Hang Zhong,as well as Andrew Cannestra on piano too.,

Female violinists include Bree Fotheringham, Hannah Corbett and Antonia Fuglsang and male violinist Kenichi Kyama.

Two cellists, Dylan Kinneavy and Ignacio Garcia Nunez are also included in the programme.

The young musician programme also includes two female viola players..

Kevonna Shuford is a vibrant violist who has a passion for collaborative projects. She has collaborated with New England based ensembles such as Boston Philharmonic, Erie Philharmonic, Atlantic Symphony and Palaver Strings. Other collaborative efforts have led her to be an artist at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, St. Lawrence String Quartet Seminar, Encore Chamber Music Program and the Meadowmount School of Music. She has played with artists such as; Clive Greensmith, Janine Jansen, Yura Lee, Tai Murray, Anton Nel, Philip Setzer and Paul Watkins. A native of Florida, she helped to establish a youth string program at Faith’s Place Center for Arts Education. With a continued love for teaching, she has held the position of Resident Musician at Musiconnects. As an alumni of the National Youth Orchestra (2016), Kevonna greatly enjoyed traveling to new places through past performances at major concert halls across Europe and the US, such as the Concertgebouw and Carnegie Hall. Kevonna is a student at Stony Brook University under the mentorship of Lawrence Dutton and Matthew Lipman. She holds a bachelor’s degree at the New England Conservatory with Martha Katz.

Maureen Sheehan is a freelance violist and Master’s student in Boston, mentored by Nicholas Cords and Wenting Kang at the New England Conservatory. In addition to NEC’s premier, conductorless Chamber Orchestra, Maureen has performed around the northeast with Palaver Strings, the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra, and Grammy-nominated A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra. She holds the first prize title from Ohio Viola Society’s 2021 Competition for Young Violists, is the 2023 Viola Prize winner of Tuesday Musical’s Scholarship Competition, and has appeared at Carnegie Hall as principal violist with the Oberlin Orchestra. A passionate chamber musician, Maureen’s festival experiences include the Encore String Quartet Intensive, Blackburn Music Academy, and the Carmel Bach Festival, where she performed as the Academy Quartet violist.  

Outside her classical endeavors, Maureen plays traditional Irish fiddle and is a member of NEC’s Ceol Ensemble led by renowned Irish fiddler Liz Knowles-O’Hare. She also spent four months living in Dublin, Ireland in 2021, traveling the country to attend festivals and learn from traditional musicians. 

In addition to performing, Maureen enjoys the opportunity to work with younger musicians, and has spent time teaching at Harpa International Music Academy in Lakeside Chautauqua, OH and Madison Conservatory, near her hometown in Wisconsin. She has also worked with the up-and-coming artists of Chamber Music Northwest’s Young Artist Institute, serving as a Resident and Operations Assistant. Maureen holds Bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and Viola Performance from Oberlin College and Conservatory, where she was a student of Peter Slowik.

9  Readers Perspective; All Points Forward

VINCE GILL essay by Peter Pearson

At current writing Vince Gill is a touring member of the Eagles, since being hired to help replace co-founder Glen Frey following his death in 2016. The Eagles are currently on their Long Goodbye Tour and the indications are that they will call it quits at the end of the tour in late 2025. With an illustrious solo career, as a country, bluegrass, and rock singer, songwriter, and musician already in place before the Eagles call up it is likely that he will resume it when the band finally do say goodbye.

So let´s take a look at Vince Gill before the Eagles:

Vince Gill was born in Oklahoma USA in 1957. His father was a judge and played guitar and banjo, both of which he taught his son to play. His father was also a keen golfer, a pastime which Vince has pursued avidly.

Through the son of his father’s friend he developed an interest in bluegrass whilst still a teenager and learned to play Dobro, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and bass guitar before forming his own bluegrass band Mountain Smoke.

His big break came in 1978 when high profile country rock band Pure Prairie League were seeking a new lead vocalist. He had previously opened for them while in Mountain Smoke, and got the gig following an audition.Whilst in the band he recorded three albums with them, writing most of the songs featured, including a top ten hit on Billboard with “Let Me Love You Tonight”.

In 1982 Rodney Crowell invited Gill to play guitar in his backing band the Cherry Bombs. As a result he quit Pure Prairie League. Crowell was married to Rosanne Cash at this time and the Cherry Bombs also backed her. Also in the band was soon to be MCA record executive and producer Tony Brown who would later become influential in Gill’s career.

When Crowell and Cash split the band broke up and Gill started to pursue a solo career. He had already become in great demand as a session musician and featured on guitar and back up vocals on Guy Clark’s 1983 album Better Days.

By 1983 Tony Brown had become president of A&R at RCA Nashville and was pivotal in Gill signing to them as a solo artist.

His first full album for RCA was 1985’s The Things That Matter which spawned his first top ten country hit “If It Weren’t For Him”, a duet with Rosanne Cash. Also included on the album was a co-write with Guy Clark and Rodney Crowell “Oklahoma Borderline”. After three albums for RCA he quit the label under pressure to record songs by other artists.

By 1989 Tony Brown had become president of MCA Nashville and signed him to the label. As producer Brown would go on to produce Gill’s albums throughout the nineties.

His traditional country album “When I Call Your Name” went platinum for 2 million copies sold, the title track earning him a Grammy. His next albums, Pocket Full of Gold (1991) and I Still Believe in You (1992), were also multi-platinum successes. 1993 saw him receiving five CMA awards including Album of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Song of the Year, the last of which went to “I Still Believe in You”. One of the songs on that album, a co-write with Pete Wasner, titled” Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin Away”, became featured on the Eagles set lists after he first joined them and can be seen and heard on their 2018 DVD and double album” Live from The Forum”.

By the mid 1990’s Gill had established himself as one of the preeminent country music artists in the business. His music straddled country-pop, rock and bluegrass. His respected presence in the country music industry is perhaps best seen in his hosting of the CMA awards for 12 consecutive years, from 1992-2003. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. His 1998 critically acclaimed album “The Key” features songs inspired by the break-up of his marriage.

In 2004 Gill and Crowell re-established the Cherry Bombs under the title The Notorious Cherry Bombs and recorded a self titled album.

Meanwhile, he continued to record for MCA including a 2006 box set “These Days”, a four-disc project that included various types of music, such as bluegrass and traditional, and several popular artists, such as Leann Rimes, Bonnie Raitt and Michael McDonald. The album won him a Grammy and award for best Country Album.

To date, Gill holds the notable distinction of being the only person to have won five consecutive (from 1991-95) Country Music Association Awards for best male vocalist, in addition to tying with George Strait for the most wins in that category. In August 2007, Gill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame by the Country Music Association. Additionally, he has received 20 Grammy Awards, more than any other male country artist.

In 2010 he started to sideline in The Time Jumpers, an informal group of mostly Nashville studio session musicians who enjoyed jamming together. He remained playing regular local gigs in the band for another 10 years.

Outside of his prolific music career, Gill has been recognized for his community involvement and participation in charity events, such as the annual Vince Gill Celebrity Basketball Game and the Vinny Pro-Celebrity Golf Invitational.

By the time the Eagles came calling in 2017 Gill had become a much loved and respected figure in the Americana music industry. During his breaks from touring with the band he finds time to record his own albums and to help raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum with his series of occasional all star “All For the Hall” benefit shows.

In 2019 he released his fifteenth studio album for MCA “Okie”. Amongst the songs on the album he pays homage to one of his idols, Guy Clark, on “Nothin’ Like a Guy Clark Song” and to another, Merle Haggard, on  “A World Without Haggard,” which he emotionally played at the country legend’s tribute.

On joining the Eagles Gill initially received some criticism from the country music fraternity. His response was,” Glen Frey was a good friend and golfing partner and I wish that I was not asked to become an Eagle, because otherwise Glen would still be here.”

10 Island Insights

AN AUGUST FILLED WITH FIESTAS

by Norman Warwick

Lanzarote Gazette Life is a glossy and lively  monthly print publication, also available on line, which positively serves the tourist industry of the island. It is also extremely informative about the lifestyles of those tourists who become new residents on Lanzarote. This month it reminds us that here on Lanzarote August will be full of fiesta.

August is the peak of Lanzarote’s summer fiesta season, with celebrations taking place in several of the island’s towns. Here are three of the most important.

THE SNOW VIRGIN

Nuestra Señora de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows) is the patron of one of the oldest and highest churches on Lanzarote, a pretty white building that “dominates the immense panorama of Famara beach and the islands that the sea separates us from”, as a 1930s poet put it.

On the 5th of August each year, the church is the site of a pilgrimage which brings islanders from all over, some travelling on foot or in horsedrawn carts up the long ridge from Teguise, and even others scrambling up the cliffside itself.

The atmosphere is festive, and at midday the image of the Virgin, her snow-white robes gleaming in the sunshine, is paraded around the church, after which the festivities commence.

THE FLOATING PARADE

In Puerto del Carmen, the fiesta of Our Lady of Carmen is always celebrated in early August. There are several activities and concerts at the Old Town Harbour in the days leading up to the highlight of the festivities, which will take place on Saturday 10th August this year.

This is when the image of the virgin is removed from the Church of Carmen and carried to the harbour, where it is mounted on one of the fishing boats. The maritime procession then takes place, with several boats sounding their whistles and letting off fireworks. It’s a colourful, noisy and joyful affair, with an unforgettable atmosphere. The festivities wind down on Sunday 11th, with a firework display to end the fiestas.

THE CAPITAL CELEBRATES

In Arrecife, the fiestas of San Ginés have traditionally been among the most important on the island.

They take place in the weeks leading up to August 25th, with all sorts of activities including the traditional jolatero regatta, when kids paddle brightly-painted hand-made tin boats with their flip-flops.

Arrecife always holds a big concert to round off its fiesta, and this year it plans to bring Colombian latin pop artist Sebastián Yatra to the capital.

OTHER FIESTAS

Other towns holding their local fiestas in August include Mozaga (11th August), La Geria (15th), Tinajo (16th), Nazaret (18th), Playa Honda (18th), San Bartolomé (24th) and Órzola (25th). Check the local Ayuntamiento’s websites for full details.

VERBENA VIBES

Lanzarote’s fiestas are usually marked by several verbenas. These are open-air concerts where the wine and beer flows freely, grandparents enjoy the fun in specially-provided seats, adults meet friends, teenagers flirt and little kids run wild.

In contrast to more traditional folk concerts, verbenas usually feature carnival bands who pump out an endlessly upbeat string of famous merengue, salsa, bachata and reggaeton hits, with DJs on hand to fill in the gaps.

Island Insights

IN MEMORY OF ´LALO´ PACHECO

by Norman Warwick

Eduardo Pacheco Martín recently passed away in Tinajo, at the age of 88. ‘Lalo’ Pacheco, as his friends knew him, was one of the first electricians at Lanzarote airport, although he was well known for his passion for agriculture.

He was also one of the first in Lanzarote to invest in planting an orange grove, when his friend Cándido Reguera, former mayor of Arrecife, was the Councillor for Agriculture of the Cabildo and tried to innovate with crops other than the traditional items such as onions or sweet potatoes.

Lalo was a very beloved person and his friends and acquaintances describe him as a generous and fundamentally good man.

The wake was held at the Tinajo funeral home and the burial  took place with a mass at the San Roque Church.

Lancelot Medios sent their heartfelt condolences to his family, especially his wife Marinela Betancort and his three daughters Lidia, Mónica and Nuria.

The above article first appeared in Lancelot Digital.

WHAT´S NEXT Our intrepid team of writers, reporters, and listing agencies will be out on the Sidetracks & Detours again tomorrow, Monday 5^th August and readers can expect posts about Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods. The Listener will be picking up whispers and rumours from Jazz Junction and Rosa Maria Staves will once more be finding the concord of sweet sounds that is the Rochdale Music Society archive. We will take a look at some music festivals and of course, will return with at least one new book to place on the bigger bookshelf we are building in the office. PASS IT ON will then return next Sunday 11th August with all the news. Thanks for reading, and we´ll see you somewhere round the corner one of these days.