Jamming at the Festival
What's a folk festival without the opportunity to play with your fellow folk? At the Albuuqerque Folk Festival, we provide three "formal" jamming venues plus as many informal venues as there are shady benches. It's easy to bring your instrument to the festival; you can check your instrument for free from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, so there's no excuse not to come ready to jam all day.
Jam with the Band
There's a lot of local talent here in Albuquerque and New Mexico, and we're offering Jam with the Band as an avenue where musicians can play or sing along with a few of our great local bands, plus Villa Hispana Stage bands like the Carolyn Martin Trio. It's ok just to listen too. Come on out and meet the up-and-coming folk and traditional music bands on the local music scene. Don't forget to bring your instruments.
Friday
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 PM | Celtic | Fonn Sona | We are a Celtic band of 4 members. Scott Ware on Guitar , Mouth Harp, and Vocals. Suzanne Taichert on Harp, Guitar, Cats Paws, and Vocals. Cleave Sharp on Fluit,Guitar, and Vocals. Chuck Butler on Bodhran, and Vocals. Rob Huffman, pro performer and songwriter from Boston, will join Fonn Sona for this jam. |
| 8:00 PM | Open Jam |
Saturday
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | Bluegrass/Swing | Adobe Brothers | An eclectic mix of traditional fiddle music, bluegrass, Celtic, traditional Latin music, and swing. |
| 12:00 PM | Harmony Singing | Holy Water and Whiskey | This is your chance to experience being wrapped up in harmonies - tenor, alto, baratone, gospel or folk, home is where the harmonies are. Holy Water & Whiskey has been playing in Albuquerque for 7 years. Scott, Maggie, and Bruce - with Maria on sound - lift people up with their gospel, leave 'em on the range with their cowboy music, and lay 'em on the bar with their Irish, folk, and traditional music - covers and originals. Dancing and humming along are sweet with their harmonies. Their 3 CDs are available on CD Baby. |
| 1:00 PM | Art of Jamming Swing | Carolyn Martin Trio | A workshop encouraging spontaneous music making with others and some ideas to make it fun for everyone, with emphasis on the swing repertoire snd playing western swing. |
| 2:00 PM | Old Time | Virginia Creepers | The Virginia Creepers will be leading a jam, playing popular hits from the 1800's and early 1900's. The Virginia Creepers have been playing Appalachian string band music since the waning years of the last century. As two-time winners of the Old Time Band Contest at the Santa Fe Old Time and Bluegrass festival, the "Creepers" are, arguably, among the best practitioners of the Old-Timey art in New Mexico, an honor equivalent to having the best green chile enchiladas in North Carolina. |
| 3:00 PM | Irish | Finn's Thumb | Finn’s Thumb consists of Dain Forsythe (whistles, flute, vocals, bodhrán), Jeannie Dyke (guitar, vocals, whistle, flute) and Pam Morden (fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki). Together these three friends combine their joy and passion for the traditional music of Ireland into a musical tapestry. Not only will you hear the songs for which the cultural music of Ireland is well known, but you will also enjoy the subtle dance tunes which can simultaneously make you want to dance and weep. Finn’s Thumb shares with the audience their love for this music and the delight they find in performing together. |
| 4:00 PM | Bluegrass | Lost Howlin' Coyotes | The Lost Howlin' Coyotes are a New Mexico based Bluegrass band. Steeped in traditional Bluegrass and gospel music, the Coyotes deliver a unique blend of original tunes, bluegrass standards, gospel favorites and plenty of surprises at every performance. Band founders Tony Mora and Gordon West teamed up in 2005 as an acoustic duo winning several awards in local competitions and festivals. They have since added the talents of Randy Dupuy on banjo and vocals, Cat Rose Mora on bass fiddle and vocals, and Louis Blackwell on the fiddle. |
Hosted Jams
At the hosted jam tent, there's a new host every hour. Hosts are mostly there to encourage musicians to pick a song or start a song and to make sure that everyone gets an opportunity to participate. In addition, hosts bring their own unique flare to the jam.
Hosted Jam 1
Friday
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 PM | Irish/Celtic | Tom Tunney | All instruments and levels of playing welcome. Everyone will have a chance to call a tune and set the pace. Sheet music provided. |
| 7:00 PM | Mixed Folk | Carl Allen & Sandra Veith | Mixed folk and country music with vocal harmonies and guitar, dobro and bass. |
| 8:00 PM | Open Jam |
Saturday
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | English Country Dance Music | Mad Robin | Albuquerque based band, "Mad Robin," will lead a jam featuring English Country Dance Music with lead sheets and ideas for creating harmony and arrangements. Members of the group "Mad Robin" include Juli Palladino (violin/viola), Dr. William Litchman (clarinet) who also is an expert at calling for English Country Dances, Sherilyn Urben (violin/cello/piano), Gary Mayhew (guitar) and Tom Hunter (mandolin and octave mandolin). The group plays regularly for various dances and is helping to create a regular dance series for English Country Dancing. |
| 12:00 PM | Cowboy Swing/60s Folk | Sabinal Sisters | |
| 1:00 PM | Irish/Celtic | Tom Tunney | All instruments and levels of playing welcome. Everyone will have a chance to call a tune and set the pace. Sheet music provided. |
| 2:00 PM | Celtic | Fonn Sona | We are a Celtic band of 4 members. Scott Ware on Guitar , Mouth Harp, and Vocals. Suzanne Taichert on Harp, Guitar, Cats Paws, and Vocals. Cleave Sharp on Fluit,Guitar, and Vocals. Chuck Butler on Bodhran, and Vocals. Rob Huffman, pro performer and songwriter from Boston, will join Fonn Sona at the Festival. |
| 3:00 PM | Mom's Swing | Tom Hunter | Mom, born in 1917, enjoyed and shared the songs with which she grew up, in the 20s and 30s, when much of popular music was infused with jazz. From the big bands to the Beatles in the 60s, she enjoyed a variety of songs. Some may be like Jerry's selections, from the previous hour, and my focus will be to play with whoever comes. Please bring some old songs that someone who has inspired you musically might have shared with you! If they swing, then that will be like icing! If there's schmaltz, then some may waltz! Challenging fun, huh? |
| 4:00 PM | Folk Singalong | Jerry Grayson | The sing-along will have song sheets for those participating to choose many well known songs, or lead other well known sing-along songs of your choosing which may not be on the song sheets. Chords and keys will be simple. Good voices and lots of enthusiasm will make this fun for all. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to bring acoustic instrunments to accompany the songs. |
Hosted Jam 2
Friday
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:00 PM | British Isles Traditional & Early Music | Melismata | Melismata, a mixed voice ensemble, includes Jane Lancaster, Rose Marie Demorcy-Henry, Barbara Luboff, Paige Grant, Sherilyn Urben, Angela Welford, Morgan Davies, Neil Williams and Dale Kennedy who hail from Santa Fe, East Mountains, and Albuquerque. They will lead participants through some easy folk songs, encouraging improvisatory harmony, and then some more intricate historic folk music. Lead sheets will be distributed. Melismata performs for a variety of venues including the Celtic Festival, entertainment formats, parties and weddings. |
| 7:00 PM | TBA | ||
| 8:00 PM | Open Jam |
Saturday
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | Bluegrass | Steve Morgan | This all level jam uses a circular rotation that allows anyone in that rotation to pick a tune to sing or play. We allow anyone in the rotation to take breaks on their instruments if they so desire. This jam has been very successful over the past many years. Come join us! |
| 1:00 PM | Folk/Pop | Bruce Davis | |
| 2:00 PM | Singalong | Dan Matthews | |
| 3:00 PM | Country/Folk/Swing | Gary Reynolds with Southwest Wind | Gary Reynolds and the Southwest Wind Band has been together about four years, after meeting in a recording studio. We play a mixture of Folk, Country & Western Music with acoustic guitars, bass and fiddle with true clean pure vocal harmonies along with it. Band members are Gary Reynolds, Robyn Mackenzie, Patrick Hickey, and Dave Aubol. |
| 4:00 PM | Songs of the 20s | Judy & Mike Muldawer | Judy and Mike will lead the jam playing and singing popular songs from the flapper and Charleston era. We use uke, guitar, and kazoo. Participants can bring their instruments, voices, and their own selection of appropriate songs. |