For the last four years, a group of concertinists in the South and Southwest have greatly enjoyed participating in the Palestine Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival, in east Texas, the last weekend in March. The past two years, we’ve been overwhelmed with Jody Kruskal’s musicianship, focusing on American approaches to the concertina. This next year, we will host another of American’s prominent concertina (and old time banjo and bandoneon) players, Bertram Levy.

Most on this Forum will need no introduction to Bertram. Founding member and banjoist of the 1960’s Hollow Rock String Band, that arguably set in motion the Old Time music revival in the US ( see this link for its history http://originalredclayramblers.com/hrsb.htm ), Bertram moved on to focus on the anglo concertina in the 1970s, culminating with his monumental Sageflower Suite with fiddler Frank Farrel in 1979, which was the first album to feature concertina in a setting of old time American tunes, and his tutor The Anglo Concertina Demystified in 1985, still in print and a defining approach to the instrument for a generation of players.

In more recent years, Bertram moved on yet again, captured by the music of the tango and the magic of the bandoneon (see http://www.tangoheart.com/ ). He disappeared for several years into Argentina, studying with the masters of that instrument, and returned to found a tango movement and orchestra in the Pacific Northwest.

For years, many of us wondered if we would ever see Bertram with a concertina again. For my part, I have been trying to land him for our Palestine get together for years. Imagine my delight some months ago when he let me know that he could be available! He was just about to launch on a sailing trip with his family, and was taking his anglo to sea…ostensibly, to work up some new material for our workshop.

Bertram at Palestine works on many levels:
• How to approach old time music on free reed instruments, which would follow on the work Jody did with us in this regard
• Techniques on the anglo concertina: we know he hasn’t kept static on technique in the time since his 1980s tutor came out, and we should see and hear some of his newer thoughts
• So just what did he learn, intensively studying the bandoneon for years as he did, that could apply to any free reed instrument….especially for anglo, duet and English system players?
• In concert, we can hear all of this experience: old time, tango, and other genres

We’ll have a full three days of interaction with Bertram. You’ll be most welcome to join us….it is a rare concertina appearance of one of the legendary American players of the instrument. It will be March 26-28 2009; more details in future months (especially if you email me, so I can put you on the mailing list), but mark your calendars. As usual, we’ll have a full slate of other concertina get togethers, jams and band playing, too..as well as (of course) participating in the tons of old time and string band music in the concerts, workshops and especially jam sessions of the larger Palestine Festival, of which we are a part.

Cheers,
Dan

Great player, Dan. Looks like you are all in for a treat. Can't believe it's 15 years since I last met Bertram!

Regards,
Peter.

I'm excited. I've learned (on Hayden duet) a couple of the tangos in Myriam Mees's "Tango Time-12 Easy Tangos for Accordion".

I don't have a calendar, but I'm coming up with Thursday-Saturday for those dates? Too bad if so, I just cant get away on weekdays during school. Hope it goes well for everyone who can come!

Ken

Ken,

It starts Thursday afternoon and ends, for all practical purposes, with the concert and dance Saturday night. This is deep South Bible Belt country....people (including no doubt most of the organizers) go to church on Sunday, and of course have to take the long drive back home. Friday and Saturday are the big days.

By the way, some of the side benefits of a festival in such a setting include the wonderful Sacred Harp singing workshop every year, and the group of old country Baptists who gather in impromptu fashion around an ancient and out of tune piano in the hall, belting out old standard hymns just for the sheer joy in it, while other folks are heading to and fro to jam sessions and workshops. It is a real slice of Southern and country life that can be hard to find in many music festivals these days. But you've no doubt heard me describe that before.

Don't know what you do for a living (is it teaching?), so excuse this suggestion if inappropriate...but maybe you could play hookie? It would be fun to see you!

Cheers,
Dan

ps. I heard from Bertram today, after the posting; among other things he mentioned this, underscoring his renewed love affair with the concertina (along with the bandoneon):

"I have begun giving private lessons on the concertina and have built a new repertoire of music over the summer to illustrate some of the lessons learned through my years on the bandoneon - I hope it will be helpful for people."

Should be fun.

Bluegrass festivals around here are on the same schedule, for the same reason.

Alan

If only there was a sister event in the OTHER Palestine.....they need Bertram Levy!!! Perhaps an NGO could parachute him in!