Common Ground Folk Series @ Lewisboro Library
15 Main Street, South Salem NY

presents

Harry Bolick and Joel Wennerstrom

Harry Bolick and Joel Wennerstrom combine hard driving southern fiddle tunes, lyrical blues, and tight harmony singing to weave a spellbinding performance interlaced with a bit of history, a flavor of southern culture, and the joy of music. A thirty year veteran of the New York ‘Oldtimey’ music scene, fiddler Harry Bolick has mastered a variety of local fiddling styles from the southern states in a multitude of differing tunings, and has collected and composed a large number of contemporary fiddle tunes in traditional styles.

Born in Mississippi, he has focused on, recorded, and taught workshops in the classic fiddle tunes from Carroll County, Mississippi. He has 5 recordings to his credit and performs in the "Wahoo String Band", as well as leading duos and bands under his own name.

Reflecting on his background, he explained: “My mother was born in Carrollton, Carroll County, and I was born in the nearest hospital in the next county. I spent summers in the County as a child and have been visiting relatives there ever since.  I remember playing for my grandfather [on one visit] and being surprised when he volunteered that he knew "Carroll County Blues." I had thought him oblivious to music. I later found out that before he married he was quite the dancer! He did not talk about it around his church-going wife! Avalon, the home place of ‘Mississippi’ John, Narmour, and Smith, is only about 5 miles from my grandfather's farm.” Harry went on to college in Alabama, where he recalls “I was lucky to meet and study with folklorist Beatrice McClain. Her family's band, the McClain Family, toured for the Department of State and played Carnegie Hall. She inspired me to learn square dancing, to learn my first fiddle tunes, to go to fiddle contests, and when I moved to Manhattan in my 20's, to search out the folk music community.”

Harry actually mastered the fiddle in Brooklyn, playing with the local accomplished players there: “I am almost totally self taught, learning ‘on the job’ while I played, as well as from the classic recordings of the 1920's-30's…The Brooklyn players were inspired by regular sessions with the Red Clay Ramblers from North Carolina, who were in town for an extended run in the play "Diamond Studs.” In addition to the many house parties and sessions, playing on the streets, public regular jam sessions, coffeehouse concerts and square dances, we would all go to many southern fiddle festivals.”

Recently Harry has put his focus on the Carroll County tunes that he learned from recordings made in the 1920's by musicians William Thomas Narmour, Shell Smith, and “Mississippi” John Hurt. During the two years before recording the "Carroll County, Mississippi",  Harry had visited Carroll County and elsewhere in Mississippi to do fieldwork, interviewing musicians to more fully understand this music. While other states share many tunes and approaches to playing, the Mississippi tradition stands out for its unusual melodies and rhythms.

Clawhammer banjo has been a main focus for Joel Wennerstrom since moving from Ohio to NYC in 2001. He performs with numerous old-time and contra dance musicians in the area, and was a founding member of Two Lost Turkeys old time string band (formerly The Moonshiners). When not playing music, he makes his living designing things and teaching design and drawing at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. "As an educator, I am surrounded by young, creative, energetic people who have a profound affect on me and my attitude towards life, and help me learn about myself," he says. "As a musician I am surrounded by talented friends who pour their hearts out through their hands and voices. As a designer, I discover other's needs and strive to make a difference in their lives any way I can."

Tickets: Adults -  $12 in advance, $15 at the door; Seniors - $12 at the door