Last updated: May 21 at 9 pm. All listed times are in EDT: Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-04:00)
Pre-Festival Events | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Teachers
Pre-Festival Events
ZoomCreek
Jams & workshops will run on Zoom. New to Zoom? Not quite sure how it works? Come to ZoomCreek, a practice & orientation meeting to learn how to use Zoom more comfortably during the festival.
Zoom Practice & Orientation
Tuesday, May 19, 7:30–8:30 pm
When the practice is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/91144182045
Zoom Practice & Orientation
Wednesday, May 20, 10:00–11:00 am
When the practice is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82769249750
Black Creek Confab
Live festivals, neighborhood jams, music friends gathered in your living room: cancelled, cancelled, cancelled. How can we continue to meet and play online? We’re hosting a confab to share ideas, know-how, success stories, whatever’s on your mind for ways to meet and play online. Discussion will be moderated by Ed Farrell & Kiirja Paananen.
Thursday, May 21, 7:00–8:30 pm
When the confab is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/94437690988
Pre-Festival Events | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Teachers
Friday, May 22
Round Robin Jam in the Welcome Tent
with Brian Slattery & Maggie Shar from 7–8 pm.
with Tony & Marge, tunes and songs in the key of G from 8–9 pm.
Friday, May 22, 7:00–11:00 pm
Anytime during the jam, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88224679273
Round Robin Jam in the Barn
Ask to lead a tune if you’d like.
Friday May 22, 7:00–11:00 pm
Anytime during the jam, click this link to join:
https://zoom.us/j/91885085904
Make-Your-Own Jam in the Campground
Friday May 22, 7:00–11:00 pm
Organize your own group jam in Facebook Room, Google Meet, or other jamming platform.
Pre-Festival Events | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Teachers
Saturday, May 23
Finding Your Groove with the Bow (Fiddle)
with Paul Kirk, Jr.
Paul will teach a tune (or two) while showing bowing patterns that will infuse a pulse into your playing. Best for players with a good understanding of their bow and how to control it. All levels welcome. Tune your fiddles in advance to cross G (GDGD).
Saturday, May 23, 11:00 am–noon
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
Trusting Your Ear (Guitar)
with Kati Maginel & Sandol Astrausky
Fiddler Sandol Astrauski joins guitarist Katie Maginel for an introduction to oldtime guitar workshop. Katie and Sandol will play through a tune together and then Katie will introduce her thoughts and styles—featuring ideal practices for guitarists supporting fiddlers. She’ll introduce walking base lines and strum styles. Sandol has been teaching OT forever and Katie plays in a hot Oldtime Blues Duo called The Skipping Stones. You can support her work by following her on Facebook or purchasing her debut album, Patriot Saint, here.
Saturday, May 23, Noon–1:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86823726476
Irish Tunes in Old Time Music: Part 1 (Focus on Fiddles)
with Oona Grady & James Gascoyne
Oona will guide us through decoding Irish tune melodies (including bowing & ornamentation), starting with Wissahickon Drive, a reel by Liz Carroll, and see where that takes us. This class is for fiddles and anyone interested in learning melodies: James will show how he plays Wissahickon on clawhammer banjo. See Part 2 at 2:00.
Saturday, May 23, Noon–1:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
“Uncle” Norm Edmonds Tunes
with Janie Rothfield
All instruments welcome but mainly for fiddle, clawhammer banjo and guitar. Janie will teach tunes from the playing of “Uncle” Norm Edmonds from Hillsville, Virginia, and demonstrate ways to play fiddle, clawhammer banjo, and backup guitar for the tunes. Focus on rhythm, musicality, and right-hand work (bowing, frailing, and backup bass runs).
Saturday, May 23, 1:00–2:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
Historical Scots-Irish Roots of Old Time: Tunes from Sinking Valley
with Deborah Justice & David Deacon
Open to all instruments. We will discover the exciting transitional time period as Americans were shaping Northern/European tunes into what became the basis of Southern Old Time. We’ll talk about the repertoire and issues of phrasing and tone that can make the same string of notes sound more “Irish” versus playing it with a Southern drive.
Saturday, May 23, 1:00–2:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86823726476
Irish Tunes in Old Time Music: Part 2
with Oona Grady & James Gascoyne
James will explore DADGAD guitar accompaniment in general and specifically backing up the melody. This class is for guitar players and anyone interested in chordal accompaniment in Irish music. Oona will be on hand playing the melodies, so anyone is welcome to tune in and jam along.
Saturday, May 23, 2:00-3:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86823726476
Banjo Workshop
with Marc Horowitz
In this open format workshop, Marc will use suggestions and questions from participants to teach technique, specific tunes, banjo maintenance, and all things banjo.
Saturday, May 23, 2:00–3:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join.
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
New Old Time Tunes: Fresh Off the Fire
with Alan Kaufman & Vernon Imrich
Alan shares some of his original fiddle tunes – waltzes, breakdowns, and rags. Email your workshop requests from this YouTube playlist.
Saturday, May 23, 3:00–4:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join.
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
Concertina Workshop
with Jody Kruskal
Saturday, May 23, 3:00–4:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86823726476
Fiddle Workshop: Bob Wills’s Crippled Turkey
with Ben Wetherbee
Ben will teach Bob Wills’s blistering version of Crippled Turkey in the key of E. For advanced fiddlers: bring comfort playing in the key of E and ability to learn by ear.
Saturday, May 23, 4:00–5:00 pm
When the workshop is about to begin, click this link to join.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86823726476
Black Creek Social in the Barn
Saturday, May 23, 5:00–6:00 pm
Meet up with friends for a chat: click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
Potluck in the Barn
Saturday, May 23, 6:00–7:00 pm
Bring your own dinner and click this link to join:
https://albany.zoom.us/j/97010929607
Round Robin Jamming in the Barn
Saturday, May 23, 7:00–11:00 pm
When the jam is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://zoom.us/j/91885085904
Round Robin Jamming in the Welcome Tent
Saturday, May 23, 7:00–11:00 pm
When the jam is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85389477166
Make-Your-Own Jam in the Campground
Saturday, May 23, 7:00–11:00 pm
Organize your own group jam in Facebook Room, Google Meet, or other jamming platform.
Pre-Festival Events | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Teachers
Sunday, May 24
Songs of Hope and Renewal
with Ruth Rappaport & Ann Downey
Sing along and bring a song to share! Please note: we’re looking for about 15 song-leaders. Teach a simple chorus, or share-your-screen with lyrics. We’ll go round robin and each volunteer will sing one song.
Sunday, May 24, 10:00 am–noon
When the singing is about to begin, click this link to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83026341210
Pre-Festival Events | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Teachers
Workshop Teachers
David Deacon began playing traditional music more than 40 years ago. Raised in the Philadelphia Folk Song Society, David began playing clawhammer banjo in 1974 and fiddle a few years later. He started playing Irish music on whistle, fiddle, and later tenor banjo, and at the same time, traditional Anglo-American ballads. With a Master’s Degree in Folklore and a Ph.D. in history, David focuses on the everyday lives of Americans. He combines an academic interest in American musical history with the joys of being an active fiddler and traditional singer.
From Upstate New York, Oona Grady (fiddle/viola/vocals) and James Gascoyne (guitar/banjo/vocals) play and sing North Atlantic dance tunes and folk songs.
Marc Horowitz began playing the 5-string banjo in 1960. Since 1967 he has been a professional musician, playing banjo, guitar, mandolin, and pedal steel guitar with touring artists such as the Phoenix Singers, Tom Paxton, Judy Collins, and Steve Goodman, and playing on recording sessions for records, commercial jingles, film scores, and the like. He has been teaching Bluegrass and Old Time (clawhammer) banjo since 1964. Marc is also sought after doing banjo setup work, and is currently maintaining the banjo collection of Renaissance man and picker Steve Martin.
Deborah Justice began playing folk music more than 25 years ago. After childhood piano, Deborah discovered the hammered dulcimer, which she now teaches in private lessons and at regional festivals. While performing Irish, Eastern European, Arabic, and klezmer musics at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, Deborah learned to play guitar and quickly discovered old-time music. In 2013, she met David Deacon, who helped her get started on clawhammer banjo. Deborah also has a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, throws axes as a hobby, and can trace her Scots-Irish roots right back to Clan Menzies in the Highlands!
Alan Kaufman has been lucky to learn from a vast and incredible reservoir of fiddle tunes available to him during his lifetime. He feels duty bound to not only make withdrawals from this generous “bank” of fiddle tunes, but to make deposits, as well. He looks forward to sharing his tunes with you. Some of the tunes can be found on the “All in Good Time” CD (with Don Stratton). A pdf of tune transcriptions and chords can be found here. Listen on the Bandcamp site for the CD. He leads a weekly Old Time session at the Burren Pub In Somerville MA.
Paul Kirk has been playing fiddle for 40 years and teaching for more than 30. He has played many different styles from early music to folk, and now focuses on Old Time music. He gives private lessons in person and over Skype.
Jody Kruskal plays and teaches in the harmonic style (otherwise known as “English” style). He has been playing for 30 years and is experienced teaching all levels.
Ruth Rappaport has been playing old-time, Irish, and other folk music since her teenage years, i.e., forever ago! She is primarily known in fiddle tune circles as a rock-solid guitar and piano player, but her true love is singing. She spent many years playing in the eclectic band, The Poodles, and now performs with her son, fiddler Ben Wetherbee, and with lots of other cool musicians.
Janie Rothfield is an award-winning clawhammer banjo player and fiddler who has been playing Old Time music “forever.” She has toured professionally for over 35 years, during which she has also been a composer, recording artist, band leader, teacher, and event organizer. ]Her latest solo CD, “Out of Thin Air,” features 15 of her own compositions. Janie performs with numerous bands, including Coracree, Hen’s Teeth, the Janie Rothfield Old Time Trio (with Allan Carr), and the Idumea Quartet. She runs her own camp, Janie’s Jumpstart, at locations all over the U.S.
Ben Wetherbee is an Old Time fiddler from Watertown, MA. His mother, Ruth Rappaport, is a rockin’ Old Time guitar player and singer, and he grew up surrounded by Old Time music. Together, Ruth and Ben frequently perform ferocious fiddle tunes, heartbreaking harmonies, trance-y timbres, and wailing wildness. Ben strives to ground himself as much in tradition as he can while finding his own voice, influences, and experiments.