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Lauren Sheehan, Songster
 Autumn, 2010
"...an American roots artist...able to capture the real spirit of the music, nestling in a territory where black and white music meet without prejudice and restriction." Peter McCracken, Centrum, Port Townsend, WA
New Recordings - Autumn 2010
Wepecket Island Records and Wilson River Records
Wepecket Island Records, (New Bedford, MA), is "Traditional American Music by Modern Masters". Led by the inspired Jack Radcliffe, the folks with this label are working on a Piedmont blues compilation CD called "Pick a Peck of Piedmont Pickers". I am pleased to be joining the family and will be adding some songs to this project. Use the link below to check out the label and the many fine musicians and projects in the catalog.
http://www.wepecket.com/
Rose City Rambles, Wilson River Records is my 3rd CD and should be done this fall, with release in the new year. It is something of a Portland portrait, hence Rose City, and features many of the fine local musicians I have been fortunate to work with in the past few years, like Terry Robb and Greg Clarke among others. As you would expect, there is a variety of country blues, folk and old time music as well as some originals. Billy Oskay, out at Big Red Studio in Corbett, OR, has helped produce and engineer again. I love the warm real sound he knows how to capture. More about this later...
Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival
Thoughts and photos from 2010 http://www.centrum.org/blues/
Every summer, Centrum hosts a week of country blues camp and concerts up in Port Townsend, WA. The week long event is focused on keeping country blues alive by bringing professionals and other bearers of different blues traditions together with students of various backgrounds and interests. Folks dance, sing and play; guitars - wooden and metal, mandolins, harmonicas, piano, washboards, basses, horns, accordions and more. They take classes, jam and listen to many of our most talented and nuanced country blues musicians play, tell stories and lies and join in a good time centered around the music.
I go there to immerse myself in the sounds, nuances and feel of different acoustic blues traditions, and sometimes am part of the faculty. This year I led a jug band every afternoon, collaborating with pals Steve Cheseborough and Johnnie Ward, both fine Portland blues musicians. We listened to old music and learned several tunes, then cleaned up 'Tear it Down" for the student performance. Our Jig Jag Jug band rocked the house.
Steve Cheseborough www.stevecheseborough.com & Johnnie Ward.
Some photos and web sites of some of my favorite players are on the side bar in case you are interested. My biggest surprise was to meet Piedmont player Jeffrey Scott, a fine picker who is John Jackson's nephew, and embodies a great deal of and John's style and grace. What a pleasure to spend time with him and hear that sweet sound .
New England in the Fall
Schedule posted soon. Send an e mail if you want to help me set up something near you, like a house concert or workshop.
Lessons - New Group Ensemble class in Ptld.
6 Weds, Sept 15 & 29, All Oct 7 30-9 pm $120
This workshop or group class is for folks who can play and sing some and want to play with others and develop songs for singing and/or playing. We will learn general techniques for playing well with others and how to vary, alter and adapt our playing to enhance the 'ensemble' sound. All instruments and voices are welcome. We'll choose songs from a variety of American folk genres, like jug or country blues, bluegrass, 60's folk, etc. , pick keys, learn parts, rehearse and jam.
Bring wine or small treats, recorders, song books and pencils.
To Register - reply to this e mail
Birdfest and Bluegrass
Old Liberty Theater, Oct 9 2pm http://www.oldlibertytheater.com/
I love playing in the beautiful Old Liberty Theater in Ridgefield, WA. Not only is the theater a lovely sound and archetectural experience, but the this Birdfest and Bluegrass festival combines two of my favorite things, nature and acoustic music. Check out the web site for the complete list of family and adult activites. And I have included the beginning of their PR to tempt you.
http://www.ridgefieldfriends.org/birdfest.php
"Join the Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Staff as we celebrate the coming of fall and the wildlife that make the Refuge their winter home. BirdFest and Bluegrass is an opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of fall migration and bluegrass music throughout Ridgefield. Come meet people from near and far during our 11th annual BirdFest and Bluegrass.
The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge will be free during BirdFest! Suggested Clothing: Appropriate shoes are suggested for any of the tours and walks. Dress in layers for the weather and carry water. Rain or Shine. Even if it is raining you'll have plenty to enjoy indoors."
Muddy Rudder
Lots of great changes - moving toward a better listening room
 There are plans to be excited about at the Muddy Rudder in Portland. If you are out of town, then I will fill you in briefly by saying that this is a very hip but low key place in town that my brother built and runs. I have enjoyed helping with music there, and I am lucky to have such a charming place for a regular show in my home town. (The fabulous and changing selections of micro-brews, delicious artisan pizzas and cozy fire or outside seating in the garden is pretty good, too). Jim began serving liquor this spring, and now he is addressing acoustic needs for the room.
Sound baffling is coming. No, that doesn't mean we are going to start producing avant garde music too hip for any of us to comprehend. Rather, acoustic panels should be installed this month and the room's sound should improve significantly.
I look forward to playing there most Thursdays and seeing how the changes work. Greg and I will be there 2nd Thursdays, and I have various guests lined up for your, and my, pleasure.
Be sure to note the special filming for on Sept 12. Greg, JD Dawson and I will be doing sets for a special internet filming session that the Muddy Rudder is joining forces with. Come if you would like to be part of the selective audience.
Atomic Cocktails
1st Tuesdays 8pm Mock Crest Tavern 3435 North Lombard Street Portland, OR 97217
It's a blast, Atomic cocktail night with the jivin' Johnnie Ward and his Eagle Ridin' Papas jug band. Expect changing drink specials sure to mushroom your mind, new tunes and hokum, as elder statesman Mr. Chauncey blows the coolest jug west of the Mississippi. That's right folks, it's a jug band with a jug.
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