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Claud Burbon

Medieval & Spanish blues
Guitar & Songs

Ready for a unique and talented take on a wide range of musical traditions? Claude Bourbon is known throughout Europe and America for amazing guitar performances that take blues, Spanish, and Middle Eastern stylings into uncharted territories.

Claude’s inimitable style incorporates all five digits on each hand dancing independently but in unison, plucking, picking and strumming at such speed and precision that his fingers often seem to melt into a blur. Thousands of people in the UK, Europe and USA have enjoyed listening to this virtuoso and for the majority of his audience it is an experience that compels them to return again and again to hear and watch him play, as his fingers lightly dance over the strings of his guitar and create a unique sound that is ’Claude’.

It is very hard to describe the almost endless amalgam of different influences in Claude’s playing, all melting into each other, as he moves from classical openings, across a whole continent of cultural roots, from the Balearic’s to the Balkans, and then across to the Mississippi Delta, and shoehorned into all that is music that would not have been out of place in the courts of Emperors and Kings.

Claude Bourbon weaved his songs through the audience as if on a journey through life taking in different flavours of Europe and beyond. His Spanish medieval blues evolved into Gypsy, Eastern European, with a splash of Paco de Lucia, Delta Blues and more. Holding audience attention under a musical spell.
It’s not easy to begin to describe the breadth or mastery of the music you will hear if you are fortunate to catch one of Claude’s gigs, it is a sort of sensory experience like no other. A top master of his craft and never appearing to be rushed, he has impeccable timing and makes things that one can only marvel at seem simple.

Now based in the UK, some of this guitarists’ influences allow us a fascinating insight into this remarkable musician; Paco De Lucia: Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore; Joaquin Rodrigo; JJ Cale; JS Bach….

Claude has played countless venues, including Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Colne Great British & Blues Festival, Rock O’Z Arene, Avenches, Switzerland, among others. He has shared the stage in Europe and the USA with countless musicians, Calvin Russel, Charlie Morgan (Elton John, Gary Moore), Jan Akkerman (Focus), Steve Grossman (Miles Davis), Herbie Armstrong ( Van Morisson), Jose barrense Dias and many more.

Experience an evening of exploration in the unique ambiance of the Thumb!

“ Claude Bourbon is a unique figure today… his playing is almost indescribable“ – The Hook, Charlottesville, USA

“Never heard anyone get that much beautiful sound out of a J-45”, Bob, Tucson, AZ

“A breathtaking acoustic fusion of blues, jazz, folk, classical and Spanish guitar from a stunning guitar virtuoso…”Altadena News, USA”

“…This accomplished artist offers tender, compelling performance through highly developed precision. His sound instantly creates ambience – from haunting Spanish moods to lyrical, romantic jazz, Claude Bourbon provides both a rich evening of music for lovers, and a real treat for music lovers…”, BBC, UK

“…His fingerpicking is exquisite and if I closed my eyes I could clearly hear two guitars playing. Just when I recongnised a theme he moved on with a mesmerising cascade of notes which kept on flowing. He added a driving bass, for a version of “She knows how to stretch it”. By the time he sang the first verse he had ‘stretched it’ from Spain to the Caucuses, and from the concert hall to the bar room. His forte is obviously his wonderful guitar work, but he does occasionally burst into song and what you then get is something between Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens, combined with a French accent! C’est magnifique.” Dave Baily

Claude’s official website : www.claudebourbon.org

Growling Old Men, John Lowell and Ben Winship with Sundog

The Growling Old Men don’t consider themselves old, nor do they growl very much. What they do is play acoustic music on mandolin, guitar, octave mandolin and vocals. Playing an eclectic mix of music including bluegrass, Americana, folk, swing, and original songs, these guys have made fans of their music everywhere they go.

Bluegrass — Folk — Americana

The sundogs are a Missoula duo featuring Laurie Banks on fiddle and bass, and Fred Lerch on acoustic guitar…you’ll hear a mix of Americana and folk-grass….originals mixed with covers of artists such as Mandolin Orange, Sarah Jarosz, Stringdusters, John Hiatt, and even Missoula’s own Little Smokies.

Clinton Fearon and Kevin Kinsella Acoustic Tour

Clinton Fearon, born in Jamaica, is a composer, songwriter, singer and player of instruments since his early teens. Each song of Clinton Fearon is a strong message coming from the heart of a man who is dedicating his life to help a better world to come. With chiseled music and poetic lyrics, he opens reggae to a wider audience who simply loves his beautiful songs.

Clinton became the bassist, vocalist and lyricist of the mythic Gladiators at the age of 19. He was also a session musician for Coxsone Dodd at Studio One and Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry’s at Black Ark in the 70s, two of the main producers on the island at this time. There Clinton composed some everlasting bass lines for wellbknown artists like Yabby You, Jimmy Riley, Max Romeo, Junior Byles and many others.

After leaving Jamaica in 1987, Clinton Fearon started a new career in Seattle. He and some of the musicians of The Gladiators took advantage of the extra time remaining on their visa, at the end of the US tour, to started a band in the Northwest: The Defnders. The band built a nice following in the area but split after five years. Clinton Fearon finally formed his own band in the mid 90s in Seattle with local musicians: Boogie Brown Band.

Clinton Fearon recorded eight albums with Boogie Brown Band and tour with them in the Pacific Northwest and Europe intensively, but also other places in the US and South America. Since 2005 and the release of Mi An Mi Guitar, Clinton is also giving magical performances in solo acoustic. In 2012, he released his second acoustic opus: Heart And Soul, which gathers 16 songs wrote between 1969-1984, while he was a strong member of the mythic Gladiators in Jamaica.

With just vocal and guitar, Clinton is playing his music all over the world, in clubs, theaters, festivals and other cultural centers.

Here is a fun interview from Musician’s Spotlight: https://www.mtpr.org/post/clinton-fearon-reggae-music-his-heart-straight-your-feet

Old Time Revue

Join us Sunday, March 3 for the Old Time Revue, an afternoon house concert featuring a host of performances from Western Montana’s finest Old Time stringbands. Musicians will play short sets, showcasing the best of their talent and skill on fiddle, banjo, and guitar.

Performances run from 4:00 to 6:00 pm with a short intermission.

Tickets to this event are at the door. Suggested donation is $10 or $20 per family.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to support the 3rd Annual Missoula Old Time Social, an all-ages celebration of old time music and dance with three days of workshops, concerts, jams, square dances, and a grand cakewalk.

Email missoulaoldtime@gmail.com with any questions.

Stringbands Include:

Schnell Brothers
Missoula Winders
The Woodhogs
Dixon Benchwarmers
Aaron Jennings
Stiff Kitty
Hardy and Rod

Claude Bourbon

It’s not easy to begin to describe the breadth or mastery of the music you will hear if you are fortunate to catch one of Claude’s gigs, it is a sort of sensory experience like no other. A top master of his craft and never appearing to be rushed, he has impeccable timing and makes things that one can only marvel at seem simple.

Now based in the UK, some of this guitarist’s influences allow us a fascinating insight into this remarkable musician: Paco De Lucia; Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore; Joaquin Rodrigo; JJ Cale; JS Bach….

Masontown

MASONTOWN

A new and enchanting sound has emerged from the hotbed of the Colorado roots music scene. Masontown, a young band with a concept as timeless as the Rocky Mountains, has alighted onto a bluegrass community that has already produced some of the best that the acoustic music world has to offer. But Colorado, and the wider world of modern music, hasn’t quite heard this yet.

A lauded fiddle champion and classical violinist. A veteran bluegrass mandolin player and composer. One of Colorado’s jazz guitar greats reborn as a flatpicking sensation. An upright bassist with roots running deep in the classical and jazz traditions. These are the individual elements that come together to create Masontown.

Masontown’s sound is a exciting take on the American acoustic tradition. At once fresh and familiar, the group unites the sounds of bluegrass, old-time, folk, and new acoustic music into a sonic melting pot that hearkens back to our deep musical traditions while remaining defiantly modern in conception. Echoes of the poignant exploration of the Matt Flinner Trio blend with the fierce drive of Bill Monroe and the plaintive song-craft of Cahalen Morrison and Eli West. It’s no surprise that the members of Masontown have shared the stage with many of these musical icons that their sound evokes.

The listening halls and dance floors of Colorado have already begun to hail the arrival of this new force in the acoustic music community. Masontown is a band on the move, driven to delight the ears, touch the hearts, and move the feet of generations of music lovers in Colorado and far beyond.

Bill Mize and Ouzel

BILL MIZE

Grammy-winning guitarist Bill Mize is a son of Tennessee, and a fitting representative of his state’s rich musical heritage. His critically lauded fingerstyle compositions are fluid and intricate, and their delivery masterful. One suspects an influential teacher, and one would be right. “I received most of my musical education from a cheap Zenith radio,” says Mize, who as a child drifted off to sleep to the decidedly non-sleepy lullabies emanating from Nashville’s WLAC and WSM and Knoxville’s WNOX.

Maybe that’s why critics speak of his ability to “transport” the listener; the music itself has been transported. The links to his Tennessee roots are unmistakable, but so are the elements of the far wider musical realm he inhabits, and the mixture is as intoxicating as Tennessee moonshine. With a twist.

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Bill is a past winner of the Winfield National Fingerstyle Guitar Competition, and received a GRAMMY Award for his collaboration with musician and storyteller David Holt on the recording Stellaluna. Popular acoustic guitar compilations “Windham Hill Guitar Sampler” by Windham Hill Records and “Masters of the Acoustic Guitar” by Narada Recordsincluded works. In 2009, Bill’s music appeared in the Ken Burns documentary “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.” Mel Bay Productions transcribed Mize’s second CD, “Tender Explorations,” into a songbook, and his original compositions have been transcribed for Fingerstyle Guitar and Acoustic Guitar magazines.

OUZEL

Beth Bramhall, Janet Haarvig and Beth Youngblood comprise the core of Ouzel, and perform a colorful set of original acoustic art music on violin, cello, accordion and piano. All three have performed as “side-women” for a number of other artists and ensembles; and have been heard as featured performers and in projects and live productions including concerts, film soundtracks, NPR, PBS, live theatre, and at new music festivals.

Jig Jam

UPDATE 3/12/19: The Jig Jam concert is ON! Sorry for any previous confusion and see you there!

JigJam are a multi-award winning quartet from the heart of the midlands in Ireland. Blending the best of traditional Irish music with Bluegrass and Americana in a new genre which has been branded as ‘I-Grass’ (Irish influenced Bluegrass), their onstage energy along with their virtuosic musical ability has captivated audiences throughout the world.

Moira Smiley with John Floridis

Moira Smiley is a Singer / Composer who creates and performs new work for voices. A musical polyglot, and vocal shape-shifter, her voice – and composing – are heard on feature films, BBC & PBS television programs, NPR, and on more than 60 albums. She accompanies herself with banjo, accordion, piano and percussive movement, and when she’s not leading her own group, moira smiley & VOCO, Moira has toured with Indie artist tUnE-yArDs, Irish super-group, Solas, The Lomax Project and Billy Childs’ “Laura Nyro Re-Imagined”. She’s also toured with Paul Hillier’s Theater of Voices and KITKA. Recent solo performances include TED, Stravinsky’s ‘Les Noces’, the London Proms Festival, features on BBC Radio3, and ABC Australia’s Books & Arts programs.

Moira’s recordings feature spare, vocally driven collections of warped traditional songs, original polyphony and body percussion. She is a well-known choral composer (recent commissions included for Los Angeles Master Chorale) and arranger, with millions of singers around the world singing her works. In 2018, she released a solo album and choral songbook called ‘Unzip The Horizon’.

Moira’s long-time friend and Missoula’s own John Floridis will be adding his exceptional guitar playing to Moira’s show at the Longstaff House.

CANCELLED – Joy Mills and Tom Parker

UPDATE: SHOW CANCELLED.
Sorry folks! Just heard from Joy Mills and Tom Parker, and they can’t get over Snoqualmie Pass today due to weather. No show tonight. 12/18/18 at noon

Hailing from Seattle, Joy Mills & Tom Parker are known for their blend of harmonies, bringing together roots music, lyrical ballads and soulful country songs, all set against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest. They’ve released four albums, have toured nationally and to Europe and have supported artists such as Amy Helm, the Wood Brothers and Fred Eaglesmith. They are currently recording a duo album after releasing 2017’s EP Coming Up (listen to the title track here).

The Sun Dogs (Laurie Banks and Fred Lerch) will be the opening act!