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DOWN HOME BLUEGRASS
I have to believe that a setting like Oktobergrass is how bluegrass began. Gather family and friends together, make sure there’s plenty of good food on hand, and please bring your instruments for an all out jam weekend.
From Friday evening through to mid-day Sunday the bluegrass flowed like a hearty spring thaw. There were as many as 20 people at a time jamming on a wonderful abundance of different instruments. And even though the clothing, accommodations, and surroundings were of this era, the essence seemed timeless.
The stage moved with the musicians around the lovely country estate and the audience followed the amazing sounds. When we arrived there were 8 to 12 musicians playing banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and Dobro on the back lawn near the campers and RVs. As a brief rain shower blew through the area the musicians moved under the tent followed by the audience. When the late day sun broke through passing clouds the music moved round to the front porch overlooking a pastoral pond. I can’t be certain, but I may have heard a few frogs and birds chiming in on the music.
After supper, that was an absolute feast of savory home made dishes and sheets of pizza, the music continued under the tent. At times it seemed like there were more musicians jamming to the experience than there was audience thoroughly enjoying the music. Regardless, everyone seemed to be having really great fun and there were a lot of toes tapping time on the lawn.
When dusk drew in its blanket of darkness at end of day, lights glowed under the tents to give the many talented musicians night vision. Moonlight competed with stars to illuminate the sky.
Each performer brought their own special skills to the stage. There were stunning renditions of May The Circle Be Unbroken, House of the Rising Sun with a bluegrass sound, and a lovely version of Bobbie McGee by Cathy with bluegrass to accompany her gentle voice. Every musician rotated through the stage to provide listeners with a wealth of great music. Plus, several of the musicians alternated between different instruments; first on banjo, then upright bass, or from mandolin to Dobro. Most if not all added their voices to the melodies too. Even the audience sang along to the verses they knew.
Through all the music settings and activities there were kids bounding around in time with the music or simply enjoying kid games. They discovered a few newfound friends and reunited with some well-known acquaintances. At dinner the kids all gathered around a picnic table like a clique of close friends. Parents washed the play off kids’ paws and served dinner delights to the hungry group. The children wolfed down their supper so they could get back on the swings or continue dancing through the crowd.
I have no idea what time the music playing ended, but I can still hear the melodies in my heart. For me, the experience truly was a down home bluegrass event. Go back 200 years or more and you may just hear an all out jam weekend commemorating the immigration or the birth of Americana Bluegrass.
Thank you Jaimie…
cb@greatbluerootsradio.net
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