About the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival and The British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop
Now in its 22nd year, The British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop assembles some of the best bluegrass musicians in North America to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with music students from Canada, the U.S., and overseas. It's one of the longest running and best attended workshops of its kind, and The BCBW has arranged for two stellar weeks of bluegrass camp this year. Bluegrass fans will be coming from miles around on Saturday, August 27th to see these workshop staff performing live at the 2011 Sorrento Bluegrass Festival! We have an amazing lineup of top performers and bands that have headlined some of the biggest music festivals on earth—all assembled for one incredible day of music.
- Tickets are $35 at the gate, $30 in advance, $25 (each) in advance for groups of 10+ • 12 & under free!
- Festival seating: bring blankets and chairs (preferably low). Bring a non-perishable food donation and support the local food bank!
- Tickets available at Sorrento Centre • Salmon Arm Observer • Lee’s Music Kamloops 250-374-6683 / Kelowna 250-712-0097
- Site opens 11am • Music until 9pm • 1-866-694-2409 • www.sorrento-centre.bc.ca
- Saturday August 27, 2011 • Sorrento Centre • 1159 Passchendaele Road • Sorrento, BC
8:00-9:00 PM: The Breakmen – BC/Ontario
We’ll cap this extraordinary day of bluegrass and old time music with The Breakmen, based in Vancouver, BC. What started out as adventurous bluegrass quartet has fast become a sharply focused roots music outfit that owes as much to The Band and Blue Rodeo as it does to John Hartford and Bill Monroe. With a strikingly original repertoire and a lively on-stage show, The Breakmen earned two nominations at the Canadian Folk Music Awards — for Emerging Artist(s) of the Year and for Vocal Ensemble of the Year — and won the Vox Pop Award for “Americana Album of the Year” at the Independent Music Awards. The Breakmen are one of the BCBW’s success stories—a group of talented musicians who once came to Sorrento as students, soon became regular members of our staff, and ultimately established themselves as some of the top acoustic musicians and vocalists in BC. "Meticulous craftsmanship of the songwriting, the strength of the lead vocals, and the tightness of the harmonies distinguish the quartet from other Canadian outfits mining a similar vein..." - Penguin Eggs
7:00-7:45 PM: Tyler Grant and Roger Ferguson's Flatpicking Showcase! – Colorado/Washington State
For the first time ever at the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival, we’ll have two National Flatpick Guitar Champions onstage together. Having won several big guitar contests over the years, Tyler Grant won the National Flatpick Championship at Winfield in 2008. He is also a great band performer and singer, with a deep repertoire of classic and original bluegrass music. In addition to releasing several excellent CDs, Tyler has toured and recorded with Adrienne Young, Abigail Washburn, April Verch, and more recently The Drew Emmitt Band, The Emmitt/Nershi Band and The Grant Farm. Roger Ferguson is a master of many styles and in high demand for acoustic workshops and recording sessions in the Seattle area. A National Flatpick Champion and an accomplished fiddler and mandolinist with over thirty years of experience, Roger was recognized as among the "finest pickers on the planet" in the Miller/Freeman book, Licks and Lessons from the World's Greatest Guitar Players. We can’t wait to see what happens when these two world-class pickers start trading licks at this year’s Sorrento Bluegrass Festival!
6:00-6:45 PM: The Foggy Hogtown Boys – Toronto
With 5 critically acclaimed CDs, tours from coast to coast, and showcases at the International Bluegrass Music Association convention in Nashville, the “Foggies” have established themselves as one of the most exciting bluegrass bands anywhere, and many consider them to be the top bluegrass band in Canada. With Andrew Collins on mandolin, Chris Coole on guitar, Max Heineman on bass, Chris Quinn on banjo, and John Showman on fiddle—all virtuoso players—the band is top notch instrumentally. Equally impressive is their singing, songwriting, and showmanship. As Tim O'Brien said, "Normal people get converted into bluegrass fans by getting tight with The Foggy Hogtown Boys. The classic repertoire thrives in their able hands and strong hearts. You can count on these guys to play it solid, and to drive it hard." They’ll be joined for part of the set by Dobro player Ivan Rosenberg to play songs from their brand new collaboration, The Hogtown Sessions.
5:00-5:45 PM: Jason and Pharis Romero – Horsefly, BC
Coming from a thousand miles and a border apart, Pharis and Jason Romero met in 2007 at an old-time fiddle jam. Both had been playing music for decades – Pharis her whole life – and both were drawn to early country, blues and fiddle-banjo music. In 2010 they moved their home and the J. Romero Banjo Company north to Pharis' hometown of Horsefly, BC. In this wilderness hamlet they build their finely crafted and carefully appointed banjos. They play guitars and clawhammer and fingerstyle banjo to the songs and tunes, new and old, they adore; singing dreamy old time country and lovingly hard-cut vocals on traditional and original songs. This June, Jason and Pharis released a brand new duet CD called “A Passing Glimpse.” If you like rich vocals with compelling harmonies, amazing guitar and banjo playing, and a repertoire of timeless folk and old time music, don’t miss this set!
4:00-4:45 PM: The BCBW All-Star Bluegrass Band - Alaska, California, Iowa, Oregon, Washington State, and beyond!
There’s going to be a lot of talent on stage when the BCBW All Star Bluegrass Band starts pickin. The band will include several Sorrento Festival first-timers: Dobroist Greg Booth and fiddler Annie Staninec (Kathy Kallick Band), flatpicker and dobroist extraordinaire Kathy Barwick, and multi-instrumentalist Keith Yoder. Also joining the band will be one of the northwest’s top bass players Mick Nicholson, plus more surprise guests!
3:00-3:45 PM: Annie Staninec, John Kael, and friends. – Oregon
Annie Staninec and John Kael present bluegrass duets with energy and style. With their knack for unearthing rarely heard material, they’re a perfect addition to the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival. Annie began performing professionally at the age of 12, and now makes her living recording, giving lessons, and touring across North America and internationally. Annie's collaboration with the Kathy Kallick Band showcases her fiery soloing and backup. Annie has recorded and toured extensively with Town Mountain from Asheville, NC--you may have seen them perform at The Chilliwack Bluegrass Festival a few years ago. John Kael is a talented multi-instrumentalist who been performing, recording, and sharing his knowledge of bluegrass and traditional music for over 20 years. John played mandolin and toured with the California-based band Roanoke for many years, and he has led workshops at various music camps and festivals across the U.S. John is an IBMA award-winning songwriter, had his original songs recorded by Doyle Lawson and others, and is responsible for the much-loved BluegrassLyrics.com web site.
2:00-2:45 PM: Stevens Family – Shuswap Lake
Chris Stevens is one of Canada's most entertaining and talented bluegrass musicians.
Well known as a session musician and producer, Chris has been nominated five
times for the B.C. Country Music Association's "Instrumentalist of the
Year" award. His vocal, instrumental, and co-production talents helped
Tumbleweed earn the 1998 BCCMA "Album of the Year" award for
"Weedgarden." Born in Halifax, Chris now lives in Eagle Bay in the
beautiful Shuswap. "The Chris Stevens Show" is back again this year with
some classic bluegrass, high octane picking, and hilarious stage banter.
1:30-1:55 PM: Done Gone String Band – Yukon
The Done Gone String Band brings you true blue old-time music sounds from the hills, porches and kitchens of yesteryear. Playing vintage-sounding original material as well as a selection of the finest of traditional old-time songs, the Done Gone String Band are two generations of the Hamilton family: Bob Hamilton on frailing banjo, mandolin, Dobro and vocals; Sarah Hamilton on fiddle and vocals; and Patrick Hamilton on frailing banjo and vocals. The band also features Anne Louise Genest, from the Juno-nominated band Annie Lou, on guitar and vocals. Compelling three and four part harmonies, haunting melodies, and foot-stompin’ instrumentals fuel this new band like a moonshine powered rocket!
1:00-1:25 PM: Blu and Kelly Hopkins with David Sohn – Salmon Arm
Winner of a 2007 Okanagan Music Award and a 2008 BC Interior Music Award, Blu Hopkins has been travelling, writing songs, and performing them for over thirty years. Born in Fort Smith, N.W.T. to a folk music family, his storytelling songwriting style reflects his experience working and singing across Canada. He has been nominated twelve times for Okanagan Music Awards and BC Interior Music Awards, and he has produced and recorded several acoustic projects for other artists in his "Silvercreek Studios." Kelly Hopkins is also an accomplished songwriter, her songs ranging from rollicking and fun to heartfelt, poignant ballads. In addition to her skills on upright bass and mandolin, her warm harmonies combine with Blu's smoky baritone voice for a wonderful relaxed sound. Focusing on original material, Blu and Kelly blend traditional and contemporary tunes into their show with a dash of humour to achieve an exciting yet mellow brew of good times and good tunes. Joining Blu and Kelly Hopkins is David Sohn, an expert multi-instrumentalist and one of BC’s top builders of high-end mandolins, guitars, and banjos.
12:00 - 12:45 PM: Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg – Toronto/Portland
Clawhammer banjo/Dobro duo Chris Coole and Ivan Rosenberg may have lots of geographical territory between them, but they are from the same town, musically speaking. Their show is a mix of old time, bluegrass, and country blues played on Dobro, clawhammer banjo, and guitar. 2010 marked the release of their first CD, “Farewell Trion,” which showcases their unique clawhammer banjo and Dobro instrumentation and Coole’s compelling vocals. Rosenberg’s original music has appeared in over 200 TV shows and films including The Daily Show, Oprah, and Deadwood; he recently recorded on “Southern Filibuster: A Tribute to Tut Taylor” at the invitation of producer Jerry Douglas; and he won an IBMA award for co-writing the 2009 Song of the Year. Coole is well known for his virtuosic clawhammer banjo music as well as his guitar playing and singing with the award-winning bluegrass band The Foggy Hogtown Boys. Coole’s recent solo album "Old Dog" received rave reviews, he was a finalist at the Clifftop banjo contest in 2004 and 2006, and his CDs with fellow Toronto banjoist Arnie Naiman are treasured by fans of old-time banjo.
TWEENERS: There’s never a dull moment at the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival: in between some of the sets we’ll be treated to short “tweener" performances by some extraordinary singers, songwriters, and pickers including The Stowaways, Danielle Prince & Tracy Jones, and Kim Barlow & Anne Louise Genest.
Emcee: George McKnight – Kamloops
George McKnight’s presence on stage guarantees a high energy, smooth-running show. His 28 years experience emceeing more 250 Bluegrass Festivals and Events in Canada and US attest to his love of the music. A resident of Kamloops, BC, bluegrass fans everywhere tune in to his Uptown Bluegrass Radio Show, available 24/7 at www.uptownbluegrass.com and syndicated for 25+ years on networks throughout Western Canada and now in the USA. George is a champion of Canadian bluegrass music. He gets to know the individuals and songs of bands from coast to coast, and his radio shows have far more Canadian content than any other internationally syndicated bluegrass show. So be sure to thank George for all he does to promote Canadian bluegrass! George’s professionalism, along with that big ‘ol smile and down-home humour, makes him an essential figure at the Sorrento Bluegrass Festival.
