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NEWS

AN EVENING WITH LAURIE LEWIS AND TOM ROZUM

Friday, 7:30 pm, January 27th
at Ward's Rafters 3810 Maunaloa Avenue

Grammy Award winning Laurie Lewis, and her longtime musical partner Tom Rozum, will be performing in the wonderful, intimate ambience of Ward's Rafters. Laurie is a nationally (and internationally) renown singer, songwriter, fiddle and guitar player. Along with Tom Rozum on mandolin, guitar, and vocals, the two of them create the most incredible music imaginable in the bluegrass, folk, and Americana music genre. Here's a sample of Laurie and Tom performing with her band:

Directions and Important Information for Ward's Rafters: Ward's Rafters isn't a club, it's an amazing and intimate concert venue in a private home. The address is 3810 Maunaloa Avenue in Honolulu. Please be sure to park LEGALLY on the surrounding streets, at least 30 feet from the stop signs, and not blocking private driveways. Look for the green "Wards' Rafters" street sign at the edge of the sidewalk; quietly walk down the long driveway and go up the outside stairs. That will take you to the air conditioned attic performance room. Sit down, relax, eat, drink, and get ready for some fine music...then when it's all over please leave your empty recyclables inside Ward's in the recycle bins...PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE THE PREMISES WITH OPEN BOTTLES EVEN IF THEY ARE EMPTY. And out of respect for the neighbors in the vicinity, please be very quiet while walking back down the steps and to your cars.

In keeping with Ward's policy, these performers are only compensated by your donations, so please be exceptionally generous with the Musician's Kitty, as it also supports Ward's Rafters and keeps this wonderful venue going!

For more information about Laurie Lewis, here are links to her Wikipedia page, as well as her website biographies:

This is going to be a very special evening that will enable us to see these incredible musicians up-close-and-personal; what a wonderful way to start 2012!

First Beginner Guitar Class a Success!

January 5th, 2012

On January 5th, Bluegrass Hawaii sponsored its first free beginner guitar class, at Mike and Mayumi Spengel's home. Jeb Wiemer, a luthier by trade, organized and conducted the class. The class was specifically for students who had really never picked up or played a guitar before. Students brought or borrowed instruments for the class and those that couldn't were loaned instruments from Jeb and Mike. Jeb designed this class with one major goal to get students actually up and playing a 3-chord song in 30 minutes! Jeb began by getting everyone acquainted with the basic parts of the guitar, neck, frets, strings, bridge, and capo use. Jeb then had everyone grab a guitar tuner and he demonstrated its use and then had everyone re-tune their guitars from standard tuning to an open "G" tuning or what is commonly called in Hawaii "Taro Patch". This tuning is nothing new to bluegrass musicians as several commonly used bluegrass instruments use this tuning pattern such as the banjo and dobro or slide guitar.

After about 20 minutes of instruction and practice playing three chords, G, C, and D, the students' began following Jeb, who was assisted by Rick Foster, playing and singing "Will the Circle be Unbroken", a familiar and popular song made famous by many bluegrass artists. It only took a few verses and everyone was on time and track together! What a success!

The class was so widely appreciated by the students that Jeb decided to conduct another class the following Thursday evening which was attended by many of the same students along with some new students who had heard how great Jeb's first class was!

A big "Thanks" to Jeb and Mike Spengel for making this such a great success! Bluegrass Hawaii looks forward to seeing these new students playing along at our scheduled jam sessions!

FEBRUARY OVERNIGHT JAM AT WAIMANALO BEACH PARK

February 18 and 19, 2012

Longtime Bluegrass Hawaii member Wilbur (Weenee) Teixeira is an old running mate of the park custodian at Waimanalo Beach Park and has made special arrangements for us to have an overnight jam there. This will be a one night event beginning on Saturday, February 18th and ending on Sunday, February 19th. You can camp overnight or just come to jam for a while. Or just come to enjoy the beach. Get your guitars, banjos, mandolins, fiddles, tents, sleeping bags, kayaks, boogie boards, and snorkels ready!

We've made arrangements to camp in a specific area among the trees near the southern-most restroom facilities. You should plan to bring your own seating and if you have a portable table that would be helpful. For the first time we'll be setting up our 10' X 20' awning so we should be able to jam right through any showers. Open, uncontained fires are not permitted in the park, however, we will have a way to contain a bonfire for a nighttime jam so please bring some wood. And, of course, you may bring grills/hibachis. There won't be any pot-luck meals, so you need to bring any food and drink you want or plan to eat in the very nearby towns if you wish. We've been told that electrical power can be made available for those using CPAP machines and for a coffee maker only. As at most beach parks, the showers are outside.

The entrance to Waimanalo Beach Park is the first entrance south of the entrance to Bellows Air Station at 41-741 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo. If you're using GPS, the Lat/Long are 21° 20.585'N, 157° 42.448'W.

Send questions to Half-Fast@hawaii.rr.com . Updates to this posting will be added as necessary.

THE NEXT BLUEGRASS IN THE KO'OLAUS DATE IS SET!!!

Mark your calendars!!! Our next Bluegrass in the Ko'oluas camping weekend at Ho'omaluhia will be the weekend of April 13 - 15. That's right folks, cheer yourself up after finally getting your taxes done and come join us for the best bluegrass jam around!

Keep checking back and we'll get more details up as soon as they become available!

DON'T MISS IT!

ALL ISLANDS

DON'T MISS THESE OTHER COOL EVENTS!

Don't miss these OTHER cool recurring events, with focus on traditional music, here and there all over the Hawaiian Islands! Some happen monthly or even quarterly. Others have gatherings several times per month! All are listed on our RECURRING EVENTS page.

Big City Diner Jam in Kailua (O`ahu)
Second Tuesday of each month at Ruby Tuesday's, near the Navy Exchange
Contradancers Of Hawaii (O`ahu)
Traditional Music Jam (TradJam)--O`ahu
Contradancing on the Big Island
First Saturday Pickin' & Potluck (Big Island)
Folksong Circle on Maui
Contradancing on Maui

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UNIQUE VISITORS SINCE 2/1/2005,
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