{"id":22520,"date":"2024-08-25T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-25T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/?p=22520"},"modified":"2024-08-29T08:36:08","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T07:36:08","slug":"sidetracks-detours-present-pass-it-on-64-weekly-supplement-sunday-25-9-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aata.dev\/index.php\/2024\/08\/25\/sidetracks-detours-present-pass-it-on-64-weekly-supplement-sunday-25-9-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Sidetracks & Detours present PASS IT ON 64 Weekly supplement Sunday 25 8 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sidetracks & Detours<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

present<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PASS IT ON 64<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weekly supplement Sunday 25 8 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CONTENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hear The Call. COME FOLLOW YOUR ART editorial<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 A Sound Selection RUNNERS aND rIDERS by Some Lonesome Picker<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Following Festivals NEW ORDER & BLOSSOMS by Alfred Michael<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Literature FICTION NEW RELEASES  by Joseph Aloysius<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 Live Jazz  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALAN BARNES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRIAN GREENE TRIO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PREVIEWED BY Jazz In Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 Jazz On Air: HOT BISCUITS served by Steve Bewick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 Raising Profiles KIER AND SHEILA ROWE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LIVE LISTINGS by Music In Portsmouth newsletter<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 Readers Perspective: All points forward<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DEL MCCOURY BAND  by Peter Pearson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

8 Island Insights LANZAROTE AND ITS GRERAT  GRAPES:  by Cruso<\/strong>e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Hear The Call<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

COME FOLLOW YOUR ART<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Akela<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Welcome to issue 64 of our PASS IT ON Sunday Supplement. I\u00b4m sure that readers of sidetracks & detours will agree that our fantastic team of volunteer reporters have  certainly delivered the goods over this last week. Their Monday to Friday postings of free to read items included Graham Marshall\u00b4s fulsome praise of a concert by The Rochdale Amateur Light Orchestra. There was also an introduction to Manchester Camerata and the excellent art and musical work they create within communities. There was also an extensive report on Bela Fleck and The Flecktones and, of course, at least one of our writers returned to the office with several musical notation books by Bela to place on the exponential bookshelf here in our Lanzarote office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, after all that hard labour we all took a day off yesterday to catch up on the football and cricket and ladies golf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So today we introduce a new writer to the fold. Some Lonesome Picker is his handle, a name borrowed of course from a John Stewart song. The picker will occasionally offer a selection of tracks on a theme. His first offering looks at Horses Around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alfred Michael is following festivals featuring groups like New Order and Blossoms. Our literature correspondent looks at new fiction now available and of course there are a couple of strong recommendations from Jazz In Reading about live jazz in their area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After all that reading you will be ready for your plate of Hot Biscuits, the jazz on air served up by Steve Bewick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when you have fed and watered and listened to his programme you can carry on reading how Music In Portsmouth work hard on raising profiles of their classical musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our chief Americana reporter, Peter Pearson, reminds us how brilliant are the Del McCoury Band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We close as always with an Island Insight, from Crusoe our beachcombing news gathered on Lanzarote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u00b4m sure you\u00b4ll find plenty to enjoy !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1 A Sound Selection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

RUNNERS AND RIDERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Some Lonesome Picker<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I have \u00b4stolen\u00b4this pseudonym from the lines of a song written and recorded by John Stewart. Those who know of me by my real name will probably know of my love for all music John Stewart and this false name is taken from the lines that talk about how he hopes that, maybe when I\u00b4m gone, some lonesome picker will find some healing in my songs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love those lines for so many reasons, I think that  they reveal the true artist\u00b4s real reward and stand as a reminder to me that having sent out a couple of hundred songs on light years of travel without having received any responses I can at least go to my grave clinging to the hope that, even a hundred years after my death, some lonesome guitar picker might start strumming Doing The Spacewalk or Last Boat Home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now an old man, I have become a different personification of some lonesome picker. I am a prolific \u00b4picker\u00b4 of recordings to place on playlists.  I just love making playlists and now sidetracks and detours have offered me a monthly column, to be called Song Selections by Some Lonesome Picker, with all the tracks being available on Spotify so that readers can even create a replica of the selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first playlist will be published on Monday 9th<\/sup> September under the the title of Having Horses Around, itself a reference to a Chip Taylor song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each playlist will include twenty tracks and RUNNERS AND RIDERS will feature three horse-related songs by John Stewart as well as tracks by KT Tunstall, Dean Martin and The Drive By Truckers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So saddlle up and come on over to the Ring-Fence Coral on Monday 9th<\/sup> September. It could be one hell of a rodeo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2 Following Festivals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW ORDER & BLOSSOMS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Alfred Michael<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I was flying too close to the ground when inspecting Earth for new festivals taking place earlier this week, I ended up in something of a storm. I saw tents and marquees flying across a festival site as winds of over seventy miles an hour hit parts of the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wind speeds of up to 73 mph were recorded in parts of Wales as Storm Lilian swept across the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further North, Leeds Festival was forced to shut three stages due to the bad weather..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I flew straight back up to Shangri La in the sky and sent an e mail down to PASS IT ON from invisibleangels@gmail to let readers know about a couple of festivals taking place in the UK this weekend, when the winds should have dropped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This weekend sees a couple of major music festival events in North West England, a region I regularly look down upon from here. My daughter Elisabeth, who has since become Dee, lived in the area, with her husband Norman Warwick, for more  than four decades before they moved to spend their retirement on Lanzarote. Yesterday, Saturday 24th<\/sup> August 2024 saw New Order return to Manchester for a special homecoming show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking place at the same venue the following day (today) there is another special event<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Live From Wythenshawe Park Presents: Blossoms<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An all-day event with a huge support bill including Inhaler, Shed Seven, The K\u2019s, Seb Lowe and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3 Literature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW RELEASES IN FICTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Joseph Aloysius<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Living up here, somewhere in the back of the sky, we can look down to our former home planet of Earth we gain a totally different perspective on longevity. So I am interested to learn that a publisher that was just becoming famous when I was a boy is this year celebrating its one hundred year anniversary. Simon & Schuster are now a massively respected publishing house and they are offering all sorts of on line deals to their readers. Their e-mails, posters etc have an extensive publicity network, and as one of their fliers dropped into our post box that is hinged on to our pearly gates, decided I\u00b4d like to share with you a fascinating list of their recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spirit Crossing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Novel<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Book #20 of Cork O’Connor Mystery Series<\/a><\/strong><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By William Kent Krueger<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A disappearance and a dead body put Cork O\u2019Connor\u2019s family in the crosshairs of a killer in the twentieth book in the New York Times<\/em> bestselling series from William Kent Krueger\u00ad, \u201ca master storyteller at the top of his game\u201d (Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times<\/em> bestselling author).<\/p>\n\n\n\n


The disappearance of a local politician\u2019s teenaged daughter is major news in Minnesota. As a huge manhunt is launched to find her, Cork O\u2019Connor\u2019s grandson stumbles across the shallow grave of a young Ojibwe woman\u2014but nobody seems that interested. Nobody, that is, except Cork and the newly formed Iron Lake Ojibwe Tribal Police. As Cork and the tribal officers dig into the circumstances of this mysterious and grim discovery, they uncover a connection to the missing teenager. And soon, it\u2019s clear that Cork\u2019s grandson is in danger of being the killer\u2019s next victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon & Schuster celebrating 100 years<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blackheart Man<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Nalo Hopkinson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The magical island of Chynchin is facing conquerors from abroad and something sinister from within in this entrancing fantasy from the Grand Master Award\u2013winning author Nalo Hopkinson.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Veycosi, in training as a griot (an historian and musician), hopes to sail off to examine the rare Alamat Book of Light and thus secure a spot for himself on Chynchin\u2019s Colloquium of scholars. However, unexpected events prevent that from happening. Fifteen Ymisen galleons arrive in the harbor to force a trade agreement on Chynchin. Veycosi tries to help, hoping to prove himself with a bold move, but quickly finds himself in way over his head.

Bad turns to worse when malign forces start stirring. Pickens (children) are disappearing and an ancient invading army, long frozen into piche (tar) statues by island witches is stirring to life\u2014led by the fearsome demon known as the Blackheart Man. Veycosi has problems in his polyamorous personal life, too. How much trouble can a poor student take? Or cause all by himself as the line between myth and history blends in this delightfully sly tale by one of greatest novelists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon & Schuster a century of books<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Instrumentalist<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Harriet Constable<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A stunning debut novel of music, intoxication, and betrayal inspired by the true story of Anna Maria della Piet\u00e0, a Venetian orphan and violin prodigy who studied under Antonio Vivaldi and ultimately became his star musician\u2014and his biggest muse.

\u201cTHE INSTRUMENTALIST is more than a history lesson\u2014with this novel, Constable has crafted an engrossing tale about an unexpected coup de musique.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u2014THE NEW YORK TIMES<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anna Maria della Piet\u00e0 was destined to drown in one of Venice\u2019s canals. Instead, she became the greatest violinist of the 18th century.<\/em>

Anna Maria has only known life inside the Piet\u00e0, an orphanage for children born of prostitutes. But the girls of the Piet\u00e0 are lucky in a sense: most babies born of their station were drowned in the city\u2019s canals. And despite the strict rules, the girls are given singing and music lessons from an early age. The most promising musicians have the chance to escape the fate of the rest: forced marriage to anyone who will have them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anna Maria is determined to be the best violinist there is\u2014and whatever Anna Maria sets out to do, she achieves. After all, the stakes for Anna could not be higher. But it is 1704 and she is a girl. The pursuit of her ambition will test everything she holds dear, especially when it becomes clear that her instructor, Antonio Vivaldi, will teach Anna everything he knows\u2014but not without taking something in return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From the opulent palaces of Venice to its mud-licked canals, The Instrumentalist<\/em> is a portrait of opportunities dangled only to be snatched away. It is the story of one woman\u2019s irrepressible ambition and rise to the top. And it is the story of the orphans of Venice who overcame destitution and abuse to make music, and whose contributions to some of the most important works of classical music, including \u201cThe Four Seasons,\u201d have been overlooked for too long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For fans of The Queen\u2019s Gambit <\/em> and Fingersmith<\/em>, The Instrumentalist<\/em> is a searing exploration of art and ambition, genius and exploitation, and loss and triumph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The author, Harriet Constable (right)<\/em><\/strong>, is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker living in London. She has written for The New York Times<\/em>, The Economist<\/em>, and the BBC, and is a grantee of the Pulitzer Center and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She grew up playing the flute and piano and singing with her mother, a classically trained pianist and singer. The Instrumentalist<\/em> is her debut novel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4 Live Jazz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALAN BARNES (saxophone & clarinet)<\/strong>
previews by Jazz In Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backed by  the Pangbourne Jazz Club rhythm section:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Jim Pollard<\/strong> (piano) | Terry Hutchins<\/strong> (guitar)
Mike Pratt <\/strong>(d bass) | Brian Greene<\/strong> (drums)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alan Barnes (right)<\/em><\/strong> is a much loved regular guest artist at Pangbourne and we are delighted to have him back again in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His range and brilliance have made him a \u201cfirst call\u201d for studio and live work since his precocious arrival on the scene more than thirty years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bHis recorded catalogue is immense.  He has made over thirty albums as leader and co-leader alone, and the list of his session and side-man work includes Bjork, Bryan Ferry, Michel LeGrande, Clare Teale, Westlife, Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum. He has toured and played residencies with such diverse and demanding figures as Ruby Braff, Freddie Hubbard, Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache, Ken Peplowski, Harry Allen and Conte Candoli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In British jazz, the young Barnes was recognized \u2013 and hired \u2013 by the established greats of the time:  Stan Tracy, John Dankworth, Kenny Baker, Bob Wilber, and Humphrey Lyttelton.  But he is equally respected for his longstanding and fruitful collaborations with contemporaries such as David Newton, Bruce Adams, and Martin Taylor.

\u200bAlan Barnes\u2019s unique musicianship, indefatigable touring, and warm rapport with audiences have made him uniquely popular in British jazz.  He has received over 25 British Jazz Awards, most recently in 2014 for clarinet, and has twice been made BBC Jazz Musician of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnes\u2019 melodic sense bypasses the usual scale-running clich\u00e9s that pepper the playing of lesser bop disciples.<\/em>
Peter Marsh, BBC Music Review<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His stylistic range is quite phenomenal\u2026 He has a wonderful capacity for suggesting a given style without actually imitating anyone.<\/em>
Dave Gelly, Masters Of The Jazz Saxophone.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was relishing the prospect of Barnes\u2019s casually consummate musicianship, deadpan humour (he could be a comedian, if jazz ever fails him), and indomitable belief in a respected place for the music\u2019s rich history in this eclectic and often forgetful world.<\/em>
John Fordham – The Guardian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bBarnes plays music that was radical 50 years ago but he infuses it with so much passion and energy you could believe it was minted on the spot, which is always part of the story with jazz.<\/em>
John L. Walters, The Guardian<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Live Jazz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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BRIAN GREENE TRIO <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Old Post Office, Wallingford)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

preview by Jazz In Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pangbourne Jazz Club were asked to return to provide some Jazz at The Old Post Office in Wallingford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first live dinner and jazz session was on Sunday 28 July 2024<\/strong>, between 6pm and 10pm<\/strong>.

For this extra special event Brian Greene <\/strong>had created a Trio of himself on drums, Dave Clement-Smith<\/strong> on piano and Mike Pratt <\/strong>on bass. Dave, Mike and Brian play regularly together and you already know Mike, from his sterling performance with Simon Bates at Pangbourne back in April<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They played jazz standards and a mix of chilled cool funk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5 Jazz On Air<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

HOT BISCUITS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

shared by Steve Bewick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tasos Gkoumas<\/a> is a Greek jazz-fusion guitarist and composer and we should celebrate his unique sound and technical prowess. Listen in to this week\u00b4s HOT BISCUITS<\/strong> programme from my mix-cloud to savour a few tracks from his recent CD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further music delights will also be served to celebrate Buddy Guy<\/a> on his 88th birthday. You will also hear Nichola Farman with a lesson on, `Keeping In Touch` and a  classic from the Benny Goodman<\/a> Quartet with a link to the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist Gary Potter<\/a>. Listen out, too, for Leon Spencer with a little blues funk. followed by Duke Ellington on Verve Records<\/a>, with `Blow by Blow`.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, we will pay respects to John Mayall<\/a> RIP. If this looks interesting then follow the link below, enjoy what you hear and please feEel free to PASS IT ON<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WWW.mixcloud.com\/stevebewick 24\/7<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6 Raising Profiles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AMANDA COOK: CLASSICAL GUITAR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

introduced by Music in Portsmouth<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Wednesday 5 July<\/a> Amanda Cook, \u201cThe guitar queen with a silken touch\u201d (The Independent<\/em>) presented an inspiring programme of Romantic and Contemporary music by the celebrated composers Verdery, Domeniconi, Assad & Torroba at St Pancras Church, Chichester, for the Festival of Chichester.

In their incredibly informative newsletters, which link to their easy to navigate web site, full of reviews, previews and  profiles of those who take part in their live concerts, Music In Portsmouth conducted an interesting  interview with Amanda Cook, just before her concert that certainly suggests she is a name to look out for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are you looking most forward to when performing at this concert?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/strong>Amanda Cook (right) <\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n


This is the fortieth anniversary of my guitar playing. I will be drawing on the repertoire that I loved right from an early age. I will be playing some pieces by better-known composers, such as Verdery, Domeniconi and Torroba, but also pieces by lesser-known ones. There will be folk, Latin and jazz \u2013 so, something for everyone!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll be introducing my audiences to these pieces and their composers. And the music will come from Turkey, Brazil, Venezuela and Spain \u2013 perfect for a summer\u2019s evening!

While much of my more recent music making is with the Vida Guitar Quartet, I am looking forward to doing a solo recital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Who and\/or what have been the most important influences on your musical career or interest in music?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jacqueline du Pr\u00e9 (left)<\/em><\/strong> made a big impact on me as an impressionable teenager, not only through the energy and passion she showed for her music, but also the generous spirit she showed in interviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I heard the Scottish classical guitarist David Russell at the age of 15. I\u2019ve been greatly influenced by his interpretation, and have attended many masterclasses with him, including at West Dean College (near Chichester).

What have been the greatest challenges of your musical career so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-promotion \u2013 which is very necessary in my type of career \u2013 doesn\u2019t come easily. I\u2019ve also suffered from performance anxiety, which I experienced particularly sharply when I returned to performing after having had my children. In response to this I did a lot of research into this area and, as a result, altered my way of practicing and thinking about the connection between the practice room and concert hall which turned it all into a positive experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the particular pleasures and challenges of collaborating with other musicians?<\/strong>

It\u2019s so liberating sharing live performances with other musicians, and there are often many funny moments. When you\u2019re working with others, you exist in an atmosphere of trust, which is something precious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Are there any composers for whom you feel a particular affinity? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I particularly love the Romantic composers, such as Torroba: often there\u2019s a story to be told. I also love Dowland, Cutting and others from the Renaissance for their clarity of lines. My job is to keep their counterpoint unfussy and light. And there are many contemporary composers with an original voice, such as Ben Verdery, Roland Dyens and finally William Lovelady, who\u2019s inspired by poetry and nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your most memorable experiences, either as a performer, composer or listener?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I collaborated with the composer William Lovelady at two memorial services held in Omagh to mark the first anniversary of the Omagh bombing in 1998. It was an emotional and powerful experience: the music did the talking.

For many years my dream was to perform a solo recital at the Wigmore Hall, so my debut performance there was very special.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What advice would you give to those who are considering a career in music?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be open to all the opportunities that come along; don\u2019t get fixated on one path, and be prepared to embrace things that you initially may think aren\u2019t for you. Make sure \u2013 even if you\u2019re tending towards being a solo musician \u2013 that you spend lots of time working with others: there\u2019s so much learning that you can make which can be brought back into your solo performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How would you define success as a musician?
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For me, if I\u2019ve connected with the audience and if I feel that they\u2019ve got something positive from listening then I\u2019ve succeeded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would you like to be doing in 5 years\u2019 time?
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Performance wise, much of the same \u2013 balancing solo work with deepening my collaboration with the soprano Bibi Heal and the Vida Guitar Quartet, as well as working on more collaborations with composers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We look forward to seeing how the next five years work out for Amanda. She seems to share the generosity of spirit in her interview that she herself had detected in the profile of Jacqueline du Pre and the
information sheet below, also provided by Music in Portsmouth shows that she has the the required talent and temperament to enjoy a long and illustrious career in classical music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About Amanda<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dubbed \u201cThe guitar queen with a silken touch\u201d by The Independent, Amanda has appeared as a soloist in the USA, South America and throughout Europe. In the UK venues include the South Bank, Wigmore Hall, St George\u2019s Bristol, King\u2019s Place and The Sage, Gateshead. Her highly acclaimed performances are always noted for their sensitive musicality, fluid technique, and ability to draw the audience in to her world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amanda\u2019s first guitar teacher was Alexander Levtov, whom she spent seven years with from the age of 7. She then went on to study with Charles Ramirez at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music, as a scholarship student. Amanda then carried on to do her music degree at the RCM, as a Foundation Scholar, continuing with Mr Ramirez and then with Jakob Lindberg and Gary Ryan. Whilst at the College Amanda won several prizes for her performances, and outside of College she won the 1995 Admira Young Guitarist of the Year, 1997 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award and the 1998 Carol Evershed Martin Award for solo instrumentalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After leaving the RCM, she went onto study in New York with Benjamin Verdery thanks to the support from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amanda has been broadcast on television and radio, both abroad and in the UK, including BBC Radio 3\u2019s \u201cIn Tune\u201d & \u201cLate Junction\u201d, BBC Radio 4\u2019s \u201cWoman\u2019s Hour,\u201d and Classic FM. Along with solo work Amanda has always had a passion for chamber music and has worked in various duos and ensembles through her career including the Appassionata Guitar Trio, G Plus Ensemble and more recently with the renowned soprano Bibi Heal and the critically acclaimed Vida Guitar Quartet, who regularly tour the USA, Europe and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teaching has always been important to Amanda and she often gives classes at Festivals and adjudicates music competitions. Amanda was course director at the International Guitar Festival for five years and has also sat on the jury for several International Competitions including the GFA 2015 in Oklahoma and the 2019 Euro Strings Competition. Amanda is a patron of the Federation of Guitar Societies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7 Readers Perspective: All points forward:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

THE DEL MCCOURY BAND<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Peter Pearson<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Delano Floyd \u201cDel\u201d McCoury was born into a musical family on February 1, 1939 in Bakersville, North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively. In June 2010, he received a National Heritage Fellowship lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2011 he was elected into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the age of 85 he continues to tour and record with the Bluegrass band and in June released a new album, Songs of Love And Life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last time I saw the band play in the UK was July 2006 at Manchester Bridgewater Hall when they were support to Nanci Griffith. The first time was 1993 at the Edale Bluegrass Festival, when they played in a cowshed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They were superb on both occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McCoury has had a long career in bluegrass. He started out on a banjo that his father borrowed. Upon graduation from high school, Del purchased a new Gibson banjo and played that for several years. He got his first job as a musician, playing banjo on the radio with a group called the Stevens Brothers. His next stint was with Keith Daniels & the Blue Ridge Ramblers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His big break came with joining Bill Monroe in February of 1963. He was originally slated to play banjo, but switched to guitar and lead vocals as Monroe had hired Bill Keith to play banjo a few days before. Del has remained a guitarist ever since. He stayed with Monroe for a year where he made numerous appearances on the Grand Ole Opry and helped to record six songs for Decca Records but, in order to support a growing family, took a job in the logging industry and formed his own band, the Dixie Pals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the next 10 years he continued the part time music career playing mostly week-end at bluegrass festivals until 1981 when his sons started to join the band. Ronnie on mandolin was the first to do so, followed by brother, Robbie, on banjo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moving to Nashville in 1992 the band changed their name to The Del McCoury Band, added fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Mike Bubb and created a line-up that would remain unchanged for 13 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon after moving to Nashville they signed to Rounder Records and their career soared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Del was awarded Bluegrass Male Vocalist of the year for three consecutive years between 1990 and 1993 and there followed a host of individual band member awards and a Grammy award in 2006 for his band\u00b4s album, “The Company We Keep.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They favour the traditional one-mic approach in performance, which I later witnessed first hand. It requires carefully choreographed movements. For one thing, band members have to weave in and out of the mic-pattern without hitting their band mates in the head with the neck of their instruments. When all three of them sing vocals, the one with the loudest voice backs away from the mic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1997, after Steve Earle had recruited The Del McCoury band to perform on his El Corazon album, he decided to make a bluegrass album as a tribute to Bill Monroe. Since Del had played with Bill Monroe, The Del McCourey Band was now the premier bluegrass band and Del was more than open to collaboration, so who better to co-opt onto the project?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The result was “The Mountain” (right) <\/em><\/strong>a 14 track album of bluegrass compositions all penned by Earle, featuring the McCourys and a host of guest musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album was a great success but touring the album resulted in friction between the somewhat incongruous pairing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The McCourys are the epitome of sartorial elegance on stage. They all wear suits, dress shirts, collar and tie and are perfectly coiffured. They have fun with their audiences and are perfect in performance but there is no swearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, Steve Earle is more likely to take the stage in torn jeans and hiking boots (although he did don a suit for their TV appearances).  An activist, prone to swearing on stage and with biker fans he took the tour beyond the bluegrass circuit and into venues and in front of audiences more used to his music than to Del’s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some say that Steve Earle’s “fbombs” completely turned off Del’s fans and others say that Del felt that Steve was completely taking over the stage and leaving them as bit parts. According to McCoury bass player, Mike Bubb, the truth was a combination of both. As much as many of the band enjoyed the increased exposure of playing bigger venues, more TV appearances and travelling first class, Del felt he was losing his own audiences, shocked by Steve’s stage performances and marginalised in venues where they did attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After touring the UK Del bailed out and left Earle to complete the tour with a reconstructed grouping called the Bluegrass Dukes (left)<\/em><\/strong>. Whilst there was some bad feeling, Steve and Ronnie McCoury became and remain good friends. Maybe not so with Del and Steve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was back to the bluegrass circuit for the McCoury Band but bluegrass started to ride a new wave of popularity with the 2000 film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and corresponding documentary, concert film and tour “Down From The Mountain”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Admirers of McCoury abound. Vince Gill credits McCoury (left with the band)<\/em><\/strong> as one of the last patriarchs that plays bluegrass in its authentic way and featured the band on his 2006 album, “These Days”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alison Krauss, who filled in on fiddle on one of Del\u00b4s concerts when his regular fiddler went missing, still sings his praises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a tradition in bluegrass of artists covering non bluegrass songs and Del Mcoury has embraced this tradition. Richard Thomson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” and The Lovin Spoonful’s “Nashville Cats” are prime examples of great songs that seem a natural fit to bluegrass interpretation and watching the McCourys perform these in concert is alone worth the price of the ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On their latest album they cover Roy Orbison’s “Only The Lonely”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a long recording career with Rounder Records, in 2003 McCoury took control of his own music by creating the McCoury Music label, home to “The Company We Keep” Grammy-winning album and a vehicle for other roots centred artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst other bluegrass bands have come and gone, or radically changed personnel, The McCoury Band have only had one change in their line up since 1992 and have established themselves as the premier bluegrass band around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Newcomers like Billy Strings (right, with Del)<\/em><\/strong> and Molly Tuttle have been mentored and encouraged by Del. Collaboration with Billy Strings date back to 2018 when Billy and his dad sang with Del on the legendary Ryman stage; a moment Strings says he will cherish forever. Since then, Del and Billy have recorded together, releasing a single in 2021 of the song \u201cMidnight In The Stormy Deep\u201d, on which Strings plays mandolin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Molly Tuttle frequently appears on stage with the band and features on McCoury’s new album on the song, “She’s Heavenly”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Del’s suggestion in 2009 and recognising that he was getting older and the band needed to consider their future, his sons established a separate touring and recording band named the Travelin’ McCourys. While Del takes a break the band tour and record under their own name. Ronnie McCoury says, “we had to figure out something we could do, while still performing with my dad. We don\u2019t want this to be the Del-less McCoury Band.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EDITOR\u00b4S NOTE If you missed Peter\u00b4s article on the Rounder history in PASS IT ON 63<\/strong> , it remains available in our easy to negotiate archives of over 1,200 free to read items. Just tap in Rounder Records into our search engine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8<\/strong> Island Insights<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘EL ARREBATO’ blows up at El Reducto<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

by Norman Warwick<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had been looking forward to this festival for some time, and to this concert in particular. Unfortunately circumstances contrived to make it impossible to attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a concert we were unable to attend. We were disappointed, of course, and even more so when we saw the headline above and the story below, first published on lancelotdigital.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music and art came together last night on Reducto beach, where more than 20,000 people enjoyed the long-awaited El Arrebato concert, one of the highlights of the 2024 San Gin\u00e9s Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The singer-songwriter from Seville, El Arrebato, (left)<\/em><\/strong> with his characteristic Andalusian pop-rock style that fuses pop, flamenco and rumba, managed to conquer the crowd from the first chord, confirming why he is one of the most beloved artists on the Spanish music scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the concert, the artist not only performed songs from his new album “Una tarde cual”, which talks about love and life with his unmistakable personal touch, but also went through his greatest hits, such as “B\u00fascate un hombre que te querer”, delighting the audience with a repertoire full of emotion and turning the night into a real party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Festivals of the Arrecife Town Council, Echedey Eugenio, has expressed his satisfaction with the great reception that this concert has had, thanking the extraordinary response of the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It is a joy to see how the people of Arrecife, together with visitors from other parts of the island, have thrown themselves into this event, filling the Reducto beach and creating a unique and unforgettable atmosphere,” said Eugenio, who also highlighted the work of the City Council’s Cleaning Department, headed by Jacobo Lemes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The cleaning operation was launched as soon as the concert ended and both the beach and the surrounding areas and the city’s festive spaces were perfectly clean first thing in the morning,” said the councillor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Mayor also extends his thanks to all the other areas “without whose involvement and professionalism the great success of this event would not have been possible.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The El Arrebato concert was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of the San Gin\u00e9s 2024 Festivities, consolidating Arrecife as a benchmark in the celebration of large-scale cultural and musical events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There is plenty more to look forward to when we resume our daily Monday to Friday not for profit blog postings. We know all this sounds a bit cryptic but we will be speaking about The Boiler House and the benefits the Moss Side venue brings about to local communities. We will also hear Echoes Expanding from Denmark.as pro-active musician Seren Bebe sets about making things happen. Alfred Michael gives us the run around of Heaton Park Lake. There is news of a fabulously packaged release from the Joni Mitchell Archives and we close the week learning much more by London Sinfonettia and their methods of creating brand awareness.We will take Saturday off, so that we can be up bright early to deliver the seven a.m. edition of PASS IT ON<\/strong> into your Sunday post box. Thanks as always.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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