Traditional Irish Fiddle Workshop with Patrick Mangan
Saturday, September 11th 1:00 $$30
I hope to bring a little something for everyone to this workshop. Since Irish music is a living tradition, it breathes and evolves as each player makes it his or her own. While I like to think of myself as stylistically individual, my playing could be best described as "Sligo-New York," which was originally popularized by Michael Coleman. His 78 RPM recordings from the 1920's and '30's were so influential that some of the combinations of tunes he put together are still played in the same order in sessions both in New York and around the world to this day. I would like to teach a couple of session favorites, while using these tunes as vehicles to examine the "Sligo-New York" style of bowing and finger ornamentation. I teach both aurally and with sheet music, so students can follow along using whatever method suits them best. No experience playing Irish music is necessary but a basic knowlege of one's way around the violin would help. I hope that beginners to advanced players can all gain something from this workshop!
Elements of Vocal Harmony
Sunday, September 19th 1:00 $$25
Country Blues Guitar Backup Workshop with Frankie Basile
Sunday, September 19th 4:00 $20
Chords, runs, and rhythms from the unsung masters of old time country blues guitar accompaniment: Walter Vinson, James Baxter, Dan Sane, Joe McCoy, Dan Smith. Cameo appearances of ideas from players like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Charlie Patton. All the ideas presented will be accessible to both flat-pickers and finger-pickers.
Accordion Workshop with Lenny Kagan
Sunday, September 26th 2:00 $$25
More Info coming soon...
The Elements of Songwriting 4 Week Workshops by Alex Battles
Sunday, October 3rd 2:00 $$200 for 4 week classes.
This workshop is 4 weeks and taught by Alex Battles. Sundays, October 3 - October 24 @ 2 pm - 4 pm Songs are written to be remembered. This course will focus on discussion of the lyrical and structural elements of memorable country, folk, and pop songs. Students will write 2-4 songs incorporating the elements talked about in class. There will be a class performance after the last lesson. Requirements: Students know how to play the following chords on guitar. G, C, D, A, Em, Am and have the ability to record and email mp3s from home. Instructor: Alex Battles is a songwriter and music collector. His songs have been called \\\\\\\"wry and catchy\\\\\\\" by Time Out New York. He is also the founder of the Brooklyn Country Music Festival.
The Elements of Songwriting 4 Week Workshops by Alex Battles
Sunday, October 10th 2:00 $$200 for 4 week classes
This workshop is 4 weeks and taught by Alex Battles. Sundays, October 3 - October 24 @ 2 pm - 4 pm Songs are written to be remembered. This course will focus on discussion of the lyrical and structural elements of memorable country, folk, and pop songs. Students will write 2-4 songs incorporating the elements talked about in class. There will be a class performance after the last lesson. Requirements: Students know how to play the following chords on guitar. G, C, D, A, Em, Am and have the ability to record and email mp3s from home. Instructor: Alex Battles is a songwriter and music collector. His songs have been called \\\\\\\"wry and catchy\\\\\\\" by Time Out New York. He is also the founder of the Brooklyn Country Music Festival.
The Elements of Songwriting 4 Week Workshops by Alex Battles
Sunday, October 17th 2:00 $$200 for 4 week classes
This workshop is 4 weeks and taught by Alex Battles. Sundays, October 3 - October 24 @ 2 pm - 4 pm Songs are written to be remembered. This course will focus on discussion of the lyrical and structural elements of memorable country, folk, and pop songs. Students will write 2-4 songs incorporating the elements talked about in class. There will be a class performance after the last lesson. Requirements: Students know how to play the following chords on guitar. G, C, D, A, Em, Am and have the ability to record and email mp3s from home. Instructor: Alex Battles is a songwriter and music collector. His songs have been called \\\\\\\"wry and catchy\\\\\\\" by Time Out New York. He is also the founder of the Brooklyn Country Music Festival.
Elements of Vocal Harmony
Sunday, October 17th 3:30 $$25
David Bennett Cohen Blues Piano Workshop
Sunday, October 24th 12:00 $$20
Blues piano is a time honored tradition with its roots in the American South, especially, New Orleans. Although I would focus on certain specific piano players, such as Professor Longhair, Otis Spann, Jimmy Yancey, and others, the course would teach a generic Blues style from which the students could then develop their own style. There are several distinctive styles of Blues piano and I would focus on Boogie-Woogie, shuffles and straight time rhythms, New Orleans Funk and Rumbas, and the Slow Blues. In addition, I will talk about the history of the Blues, from the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans to Chicago and places in between. Since I actually knew some of the players, I usually include some stories: Piano players Johnnie Johnson, Professor Longhair, Otis Spann; and guitar players, Mississippi John Hurt, Reverend Gary Davis, Mance Lipscomb, Lightnin’ Hopkins and others. Blues is both a style and a form. The form is usually either twelve or eight bars, but the style can be applied to other types of music. For example, Standards are a wonderful way to demonstrate how Blues can be used and I would include some in the course. Songs such as “Georgia on my Mind”, “God Bless the Child”, “My Funny Valentine” and many others are part of my repertoire. (I even do a version of “Over the Rainbow”!) My goal is to have the students playing Blues piano by the end of the workshop. I have been playing and teaching both piano and guitar for over 40 years and some of my students have gone on to have successful music careers of their own. I am proud to count among my students Peter Cincotti and Dave Keyes and, through my various Homespun products, I have a network of students around the world.