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The 18th Annual Banjo Special

The Tranzac, 292 Brunswick Ave., Toronto, ON

$20.00 admission - doors open 7:30 show starts at 8:00p.m. Sunday February 11th. We are back at the Tranzac Club,292 Brunswick Ave., Toronto, Ontario M5S 2M7 Reserve advanced tickets here: https://chriscoole.com/event/2180304/463524808/the-banjo-special

The Banjo Special, once again and for the 18th year, brings together 4 of Canada’s top players to celebrate this wonderful instrument. Come and join Chris Coole, Arnie Naiman, Brian Taheny, and Chris Quinn, and our special guests, as we present an evening of songs and tunes with banjos at the heart of it all. There will be; breakdowns and marches, picks and bare fingers, songs new and old, tubaphones and flatheads, Vegas and Gibsons. And, it will all be handled with flair, fun, and big style. Join us as we and our special guests bring fiddles, guitars, ukuleles, mandolins, basses and voices to rally ‘round the banjo; raising it up for all to hear.

Meet the banjo pickers.

Across Canada and the United States, Chris Coole has become as much of a household name on the claw-hammer banjo as one can become. As a teacher, composer, and performer; he has plied his trade professionally for more than 25 years. Today, Chris is one of the most respected names in the business. He has recorded on more than 100 CDs as a sideman or featured artist. His compositions are performed by other pros. With his vast experience and great musical sense, Chris is often sought after to produce studio recordings for others. http://www.chriscoole.com/home

Arnie Naiman is a unique banjo player for his claw-hammer and fingerpicking styles. He was influenced by folk music of the 60’s and 70’s as well as by the music of pre-war artists such as Uncle Dave Macon, Charlie Poole, and The Carter Family to name only a few: Arnie is a very fine interpreter of these old songs and tunes. Arnie’s own banjo compositions are various; some joyous and celebratory, others haunting and dark. Arnie currently performs with Hannah Shira Naiman, Ragged But Right, and also in the Virginia based old-time String Band, Albemarle Ramblers. Arnie has recently released his solo CD, My Lucky Stars. http://arnienaiman.com/home

From Sligo, Ireland Brian Taheny covers the jigs and reels on the tenor banjo. Brian was originally inspired to take up the banjo through the recordings of The Dubliners with the late Barney McKenna on the banjo. Brian is a wonderful multi-instrumentalist who is often called upon to play mandolin, guitar, bass, fiddle, and banjo. Brian brings this overarching musicality to his approach to the banjo. Brian has recorded extensively and is a fixture on the traditional Celtic scene in Canada and Ireland. http://www.merriweather.ca/brian-taheny.html

Chris Quinn began his Scruggs style bluegrass odyssey in 1979. Having performed on over 100 CDs as a sideman or featured artist, Quinn is a central figure on the bluegrass scene in Canada and abroad. Chris has become renowned for his solid timing, his sense of taste and tone, and his creative back-up playing. A sought after teacher, Chris has taught hundreds of people at camps and workshops; from Quebec to Tennessee, from BC to Asia. As younger players have come along to join the professional scene, Chris has been a mentor to many of them. Today, some of Chris’ former students have gone on to professional careers in music too. www.chris-quinn.ca

3-5 PM CLAWHAMMER BANJO WORKSHOP with ARNIE NAIMAN Cost: $40.00 (Cash)

If you are a banjo player who wants to learn the clawhammer style, or a clawhammer banjo player who wants to improve your technique and learn some new tunes, this workshop is for you! Stay for some homemade soup and sourdough bread before the evening concert. 7:00 PM CONCERT - ARNIE NAIMAN & HANNAH SHIRA NAIMAN Cost: $20.00 (Cash)

The Brubacher House presents two of Toronto's finest old-time musicians, ARNIE NAIMAN and HANNAH SHIRA NAIMAN, in concert.

Details contact Laura Enns 519-886-3855 or bhouse@uwaterloo.ca

Date: Saturday, March 25, 2017 at 8 pm (doors open at 7:30 pm) Location: Rosemount Hall, 41 Rosemount Ave (Google maps link) Tickets: $20 when purchased here (below) or $22 at the door Well-known in Toronto's 'old time' folk music community, Hannah and Arnie come together in concert. Each having released individual solo CDs in 2016, they perform cuts from these backing one-another on banjo, fiddle and guitar. Hannah crafts original songs that ring with influences of Ola Belle Reed, The Carter Family, American oldtime, and traditional English ballads. Her new record Know the Mountain ranges from sweet waltzes about fishes and birds to dark murder ballads and haunting instrumental reels. Arnie Naiman is one of the leading exponents of old-time banjo and an important figure on the Canadian old-time and bluegrass scene, influencing many players with his dexterous approach with two-finger picking and clawhammer style. "My Lucky Stars" is his latest album. It consists primarily of Arnie's original tunes, written over the past ten years and features an all-star group of Canadian musicians. Tickets: http://www.ottawacontra.ca/view/default.asp?concert

Arnie & Chris perform an afternoon set commemorating the recording of "5 Strings Attached With No Backing" 20 years ago Banjofest Guelph Saturday March 11 2017 Silence, 46 Essex Street Afternoon Session 2pm to 5:30pm Buckwheat Honey James Gordon Chris Coole and Arnie Naiman The BIG Schotts Evening Session 8pm to 11pm Banjo Mechanics Tim Posgate and Andrew Downing Lonesome Ace Stringband Tickets are $25 ea. for either the afternoon or evening session and $40 for the whole day. Tickets will be for sale on-line January but if you want to make sure you get seats (there are only 55 tickets available for each session) and avoid service charges, you can get them now by emailing info@woodhallmusic.com. I will make sure the tickets get to you directly (if you live in Guelph) or by mail if you don't. Paypal will also be available if required. And yes, there will be beer!

Double cd release concert . Chris Coole for "The Tumbling River" and Arnie Naiman for "My Lucky Stars"

Chris Coole releases his new recording "The Tumbling River" "The Tumbling River" is a program of highly narrative story songs, sung and played on five string banjo and guitar - eight originals with four covers. For the June 17 CD release, Coole will be joined by all the musicians who played on the album - Burke Carrol (Pedal Steel), Andrew Collins (Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello), Brian Kobayakawa (Bowed Bass), Ivan Rosenberg (Dobro), Simone Schmidt (Vocals, Guitar), Kristine Schmitt (Vocals), and John Showman (Fiddle) "Renowned for his clawhammer banjo picking, Coole now establishes himself as a gripping songwriter." - Roddy Campbell, Penguin Eggs Magazine Chris's website:http://chriscoole.com/

Arnie Naiman releases his new recording "My Lucky Stars" "This recording project is a collection of mostly original instrumental music composed on the 5 string banjo over the last ten years.There are some solo, duo pieces with Chris Coole on guitar, and band selections with Chris Coole- guitar, John Showman- fiddle, Hannah Shira Naiman -fiddle, and Max Heineman on bass.They will all be joining us for the concert. Arnie's website: http://arnienaiman.com/

Cds will be available for sale at the concert.

LISTEN TO RECORDED MUSIC 

BY ARNIE NAIMAN IN THE PLAYER - FREE

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