Spring 2013

A funny thing happened to me on the way to Guitar Camp. A few years ago, we found ourselves teaching a summer workshop in upstate New York - not too far from Woodstock actually. We'd found a great little venue; a Catskills hideaway not unlike the Fur Peace Ranch. We got there a day before students were to arrive and the drive up Route 28 was just beautiful...just as picturesque as it could get at that time of year. Just before our turn on to our road we passed this hidden gem of a resort, apparently it's the crown jewel of the Catskill Mountain resorts, it also houses "America's largest kaleidoscope." That sounded intriguing, so the first chance that we got to sneak away from our resort we headed back there to see what this kaleidoscope was all about.

The kaleidoscope is housed in a silo. Along with a multi-media presentation called "America, The House We Live In," which depicted an animated video of U.S. history accompanied by a sound track -  we were treated to a ten to fifteen minute presentation. The part that really got me - and I mean really got me - was when they got to the 1960's era. Now remember, we are looking at this in 16 different pie shaped segments (hence the kaleidoscope imagery) - their version of the 60's was a pot leaf shown to the sound of the Rolling Stones (what? Brit rock!).  I have to tell you....my body convulsed in horror! That wasn't the 60's!     I knew right then and there that I needed to set things right. Fast forward to last July. I purchased a brand new Brock Silo (Grain Bin actually) and proceeded to build the coolest museum that anyone in these parts has ever seen.

We opened the doors to the Psylodelic Gallery a few weeks ago and we've had about 600 folks come through the doors. Pretty much the same words were uttered by every visitor: "Wow, this is so cool!" I mean, it doesn't get much better than that. The Gallery has it's official Grand Opening on June 29th. Though we are "unofficially" open, we still have a few pieces to go up. For me, the "cool" exhibit is upstairs and on the outside of the Psylo. We have put together an 8 minute multi-media piece highlighting some great moments in the 1960's, all being played over our signature liquid light show........cool indeed.

Every item we chose for this exhibit (which will be housed in the Psylo for the next four months) seems to rise from pools of the poetic stream of time and recalls a memory that is sure to saturate your dreams when you leave.

Come experience the Psylodelic Gallery.... feast your eyes, and......feed your head!

Big Brother and the Holding Company set to perform at Fur Peace

Station Concert Hall on Saturday June 29, 2013 for the Grand Opening of the Psylodelic Gallery.

More details to follow soon . . .

It is now well past April 15 . . . your taxes should be done and filed.  The next important date on your calendar should be May 15, 2013.  Starting on May 15 our tuition rates will increase by $25 to $1375 for a standard weekend workshop. All other tuition and guests fees will also increase by $25. Make sure you submit your application before midnight on May 14th to lock in a lower tuition rate.

Some other changes to our fees and tuition guidelines:  - Guests are now allowed to lodge onsite with enrolled student for an additional fee. - Students under 18 are allowed to stay onsite with paid chaperone/guest for an additional fee.

Please view the full Fee/Tuition policy online at FurPeaceRanch.com

Introducing a new FREE lesson from Jorma!  In this new lesson, Jorma breaks down a classic Jefferson Airplane tune "Third Week in The Chelsea"

Performance: Third Week In The Chelsea

Lesson: Third Week In The Chelsea

In his next lesson Jorma teaches a song featured on the new Hot Tuna album Steady As She Goes.  Though it was just recently recorded, this song has become a staple in Jorma's set lists over the past few years.  This is a sweet, finger-picking lullaby with soft and easy vocals.

Performance: Things That Might Have Been

Lesson: Things That Might Have Been

Cruise on over to BreakDown Way and put all the pieces together.

May 10-13, 2013

For all you flatpickers in the house Bill Nershi comes to Fur Peace May 10-13, 2013 to Jump Start Your Guitar Playing. Bill will not only jump start your playing, he will get you flatpicking leads like you haven't before.  Bill will walk you through the different scales he prefers and the chord changes they work with best, as well as how to use the "cross-picking" technique for rhythm guitar and soloing, and the means for giving your solos traction.  Bill will cover Bluegrass rhythm, bass runs, basic scales, chord structures and the process for creating guitar solos for songs and instrumental tunes. The importance of timing in music and how to improve your timing and, feeling the groove in your playing will be revealed.

Bill is a consummate flat picker in the widely popular jam band String Cheese Incident who are celebrating their 20th year this summer.  In 2004 Bill started a side project, Honky-Tonk Homeslice, with his wife and singer-sonwriter Scott Law to explore the history of bluegrass and pre-Nashville Country as well as the psychedelic country music of Gram Parsons and some contemporary favorites.  More recently Bill has been performing with Drew Emmit of Leftover Salmon as the Emmit-Nershi Band where the focus has been on creating new country bluegrass classics. 

May 17-20, 2013

Tom Feldmann will join Woody Mann and David Lindley on his first trip to the Ranch. Tom will be teaching a great level 1/2 course using the works of Mississippi John Hurt as a vehicle. Now, not many of you are familiar with Tom, and I'll have to admit, that we weren't at first . . . Tom was recommended to us by one of our good friends and instructor Stefan Grossman. Upon Stefan's recommendation we did a little poking around and watched some of his performances and agreed with Stefan.

In this class, Tom Feldmann will take you step by step through Mississippi John Hurt's most celebrated songs in the keys of E, A, D, G, and C in standard tuning, as well as Open G and Open D tunings. Whether beginner or intermediate you will learn to pick in the distinctive "Hurt" style and build a large repertoire of classic country blues.

August 09-12, 2013

Suffering from Stage Fright? Dave Revels will be returning to the Ranch for our Couples' Weekend. Dave currently performs as a member of The Persuasions, the kings of A Capella. Before that he performed with The Drifters. Dave is truly a master of performance and he will be focusing on that aspect in this workshop.

Join Dave Revels as he teaches an all levels Natural Guide to Mastering the Art of Performance. No elaborate instruments, props, gimmicks or costly gear needed other than an investment in time . . . time to practice and apply all that you will learn. The focus is on incorporating your personality with the tools learned to enable you to speak and sing before an audience as naturally as taking a breath. Dave Revels will show you his methods to break down the invisible yet palpable barrier that lay between the performer and an audience and make the steps on the ladder to successful communication a little less slippery.

August 23-26, 2013

Learn the blues the Ruthie way!

Ruthie's love of music transcends genres, as does her own music. From an early age Ruthie Foster knew her life would revolve around music . . . somehow. Throughout her teen and college years Ruthie delved deeper into music until she realized she couldn't have a conversation without mentioning music in some manner.  In order to break out of her perspective and see what was going on in the rest of the world . . . she did what most of us do of course . . . she joined the Navy! Soon her musical talent was spotted within her squadron and she was recruited for Pride, a Navy band that would play throughout the southeastern States.  She hasn't turned her back on music since!  

Often enough, guitar playing is the main focus in music so in this workshop, Ruthie will explore the many aspects of music and talents including Blues with the acoustic guitar, your overall stage presence, successful mixing of genres with the blues, the power of the voice and successful song manipulation.

August 9-12, 2013

Few bass players in the history of modern New Orleans music are as storied as George Porter Jr. During the course of a career spanning four decades, Porter has not only made a deep impression with his work in The Meters, but he's notched sessions with artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle, Robbie Robertson, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, Mickey Hart, Billy Kruetzmann and Warren Haynes.  George is also the band leader of his own unique long term project the Runnin' Pardners, well respected not only as a quintessential New Orleans band, the touring band continues to receive accolades on the jam band and festival scene.

In this class, George's focus is on the true meaning of "the Pocket". As a staple of the New Orleans Funk sound, "the Pocket" is the foundation of all things GROOVE. Between bass lines full of melody, to the simplest peddling of a note, The groove is what holds the songs together, and drives the band.  Students will also learn how different finger stylings can create different levels of warmth, clarity, grit, and growl out of your instrument, and what it means for the song.

August 23-26, 2013

Go inside Blues Guitar with Geoff Achison. . . ever feel like you know where to put your fingers but it just doesn't sound right? Ever feel like you're just repeating the same old licks? In this fun and relaxed workshop, Geoff Achison helps students to find the essence of the blues. A highly regarded musician with many years of performing experience, Geoff specializes in creating unique, impromptu solos and creative rhythm guitar parts. Focusing on basic blues structures, you'll discover how amazing music can be made - even with the simplest of scales! This is a workshop for heart & soul as much as the fingers!

Australian blues/roots artist Geoff Achison began his world travels in the mid-90's when he won the Memphis Blues Foundation's 'Albert King Award' and scored a Gibson Guitar endorsement deal.  He has since toured and recorded extensively around the USA, Europe and down-under in his native Australia.  The past few years Geoff has been playing with Randall Bramblett while he is in the US and sat in with the Allman Brothers Band at one of their infamous runs at the Beacon Theatre in New York.

Geoff is one of a handful of instructors who have taught at the Ranch all 16 years! Geoff's electric blues workshops are relaxed and informal affairs where he engages his students in friendly conversation discussing their mutual love of music and desire to master their chosen instrument. With his enormous wealth of playing experience he specializes in exploring techniques that can help musicians to get the most out of their instrument without getting bogged down in mountains of theory.  

ENROLL HERE!

Wes Wilson, artist for Bill Graham's Fillmore, to visit Psylodelic Gallery in September 2013!

No matter your age, whether you know it or not, you are familiar with the work of Wes Wilson.  If you've seen any of the posters or handbills for concerts at Bill Graham's Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, CA, then you know the work of Wes Wilson.  Wes is credited as being one of the founders of the art style synonymous with the "Peace Movement" and the "Psychedelic Era" of the 1960's.  One particular aspect of the art work attributed to Wes was the "Psychedelic" Font  created in 1966.  This font was in wide use by the early 1970's

Wes will be at the Fur Peace Psylodelic Gallery on Thursday September 26, 2013.

Join us as one of the creators of the Psychedelic art movement visits the Gallery that honors their life and work.

iTuna: Visit Hot Tuna's iTunes Directory

09/17/2011

Jorma Kaukonen Presbyterian Church, Chatham, NJ

Jorma and Barry Duo opening with True Religion followed by a mixed of new and classic tunes, Childern of Zion, Goodbye to the Blues, Come Back Baby, and Genesis...

12/12/2001

Acoustic Hot Tuna Martyrs' Chicago, IL

A Duo show... Jack and Jorma... Tons of killer TUNA!!! Sea Child, Ice Age, Candy Man, Keep your Lamps Trimmed and Burning...Plus as an added bonus: vintage Tuna from 1977 with Jorma, Jack, Bob Steeler, & Nick Buck doing a version of Hit Single #1!

iJorma: Visit Jorma Kauokonen's iTunes Directory

06/21/2002

Jorma Kaukonen Club West, Eureka, CA

This was the sixth Blue Country Heart show...Barry was six days in Cindy Cashdollar was on her second day, the music was a mix of the Blue Country Heart CD and classic Jorma songs. From the Grammy nominated Blue Country Heart CD the band plays songs such as Tom Cat Blues, Bread Line Blues Just Because as well as the classics like Good Shepherd, Uncle Sam Blues, & Death Don't Have No Mercy

01/25/2008

Jorma Kaukonen Y.M.C.A. Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, Bay Shore, NY

This night was a two show night...a rowdy Long Island crowd along with the energetic Jorma ~ Barry Duo set made the night complete. The download features both early and late shows, with songs such as: Search My Heart, Serpent of Dreams, a couple rarely played Merle Haggard tunes Working Man's Blues and If We Make It Through December, plus Hot Tuna staples Good Shepherd and Trial By Fire.

Read more about what's happening at FPR and On-The-Road

• Jorma - Cracks In The Finish
• Vanessa - The Labryinth
• Hurl's - Checkin' The Levels

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