Jamming 101: A Classical Violinist's Foray into Bluegrass
From: Catherine Girardeau
Length: 00:06:56
A version of this story aired on PRI's "Weekend America", September 25, 2004.
Licensed by "Here and Now", WBUR, Boston, aired on 4/28/05. Licensed by WHQR, Wilmington, NC, aired 6/16/05.
This is a first-person feature about the producer's foray into bluegrass jamming. She is a classical violinist, but had always wanted to be able to sit down with anybody and jam. This piece follows her as she takes a class, "Jamming 101", and then joins an informal bluegrass jam. It turns out to be a humbling experience.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
A version of this story aired on PRI's "Weekend America", September 25, 2004. Licensed by "Here and Now", WBUR, Boston, aired on 4/28/05. Licensed by WHQR, Wilmington, NC, aired 6/16/05. This is a first-person feature about the producer's foray into bluegrass jamming. She is a classical violinist, but had always wanted to be able to sit down with anybody and jam. This piece follows her as she takes a class, "Jamming 101", and then joins an informal bluegrass jam. It turns out to be a humbling experience.
Broadcast History
Aired on PRI's "Weekend America", September 25, 2004.
Licensed by "Here and Now", WBUR, Boston, aired 4/28/05. Licensed by WHQR, Wilmington, NC, aired 6/16/05.
Transcript
4/28/05
Jamming 101 Script
Catherine Girardeau
Earprint Productions
catherine@earprint.com
BH: Listening…looking for the eye contact…
ML: Stay as close to the melody as you can, because you have a responsibility to keep the train wreck from happening.
BH: When it’s your turn, go for it! It’s your turn! Go for it, don’t be nervous, just go for i!
ML: they will forgive you all the etiquette rules, and help you through.
BH: Always remember, it’s about having a good time. You just gotta get out there and do it!
[MUSIC: a twangy bluegrass tune]
CG: Sid Lewis was the answer to my prayers. His class, Jamming 101, was kind of a group therapy session for beginning jammers.
[MUSIC: - OUT]
SL: “Good morning, and welcome to Jamming 101, the second installment. For those of you at your first class, it’s gonna be really slow, and really mello...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
"Goldbrickin'", Del McCourey, Del and the Boys
CEILI MUSIC, 2001
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Emon Hassan
Posted on May 21, 2005 at 10:04 AM | Permalink
Review of Jamming 101: A Classical Violinist's Foray into Bluegrass
A lesson piece in the art of jamming and the courage of letting go to simply make music. As a first person narrative, it had more intimacy with the subject and wasn't about a series of tips on improvisation, although Mr. Lewis's five levels of jamming will make a lot of sense to new 'jammers' who wouldn't know where to begin. Ms. Girardeau sits in on a jam session later, and was pleasantly surprised by the openness of the other musicians who didn't care where she came from with her brand of style. Piece ends with a kicking jam session.