2013 Folk Boot Camp at NMC
The 8th Annual Folk Boot Camp at NMC is a three day workshop series in conjunction with the Calgary Folk Music Festival that runs July 23 – 25, 2013 at the National Music Centre (134 11 Ave SE) www.nmc.ca.
Folk Boot Camp at NMC offers a unique chance to learn from the Festival’s favourite guitar heroes and songsmiths. Glean new songs, arrangements, vocal techniques and instrumental skills three hours daily for three consecutive days among the Centre’s collections of rare and curious keyboards, organs, Theremins, and instruments played by the Rolling Stones.
Folk Boot Camp at NMC is geared towards musicians that have a basic grasp of their craft and want to supplement their own studies with guidance from some of the world’s finest musicians.
Registration opens May 1
Registration: $150 per workshop
Register online Boot Camp Tickets or phone 403-233-0904
Special discount:
Register in two workshops - 1 morning, 1 afternoon - for $250
Discounts can only be applied by phone at 403-233-0904.
Resgistration includes
- Three-day workshop, breakfast or lunch depending on registered workshop
- 15% discount on four-day pass for the Calgary Folk Music Festival (call the Folk Festival office to purchase at 403-233-0904 and identify yourself as a Boot Camp registrant)
SONGWRITING
DAN BERN – IN THE SONG’S SERVICE 
July 23 – 25, 10 :00 am – 1:00 pm
Bern has built a strong underground following on his prodigious output of topical sardonic, literary songs and comical cultural commentary in Los Angeles’s early 1990s neo-folk music scene. The consummate traveler’s tales are alternately joyously obscene, tender and even devout, taking on a persona that interrogates God and indulges in a little speculative time travel, exploring a future dystopian America, or paying tribute to baseball. He once performed under the moniker International Jewish Banking Conspiracy, contributed 16 songs to the biopic parody film Walk Hard, and wrote the novel Quitting Science under the pen name Cunliffe Merriwether with the preface written under his own name.
Bern’s class
Bern’s songwriting approach is to be in service to the song -- what do the songs, the story and themes want?' Learning to get out of the way is a big part of mastering the craft. The emphasis will be on the creative process and performance, but technique will be included. This class is open to songwriters of all levels and experience, even those who don’t play an instrument. Bring a pen and paper, the instrument of your choice and as few pre-conceived notions as possible.
HAYES CARLL - STORIES, ANECDOTES AND TIPS FROM LIFE AND THE ROAD
July 23 – 25, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Austin, Texas road warrior Carll has been called ‘smarter than his shambling ways would make you think and funnier than shit.’ His new release KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories) is an insightful, sharply-drawn snapshot of America, with a sonic palette that draws on fiery rock, twang, pensive folk and a touch of gospel. The man who penned "She Left Me for Jesus” - which raised the ire of conservative radio programmers and TV evangelists - brings rich characters: a young army foot soldier in Afghanistan, denizens surviving the economic downturn, dysfunctional families, a partying Democrat and saucy young Republican, to life.
Carll’s class
Carll will discuss songwriting tricks that he’s learned, things he thinks are important, stories he’s collected and share wisdom gained after 15 years of writing. He’ll provide guidance he didn’t have the benefit of and discuss insight gleaned from other writers. He’ll also help you evolve your writing by giving you feedback on a song you’ve written. This class is open to all budding songwriters. Bring a thick skin and sense of humour, a notebook and pen. Come away with insight into songwriting, a few good stories and a joke or two.
AMELIA CURRAN – THE MEAT OF THE CRAFT
July 23 – 25, 10 :00 am – 1:00 pm Roots and Traditional Juno award-winner Amelia Curran’s newest release, Spectators, pushes her intricate, enigmatic lyrics into new sonic territory. She has risen to the top of the folk world with music built on the contrasts of complexity and simplicity; songs that meditate on frailty, restlessness, time, longing and loss. Her latest album raises the bar on her signature lyricism, but stretches beyond folk boundaries that have defined her previous releases with brass, strings, piano and rumbling percussion.
Curran’s class
Curran will guide you in the ‘nine-to-five’ of songwriting as a career. While the miracle song is most desired (and does happen), the meat of the craft lies in the time spent tending to it. The focus is on writing, writing better and re-writing/editing. This class is open to songwriters of all levels and experience. Bring notebooks, your instrument of choice plus a willingness to learn, humility and patience.
GUITAR
ALBERT LEE – A GLIMPSE OF MY 50-YEAR CAREER
July 23 – 25, 10 :00 am – 1:00 pm
British born and bred, he spent the mid-'60s as a top R&B guitarist in the Thunderbirds, focussing on rockabilly and country music in the ‘70s. He’s an English household name and an in-demand Nashville and Los Angeles session player but is more obscure outside professional American music circles – so is occasionally misidentified as the late Alvin Lee, formerly of Ten Years After. Lee is part of a rarefied virtuoso's virtuoso fraternity, respected on three continents. In 2003, his country/rockabilly album and retrospective compilation were released. He’s member of UK-based Hogan's Heroes, is in Bill Wyman's band the Rhythm Kings, and over his 5 decade career has provided brilliant axe work for the Everly Brothers, Jackson Browne, Bo Diddley, Joe Crocker, Emmylou Harris and played alongside Eric Clapton.
Lee’s class
Tynan Grooves - an experienced musician and teacher whose skills have been developed through jazz academia training (MRU and Humber College) and the punk/country of his formative musical years - will moderate the class. Albert’s long career and experience plus the development of his style and technique will be the jumping-off points for discussions and questions as he leads the class, which covers both technique and performance. Participants will be shown and able to try runs and other techniques. You’ll come away with new licks, tricks and an enjoyment of music. This is a master class, so suitable for intermediate guitar players. Bring a guitar.
PAUL PIGAT - TRAVIS PICKIN’, THE EASY WAY!
July 23 – 25, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
Behind Paul Pigat’s unassuming grin and Doc Watson glasses lurks a restless, combustible musical imagination. Blessed with a jazzman's sheen, rockabilly heart and hobo's soul, Pigat creates sweet, distinctive guitar sounds. Whether playing with his trio Cousin Harley on one of their 5 releases, doing a searing solo that elevates The Sojourners’ soaring vocals, doing the axe work for Jakob Dylan, Jim Byrnes or Neko Case, he’s at once a genteel sideman, unrepentant redneck, sensitive singer/songwriter and multi-faceted composer.
Pigat’s class
His introductory course on Chet Atkins’ style has thumb technique as its main focus. He will provide PDFs of basic techniques, simple study patterns and some final tunes for students to work from. Technique is the focus and it’ll be half group and half individual study. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of your instrument and all the knowledge necessary to continue to develop fingerstyle playing. The class is suitable for Intermediate players with some facility on the guitar. Bring a guitar and notebook.
VOCALS
SAMANTHA MARTIN AND THE HAGGARD - THE ART OF GOSPEL/BLUEGRASS/SOUTHERN HARMONIES
July 23 – 25, 2:00 – 5:00 pm
This truck driver's daughter is the real deal; a soul powerhouse who will tear your heart out one note at a time. One of Toronto roots-rock’s rising stars, her voice is a force of nature. With just her vocals and guitar, a hot rockabilly guitarist and backing by very cool gospel singers, she belts out early rock 'n' roll, gospel, blues, country and rockabilly.
Martin’s class
Martin and her backing singers bring years of choir experience. Their vocal harmony workshop will focus equally on technique and performance. Participants will be identified by vocal range (alto, tenor, soprano etc) and divided accordingly. You’ll learn how to successfully complement melodies into 3-part harmonies with a special focus on warm-up exercises, vocal inflections and stage presence. The majority of the workshop will be devoted to group work. You’ll leave with an increased understanding of successful 3-part harmonies. This class is open to everyone. Bring a positive, open attitude and flexibility to try various vocal stylings as well as a notebook and pen.
SPECIAL EVENT @ NATIONAL MUSIC CENTRE
Wednesday, July 25, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Tickets: $15 or free for Boot Camp registrants
www.EverettRuessWildernessSong.com
EVERETT RUESS WILDERNESS SONG WITH THE LIVE SOUNDTRACK BY DAN BERN
This documentary film Wilderness Song, produced by Jonathan Demme and directed by Lindsay Jaeger, is accompanied by a 15-song cycle by Dan Bern, adapted from the letters, essays and poems of the Western folk legend Everett Ruess. It comprises the soundtrack for the film. During the Great Depression of 1931 – 1934, teenager Everett Ruess renounced society to live and travel in the wilderness. After a few years of lone treks spanning hundreds of miles, Ruess vanished and the mystery of his disappearance has never been solved. Through the lens of one young man's resolute journey, this film provides perspective on the value of the wilds and the sometimes obscure, solitary efforts of humanity.
