A Window into Bluegrass Jamming, Festivals, Workshops and more! – May Newsletter

“Bluegrass and Beer” Returns to Bridgeport

In the September of 2,000 Richard Neal, Chris Teskey, Dan Tressler, Bobby Csugie, Stephen K Miller (Members of the House band HOE) hosted great bluegrass music and jamming for almost 20 years at the original “Acoustic Cafe” on the last Thursday of the month.

It quickly became a hotbed for music in Bridgeport, with people lining up out the door to attend.

Known CT Bluegrass bands like the Wool Hats, Too Blue, Cornfed Dogs and young Connecticut stars Korey Brodsky (Mandolin) G Rockwell (Banjo, Guitar) and Sofia Chiarandini (Fiddle, Bass) made frequent appearances.

The newly remodeled Acoustic cafe, now renamed “Park City Music Hall” will be reviving the event this month under the oversight of owner “John Torres” and Dan Carlucci of the band Hitch and the Giddyup. You won’t want to miss this great opportunity to pick, jam and hang with some great CT Bluegrass fans. RSVP and see more about the event here.

(For more history of the orginal “Bluegrass and Beer” event, check out the Facebook Page)

Bearsville Bluegrass Festival

On Memorial Day Weekend, celebrate in historic Woodstock NY a two day Bluegrass Festival!

Bearsville Bluegrass Festival
Saturday, May 28 12 – 6pm

Doors Open 11:30am

Memorial Day Weekend Celebrations

Albert Grossman Memorial Park, Bearsville, Woodstock NY

Live Music, Open Bluegrass Workshop, Fiddlers Jam Session and Kids Activities!

Saturday, May 28 – 12PM – 6PM
Sunday, May 29 – 11AM – 4PM

Delicious Americana style BBQ from The Bear. Handmade organic cocktails.
Location: Albert Grossman Memorial Park, Bearsville, Woodstock NY

Tickets PER DAY: $10 adult, Child (up to 15 yrs) $5, Family Ticket (2 adults/2 children): $25.

Weekend Tickets/Saturday and Sunday: $20 Adult, Child(up to 15 years) $10, Family Ticket(2 Adult / 2 Children): $50

Saturday Program

Doors at 11.30AM

12PM – Wernick Method Workshop with Austin Scelzo (Sign up Here- Includes Ticket to Saturdays Program and workshop materials)

12:15PM – Andrea Asprelli

1:15PM – The Bluegrass Clubhouse Band

2:30PM – On The Trail

3:45PM The Abby Hollander Band

Sunday Program

A BENEFIT FOR THE ASHOKAN CENTER

Doors 10:30AM

11AM – Family Hour with the Ashokan Camp Team. Kids activity with members of the Ashokan Center Camp/ Craft Workshop making musical instruments out of recycled material.

12PM – Fiddlers Day with Jay Unger & Molly Mason, John Kirk & Trish Miller, The Whippersnappers, Los Waltzeros, The Bunkhouse Boys, Friends of the Family and more to be announced

Live Pickin in the Taproom

Want to know what it looks like to pick at a CT Bluegrass Jam?

Check out this interactive video shot by a 360 camera.

Click and drag on a desktop or move your phone around to check it out!

Westchester Bluegrass Club Presents: Bookmatch

The Westchester Bluegrass Club will bring young Bridgeport CT star G Rockwell and his musical partner Micah Nicol to perform this month. The concert will be preceded by a Bluegrass Jam Class.

CONCERTS ARE USUALLY HELD ONCE A MONTH
3:00-6:00 PM Bluegrass Jam Class (Sign up Here)

6:30 PM Doors Open
7:00 PM Open Mic
8:00 PM Bookmatch
REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, PLEASE BRING A DISH TO SHARE.
Door $20

Bluegrass Coffeehouse Returns!

The Bluegrass Coffeehouse is back after a short hiatus. It has brought bluegrass musicians together monthly for about 3 years. Bands that have performed here include the legendary Bluegrass Characters, Blue Plate Special, Restless Mountain Bluegrass Band, Hitch and the Giddyup, Angry O’Haras, On the Trail, Sweetcake Mountain, Too Blue, Moonshine Falls, Mike Burns Trio, Fox Chasers, Pretty Saro and Lost Dog

Please join us on Friday, May 6. There will be Live bluegrass music from 7:00PM-9:00PM, followed by an open bluegrass jam from 9:00-10:00PM.

Suggested donation is $10 per person. Free admission for children.

This month’s featured artist is Sperry Creek.

“Sperry Creek brings fresh harmonies and instrumentation that hold true to the bluegrass genre. This five-piece band from Connecticut formed after some local pickers spent the height of the pandemic keeping each other sane through socially distant backyard jam sessions. It didn’t take the group long to realize that good sounds were happening. They soon adopted the name of a nearby creek, and the band was officially formed in the summer of 2020.
Sperry Creek is made up of longtime musicians Scott Freemantle (bass); Marilyn Toback-Reveley (guitar); Bill Reveley (fiddle); Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe (mandolin) and Dan O’Keefe (banjo), who all share a passion for bluegrass music. A culmination of musicians from other well known CT bands, Sperry Creek has allowed us to share our love of music with others throughout the New England bluegrass scene”

There will be an open bluegrass jam from 9:00-10:00 PM