2008 Joe Val Bluegrass Festival
It was only my second visit to the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival. And it was again schweet!
Well, OK, truthfully, I had attended years ago, when it was held on a high school ball field, and when my kids were too young to appreciate the music. Back then, we’re talking early ’90s, the festival brought in a lot of local talent. Today, the festival attracts some of the nation’s top bluegrass acts. It’s held at the Framingham Sheraton Hotel every February.
I was totally delighted by the Seldom Scene, a Washington, D.C.-based group that has been a staple of bluegrass music for more than 30 years. I do miss mandolinist and lead singer John Duffey, who died in the mid ’90s. He was a comical force, with his funkified purple pants and jokes about drinking, among other things. But Lou Reid is no slouch as a lead singer and mandolinist. I was impressed. And with Dudley Connell on guitar (Johnson Mountain Boys), they have recaptured the beautiful lilting harmonies that the group is known for.
In particular, I loved the goofy on-stage antics of legendary mandolinist Frank Wakefield, who often would sneak up behind various players in his band and say “how’d you do that?”
The surprise act for me this year was The Abrams Brothers. They’re a hot new Canadian group who can play traditional bluegrass or very progressive stuff — and they’re in their teens! Together with their dad, their harmonies are beautiful, and their energy is boundless. Their next CD, they say, will be music of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie, bluegrass style. Arlo Guthrie will be writing some of the liner notes, they said.
Other wonderful performances came from The Steeldrivers (fiddler and lead singer Tammy Rogers was sick, but she soldiered on and was wonderful), Alecia Nugent and the Steep Canyon Rangers.
So, here’s what you are probably looking for. A sample video is below, and you can check out many more at http://2008joeval.weebly.com. Enjoy.
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