Wintergrass is described as a family-friendly Bluegrass music festival, with concerts and dances at 4 different stages. There are also music education programs for kids and adults, workshops, impromptu jams, and a chance to see and hear some great music.
One of my favorite folk/bluegrass artists, Sarah Jarosz, was playing several sets, but I was eager to check out others. The festival was held in Bellevue’s Hyatt Regency because, “What depicts the poor man’s music better than a $2000/night hotel?” Overall though, it was a great venue to hold such an event. The wide open areas enabled groups of people to gather for impromptu jam sessions with instruments such as acoustic guitars, mandolins, upright basses and I even saw a couple wash tubs. These jam sessions were as good as the paid performers. And many of the musicians in these sessions were teens and preadolescents who played as adeptly as the adults they jammed with.
After Sarah I caught a six piece outfit from Nashville called Steeldrivers. Although I only caught about the first three or four songs before I had to catch a bus back to Seattle, I liked what I heard. Steeldrivers played an eclectic set with a vocalist who sang with a (for lack of a better description) sort of cheerful sneer. Their upbeat music contained elements of bluegrass, country and folk. I was sorry I couldn’t stick around for their entire set. Steeldrivers are, Richard Bailey – Banjo Mike Fleming – Bass/Vocals Brent Truitt – Mandolin Tammy Rogers – Fiddle/Vocals Gary Nichols- Guitar/Vocals.
Getting there by ten a.m. Sunday morning allowed me to see a youth orchestra who had been rehearsing and doing workshops all weekend leading up to their big performance. There were over 100 young musicians, all of middle school age playing on that stage. At times it was just these young musicians playing, while other times adult musicians came on stage while the kids played in the background. The ability of these kids was no less than astounding and it’s heartening to see so many young people learning the discipline of music. My hat goes off to their teachers and their parents for teaching and encouraging these young people in the find craft of musicianship.
Next up was another solo performance from Sarah Jarosz. This time she accompanied herself mostly with either banjo or guitar and not much of the mandolin. She performed a stunning version of McCartney’s “Wings Of A Nightingale.” This time when she finished her set she received a raucous standing ovation. Everyone began to leave until Aoife O’Donovan returned and provided dueling guitars and vocals that filled the hall while everyone rushed back to their seats to enjoy this added and unexpected bonus.
The final act I saw, I chose by an eenie meanie meenie moe system. Really, I was closest to the room where a four-piece from Oregon’s Willamette Valley called True North were playing. It didn’t take me long to realize I chose a rare gem. True North played a varied set that at times was reminiscent of the old big band sound of long ago, but with blue grass instruments. In between songs they told corny jokes, like claiming one of the members had another job as a magician and got to cut people in half. She claimed she often got asked if she has brothers or sisters, to which she claimed she has a half-brother and a half-sister. This brought assorted groans from around the room. One of their songs, about someone who was taken from this world before their time, brought tears to my eyes, as it reminded me of my dear friend Dennis Hoban who was taken from me way too soon. I haven’t had a song invoke that much emotion in me in a long time.
True North is comprised of two husbands and two wives and consist of, Kristen Grainger, lead vocals, Dan Wetzel, mandolin, guitar, vocals, Dale Adkins, guitar, banjo, vocals, Suzanne Pearce, upright bass, vocals.
Wintergrass plays every year. Next year I’m definitely attending all four days.
