From: Sue Cavendish [suecavendish_at_blueyonder_dot_co_dot_uk]
Sent: 10 June 2008 05:12
Subject: NetRhythms & the Most Noble Instrument
Hello Everyone, welcome back to NetRhythms 'Live'
 
http://www.netrhythms.com
 
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There's no doubt about it, this summer banjos are "hot". They may be the target of many a music joke (see below) but, as Neil MacColl said a while back on a Mike Harding show, "The banjo always needs a plug. It's one of the most noble instruments known to man."  (Neil of course is the son of a banjo playing mother, PEGGY SEEGER.)
At NetRhythms we agree and, being right on trend, we bring you news of this noble instrument.
 
NetRhythms Front Page features ABIGAIL WASHBURN & THE SPARROW QUARTET. Abigail Washburn is the clawhammer style banjo player with Uncle Earl. She has a new album with her parallel project, the Sparrow Quartet - two banjos: Abigail plus Béla Fleck; Ben Sollee on cello and Casey Driessen with five-string fiddle It's quite remarkable and unforgetable. Read David Kidman's review and then buy it
http://www.netrhythms.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/abigailwashburn
 
Touring UK in July and performing at Cambridge are the CHERRYHOLMES family band. They play traditional bluegrass with great spirit and skill. Their second album is released on the Skaggs Family label.
http://www.myspace.com/cherryholmesband
 
There's a new CD out this month from CROOKED STILL "Still Crooked". Their brilliant and "crazy" cellist Rushad Eggleston departed a few months ago for California. The group now features new members Brittany Haas on five string fiddle and Tristan Clarridge on cello. The album is highly recommended and reviewed on NetRhythms.
http://www.myspace.com/crookedstill
 
Crooked Still's banjo player, (Dr) Greg Liszt also has a side project, THE DEADLY GENTLEMEN, whose banjo rap album "The Bastard Masterpiece" is available from CDBaby. Listen to samples at
http://www.myspace.com/deadlygentlemen
 
Canada's OLD MAN LUEDECKE and his 5-string banjo have a new album out - Proof Of Love (Black Hen Music) and it's altogether more gentle than those Deadly Gentlemen
http://www.oldmanluedecke.ca
 
Catch a UK banjo or two in June. On the 21st, The BARKER BAND BARN DANCE 2 at Freightliners Farm, London, N7 Cost : £5 Acts  There's Line dancing and square dancing, food, licensed bar as well!              
http://www.myspace.com/thebarkerband
 
SOUTHERN TENANT FOLK UNION are touring with four June dates. Their new album "Revivals, Rituals, & Union Songs (Ugly Nephew Records)" with the excellent Pat McGarvey on banjo is available from all good internet music sites!
www.myspace.com/southerntenantfolkunion
 
BANJO JOKES? Find plenty at:
http://www.barkerband.com/gpage2.html
 
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And our UK Tour LISTINGS from June at
http://www.netrhythms.co.uk/listings.html
 
* ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM  * STEVE ASHLEY  * JOAN BAEZ (USA)  * BARKER BAND  * LES BARKER   * BATTLEFIELD BAND   * BELLOWHEAD   * BELSHAZZAR'S FEAST - the duo Paul Hutchinson & Paul Sartin   * ERIC BIBB (USA)   * TOM BLISS & TOM NAPPER   * DANNY BRYANT [Blues)  * ELIZA CARTHY BAND   * CHERRYHOLMES BAND (USA) Bluegrass  * CHUMBAWAMBA   * ELIZABETH COOK (USA)   * COOPE BOYES & SIMPSON and JO FREYA'S LAL WATERSON PROJECT   * STEVE CROPPER [USA]  * THE DEMON BARBERS  * CARA DILLON   * DR JOHN (USA)   * KRIS DREVER  * DREVER McCUSKER WOOMBLE  * DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS (USA) * THE DYLAN PROJECT   * STEVE EARLE [USA]  * JULIE ELLISON   * FAIRPORT'S CROPREDY CONVENTION   * FAUSTUS BAND   * STEPHEN FEARING (Canada)   * JULIE FOWLIS   * THEA GILMORE  * ANDREA GLASS   * ELIZA GILKYSON (USA)  * THE HANDSOME FAMILY (USA)  * RACHEL HARRINGTON (USA)  * EMMYLOU HARRIS (USA)  * BRYN HAWORTH  * HAYSEED DIXIE (USA) support Bex Marshall  * BOO HEWERDINE * EILEN JEWELL & BAND (USA)  * JOAN AS POLICE WOMAN (USA)  * LUCY KAPLANSKY (USA)  * JAMES KEELAGHAN (Canada)  * LANDERMASON  * K.D. LANG (Canada/USA)  * LAST NIGHT'S FUN  * LAU   * AMY LaVERE (USA)  * LEVELLERS  * JACKIE LEVEN  * JEZ LOWE & The Bad Pennies/ Jez Lowe Solo/ Kate Bramley  * MANDOLINQUENTS   * MAWKIN:CAUSLEY   * SIMON MAYOR & HILARY JAMES  * ELEANOR McEVOY  * SARAH McQUAID  * RALPH McTELL  * BARRY (THE FISH) MELTON (USA)  * TIFT MERRITT (USA)  * MICHAEL MESSER (blues)  * REG MEUROSS   * MOSTLY AUTUMN  * RUTH NOTMAN  * JACKIE OATES  * THE OUTSIDE TRACK Ailie Robertson+ Norah Rendell + Alan Jordan + Fiona Black  * DOLLY PARTON USA)  * PEGGY & PJ  * PENTANGLE - The Original Pentangle  * KARINE POLWART  * PUNCH BROTHERS featuring Chris Thile (USA)  * ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND (USA)  * KATE RUSBY BAND  * EVE SELIS (USA)  * SHOW OF HANDS   * MARTIN SIMPSON  * CHRIS SMITHER (USA)  * SOUTHERN TENANT FOLK UNION  * JOHN SPIERS & JON BODEN  * MARTIN STEPHENSON  * DAVE SUTHERLAND  * DAVE SWARBRICK including original line-up Whippersnapper dates  * HEIDI TALBOT  * RICHARD THOMPSON Solo  * STEVE TILSTON  * GUY TORTORA (USA) (Blues)  * RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET  * UISCEDWR  * TIM VAN EYKEN  * AMY WADGE  * WATERSON:CARTHY  * NORMA WATERSON, MARTIN CARTHY & CHRIS PARKINSON  * CHRIS WOOD
 
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For Summer Folk Festival links, go to the website of our friends BBC Radio 2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/festivals/
 
Many apologies to all those banjo players we've missed this time. We'll have another session in the autumn.
 
Be seeing you out there somewhere!
 
Love, Sue
 
Sue Cavendish
www.netrhythms.com