Blues Week 2008

Sunday 10th - Friday 15th August 
University of Northampton
United Kingdom

Our 9th Year!

Blues Week 2008 provides an opportunity for blues enthusiasts to come together for a full week of music making.  It is a chance to broaden your skills and knowledge in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.  The programme will offer morning and afternoon workshops and classes for all levels.  The beginners class is for those who have little or no knowledge of their instrument.  The intermediate and advanced classes are for those who already play to varying degrees of proficiency and are ready to learn new tunes, techniques and styles.  The evening activities throughout the week will consist of a concert by the staff members, a student concert and nightly  jam sessions.  In addition, there will be special presentations for the entire group.

The Classes

Classes will begin on Monday morning and run through Friday afternoon.  There will be 2 sessions in the morning beginning at 9:30 and lasting until 10:45 and the second class will start at 11 o'clock and end at 12:15.  In the afternoon, the first class will start at 2:15 and end at 3:30.  The second afternoon class will commence at 3:45 and end at 5:00.  All classes and workshops during the week will last for one hour and fifteen minutes.

The Staff

JOHN MILLER, Guitar
John Miller was inspired to take up the Country Blues guitar after seeing Mississippi John Hurt at the 1963 Philadelphia Folk Festival.  He taught himself to play guitar by listening to records and recorded his first album in 1973.  Since then, he has come to be recognized as one of the foremost authorities on country blues guitar.  John has released 6 instructional videos on the music of Furry Lewis, Bo Carter, Robert Wilkins, Elizabeth Cotton and John Hurt Vols 1&2.

For Blues Week, John’s classes will focus on ‘Country Blues in the Post War Era’, ‘Learning by Ear’ and ‘Creating Your Own Country Blues Arrangements’.  He will work through a variety of well-known and more obscure songs by artists such as John Jackson, Mance Lipscomb, Shirley Griffith and Ralph Willis to provide tips and guidance.  John's class is for intermediate/advanced students.

PAUL RISHELL, Guitar
Paul Rishell was born in Brooklyn, New York.  He took up the guitar upon hearing the music of Son House, Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, and Blind Lemon Jefferson.  In the early 70’s, Paul moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and had the chance to play with Son House, Johnny Shines, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Howlin’ Wolf.  In 1992, Paul teamed up with Annie Raines on harmonica and they have formed a musical partnership that would span the next fifteen years.  Paul’s original music has been used in plays, films, and countless television shows including Friends, Oprah, and A&E’s Biography.  He has built up a stellar reputation over 40 years as a performer, teacher, and torchbearer of the country blues tradition.

For Blues Week, Paul will be conducting an intermediate/advance class on country blues guitar that will cover right and left hand techniques of the four major blues guitar styles: Piedmont, Delta, Texas, and Chicago.  He will also cover slide guitar, open tunings, and signature pieces by artists such as Blind Blake, Lemon Jefferson, Scrapper Blackwell, Robert Johnson, Tommy Johnson, Charlie Patton, Son House, Skip James, Blind Boy Fuller, Tampa Red, Robert Lockwood, Fred McDowell and others.

RICK FRANKLIN, Guitar
Rick Franklin from Washington, D.C., has been playing and singing the Blues at local festivals and community events, as well as various clubs and cafes, both in and around the Washington, DC area for the past twenty six years.  Rick's musical style of blues is identified with such legendary players like Blind Blake, Blind Boy Fuller along with contemporary players like the late John Jackson.  In addition to solo performances, Rick also performs 1920s and 1930s blues and ragtime with the popular acoustic blues trio Franklin, Harpe, and Usilton. This trio performs blues and ragtime in the Memphis and St. Louis guitar-duet style.  Rick will teach beginning to advanced chord progressions, rhythm, and playing alternating bass patterns in country blues guitar techniques.

MICHAEL ROACH, Guitar and Vocals
Michael Roach has had years of experience organising concerts, directing festivals and conducting workshops.  He is a favourite with fingerpickers and with 4 acoustic albums under his belt and one instructional DVD (An introduction to Country Blues Guitar), he is firmly established within traditional blues music circles.  Michael is the founder of the European Blues Association and Director of Blues Week 2008.  In 2007, Michael released the highly acclaimed album ‘I Betcha!’ and he is now known as a vocalist and leader of his own eight-piece soul/rhythm & blues band. 

For beginners and intermediate guitarists, Michael will teach students the basic skills to play country blues guitar.  He will focus on rhythm, chords and how to pick out melodies using alternating bass patterns.  Michael will also conduct a vocal class demonstrating techniques to help singers find their true voice.  He will be assisted by Danny McCormack on keyboards.  The primary aim of this class will be on breathing and phrasing.  Be prepared to sing.

MICHAEL MESSER, Slide Guitar
Michael Messer is a slide guitar master.  His obsessive appetite for knowledge of the art is virtually unequalled.  Michael has recently released the internationally acclaimed ‘Introduction to Blues Slide Guitar’ instructional DVD to rave reviews.  His most recent CD release, ‘Lucky Charms’ (2006), is described as contemporary, accessible and wholly unique.  Among his other releases, ‘Second Mind’ (2003) was awarded ‘Blues Guitar Album of the Year’ and ‘King Guitar’ (2001) reached number one in the chart of the US publication ‘Living Blues’.  To further reflect the esteem in which he is held, Newtone Strings is conjunction with National Reso-phonic Guitars have a Michael Messer brand specifically made for National guitars. 

For Blues Week, Michael will conduct an intermediate to advanced ‘master class’ on bottleneck guitar styles covering all aspects of playing. 

STEVE JAMES, Guitar
Steve James has been described variously as an "underground legend" and a "true Americana hero".  He is well known as a performing and recording artist of long experience as a soloist and accompanist to many present and past masters of roots music.  Committed to sharing the music, he has created numerous articles and lessons, books and instructional DVDs about the traditions and techniques he's absorbed and adapted.  His instrumental versatility (on guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, guitar-banjo) also makes him a favourite at music camps and workshop programs around the world.

For Blues Week, Steve will conduct two advanced and one beginner slide guitar class.  His advanced class will include detailed demonstrations of slide guitar arrangements in ‘Vastopol' (open D), 'Spanish’ ( open G) and 'Cross Minor’ tunings.  Students will learn a new song each day along with classic slide licks and some new tricks.  For beginners, Steve will help players to develop tone, intonation and vibrato control with a slide while learning new songs, valuable chord inversions and picking techniques to lend rhythm to their riffs.

ORVILLE JOHNSON, Guitar
Orville Johnson was born in Edwardsville, Illinois and came up on the St. Louis Missouri music scene where he was exposed to and participated in a variety of blues, bluegrass and American roots music.  He began singing in his Pentecostal church as a young boy and in rock bands in middle school.  He took up the guitar at 17 with early influences from Doc Watson, Rev. Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, and Chuck Berry.  Now resident in Seattle Washington, Orville is known for his Dobro and slide guitar styling and vocal acrobatics.  He has played on over 100 albums and has appeared on Garrison Keilor's Prairie Home Companion, Jay Leno's Tonight Show and was featured in the 1997 film ‘Georgia’ with Mare Winningham.

For Blues Week, Orville will teach two beginner/intermediate and one advanced slide guitar class.  His beginner class will concentrate on 3 primary tunings (standard, open G and open D).  He will focus on the techniques associated with good tone production and will use a few songs to which students can apply ideas.  His advanced class will learn a new song each day; explore different tunings including standard and work on tone and tight phrasing.

ANNIE RAINES, Harmonica 
Annie Raines was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  She picked up the blues harp at 17 and made her stage debut at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cambridge a few months before her high school graduation.  Enthralled by the recordings of Muddy Waters, Little Walter Jacobs, Big Walter Horton and Sonny Boy Williamson, she became a fixture at blues jams in the Boston area.  One of the few female blues harmonica players in the United States, Annie played the New England club circuit with local bands and travelled to Chicago where she met and played with many of her musical idols including Pinetop Perkins, Louis Myers, and James Cotton. 

For Blues Week, Annie will teach two intermediate/advanced and one beginner/intermediate harmonica class.  The advanced class will cover bass lines and rhythm techniques for solo playing as well as supporting other players in both acoustic and electric styles of blues.  She will cover techniques such as tongue blocking, bending, octaves and chording, position playing and throat vibrato.  For the beginner class, Annie will introduce all the basics from holding the harmonica and playing a single note to ‘straight harp’ and ‘cross harp’ melodies, tongue blocking, rhythm playing, and an approach to bending notes. 

ADAM GUSSOW, Harmonica
New York native Adam Gussow, worked the streets of Harlem and the international club and festival circuit from 1986 to 1998 with the one-man- band, Sterling 'Mr. Satan' Magee as the duo 'Satan and Adam'.  Adam is currently an Associate Professor of English and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. In the last year he has gained renewed attention for his pioneering series of blues harmonica video tutorials (more than 110 at last count) uploaded to his 'Dirty-South Blues Harp Channel' on YouTube and another 40 archived on his website, 'ModernBluesHarmonica.com'.
 
For Blues Week, Adam will teach two intermediate/advanced classes and one beginner/intermediate harmonica class.  The advanced class will cover a number of topics including vibrato, syncopation, tongue-blocking and the subtleties of blues tonality.  He will focus on the range of basic blues forms and grooves every good player should know.  He will demonstrate licks from classic and contemporary recordings and introduce overblowing.  The beginner class will ground players in the fundamentals: clear single notes, basic bends and licks, shuffle chording, train rhythms, warbles and counting your way through a 12-bar blues.

GILES KING, Harmonica
Giles King is one of the UK’s top blues harmonica players.  His career began in London where he was a regular in the jams at the Weaver’s Arms.  Playing with the likes of Ian Siegal, Matt Schofield and Earl Green, he was spotted by LA resident Lightnin’ Willie and was asked to join him on his UK tour.  The partnership has continued for almost a decade.  Giles is described as “One of the best first position and soulful harp players in Europe”. 

For Blues Week, Giles will teach the beginner/ intermediate class.  His lessons will cover how the harmonica works, how to hold it, playing single notes, bending notes, playing safe notes, hand techniques, trills, keys and positions, improvising and jamming.

DANNY McCORMACK, Keyboards

Danny McCormack was born in London and is now based in Birmingham.  He started playing the piano at the age of twelve and at 17 he joined King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys.  He stayed with them for 10 years developing his skills as an arranger and songwriter.  Danny is currently an ‘Associate Lecturer in Harmony and Composition’ at Derby University.  He has worked with Van Morrison, Bobby Parker and Roy Wood.  He is also part of the song writing team and music director for the Michael Roach Band.

For Blues Week 2008, Danny will be available for anyone who is interested in Blues Piano/Keyboards.  He has simplified many of the techniques and skills involved in blues music and improvising to the point where even complete beginners can get a great deal of insight into the feel of the music.  If you have a portable keyboard and would like to develop your skills, please bring it along.  We ask that you let us know in advance so that we can allocate a classroom big enough to accommodate everyone.

Registration Fees 2008

On Campus: includes all classes, activities, room & board
£570 for European Blues Association Members, £595 Non Members

Off Campus: includes all classes, activities and lunch
£370 for EBA Members, £395 Non Members

Per Day: includes all classes, activities and lunch
£100 for EBA Members, £110 Non Members

Space is limited and it is advisable to book early to avoid disappointment. A £200 deposit will secure your place. 

Please Make Payment To: Euroblues Promotions Limited

Our John Jackson Youth Scholarship Fund will provide a limited number of subsidised places for young people between the ages of 14 to 21.  Students between the ages of 14 and 17 are eligible for a £200 subsidy. Students between the ages of 18 and 21 who are not in full time employment are eligible for a £150 subsidy. 

A parent or responsible adult must accompany all students 16 and under.  If you know of someone who qualifies or have a family member that you would like to bring along, please contact us for immediate consideration.  This scholarship is only available to first-time participants.  

To The Top