Archives:

G&F Band

Bluegrass music is safe for kids

June 10, 2013

A long and soggy rainy season brought recent flooding to the Heartland almost reminescent of  the famous regional painting ” Spring on the Missouri” by native son Thomas Hart Benton.  The over-saturated  Earth generously gave up some of its waters to the basement BRC workshop that required a few days of clean-up.

The first real day of summer finally arrived on the second Saturday of June just in time for the Safe Kids Discovery Day fest (see placard) at the Children`s Hospital. This fun  carnival is part of a nationwide educational program  for children and families to learn injury prevention behaviors.

The BRC founder`s band opened the stage show and then held an interactive jam session for kids and parents to learn more about  stringed instruments and traditional Bluegrass music.

It was a glorious summer day followed promptly by rain showers the next morning.

 

 

P.S. Watch for a BRC “Peace Dove” banjo on e-bay June 17-24 (sold).  Upon receipt, the new owner  emailed, “The banjo is beautiful and sounds great.”

 


BRC Activities

Uptown and backwoods picking

April 28, 2013

The BRC founder was delighted to be graciously invited as guest musician at the recent Spring Concert of the Columbia Choral Society (see photo). The theme of the concert was songs from movie soundtracks, and an obligato banjo part was scored into the chorale`s performance of ” Man of Constant Sorrow” from the Coen brother`s masterpiece film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

To hone his chops to accompany the 30 voice chorale, the BRC founder journeyed with his spouse to the 51st Annual Arkansas Folk Music Festival in Mountain View. Stopping en route for coffee at a roadside cultural center near the southern Missouri state line was a wise idea (note BRC mandolinst in photo)  to prepare for the weaving roller coaster Ozark highway that carried the weekenders to the Festival.  The countless jam sessions populating the town square each year  are the heart and soul of the Festival by which Mountain View earns its name as “The Folk Music Capital of the  World.”

BRC Events

BRC Board of Directors gifted therapeutic banjo

April 22, 2013

Our youthful Board of Directors convened its semi-annual business meeting a few weeks ago to tackle budgetary cut-backs and funding sequesters targeted for our workshop. During a break in the all-day marathon negotiations, one of the board members dreamily sketched a banjo (see drawing) to distract himself from the tough fiscal imperatives on the agenda.

 

At day`s end, the weary Board voted to postpone exciting but costly plans to develop a Bluegrass Rapid Response Team for hoedown and  jam session emergencies in the Heartland. The BRC founder reacted to this difficult but courageous decision by restoring an antique banjo as inspired by the doodled sketch. This turn-of-the century instrument had been rescued from a trash bin by a fellow musician about 40 years ago and hung on his music room wall as decoration.  The  revitalized banjo was presented to the Board as a stress management tool for use by members at future meetings.

 

The “BRC” on the upper fretboard stands for “Board`s Restorative Cure”.

Prior to being put into service, the banjo was field-tested by a young aspiring musician.

 

 

G&F Band

BRC band- busy bee$

April 7, 2013

The BRC founder`s band performed again at the yearly Roast-a-Doc gala, an evening to benefit the Children`s Hospital, when staff and friends gently poke fun at the physicians. We were stung when one of our fiddlers was 40 minutes late for the one hour gig because of unexpected delays installing a beehive in her backyard. Quipped one of our musicians to the frazzled and tardy violinst, “Two bee or not too bee, that is the question.”

 

At the reception, one of the band`s young and devoted fans and father stopped-by to listen to an old timey clawhammer passage on the banjo.

 

Afterwards, the musicians shared an (almost) annual dinner together at a local restaurant where it was announced that the band has donated $12K in gig tips to the Children`s Miracle Network over the last nine years.  With worldwide bee counts down and the flower pollination season at hand, the pickers also celebrated the two new bee colonies.

 

G&F Singers

St. Paddy`s Day in the Heartland

March 17, 2013

The BRC founder and his quartet `The G&F Singers` entertained  patients and families on the pediatric ward with a St. Patrick`s Day celebration that included “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.”

Veteran harmony singers, the foursome performed playfully interactive children`s songs with the kids and staff. Shamrock-covered surgeon`s caps sewn by a trio of nurses were distributed to the youngsters and siblings.  As always, the concert concluded with the Carter Family classic “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life.” It was a grand Spring day.