Welcome to the North Cascades Bluegrass Workshop Schedules.
Click on any “workshop picture” to see details. Download Schedules and a Location Map Below
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Workshops
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Workshop Title: Jens Kruger’s Approach to Banjo
Band Association: Kruger Brothers
Workshop Instructor: Jens Kruger
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 1:00pm – 2:15pm
Location: Museum
Workshop Description: During this workshop Jens will provide insights into how to find your own music and voice, how to develop skill and broaden your understanding of musical structure. Bring your banjo, as this workshop in hands-on, where you can try different sounds and thrills.
Intended Audience: All levels are welcome but basic knowledge is recommended.
Curriculum: Jens will talk about composition, musical structure, chord connections, intuitive playing, improvisations as well as traditional playing styles and approaches.
What your attendees need to bring: Banjos and some questions.
Bio: Born and raised as a German citizen in Switzerland, Jens Kruger started playing accordion and harmonica at just five years old, taking up the banjo at ten. By the age of 16 he was working as a full time musician. Jens was signed to a recording contract with CBS in 1982, making his debut at the legendary Grand Ole Opry with Bill Monroe just a short time later in 1982. Jens’ talents have earned multiple IMBA award nominations, cover stories for Banjo Newsletter and other publications, as well as appearances on programs such as the 60 Minutes radio broadcast and late night tv’s The David Letterman Show. In 2013 Jens was awarded the coveted Steve Martin Award for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, now called the Banjo Prize. Though known to many for his American Folk music, Jens’ technical abilities and classical influences have led him to work as a composer for many string quartets, chamber orchestras and symphonies. Jens has served as President of Double Time Music Inc. since 1997 and as Research and Development Director for Deering Banjos since 2003. Jens has been performing worldwide with his brother Uwe and Joel Landsberg as the Kruger Brothers since 1992.
Jens Kruger
Jens Kruger’s Approach to Banjo
Kruger Brothers
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Workshop Title: Flat Picking Guitar Doc Watson Style
Band Association: Kruger Brothers
Workshop Instructor: Uwe Kruger
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Arena
Workshop Description: We will look at some licks and tricks I learned from Doc, concentrating on flat pick techniques. Bring your guitar, steel string acoustic preferred, and a pick and capo. Questions welcome!
Intended Audience: Anyone interested in Folk Guitar with a basic understanding of chord progression. Not for complete Beginners, but open to all.
Curriculum: I will demonstrate pick technique, Right and Left hand positions, dynamics in volume and quality of sound. We will play in a seated position.
What your attendees need to bring: Bring your guitar, a pick and a recording device, a cell phone is perfectly adequate. There will be no printed material available.
Bio: Touring Musician since 1979, been living now in Western North Carolina since 2001. Recorded with the Kruger Brothers (Lead Vocals and Guitar) since 1993 and I have played and performed with Doc Watson on numerous occasions.
Uwe Kruger
Flat Picking Guitar Doc Watson Style
Kruger Brothers
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Workshop Title: What do I do when I don’t know the tune???
Band Association: Kruger Brothers
Workshop Instructor: Joel Landsberg
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Museum
Workshop Description: We’ll discuss learning how to “open your ears” and be aware of the importance of the role of the bass in the band, along with basic hand positions, finger exercises and just getting comfortable with your instrument.
Intended Audience: Beginning to mid level Bassists.
Curriculum: General bass “Bassics”. Tone, timing, intonation, and learning to develop your skills to listen to what’s going on around you.
What your attendees need to bring: Bring your instrument, a tuner and plenty of questions!
Bio: With over 50 years of bass playing experience in every genre from Latin Jazz to Broadway show tunes and Country Rock, I’ve been primarily playing with the Kruger Brothers for the last 30 plus years. Our music is a collaborative style of Folk, Bluegrass, Classical and original compositions and we approach our trio very much like a small orchestra. Born in New York City, I spent years studying Jazz and Classical music while playing in various style bands from Rock to Reggae. After moving to Switzerland in 1989 I met up with Jens and Uwe and we began the journey that we are still on today. I enjoy sharing some of what I’ve learned along the way with aspiring musicians. For me, the most important part of the magic of making music is to have fun and be able to communicate with people who might not even speak the same language.
Joel Landsberg
What do I do when I don’t know the tune???
Kruger Brothers
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Workshop Title: Inspiration Everywhere
Band Association: Arkansauce
Workshop Instructor: Ethan Bush
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Kitchen/BBQ Shelter
Workshop Description: With our short time together we’ll explore where inspiration comes from. Your instructor will share his creative process including how he tunes in to the world around him to find innovation and creativity. Attendees will have the chance to share and exchange their own wells of artistry so that all can leave with a new page to turn and a new song to write.
Intended Audience: Songwriters, any player looking to push the limits of their creativity.
Curriculum: We will share our processes for creating new music.
Your instructor will share his unique ways of finding inspiration and demonstrate practical application.
What your attendees need to bring: Instruments, pen and paper, an open mind and a creative spirit.
Bio: Ethan Bush is an Arkansas native. Growing up surrounded by the rolling hills, rushing rivers and tight knit culture of the Ozark mountains left him steeped in inspiration he’s proud to share. With Arkansauce steadily gaining momentum and earning spots on many of the festival circuit’s top stages he’s found the opportunity and privilege to create and experiment with musician’s from every corner. Every new day offers much to learn and this hungry musician is here to soak up all this life has to offer.
Ethan Bush
Inspiration Everywhere
Arkansauce
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Workshop Title: Variations on fiddle tunes and bluegrass standards: Starting to Improvise
Band Association: Arkansauce
Workshop Instructor: Tom Andersen
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Playground Shelter
Workshop Description: We will use a basic knowledge of bluegrass standards, along with the associated chords and scales to develop variations of the melody. This will be a live interaction workshop with some demonstration. All instruments are welcome.
Intended Audience: This class is for anyone that knows a couple of tunes on their instrument that would like to incorporate more imrpovisation into their playing.
Curriculum: We wil use basic fiddle tunes and bluegrass standards with simple melodies and demonstrate how to use an awareness of timing and scales to create variations on the melody.
What your attendees need to bring: This class with focus on the aural tradition of bluegrass music. Students will want to bring an instrument of their choice, in tune and ready to play music.
Bio: Tom caught the bluegrass bug during during his high school years before finding a passion for guitar building and repair. He became the sole instrument technician for a bluegrass-specific music store in Arkansas where he was emersed in bluegrass music. For over a decade, he has taught private lessons, along with courses for Fayetteville Adult Education and classes to introduce bluegrass instruments to kids at the Yvonne Richardson Center. An avid student himself, Tom continues to teach lessons, repair instruments, and support the local bluegrass scene around Fayetteville Arkansas.
Tom Andersen
Variations on fiddle tunes and bluegrass standards: Starting to Improvise
Arkansauce
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Workshop Title: Pentatonic Scales for Mandolin players – beyond the basics
Band Association: Outlander’s Progressive Bluegrass Social Club and Paper Bluegrass Revival
Workshop Instructor: Matt C. Bruno
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Location: Playground Shelter
Workshop Description: The Pentatonic Scale is the basis for the melodies of many popular bluegrass songs. This makes understanding how to use the Pentatonic Scale is very important.
This workshop provides a broad overview of the what the pentatonic scale is and how to use it to play both melodic breaks as well as backup rhythm. We’ll use a few popular songs to illustrate how to use this scale in all forms.
This is designed for intermediate players – but beginners and advanced players likely will benefit too. Attendees should be able to participate in a jam (i.e. play chord progressions, maybe lead songs and take breaks). Attendees are encouraged to review the handout information in advance.
Intended Audience: Mandolin players
Curriculum: This is more an intermediate course – though beginners and more advanced players can likely benefit too. The main prerequisites are being able to play a song (chords and melody) and ideally able to take basic breaks. We’ll cover:
1. What the Pentatonic scale is – High level overview of what the Pentatonic Scale is and why it’s important to know.
2. Standard Pentatonic patterns and some specific keys – There are a few “general” patterns that make using the Pentatonic in any key a lot easier. We’ll cover the basics of those and specifically look at the key of G.
3. How to use the Pentatonic scale to play rhythm – the chord tones for a basic 1 4 5 progression live within the Pentatonic Scale. Knowing where these notes are can help you play rhythm in more interesting ways.
4. How to use the Pentatonic scale to play melodies and solos – Since the melodies for many popular songs are based on the Pentatonic, using that scale for solo breaks is an easy start.
What your attendees need to bring: Mandolins and tuners. Optional notebook and pen to take notes.
Bio: Matt C Bruno currently resides in Seattle WA, is a co-founder of the Outlanders Progressive Bluegrass Social Club, and hosts a weekly jam Wednesday’s at the Machine House Brewery in Seattle’s Hillman City neighborhood.
Matt’s workshops focus on providing actionable information for players at nearly all levels. His attention to detail and progressive learning help make it easy to both understand and utilize the information provided quickly. Aside from private coaching and workshops, Matt’s website (www.mattcbruno.com) provides a host of free educational content including chord charts and lessons on songs.
Matt’s educational materials have been widely used by groups like the California Bluegrass Association and the Washington Bluegrass Association in addition to nationally recognized players like Frank Solivan (Dirty Kitchen) who said:
“I absolutely love how Matt C Bruno has laid out his instruction assets. They are easy to read, follow and they will be a continued resource for me when teaching at workshops, music camps and private lessons.” – Frank Solivan
Matt C. Bruno
Pentatonic Scales for Mandolin players – beyond the basics
Outlander’s Progressive Bluegrass Social Club and Paper Bluegrass Revival
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Workshop Title: Pick Fiddling
Band Association: Never Come Down
Workshop Instructor: Kaden Hurst
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Location: Arena
Workshop Description: Even when playing mandolin, we call them fiddle tunes for a reason. The ways tunes are performed, phrased, and embellished all have their roots in the physicality of fiddling. This workshop is all about how we can emulate those qualities in our mandolin playing to get more in the groove, more grounded in our improvisation, and more in touch with our instruments.
Intended Audience:
Curriculum:
What your attendees need to bring:
Bio:
Kaden Hurst
Pick Fiddling
Never Come Down
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Workshop Title: How to Workout with a Banjo on
Band Association: Never Come Down
Workshop Instructor: Brian Alley
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Location: Kitchen/BBQ Shelter
Workshop Description: Make the most of your practice time by avoiding dead ends, and focusing on what bears fruit. We’ll focus on time management, ergonomics, pedagogy, and most importantly, “playing music” vs “thinking music”.
Intended Audience: All Skill Levels
Curriculum: Maximize your practice time and create a regimen custom tailored to your own needs and goals.
What your attendees need to bring:
Bio:
Brian Alley
How to Workout with a Banjo on
Never Come Down
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Workshop Title: Navigating the Bass-ics: Simple, Creative, Fun
Band Association: Never Come Down
Workshop Instructor: Ben Ticknor
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Location: Museum
Workshop Description: Simple and creative ways to develop your bass playing. We will go over different types of warm ups and techniques to stay loose and reduce the risk of injury. Throughout the workshop we will talk about right and left hand techniques. Including fingerings in the left hand and using both pizzicato and arco in the right hand. As the course continues we will talk about and discuss the general roll the bass plays in a band and how we as players can facilitate a full background for other instrumentalists.
Intended Audience:
Curriculum:
What your attendees need to bring:
Bio:
Ben Ticknor
Navigating the Bass-ics: Simple, Creative, Fun
Never Come Down
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Workshop Title: Dobro Technique, Practice and Performance
Band Association: Queens Bluegrass
Workshop Instructor: Nakos Marker
Date: Saturday, August 31st, 2024
Time: 9:30 – 10:45
Location: Arena
Workshop Description: This is will be an interactive lesson, with ample time for attendees to ask questions or bring up specific concerns.
Intended Audience: The content is intended to be relevant to all levels, beginner to advanced.
Curriculum: We will identify some common bad habits and how to fix them, and look at some basic exercises to develop and reinforce the fundamentals that secretly make you play well. For performance, we’ll discuss the dobro’s role in a band, how to mentally approach fills, and how to be interactive on stage or in a jam. There will be little to no repertoire or licks covered in this workshop.
What your attendees need to bring: Please bring your instrument, a tuner, and a recording device or notepad if you wish to take notes.
Bio: Nakos has been a performing musician in Bellingham for the last 15 years, always first and foremost a dobro player. While he is no stranger to bluegrass, you’ll often find him playing all sorts of other music in various groups. After studying with Lyman Lipke and several other jazz guitar teachers, Nakos is currently in the midst of creating a “comprehensive method” for the dobro. His expertise is in technique, arranging, and single-note lines.
Nakos Marker
Dobro Technique, Practice and Performance
Queen’s Bluegrass
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Workshop Title: Introduction to Flatpicking
Band Association: Never Come Down
Workshop Instructor: Joe Suskind
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 9:30 -10:45
Location: Playground Shelter
Workshop Description: Learn the basics of bluegrass backup rhythm, g-runs, and begin to explore alternate picking. How to get in a jam and what’s expected. Learn Simple scale exercises and how to go between rhythm and lead playing.
Intended Audience: Skill Level: Beginner
Curriculum: Outcomes: Let’s get pickin!
What your attendees need to bring:
Bio:
Joe Suskind
Introduction to Flat Picking
Never Come Down
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Workshop Title: Playing with Vocal Awareness
Band Association: Never Come Down
Workshop Instructor: Crystal Lariza
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Location: Kitchen/BBQ Shelter
Workshop Description: Get out of your head and into your body! Explore the strength and dynamics of your voice through creative vocal play! Focusing on simple techniques that can be applied for individual or harmony singing- this workshop is for anyone searching for more awareness and presence in their voice.
Intended Audience: Appropriate for beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels.
Curriculum: Expected outcomes: Learn about breathing, support and vocal stamina. Learn to identify the chest vs head voice. Learn to listen for harmony. Work with vocal dynamics
What your attendees need to bring:
Bio:
Crystal Lariza
Playing with Vocal Awareness
Never Come Down
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Workshop Title: Creative Expression and Composition on the Fiddle
Band Association: Under the Rocks
Workshop Instructor: Chloe Davidson
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Arena
Workshop Description: Come learn ways to get creative and express yourself more freely with your fiddle.
We will touch on various ways and tools to unlock tune writing and expressing ourselves as accompanists.
Intended Audience: All levels welcome
Curriculum: Let’s play some tunes, and maybe even write a tune together!
What your attendees need to bring: Fiddle
Bio: As one of Canada’s premiere violinists, Chloe Davidson pairs musical virtuosity and human vulnerability with stunning grace. As an artist, Davidson commands over a decade of experience–writing and performing dynamic material that pairs incisive, earnest wordplay with lush, cascading swells of harmony.
Davidson’s collaborative efforts–both in her bluegrass group ‘Under the Rocks’ and in her session work (Andrew Judah, Windmills, N. Sherman, Common Fires, Icelandia)–have established her as one of British Columbia’s most accomplished and relied-upon working musicians.
Chloe Davidson
Creative Expression and Composition on the Fiddle
Under the Rocks
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Workshop Title: Finding your voice on guitar
Band Association: Under the Rocks
Workshop Instructor: Jordan Klassen
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Playground Shelter
Workshop Description: Come learn about how to blur the lines between “practice” and “playing,” to make getting better at guitar fun.
Learn to use whatever you know to improvise and express yourself no matter your skill level
Intended Audience: All levels welcome.
Curriculum: All players welcome, we will play our guitars together!
What your attendees need to bring: Guitar
Bio: Jordan Klassen is a singer, songwriter and guitarist for the Canadian bluegrass band, Under the Rocks. Jordan weaves careful lyricism together with emotive singing and rhythmic, articulate guitar playing. He loves to connect with audiences between songs through humour and honest story telling. Jordan grew up playing the piano and has over a decade of experience playing fingerstyle guitar, lead guitar or electric bass in various ensembles. He also performs solo under the moniker, “Jordan Creek”. Since discovering bluegrass – a wonderful world previously unknown to him – Jordan has honed his chops as a flatpicker over the last decade while performing and recording with Under the Rocks. His influences span far and wide, from Doc Watson and Tony Rice to electric guitar players and even his close friends. He continues to improve consistently, because he just really loves to play the guitar. Jordan believes that we all have so much to learn, but we also all have so much to offer. Whether we are performing on a stage or playing alone on the couch, we can use music as a powerful way to express ourselves.
Jordan Klassen
Finding Your Voice on Guitar
Under the Rocks
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Workshop Title: BAND SONGCRAFT – Make any song your own
Band Association: FarmStrong
Workshop Instructors: Jim Faddis, Cort Armstrong, Rick Meade, John Pyles
Date: August 31st, 2024
Time: 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Location: Museum
Workshop Description: This is a live interaction workshop demonstrating how Farmstrong chooses a tune and makes it their own. This workshop is intended for bands, band members, or people thinking of forming a band.
Intended Audience: Band members, people wanting to form a band, or the just curious.
Curriculum: Farmstrong will demonstrate tunes in various stages of development, and respond to questions from the audience.
What your attendees need to bring: Bring your ears and/or something to take notes.
Bio: All band members have played music from an early age, and have performed with several bands over the years. Farmstrong has been together for over 11 years, and has performed at many festivals across the PNW region.
Jim Faddis, Cort Armstrong, Rick Meade, John Pyles
BAND SONGCRAFT – Make any song your own
FarmStrong
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Workshop Title:Beginner/Intermediate 5 String Banjo (Resonator)
Band Association: Under the Rocks
Workshop Instructor: Chris Baxter
Date: September 1st, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Kitchen/BBQ Shelter
Workshop Description: We’ll be exploring the banjo in Scruggs, melodic and single string styles learning how to play a break that tastefully fits the tune without being contained to a particular style. Let’s play some tunes and discover what sounds good before looking at what you’re “supposed to play,” and how to be tasteful and rhythmic. Learn to think outside the box.
Intended Audience: All levels welcome.
Curriculum: We will pick some bluegrass tunes together and talk about taking interesting breaks incorporating different styles. Really, anything that sounds good!
What your attendees need to bring: 5 string Banjo
Bio: Chris Baxter is a skilled multi-instrumentalist and songwriter, known for his energetic and rhythm-forward approach to bluegrass. As a founding member of the band Under the Rocks, Chris showcases his talents on both the banjo and mandolin. His musical journey began on the piano at a young and later became a drummer, performing and recording as a session musician in Western Canada. His deep musical background in melody and rhythm became a foundation that adds a unique percussive element to his playing and writing with Under the Rocks.
Chris has toured North America with UTR, captivating audiences at major festival stages across Canada and the western USA. The band has released two albums, garnering worldwide attention and acclaim. Chris’s contributions to the band highlight his exceptional musicianship and creativity, making him a standout figure in the world of bluegrass music.
Chris Baxter
Beginner/Intermediate 5 String Banjo (Resonator)
Under the Rocks
Workshop Schedule Here F Printable Workshop Schedule
Workshop Location Map Here F Printable Map
Note: Schedules and Workshop Locations are subject to change so check back a few days before the festival to make sure you have the correct one.
Printed schedules and maps will be handed out at the festival.