Blues Week 2011
Posted on: Jan 25, 2011 by John Anderson
Blues Week 2011 provides an opportunity for blues enthusiasts to come together for a full week of music making. The programme will offer morning and afternoon workshops and classes for all levels. 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 to Friday afternoon. There will be two sessions in the morning beginning at 9:30 and lasting to 10.45 and the second class will start at 111 am and finish at 12:15. Afternoon classes run from 2:15 to 3.:30 and from 3:45 to 5:00pm. The beginner class is for those with little knowledge of the instrument or used to playing fingerstyle or slide guitar, blues harmonica or blues piano. The intermediate to advanced classes are for those already playing proficiently and who are ready to learn new tunes, techniques and styles.
Registration Fees 2011
On Campus: includes all classes, activities, room & board £625
European Blues Association Members receive £10 discount.
Off Campus: includes all classes, activities and lunch £410
EBA Members receive £10 discount.
Per Day Rate: includes all classes, activities and lunch £125
EBA Members receive £5 discount.
Space is limited and it is advisable to book early to avoid disappointment. A £200 deposit will secure your place.
Contact Michael Roach on +44 (0) 1242 701 765 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) to discuss the programme, your requirements or payment arrangements.
Please make cheques payable to: Euroblues Promotions Limited and send to:
Euroblues Promotions Limited
P. O. BOX 478
Cheltenham GL52 2XW
United Kingdom
The EBA 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 £250 subsidy. Students between the ages of 18 and 21 who are not in full time employment are eligible for a £200 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.
The Staff
DEL REY, Guitar
Del Rey started playing classical guitar when she was four. As a teenager, she met bluesman Sam Chatmon who inspired her to become a blues queen. Her guitar playing combines country blues, stride piano, classic jazz and hillbilly boogie through the sensibility of an autodidact trailor-park esthete. Her live show is full of complex guitar grooves and sly humour.
For Blues Week, she will be teaching Intermediate to Advanced students songs from the Memphis Minnie song book which will include ways to make duet guitar parts work on solo guitar (as Minnie often worked with a partner). Her class will include Boogie Woogie guitar styles with moving bass lines and pianistic chord melodies in standard tuning. She will also be playing her resophonic ukulele on blues and jazz tunes (don't leave your uke behind!).
WIZZ JONES, Guitar
There are few artists with more claim to being a 'musician's musician' than Wizz Jones. Big Bill Broonzy, Rambling Jack Elliot, Alexis Korner and Ewan MacColl inspired him. He learned his guitar licks from the likes of Davy Graham and Long John Baldry while playing in the coffee bars of London's Soho during the late 1950’s.
For Blues Week, Wizz will only teach for 3 days (Mon, Tues & Wed). His classes are for Intermediate to Advanced students. He will be demonstrating his famed Big Bill Broonzy ‘thumb-thump’ technique and explain a few open tunings he has discovered whilst composing. Guitarists familiar with Wizz’s repertoire will have the opportunity to question him on any aspects of his performance and even ask some probing questions about his illustrious musical career of more than 50 years!
SONNY BLACK, Guitar 
Sonny Black first picked up the acoustic guitar around age 17 after hearing ‘San Francisco Bay Blues’ by the great Jesse Fuller. His next step was the folk clubs to listen to and learn from the guitar legends of the 60's where he met up with British blues slide player Mike Cooper with whom he played guitar, gigging in Europe and the UK. After years of playing and touring with his band, Sonny has reverted to roots music and now plays fingerstyle blues, ragtime and country.
For Blues Week, Sonny will teach 2 classes (Int/Adv Guitar and Int/Adv Slide Guitar). Guitarists will be asked to look at the blues and see how they can expand the format. While staying true to the tradition, he will focus on chord progressions, rhythm, playing alternating bass patterns, shuffle patterns, using ‘jazzy’ chords and sequences in slow and swing blues and explore single string playing. Sonny’s Slide Class will have a close look at Open D tuning and explore the use of chords and slide techniques.
RICK FRANKLIN, Guitar
Rick Franklin from Washington, D.C., has been playing and singing the blues at local and international festivals and community events, as well as various clubs and cafes, both in and around the DC area since 1981. In addition to solo performances, Rick also performs 1920s and 1930s blues and ragtime in the Memphis and St. Louis guitar-duet style with the popular acoustic blues trio Franklin, Harpe, and Usilton.
For Blues Week, Rick’s class will examine the original versions of songs by Sleepy John Estes, Leadbelly, Washboard Sam, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson and a few others that are considered the roots of Taj Mahal. The class will examine the original version, the Taj Mahal version and a version created by the class. For Beginner guitarists with skills in chord changes and Intermediate guitarists with additional skills with fingerpicking.
MICHAEL ROACH, Guitar and Vocals
Michael Roach have years of experience teaching blues guitar and conducting workshops. He is the Founder/Director of Blues Week and is firmly established in traditional blues music circles. Last year, Michael released ‘Innocent Child’ (his 6th album), to rave reviews. He also has an instructional DVD (An introduction to Country Blues Guitar). His classes are for Beginner/Intermediate.
Many of the students who attended Blues Week over the years started in Michael’s class and moved on to the higher levels. 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 such as breathing and phrasing to help singers find their true voice. Danny McCormack will assist him on keyboards. 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. He has recently released two internationally acclaimed instructional DVDs, 'An Introduction to Blues Slide Guitar' and 'An Introduction to Lap Steel Guitar'. His most recent CD, ‘Lucky Charms’ is described as wholly unique and contemporary. In 2008, Michael launched his own very successful range of resonator guitars. The Michael Messer ‘BLUES’ and ‘LIGHTNING’ resonator models have set a new benchmark for affordable professional instruments.
For Blues Week, Michael will conduct an Intermediate to Advanced ‘master class’ on bottleneck guitar styles covering all aspects of playing. He will also teach an Introduction class for Beginner/Intermediate students.
HOMESICK MAC, Slide Guitar
Homesick Mac has been playing the guitar since the age of 15. His love for blues began when he heard the music of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. From 1983 to 1991, Mac was the founding member of 'The Blues Trio', an acoustic group that released 5 recordings in Eastern Europe. After moving to Sweden, he pursued a solo career resulting in two CDs. From 1995 to 2000, he collaborated with the British slide master Sam Mitchell, releasing a duo recording "Two Long From Home".
For five years, Mac taught slide guitar at Blues Week and built up a solid following here in the UK. His enthusiasm and energy is unrivalled. Mac will teach Beginner/Intermediate slide guitar. He will cover open and standard tunings, help to develop solid soloing skills and improve your vibrato to get a good, clean slide tone
JOE FILISKO, Harmonica
Joe is one of the world's most respected teachers, players and authorities on the diatonic blues harmonica. He has worked on 5 different continents. His area of expertise is the traditional acoustic prewar and amplified postwar playing styles and all their nuances. The SPAH organization named Joe ‘Harmonica Player of the Year’ in 2001.
For Blues Week, Joe will teach students exactly what they need to know and do to sound like a competent and seasoned player in the BIG toned Chicago blues tradition. He will focus on: how to relax and breathe correctly; various hand positions and techniques for acoustic & amplified playing; throat tremolo & vibrato; tongue blocking; and note bending.
His Beginner class will be for students with NO experience or have been playing for up to about 1 year. He will conduct an Intermediate class geared towards most players who have been playing for more than a year but have felt like they have been stuck in a rut with little recent growth and progress and have a general lack of playing direction. His Advanced class will be for students with good playing technique, some performance experience and some repertoire.
GRANT DERMODY, Harmonica
Grant Dermody is a harmonica player and singer known for his rich tone, tasteful solos, and solid rhythmic playing. Grant mostly plays acoustic blues with forays in to old-time, folk, gospel, and other American roots music. He is in a country blues band with Orville Johnson and John Miller and periodically tours and records with Eric Bibb.
For Blues Week, Grant will conduct two Intermediate/Advanced and two Beg/Int classes. For the advanced class, he will help each student improve his or her tone. There will be a focus on expanding students comfort zone; musical knowledge, soloing, rhythmic play and accompaniment. Special emphasis will be placed on playing with others, in both a lead and supporting role. The beginning class will start at square one and move forward together at a pace that will challenge but not overwhelm. The class will learn some simple tunes in straight and cross harp and spend a good amount of time jamming while playing chords, single notes and basic rhythm chops.
DANNY McCORMACK, Keyboards 
Danny McCormack was born in London and is now based in South Derbyshire. He started playing the piano at the age of 12 and at 17 turned professional joining ‘King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys’. He stayed with them for 10 years developing his skills as boogie woogie/jazz pianist, musical arranger/director and songwriter. Danny is currently an ‘Associate Lecturer in Harmony, Composition and Production’ at Derby University. He is Musical Director for Tony Christie and Peter Grant and also plays piano with legendary songwriter multi-instrumentalist Roy Wood.
For Blues Week 2011, 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.
