Category Archives: 2019 Mandolin Camp

Akira Otsuka

2019 Mandolin Camp

Akira was born in Japan and started playing bluegrass as a teenager. He formed the legendary group Bluegrass 45 in 1967 and toured the United States in 1971 and 1972. He moved to the States the next year and since then has been active as a performer, studio musician, producer, educator and writer.

Akira’s performance credits include The White House, the official residence of the Vice President of the United States, The Grand Ole Opry, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian Institution, The Birchmere and many major festivals including the Joe Val Bluegrass Festival.

He has performed or recorded with a stellar cast including Hazel Dickens, Bill Kirchen, Al Petteway, Steuart Smith of the Eagles, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Nils Lofgren, Emmylou Harris, Tony Rice, Danny Gatton and Ricky Skaggs. In 2012 Akira released a solo album, First Tear, and in 2018 produced and performed on Epilogue: a Tribute to John Duffey on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Mike Rivers

As a recording engineer and producer, Mike Rivers has recorded albums of various artists for Folkways, Folk Legacy, Rounder, Troubador, Flying Fish, among others. In addition to “doing the sound” at Music Camps North since 2003, he has run concert sound for the Smithsonian, National, and Lowell Folklife Festivals. Mike has played old time music
since 1960. He performed with the Greasy Run Toad Trompers, one of the first of the 1970s eclectic string bands, playing a mixed bag of Southern, Northern, Western, swing, ragtime, and Celtic music on string band instruments. At Camp, Mike teaches classes in sound production and recording.

Bennett Hammond

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Banjo Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Bennett Hammond started playing guitar in 1957 and began teaching in 1960, debuted as a virtuoso soloist in 1980 on the In-Bound platform, Harvard Square Station, and has played above ground, at home and abroad ever since. Bennett picked up banjo at BCN ten years ago. Early influences include an EP side of folk and cowboy songs with guitar accompaniment his sister Lucy made in 1951, recordings of Etta Baker, Mike Seeger and Duane Eddy, and of course the Three B’s – Bach, Bluegrass, and Bo Diddly.

Bruce Stockwell

2018 Banjo Camp, 2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Banjo Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Bruce Stockwell has been playing bluegrass banjo since 1968 and teaching since the 70’s. By age 16 he had won banjo contests, recorded his first album, and opened for Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, John Hartford, and many others. In the late 70’s he worked with Phil Rosenthal and Mike Auldridge as Old Dog producing two albums on Flying Fish. Since the 1980’s, Bruce has performed with his two brothers (and now wife Kelly) in various acoustic/electric formats. In 2005 he won the Merlefest Banjo Contest, and in 2008 a NH Arts Grant led to the formation of Hot Mustard, a double-banjo bluegrass band.

Jim Richter

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

As noted in Mandolin for Dummies, Jim Richter has increasingly been recognized over the last dozen years as one to watch for a more modern application of blues and blues-based rock to the mandolin. With 30 years of stage and teaching experience on mandolin, guitar, and banjo, Jim has performed with, opened for, or recorded with Anson Funderburgh, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Andra Faye, Rich DelGrosso, Don Julin, Will Patton, and Mike Compton. Equally as fresh as his mandolin style, Jim’s instruction draws deeply from his experience as a licensed therapist. For 5 years Jim’s own mandolin camp focused on helping adult learners to overcome being “stuck” in one’s playing. Jim also has a mandolin book entitled “Richter Mandolin” that studies blues and rock using this adult learner approach. Jim regularly gigs with Gordon Bonham, Indiana blues-artist who formerly toured with Yank Rachel.

Marshall Racowsky

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Growing up in the Southwest, Marshall Racowsky was exposed to country music at an early age. He started playing the guitar while in high school and focused primarily on country and western styles as well as fiddle accompaniment. He became a member of the Arizona Fiddler’s Association and started competing in the accompaniment division at fiddle contests throughout the state. In the early ’80’s, Marshall backed up Junior Daugherty on foreign tours sponsored by the US State Dept. By the time Marshall moved to New England in 1997 he had won the Arizona Accompanist Championship 8 times. He also became very interested in Mexican mariachi and frequently sat in with several groups at performances. He taught classes in Texas style accompaniment in Arizona and after he moved to New England.

Sharon Gilchrist

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Sharon Gilchrist has long made her home in the American acoustic music scene. Whether you have seen her playing mandolin, upright bass, singing a traditional ballad or performing an original piece, you’ve heard an artist steeped in traditional Appalachian music delivering these sounds with a distinct spacious and fiery nuance. Currently Sharon is part of an acoustic trio The Harmonic Tone Revealers featuring Scott Nygaard (guitar), John Reischman (mandolin, mandola). She has performed and recorded albums with Darol Anger, Peter Rowan and the Tony Rice Quartet. You may have also seen her with Tony Trischka, The Keith Little Band, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, Uncle Earl and Scott Law. She is also a well-respected mandolin instructor teaching two on-line mandolin courses at www.pegheadnation.com, as well as private lessons and music camps around the country.

Mike Compton

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Mike Compton has been called “a certified mandolin icon” by Mandolin magazine and “a new bluegrass instrumental hero” by the New York Times. This Grammy-winning instrumentalist, perhaps best known as the featured mandolin player for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou, is one of the modern masters of bluegrass mandolin. Sam Bush says “nobody plays Monroe better than Compton.” Mike Compton is one of the most recognizable and respected mandolin voices in the world today and as passionate an advocate for the mandolin as you’re ever likely to find.

David Surette

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Widely acclaimed as one of New England’s premiere instrumentalists, David Surette is highly regarded for his work on the guitar, mandolin, and cittern. His diverse repertoire includes Celtic and New England tunes, original compositions, blues and ragtime, traditional American roots music, and folk music from a variety of traditions. Surette is a gifted teacher, having taught at workshops and camps throughout the US, and in the UK. He is folk music coordinator at the Concord (NH) Community Music School, and artistic director of their March Mandolin Festival. His latest CD, Waiting For The Sun, a duo recording with Susie Burke, has been gathering widespread praise.

Lincoln Meyers

2018 Guitar & Mandolin Camp, 2019 Banjo Camp, 2019 Mandolin Camp

Lincoln Meyers is an award winning guitarist who has been on the New England music scene for the past eighteen years and has been playing professionally for thirty. Lincoln, who was featured on the cover of Flatpicking Guitar magazine’s November/December issue 2010, has toured the world and performed with bands including Erica Brown & The Bluegrass Connection, The New England Bluegrass Band, Tony Trischka, April Verch, and most recently Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen. Lincoln is a veteran instructor, teaching private lessons as well as being involved with and conducting guitar workshops and seminars around the country. Lincoln is currently an instructor at “317 Main St.”, a community music school in Yarmouth, Maine.