Jamming at the Festival
What's a folk festival without the opportunity to play with your fellow folk? At the Albuuqerque Folk Festival, we provide three "formal" jamming venues plus as many informal venues as there are shady benches. It's easy to bring your instrument to the festival; you can check your instrument for free from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, so there's no excuse not to come ready to jam all day.
And this year, the jamming will start Friday night, and continue into Sunday morning at our free dry camping area. Whether you're camping or not, you're welcome to jam into the night on both Friday and Saturday nights.
Jam with the Band
There's a lot of local talent here in Albuquerque and New Mexico, and we're offering Jam with the Band as an avenue where musicians can play or sing along with some of our great local bands. It's ok just to listen too. Come on out and meet some of the great folk and traditional music bands on the local music scene. Don't forget to bring your instruments.
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Cowboy Swing/60s Folk | Sabinal Sisters | Old rock, folk, country |
| 11:30 AM | Country/Folk/Swing | Gary Reynolds and the Southwest Wind Band | The Southwest Wind band started in 2007 and formed around Gary Reynolds and his folk, rock, and country-western styles. Concentrating on the '60s to the '80s, the band brings many old favorites back to life, including the likes of John Denver, Michael Martin Murphy, Neil Young, Hank Williams, and The Eagles. |
| 12:30 PM | Old Time | Virginia Creepers | The Virginia Creepers will be leading a jam, playing popular hits from the 1800's and early 1900's. The Virginia Creepers have been playing Appalachian string band music since the waning years of the last century. As two-time winners of the Old Time Band Contest at the Santa Fe Old Time and Bluegrass festival, the "Creepers" are, arguably, among the best practitioners of the Old-Timey art in New Mexico, an honor equivalent to having the best green chile enchiladas in North Carolina. |
| 1:30 PM | English Country Dance Music | Mad Robin | "Mad Robin" is the current name for a group of talented and experienced musicians who have been playing together in different bands and types of music for over 20 years. Musical tunes are selected from English Country, Old Timey Fiddle, waltzes of all ethnicities, swing, classical and folk/pop songs of Latin, Irish, German and Scandanavian origins. "Mad Robin" is the name of a particular move in English Country Dancing, the name of a specific tune, and a particularly good name for a group of slightly crazy mature musicians who are always weaving new harmonies around each other and old tunes while in their heads imagining how they would be dancing it if they weren't sitting there playing for you! The members include: Tom Hunter, mandolin/guitar/vocals, has played for Megaband, and danced with Folkmads and International Folk dancing for decades. (Sometimes he'd rather dance than play.) He has also been a member of "Ketulka's Retreat", focusing on jazz, swing, and Latin tunes. By day he uses lightning electricity to fix things at UNM. Doc Litchman, clarinet, who is also a notorious caller of English Country Dance in our community. He was an originator of the group "Boxwood Consort." He was an outstanding instructor of chemistry at UNM, noted one of the members who took one of his courses. Gary Mayhem, guitar, who shines in English Country and classical styles, was a member of "Boxwood Consort." He also plays with "Megaband." He is a retired-NOT tired- math teacher. Julie Paladino, viola and violin, was a member of "Half Gypsy" and "Baillywick". She has also played with "String Song" and "Tersetto Trio." By day, Julie teaches orchestra in Albuquerque Public Schools (God bless her!), and on certain nights, she moonlights as a player or folk dancer. Sherilyn Welton, cello/piano/harp/violin/vocals, has been a member of "Boxwood Consort," "Tersetto Trio", "Megaband," and an originator of "Distant Cousins," "Ketulka's Retreat" and "String Song." She has also played with the Santa Fe Symphony and Musical Theater Southwest, and sung with "Opera Southwest" and "Opera Unlimited." She owns and runs a music store in Los Lunas, (come see it!) teaches high school English, private music lessons, and dances in her not-spare time. |
| 2:30 PM | Bluegrass | Lost Howlin' Coyotes | The Lost Howlin' Coyotes are a New Mexico based Bluegrass band. Steeped in traditional Bluegrass and gospel music, the Coyotes deliver a unique blend of original tunes, bluegrass standards, gospel favorites and plenty of surprises at every performance. Band founders Tony Mora and Gordon West teamed up in 2005 as an acoustic duo winning several awards in local competitions and festivals. They have since added the talents of Randy Dupuy on banjo and vocals, Cat Rose Mora on bass fiddle and vocals, and Louis Blackwell on the fiddle. |
| 3:30 PM | Irish Traditional | Finn's Thumb | Albuquerque's own Irish music trio Finn's Thumb performs traditional songs and music of Ireland with respect and passion. Finn's Thumb has been playing music together since June of 2010, performing at playhouses, pubs, weddings, and corporate and public events throughout Albuquerque. The trio includes Jeannie Dyke (guitar, vocals, whistle, flute) Dain Forsythe (flute, whistles, bohdrán, vocals) and Pam Morden (violin, mandolin, bouzouki). |
| 5:30 PM | Old Time | Flagpole Salad | "Old time, all the time" |
| 6:30 PM | Folk/Bluegrass/Blues | Muddy River String Band | Muddy River String Band plays an eclectic mix of Americana. From folk to blues, bluegrass to old-time, we play what we like. Our unusual instrumentation includes the hammered dulcimer and the 'cello. Our music is bright and energetic, with the occasional moody tune |
| 7:30 PM | No Host Open Jam |
Hosted Jams
At the hosted jam tent, there's a new host every hour. Hosts are mostly there to encourage musicians to pick a song or start a song and to make sure that everyone gets an opportunity to participate. In addition, hosts bring their own unique flare to the jam.
Hosted Jam
| Time | Session | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM | Mixed Folk | Carl Allen & Sandra Veith | Mixed folk and country music with vocal harmonies and guitar, dobro and bass. |
| 11:30 AM | Mom's Swing | Tom Hunter | Mom, born in 1917, enjoyed and shared the songs with which she grew up, in the 20s and 30s, when much of popular music was infused with jazz. From the big bands to the Beatles in the 60s, she enjoyed a variety of songs. My focus will be to play with whoever comes. Please bring some old songs that someone who has inspired you musically might have shared with you! If they swing, then that will be like icing! If there's schmaltz, then some may waltz! |
| 12:30 PM | Old Time Singalong | Jerry Grayson | |
| 1:30 PM | Bluegrass | Steve Morgan | |
| 2:30 PM | Celtic | Tom Tunney | |
| 3:30 PM | Folk Singalong | Dan Matthews | |
| 5:30 PM | Celtic | Fonn Sona | Fonn Sona (meaning 'Happy Melody') performs a generous blend of Celtic songs and tunes, featuring Dee Meier and John Green on vocals, Cleve Sharp on flute, and Chuck Butler on bodhran. |
| 6:30 PM | Folk/Popular | Bruce Davis | |
| 7:30 PM | No Host Open Jam |