Thanks for the nice review, Chuck Cheeseman! pdxacoustic/2014/11/taborgrass-portland-oregon.html?m=1 Wednesday, November 19, 2014 TaborGrass - Portland, Oregon Last Saturday I grabbed my Martin D18 and headed out to SE Portland to try a bluegrass jamming class called TaborGrass. I arrived a few minutes late for the afternoon session, and when I walked in I was immediately reminded of my time at Chicagos Old Town School of Folk Music. Instructor Greg Stone stood in front of about sixty aspiring musicians, working at a very relaxed pace and leading them in song. Over the 90 minutes of class, we ran through six traditional tunes: Dixie Hoedown, Bury Me Beneath the Willow, Old Joe Clark, Tennessee Waltz, I am a Pilgrim, and Gilderoy. None of these tunes are particular challenging, but there is something to be said for learning songs as opposed to fancy guitar licks. Theres also something to be said for playing music with such a large group of happy people. The communal aspect is not unlike running in the back of the pack at a marathon. Its the part of this kind of experience that will bring me back. The TaborGrass website has a wealth of instructional materials, lyric sheets, and chord charts. I started making myself a songbook so that I have all the lyrics and chords handy when I return. Yep. Ive got binders for everything. There is a morning session that is aimed at beginners, and then an afternoon class for more experienced players. Jam sessions happen in between and after the classes. Sometimes Greg brings in guest instructors. (I missed the morning singing workshop with Linda Leavitt.) This isnt the place to go if youre looking for insanely fast bluegrass bravado. The emphasis is on learning songs and jam etiquette. Its a laid back and welcoming environment. Class costs just 10 bucks. TaborGrass meets on each Saturday at St. David of Wales Episcopal Church, 2800 SE Harrison St. in Portland. This church is as much a community center as it is a church. My daughter used to attend violin lessons here, and I have done my Dancing With No Shoes On! childrens music program at the preschool that meets in the basement. Sometimes the Portland FolkMusic Society hosts concerts here. Its a great location, and its not far from some good restaurants and coffee shops on SE Hawthorne and Division.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 21:54:43 +0000
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