Two Powerhouse Blues Bands Bring A Rare Musical Treat To The Latchis Stage
The Evan Goodrow Band And Brattleboro’s Own Scott Ainslie
From Preservation Hall New Orleans, to the crossroads of delta blues, to a full out Philadelphia funk festival—the Blues are coming live to the Latchis on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. to benefit Brattleboro Arts Initiative.
Blues fans and devotees will be delighted to hear Scott Ainslie fingering his magical acoustic slide guitar and sampling bits of one of the most famous Delta blues musicians, Robert Johnson. Ainslie is a devotee of the Mississippi blues legend and is the author of Robert Johnson/At the Crossroads (1992). He also is the video teacher for Robert Johnson’s Guitar Techniques (1997).
Ainslie plays and speaks of the music he loves with passion and authority. Combining thirty years of scholarship with almost forty playing guitar, from community concert series and local schools to the Kennedy Center and the renowned Empire Music Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Ainslie presents a beguiling mix of the African and American roots of the Blues, in story and song.
The Evan Goodrow Band, named as “Boston’s Best Blues Band”(BostonBlues.com) heats up the stage in what Evan Goodrow describes as Brand New Soul. Goodrow has been described as James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Dave Matthews wrapped into one package.
Bottle-fed from an early age to soothing sounds of Ray Charles and Solomon Burke, Evan Goodrow’s tastes shifted to the fiery stylings of Jimi Hendrix in his teenage years. Continuing his musical evolution, Goodrow then went on to pursue formal studies as a jazz guitarist, but he quickly had a revelation that he was pursuing something that the cold halls of academia would never hold.
“It’s supposed to feel good, and nothing made me feel as good as the Blues music I was raised on as a child,” Goodrow states emphatically “Blues and soul music is feel good music by definition. When you hear the classics, or even just when that rhythm hits you, you can’t help but smile. And that’s the feeling I want to bring to people with my music.”
He’s not alone in bringing this feel-good music to his fans. Backed by one of the tightest groups in the United States, The Evan Goodrow Band consists of a hand-picked lineup of some of the finest and funkiest players in the Northeast.
In recent years, an ever-expanding fan base has led the EGB to tirelessly tour the Northeast, branching out from the Boston area where they began their musical career. When the EGB won the Boston Blues Award in November 2007, they received enough airplay nationwide to place them on the CMJ Top 40 independent chart.
Goodrow’s credits include performances with B.B. King, Jimmy Buffett, Buddy Guy, Peter Frampton, Susan Tedeschi, G.E. Smith, Entrain, Gordon Beadle, David Maxwell, and Bruce Katz.
The Evan Goodrow Band and Scott Ainslie will be offering a blues improv workshop on Sunday, April 6. Those interested in playing with the band, getting a few lessons or just asking questions are welcome to attend. The cost is $10.
Sunday, April 6 Blues Improv Workshop at The Latchis, 12 Noon – 3:00
12 Noon – 1:30 p.m. Workshop with Blues Guitarist Scott Ainslie
(see details below)
1:30 – 3:00 The Evan Goodrow Band Workshop on Stage
Time on stage with Evan Goodrow and the band Bring your guitar and some cable and get ready to jam with the band. Evan will answer questions and impart the secrets of improvisation and electric blues.
Details for Workshop with Scott Ainslie
If you happen to have an interest in playing acoustic blues guitar (the musical roots of rock) including Delta Blues, Slide Guitar, Open Tunings, and Piedmont/Ragtime Blues---then you should plan on turning up for Scott Ainslie’s workshop.
Ainslie is the video instructor for Starlicks Videos’ Master Sessions “Robert Johnson’s Guitar Techniques” and author of “Robert Johnson/At The Crossroads”---a book of transcriptions, history and annotated lyrics from Johnson’s famous solo blues recordings of 1936-37. Ainslie has four acclaimed CDs and is a seasoned performer whose work includes the music of Blind Blake, Rev. Gary Davis, Muddy Waters, David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards, and the recently departed Virginia Bluesman John Jackson--a friend and mentor since 1967.
An accomplished teacher, Ainslie will spend his workshop time walking guitarists through a portion of Blues and slide guitar technique. Content of the workshop is always influenced by who is being taught, but sections on the ins and outs of slide playing in open and standard tunings, right hand/fingerpicking technique, and the special open bass chord transpositions that pepper any solo acoustic blues guitar performance will be covered in addition to requested material.
Participants should bring a heavy-walled porcelain, glass or brass slide that fits securely on their (little) finger, an audio recording device, paper and pencil. All are welcome.