While walking around the trade show floor at IBMA last week, I ran across Alan Munde and stopped to chat for a moment. Here’s the video. This one is short, runtime is 48 seconds.

Banjo picker Alan Munde has had quite a career in bluegrass music.

As a young man, he was a member of Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys and went on to help found and maintain Country Gazette, one of the most enduring bands to emerge from the 1970s bluegrass mini-boom. Alan has also been a successful solo artist with a number of stellar and hugely influential recordings to his credit.

He spent the last 20 years on the faculty of South Plains College in Levelland, TX, a position from which he recently retired - though he still performs with his group, Alan Munde Gazette.

So… when Alan Munde releases a new recording, banjo players take notice, and with Old Bones, they have a good reason to sit up and pay attention. The CD is made up of 13 tracks that Alan has recorded over the past twenty-odd years which for one reason or the other, never made it onto a CD.

Some were cut for solo or Country Gazette projects that never materialized, while others were cut at South Plains - where they offer a program in audio recording - as visiting artists were on campus to offer workshops to the students. These involve cuts with guests like David Grier, Mike Bub, Ron Block and Mike Compton.

The songs offer a mix of vocal and instrumental pieces, and as long-time Munde fans might expect, draw on a varied palette of stylistic influences ranging from hard driving bluegrass to breezy swing jazz. The banjo, of course, shines throughout.

We asked Alan to share a few thoughts about Old Bones…

Darling, Pal of Mine was recorded in Nashville in the mid-1990s by one of the industry’s most brilliant recordists, Rich Adler. On the cut are a bunch of picking heroes beginning with the legend himself Roland White, sweet voiced and booming bassist Marshall Wilborn, the best bluegrass singer of all time, Mr. Slide Guitar Gene Wooten, fellow Oklahoman former Gazette member fiddler Billy Joe Foster, and none better on the guitar David Grier. Roland, Gene, and Marshall all trade off on singing a verse and then Billy Joe joins them on the chorus.

This tune was recorded in the key of A but I played it without a capo (there are other non-capoed examples on the CD) and it made for an interesting sound. I liked it. (more…)

Alan Munde has made a career out of playing the banjo, something he once joked about in an interview. He described meeting a girlfriend’s parents as a young man, and answering their obvious question about what he did for a living with the plain truth. Alan said that their expressions made it clear that they imagined him on a street corner with a hat and a monkey, while in fact he was on the road with Jimmy Martin.

The intervening years have marked Munde as a consummate music professional, with a long performing and recording career, plus a 20 year tenure as the head of the bluegrass music program at South Plains College in Levelland, TX. Along the way, he has authored or been the subject of a great many pieces of instructional material, and taught at camps and workshops all over the world.

So it should be no surprise that Mel Bay Publications chose Alan to author a banjo book for their Getting Into series. Getting Into Bluegrass Banjo is a 96 page book with an accompanying audio CD that is designed to help novice banjo pickers get started on the 5 string. It covers right hand rolls, creating solos, left hand techniques and then combines them all in a number of banjo arrangements for popular bluegrass standards.

You can find more details and a list of songs on the Mel Bay web site.

More than 60 banjo players will converge in the small town of Cumberland Furance, TN this weekend for the 7th Annual NashCamp Banjo Retreat. Hosted by Sonny Osborne and Bill Evans, this year’s camp also features multi-IBMA award winner Tony Trischka, Alan Munde, Ned Luberecki, Kristin Scott-Benson and Frank Neat. Camp director is Cindy Sinclair, who co-directed this year’s IBMA Awards Show.

The setting for the Banjo Retreat is the stunning 1865 Drouillard House and its surrounding grounds and The Mad Platter, an acclaimed Nashville restaurant, caters the event.

“While we try to get the best teachers and players we can each year, the Drouillard House and the food are probably what keep people coming back. I’ve taught at most banjo camps across the country, and I’ll proudly admit that I think the comfort level of our camp is second to none. And that creates a relaxing atmosphere for folks to have a great weekend.

We’re also excited about Kristin Scott-Benson being with us. She’s one of our favorite players and people and her playing and teaching are going to bowl people over!”

Small group classes, faculty concerts, jamming and a wide choice of electives highlight this year’s class offerings, with a special emphasis this year on double banjo playing, in honor of Tony’s CD, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular.

Folks do seem to come back year after year - this year’s camp sold out in early June. As a special added feature for 2007, Munde, Evans and Luberecki will perform at the Station Inn on Thursday night, October 18th at 8 p.m., backed by guitarist Tim May, fiddler Megan Lynch, mandolin player Roland White and bassist Jon Weisberger.

If you want to get in on the NashCamp experience, reservations will be accepted for the 2008 event on January 2, 2008.

With Alan Munde’s recent retirement from his teaching position at South Plains College, one might expect him to slow down and relax. It seems slowing down is not in Alan’s plan.

I’m told Alan is interested in playing more dates, and so his band, Alan Munde Gazette, is gearing up for a more rigorous tour schedule. In response to that move, they have brought a new member on board.

Elliott Rogers has joined the band on guitar and vocals. Rogers replaces Phill Elliott, who recently left the band to focus on his capo business.

Here is a statement from the band about the addition of Rogers.

Elliott (Rogers) is a fine singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Albuquerque whom many of you probably know from his work with his own band, Elliott’s Ramblers. We played our first show with Elliott at Camp Bluegrass last week to rave reviews. We’re really looking forward to fully incorporating his lead and harmony vocals, strong guitar work, and original songs into the group.

John wrote back in January and February about the faculty position opening at South Plains College due to the retirement of banjo teacher Alan Munde. I received a call the other day from Cary Banks the Creative Music Department head, asking me to pass along the news that the school is still accepting applications for that position.

South Plains College is dear to my heart as I spent 3 years there studying bluegrass music and recording technology. It is a wonderful atmosphere to work and study in, with great people on staff. I was profoundly affected by the influence of Alan Munde and Joe Carr while attending SPC.

Carry stressed to me on the phone that the main requirement they are looking for in an applicant is that they have “the heart of a teacher.” I remember from my days there that all the staff were genuinely concerned that the students learn, both in class and out.

If you are interested in the job please contact:

Joe Carr
Assistant Professor of Music
South Plains College, Levelland, TX 79336
(806) 894-9611 ext 2493
jcarr@southplainscollege.edu

We got a note from Joe Carr, Assistant Professor of Music in the Bluegrass Music program at South Plains College in Levelland, TX. He was following up on our post last month about the faculty position coming open when Alan Munde retires from the program after the Spring 2007 semester.

The position is full time, and requires mastery of the 5 string banjo in the three finger style.

Here are Joe’s comments:

South Plains College in Levelland, Texas is still accepting applications for the position in Commercial Music currently held by Alan Munde. Alan is retiring from teaching at the school in May after 20+ years. He will still teach at Camp Bluegrass each July.

Interested applicants should contact Joe Carr at jcarr@southplainscollege.edu.

The 3rd annual Midwest Banjo Camp is set for June 1-3, 2007 on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. The faculty includes many of the biggest names in bluegrass and old time banjo, such as Alan Munde, Bill Evans, Murphy Henry, Ken Perlman, Mike Seeger and Clarke Buehling.

The camp sets up a large number of highly specialized classes, with tracks for beginning, intermediate and advanced players. The instruction is designed to offer a mix of hands-on workshops and demonstrations of specific styles and techniques. Two faculty concerts are also on the schedule.

The full list of instructors is quite impressive:

• Old-time: Cathy Barton-Para, Clarke Buehling, Cathy Fink, Joe Newberry, Michael Miles, Ken Perlman and Mike Seeger.
• Bluegrass: Danny Barnes, Janet Beazley, Greg Cahill, Bill Evans, Murphy Henry, Gerald Jones, Ned Luberecki, Alan Munde and Mike Sumner
• Accompanists: Peter Knupfer (bluegrass fiddle) and Ron McKeever (bluegrass guitar)

Midwest banjo Camp is operated under the direction of Ken Perlman. Full details can be found on the MBC web site.

We just heard from Joe Carr, Assistant Professor of Music in the bluegrass program at South Plains College in Levelland, TX. Alan Munde has announced his retirement from his faculty position at the end of the Spring 2007 term, and the college has started a search for a qualified replacement.

Here is the official announcement of the position:

South Plains College in Levelland, Texas is accepting applications for a full time (9 mos) faculty position as a Bluegrass Music specialist.

The candidate will be responsible for directing student bluegrass music ensembles including televised performances and live concerts. The candidate will teach private lessons on banjo and other instruments as student demand dictates.

Qualified applicants should have professional experience with mastery level skills on the 5 string banjo in three finger bluegrass styles. Multi-instrumental and vocal skills and professional contacts are desired.

Salary commensurate with professional experience and education.

For more information please contact:

Joe Carr
Assistant Professor of Music
South Plains College, Levelland, TX 79336
(806) 894-9611 ext 2493
jcarr@southplainscollege.edu

The following is a contribution from Bill Evans, well-known banjo picker, educator and semi-regular contributor here on The Bluegrass Blog.

I’m just back - and completely exhausted! However, I wanted to share these pictures and relate a little bit of the magic that was day two of the 6th annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, being held this weekend in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California.

It’s hard for me to imagine a more interesting and eclectic lineup of Americana, folk, singer-songwriter and bluegrass acts at any other festival in North America - and the fact that it’s a free event makes it all the more special. Hardly Strictly is a gift to the world from Warren Hellman, a San Francisco investment banker and aspiring clawhammer banjo player. This year’s event brings together folks like Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris (with John Starling, Tom Gray and Mike Auldridge), Dry Branch Fire Squad, Del McCoury Band and Ricky Skaggs as well as Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson and T Bone Burnett. It’s not all bluegrass but it is all fantastic and the mixing of different styles and perspectives is truly marvelous. And did I mention it is free?

I was asked by Warren to put something together this year that would be truly special and, knowing his love for banjo music, I asked my good friends and mentors Tony Trischka and Alan Munde to join me in a set of music at this year’s event. We played several triple banjo tunes in three part harmony (including the Osborne Brothers’ Big Ben and Alan Munde and Byron Berline’s Deputy Dalton) and also performed tunes separately, including two songs from Tony’s upcoming double banjo CD to be released on Rounder Records in January, 2007 (this is going to be good!). For our last tune, Alison Brown joined us for a four part version of Dixie Breakdown.

Earl Scruggs and Friends followed our performance and the U. S. Air Force Blue Angels put on a dazzling display of aviation prowess above our heads while Earl and the band played. Last year’s weather on Saturday was somewhat marginal with heavy fog and temperatures in the upper 50s. That wasn’t the case this year, as it was bright, sunny and warm….well for San Francisco at least (temps were in the mid 60’s)!

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is always held the first full weekend in October out here in San Francisco. Make plans now for next year’s event - it’s truly an unforgettable experience! Attendance was estimated at 230,000 people today with music spread out on four large stages located throughout the central meadow at Golden Gate Park.

Photos by Gretchen Snyder and Steve Stolzenburg

Earl Scruggs	Alan Munde	Tony Trischka	Bill Evans
Banjo Extravaganza Trischka, Evans, Brown Hardly Strictly Bluegrass

Episode #29 of The GrassCast features an interview with Alan Munde. This interview was recorded last fall at IBMA. Alan is a renowned banjo player and instructor. He currently has his own band, The Alan Munde Gazzette and teaches at South Plains College.

This GrassCast is 7 minutes in length and the file download size is 7 MB.

Below is our usual mp3 file for you to listen here or download. The GrassCast is also available in the iTunes music store as an enhanced podcast containing photos and hyperlinks relative to the subject matter being discussed in the interview.

Listen now:
Direct Download: ep29_alan_munde.mp3
Subscribe with:
Free Download: The GrassCast iPodder software

To subscribe with your own podcatching software, copy and past this url into the appropriate entry box in your software: http://www.thegrasscast.com/rss

This post is a contribution from Alan Munde, banjo legend, teacher, performer, and writer. Be sure to check out Alan’s band The Alan Munde Gazette.

I have been teaching banjo in the Creative Arts Department (when I began it was known as the Country and Bluegrass Program) of South Plains College in Levelland, TX since 1986. Before that I was a touring bluegrass musician with Country Gazette, and before that a Sunny Mountain Boy with Jimmy Martin. During my time as a touring musician I tried my hand at giving lessons to supplement my income. Guided by my own experiences as a learner (a degree in Education from the University of Oklahoma was also helpful) and aided by the few instructional books available at the time, I created the best instructional method I could. I continued that method at South Plains College, expanding it with more teaching ideas from other banjo teachers and colleagues here.

For these many years I have tried my best to explain things I have found to be relevant in learning to play the banjo, things a good player needs to know how to do. But I continued to struggle with one issue that I still had trouble explaining. Students ask me, “Why can”t I just play what I feel? Why should I have to copy or learn the music of another player?” Many esteemed players, including Tony Trischka and Peter Wernick in their very fine book, Masters of the 5-String Banjo, added to my dilemma by giving contradictory advice that runs something like this: play it like Earl, don”t copy anybody, learn everything Scruggs did, develop your own style.

I finally realized that Trischka and others are addressing two different audiences. The first audience is of banjo students. As a student, we should strive to learn as much as we can about how the creators and masters of the instrumental style played so that we, too, might be able to play successfully in the style. What better model do we need than Earl Scruggs? Of course, there are others to learn from also - Stanley, Reno, Osborne, Shelton etc. - to get the full scope of the bluegrass banjo world. The second audience is banjo players as musical artists. Here one should strive to develop a personal style “? take the things we have learned as a student and add our own views of the art and become our own musical person. (more…)