The Sessions is a new class offered this year at Taborgrass. It is for students that have graduated from the morning and afternoon classes (Year 1 and Year 2).
The Sessions offers two small jams that are guided by professional musicians. The focus will be on honing your playing skills in a bluegrass jam.
The Sessions will go from 1pm to 2:30pm every Saturday. If you have been selected to participate, it is regular class admission.
Note: Sessions will no longer be invitation only. Greg will provide one or two session leaders on most Saturdays at 1pm. Qualified students can join the sessions any time. Please no more than 8 students per session. No more than 2 like instruments between the students in a session. And please don’t hog the sessions. Give everyone a chance to participate. Be courteous but also be opportunistic. Your instrument may be needed on consecutive weeks. There should be enough spaces available for everyone to participate at least every other week.
Cost is $10.
Requirements for Session players:
- You have completed the first two years of Taborgrass classes or you have received the green light from Greg to participate.
- No sheet music allowed
- You are able to play the songs/tunes at 138 beats per minute or better.
- You will be accountable for a clean solo break that follows the melody of the song/tune. (Leaders will assist you).
- You will be accountable to properly lead a song/tune in the jam. (Leaders will assist you)
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| Rollie Champe |
Instructors for The Sessions
Rollie Champe
Rollie plays guitar and bass with Fern Hill and has played in many well-known bands from Oregon to South Carolina. Rollie has a classic bluegrass tenor voice and contributes to any harmony part.
Mike Eisler
Mike began his fascination with string instruments at age 13 when his grandfather gave him a guitar. In high school he discovered Earl Scruggs and his five string banjo and was immediately hooked. Mike took up the
fiddle in college never thinking it would become his main instrument.
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| Mike Eisler |
He co-founded the Sawtooth Mountain Boys in 1965 as the banjo player and baritone singer. He has since played in numerous other bands over the years, such as The Coast Highway Boys, Kentucky Rose, Lee Highway, The Vern Williams Band and now Fern Hill. Mike loves the sound of rural bluegrass by the originators. He teaches fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar with an emphasis on learning to play by ear so that one can improvise melodies in different keys in real time. He has recorded on numerous albums and currently have an instrumental CD of all originals tunes available. The name of the project is Lost Tribe and that is the title cut.
Dave Elliott
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| Dave Elliott |
Dave plays the mandolin and sings, and has been a member of several well-known Portland Area bands including Surefire, Old Friends, and Sunny South. Dave hosts a popular bluegrass program on KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland, Oregon. Dave is a member of local bluegrass band, The Loafers.
John Kael
John has been teaching and performing bluegrass guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass for over 20 years, and is also an established songwriter - his award winning son, Handmade Cross, can be heard on the Grammy-nominated album "Hard Game of Love" by Doyle Lawson.
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| John Kael |
John has a passion for discovering new songs and tunes, for meeting new musicians to share them with and for fostering the music through camps, workshops and lessons.
Brian Oberlin
Brian is an internationally acclaimed mandolin player and educator. During his 14-year professional career, Brian has been playing swing, bluegrass, and Italian classical as a solo mandolinist and
www.mandoberlin.com vocalist. Along with the myriad of award-winning bands (Ger Mandolin Orchestra with Mike Marshall) and ensembles he has collaborated with throughout the United States and Europe, Brian is also the founder and director of the River of the West Mandolin Camp and the Oregon Mandolin Orchestra.
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| Brian Oberlin |
Most recently, Brian was a top ten finalist at the 2013 Telluride Troubadour Contest, an instructor/performer at the International Mandolin Academy in Italy, and a featured soloist at the EuroFest Plucked String Festival in Bruchsal, Germany. When he is not performing, Brian teaches music to children and adults at art centers, cultural events, festivals, camps, music schools and academies. Originally from Rockford, Michigan, Brian now lives in Portland, Oregon.
Mike Stahlman
Mike plays Scruggs style 5 string banjo with just enough melodic influences to interpret old fiddle tunes and jazz standards.
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| Mike Stahlman |
Mike Stahlman is one of the best Scruggs style banjo players in the Northwest. He is a veteran Sawtooth Mountain Boy as well as Lee Highway member. Mike was formerly a member of the well known Portland band, Sunny South. Mike is a member of local bluegrass band, The Loafers.
Annie Staninec
Annie has been playing bluegrass since the age of five, began performing professionally at the age of 12, and now makes her living playing, recording, giving lessons, and touring across North America and internationally.
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| Annie Staninec |
Annie's collaboration with the Kathy Kallick Band showcases her fiery soloing (think Scotty Stoneman meets Benny Martin) and gives her the chance to express lyrical, sensitive backup. Annie won the 2008 and 2009 Fiddle Player of the Year awards from the Northern California Bluegrass Society, as well as the 2006 Outstanding Young Musician award at Djangofest Northwest. Annie has recorded and toured extensively with Town Mountain from Asheville, NC, and has performed with the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band, Darol Anger’s Republic of Strings, David Grisman’s Gypsy Caravan, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, and John Reischman and the Jaybirds. Currently she plays with the Kathy Kallick Band, Mary Gauthier, and Andrew Carriere and the Cajun All-Stars. Annie has been giving workshops and private lessons
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| Aaron Stocek |
since the age of 16, and has led workshops at Kaufman Kamp and Cordova music camp for three consecutive years in addition to having taught at the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop in 2011 and 2012, and the CBA Wintercamp in 2012.
Aaron Stocek
Aaron plays both lead and rhythm guitar. He has been playing bluegrass and flatpick style guitar since he turned 16. Aaron can play fast driving fiddle tunes and slow and pretty waltz numbers with an emphasis on melody and tone. Aaron is a member of The Loafers.
Annalisa Tornfelt
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| Annalisa Tornfelt |
Annalisa grew up in Anchorage, Alaska as the oldest of five. Her parents were orchestra teachers and some of her fondest memories are falling asleep to their quartet rehearsals, going to music festivals and playing violin next to her mom and sister in Handel’s “Messiah”. She currently plays fiddle and sings in the Portland based band, “Black Prairie”, and is releasing her second solo album, ‘Search Zero’ October 23, 2015. Annalisa runs a full time violin & fiddle studio in Southeast Portland and enjoys teaching children and adults.
