Camp Coach Information
2021 Guest Coach
Mitch Reed
From Mitch Reed's Website:
"I am a multi-instrumentalist, traditional music instructor, and storyteller. Born in Bayou Vista, raised in Lafayette by musicians and storytellers from Mamou, at 15 I began playing the fiddle and studying traditional Cajun and Creole music. By 17 I toured as a cultural ambassador in Smithsonian Institution Office of Folklife Programs, and have continued to work with them since 1989. During my career, I have played alongside Louisiana greats such as Canray Fontenot, Bois Sec Ardoin, Charles Neville, and George Porter. I have performed on four Grammy Nominated albums, and in 2009 I was awarded a Grammy with BeauSoleil for the album 'Live at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.' Over the years I have built an extensive repertoire and learned an old style of playing which is evident in my sound today. Learn more at his website
Coaches
Shana Aisenberg mandolin, guitar, old-time banjo
Shana Aisenberg is a nationally recognized multi-instrumentalist, playing, composing, recording, and teaching diverse acoustic roots styles from traditional southern Appalachian and Celtic, to eastern European Klezmer, bottleneck blues and jazz. She has been a national flatpicking champion.
Melissa Bragdon Caron fiddle
Melissa is known for playing and teaching many different styles of music. She is a member of the bluegrass band "Jerks of Grass" and the old-time band "Sugar Hill." She was greatly involved in the development of 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth, Maine. Melissa co-directs the New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble with Ellen Carlson, a diverse group with over 100 members!
Denny Breau guitar
From DennyBreau.com "Denny Breau's rhythmically flawless and dazzlingly clear style allows him to do amazing and stunning things with a six-string guitar. He first draws in an audience with a finely arranged melody and then slides effortlessly into scorching fingerwork that sets ears aflame. Lucky Clark has said that 'Denny is a consummate picker, evocative songwriter, and a singer with a voice that is warm and inviting but completely unpretentious.' He has long been in demand as a studio musician and has done jingles and sound tracks for radio and television as well as recorded and produced albums for other artists."
Susie Burke vocals, guitar
Susie Burke has a vocal style that is at once stunning and heartfelt. "Burke displays a gift for pulling honest emotional chords--all too rare in these clever and cynical times." (Scott Alarik, Boston Globe)
Bruce Carlson pedal steel guitar
Bruce adds strong jamming skills to the mix, plus he plays the elusive pedal steel guitar (lessons provided also). We let one electric instrument squeak in because he's Ellen’s brother!
Darrell Carlson Country, Bluegrass, Swing, Rock guitar, vocals
Darrell has been playing guitar and singing since he was nine years old. He started a band when he was twelve and his sister Ellen and brother Bruce joined in along with some neighborhood kids. Not only has he played with bands in Connecticut and New Hampshire, but he jams into the wee hours playing everything from country to rock to blues welcoming players of all levels.
Ellen Carlson fiddle, hamboning
Fiddler Ellen Carlson has a strong grasp on several musical genres. She has played with bluegrass, swing, western swing, country, Irish and square dance bands. Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine gave her a coveted highlight review for her solo album "People I Play With" as well as three excellent reviews for her band High Range, calling her "a talented musician." She teaches at numerous festivals and workshops including Fiddle Hell, Grey Fox, Joe Val, and Pemi Valley. She started and leads the NH Fiddle Ensemble (featured on WMUR's Chronicle) with over 80 members. She is a member of the NH State Council on the Arts Teaching Roster.
Paul Hubert guitar
Paul Hubert has performed extensively as a solo artist on classical guitar and as a singer/songwriter. He is the guitarist extraordinaire with the NH-based band The Buskers, featuring tasteful fingerstyle guitar to blues-to-the-metal rock licks. He has produced three solo recordings and is featured on several other recordings and has an ongoing relationship with the New Hampshire Very Special Arts program.
Amanda Kowalski bass
Amanda Kowalski was the original bassist with the bluegrass band "Della Mae" and has been on many a national stage. In addition to playing fabulous bass she sings lead and harmony vocals and has taught at Augusta Heritage Center and other camps.
Carter Logan banjo, dobro
Carter is a founding member of the Maine-based bluegrass band "Jerks of Grass" and has played with the group for 20 years. He is a veteran of the acoustic music scene in New England. When he's not busy teaching music, performing or practicing, he enjoys spending time with his daughter Sarah when she's home from college. He studied music at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Carter teaches at 317 Main Community Music Center and is often referred to as "317 Main's Ambassador of Fun." Carter has taught at our camp before and we are excited to have him back.
Steve Roy bass, mandolin, fun-meister
Steve Roy has toured on bass with bluegrass fiddler Laurie Lewis, Hit and Run Bluegrass and was a member of High Range. He currently plays with the Stowaways and Erica Brown and leads the bluegrass jam in Dover.
David Surette guitar, mandolin
David Surette is considered one of New England's finest guitarists, and has distinguished himself among North American Celtic guitarists by his use of Breton and French materials. He also plays mandolin and bouzouki. He is sought after as an accompanist in New England contra dance circles, recording with Rodney Miller, and is head of the folk department at the Concord Community Music School.
Coaches and Back Up Musicians From Previous Years
Kathy Sommer Fiddle, Fiddleheads JamCamp Original Co-Organizer for over 22 years and an inspiration to many of our campers (including Ellen and Melissa) and perhaps guest at anytime.
Kathy plays fiddle, electric violin, mandolin, and sings with the band The Buskers, a wild and fun, folky and funky band based in NH, and performs with northern NY musicians as Yellow Moon Jazz. She is adept at folk, swing and jazz, and has tried her hand at the Latin jazz scene as well. You can catch her performing across state lines, traveling with The Buskers or playing a variety of gigs in northern NY, including the Northern Lights Orchestra. She also has played many years for New England contra and square dances, was a member of The Fiddleheads Band, and Sweet, Red, Hot, and Sassy, and gives fiddle workshops in NH and NY.
Woody Pringle Old-Time Banjo
Bob Kordas Banjo, Resophonic Guitar (Dobro)
Alan Epstein Mandolin
Byron Berline Fiddle
David Greely Cajun Fiddle
Andrea Larson Swedish
Andrew VanNorstrand Fiddle, Mandolin, Guitar
Carter Logan Banjo, Dobro
Jason Anick Fiddle, Mandolin
Erica Brown Fiddle
Bob Amos Banjo, Guitar, Songwriting
Jim Prendergast Guitar, Irish
Matt Glaser Fiddle
Darol Anger Fiddle
Joyce Andersen Fiddle and Vocals
Harvey Reid Guitar and Vocals
Matt Shipman Guitar, Bass and Mandolin
Rodney Miller The Great Contra Dance Fiddler
David Surrette Folk and Bluegrass, Guitar and Mandolin
Shana Aisenburg Guitar, Mandolin and Fiddle
Ryan Thomson Fiddle, Accordion, Penny Whistle and Dance
Donna Hebert Fiddle
Liza Constable Guitar and Vocals
Paul Bourgelais Guitar
Nancy Harrowitz Vocals
Diane Kordas Bass, Vocals and Song Writing
Todd Jones Guitar, Banjo, Vocals and Song Writing
Skip Gorman Mandolin and Cowboy Historian
August Watters Guitar, Bass, Mandolin and Vocals
Steve Roy Bass and Fun
Dave Talmage Banjo and Fiddle
Sue Hunt Piano, Accordion and Calling
Peter Stillwagon Guitar
This is our 24th JamCamp!
Sept. 10-12, 2021
blues, bluegrass, jigs, jazz, cajun, country and more!
Fiddleheads Acoustic JamCamp
PO Box 77
Nottingham, NH 03290