Workshops at the 2007 Festival

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A variety of 1-hour workshops are planned for the 2007 Festival. All workshops will be free for anyone with a 3-Day Festival Pass. Entry will be $5 at the door for everyone else.

The following workshops will be held on Saturday 10th February
at the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium on the corner of Bourke & Verner Streets (between the two cathedrals).

WORKSHOP 1 (10am):
"Want to Play the Blues in Australia - A How To Guide" (10am) John Durr from Australia's premier blues record label Black Market Music will be presenting this workshop covering what the aspiring Blues musician needs to know such as: How do I get a gig?, What do I need to do once I have a gig?, When and where should I record?, Appearance - does it matter?, Do I need to practice?, What material should I do? …and more.

WORKSHOP 2 (11.15am):
Slide guitar presented by 8 Ball Aitken. Far North Queensland roots guitarist/singer 8 Ball Aitken teaches slide guitar and song writting from an original Australian roots and blues perpective. From open tunings, techniques and riffs to getting an angle and a groove for an original song. 8 Ball has tips to help musicians from beginners to advanced get great tone. Rattling the roof and stomping the planks exposed!

WORKSHOP 3 (12.30pm):
Presented by guitarist/singer/songwriter Lloyd Spiegel. Lloyd will be sharing his vast experience in the industry from his earliest days performing professionally at aged 13 and recording his first CD at age 15, to his travels around the world, performing with renowned blues artists and his work promoting Youth in Blues here in Australia and overseas. Lloyd is a naturally gifted story-teller who has lived far more than his age would suggest. You are in for a treat whether you are a novice, a pro, or just a fan of the music and the man.

WORKSHOP 4 (1.45pm):
Didgeridoo presented by Matt Gresham. This will be a performance/teaching session on playing the didgeridoo. Matt will cover rhythms and techniques, buying the right didge, explaining why the higher the didge the faster you play, etc... questions welcomed.

WORKSHOP 5 (3pm):
"An Intro to Cajun and Zydeco Music"
Featuring a variety of instruments including fiddle, accordion, guitars and percussion with Allez-Gator

This workshop will be followed by an Allez-Gator performance.

Proceeds from the above events will be donated to the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium.

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ADDITIONAL WORKSHOP (10.30am) - at the Goulburn Club
"Harmonica in Blues"
Merewether Fats will be demonstrating and explaining the different techniques necessary to play the different forms of traditional blues eg. acoustic/delta blues (like Sonny boy 1 & 2 and Sonny Terry), Chicago electric (like Little Walter, James Cotton) and guitar & harp (like Jimmy Reed & Doctor Ross), etc. He will be using 'C' and 'A' diatonic harmonicas.

Merewether Fats bio: Mark Salter is a professional harmonica player and teacher (classes, private and workshops) and band leader with his own band (Merewether Fats and the Kings Biscuit Blues Band). He is also founder and president of the Harmonicists Collective, an appreciation society for harmonica enthusiasts, (see www.hunterharps.com). He runs a blues jam every month and is proficient in demonstrating the differences in techniques and styles, necessary to go from acoustic to Chicago and rack playing.