We have a TaborGrass Facebook page now. Check it out here:
http://www.facebook.com/Taborgrass
Please "Like" it so you'll be notified about updates to the page. This will also be a great place to post photos, videos, trade song ideas, and so on.
An organization offering bluegrass workshops, jams, and musical community in Portland, OR.
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Monday, November 7, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
A Sense of Community
Greg read this blog from Peter's brother who lives in Michigan and wants to share it with all of you:
A Sense of Community
My lucky brother is retired. Not only is he retired, he is busy, and happily so. He and his wife ride bikes and travel, much of it your usual retirement fare. But they also have started to play bluegrass music. Both my brother and his wife decided a few years back to take up an instrument in retirement. He labors away on the guitar and she on a violin. Luckier still, they live in a suburb of Portland, Oregon, a city populated by people who know how to live and choose to be part of the game rather than simply populate the sidelines.
An example of that spirit manifests itself in Taborgrass, a local effort to bring aspiring bluegrass musicians together to learn, well, how to be bluegrass musicians.
Recently my brother sent along a link which included a video of their spring concert. I dialed in the other morning and watched the whole 60-plus minute production. I'm not the world's biggest bluegrass fan although I do enjoy it in small doses. But this was great. More than just the music, I was struck by the beautiful portrayal of community illustrated by this group, standing and sitting together, plugging away at producing a beautiful and common sound. As I watched the concert I couldn't help but think this is what it is to be a successful community. Although a racially homogeneous group, there certainly does appear to be a good variety of age, gender, and personality types. Everyone is in their version of a white shirt but, even in that, there is variety. But the end product is a beautiful sound, a sound which every member of this diverse group is applying their skill to accomplish.
Wouldn't it be great if we all lived our lives in the same fashion as the members of this orchestra, working with every effort made to ensure the success of all? Truly a community. Check it out.
A Sense of Community
My lucky brother is retired. Not only is he retired, he is busy, and happily so. He and his wife ride bikes and travel, much of it your usual retirement fare. But they also have started to play bluegrass music. Both my brother and his wife decided a few years back to take up an instrument in retirement. He labors away on the guitar and she on a violin. Luckier still, they live in a suburb of Portland, Oregon, a city populated by people who know how to live and choose to be part of the game rather than simply populate the sidelines.
An example of that spirit manifests itself in Taborgrass, a local effort to bring aspiring bluegrass musicians together to learn, well, how to be bluegrass musicians.
Recently my brother sent along a link which included a video of their spring concert. I dialed in the other morning and watched the whole 60-plus minute production. I'm not the world's biggest bluegrass fan although I do enjoy it in small doses. But this was great. More than just the music, I was struck by the beautiful portrayal of community illustrated by this group, standing and sitting together, plugging away at producing a beautiful and common sound. As I watched the concert I couldn't help but think this is what it is to be a successful community. Although a racially homogeneous group, there certainly does appear to be a good variety of age, gender, and personality types. Everyone is in their version of a white shirt but, even in that, there is variety. But the end product is a beautiful sound, a sound which every member of this diverse group is applying their skill to accomplish.
Wouldn't it be great if we all lived our lives in the same fashion as the members of this orchestra, working with every effort made to ensure the success of all? Truly a community. Check it out.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Video of the Spring Concert!
Tom Kunkel's friend James Erickson recorded the whole concert on video and it's now on YouTube here:
The video is unlisted on YouTube so you can't find it by searching, but here's a link if you want to share it with your friends and family: http://youtu.be/VKHL8Bit6Lw
The video is unlisted on YouTube so you can't find it by searching, but here's a link if you want to share it with your friends and family: http://youtu.be/VKHL8Bit6Lw
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Review of the Spring Concert
"We loved the Spring
concert last night at the church on Harrison. Our son plays the guitar with
your group. It was fantastic....Thanks for the fun entertainment."
Anonymous comment posted on the YouTube page of Taborgrass.com
Anonymous comment posted on the YouTube page of Taborgrass.com