Come get a taste of American music and Central Coast cuisine at the First Annual Central Coast Americana Festival presented by the Boutique Hotel Collection. From January 14-17, we will feature a variety of culinary, cultural and musical events at five different venues around the beautiful Central Coast. For a full schedule of events, go to http://sloamericanafestival.com.
Among many others, scheduled folk/Americana bands include the Jody Mulgrew Trio, Whiskey Chimp, Little Black Train, Kenny Blackwell and Dorian Michael, and Bob & Wendy. A portion of the proceeds from The Americana Festival 2010 (including all CD sales) go to The Hospice of San Luis Obispo County Supportive Music Program.
Little Black Train is an exciting new project for Central Coast acoustic wizards John Weed (fiddle), Kenny Blackwell (mandolin), and Stuart Mason (guitar). Named after a traditional Carter Family gospel song, the group fuses old-time Americana with Celtic and original pieces to produce a crowd-pleasing mix of “oldternative” bluegrass music. Weed and Mason are both members of international touring Celtic band Molly’s Revenge. Both have performed at festivals in China, Scotland, Ireland, and many of the United States, while Kenny tours regularly with guitarist Dorian Michael.
Mandolinist Kenny Blackwell, who studied with the legendary Jethro Burns, has been a fixture in the West Coast bluegrass scene since the late ’80s. He is known for his extensive studio work on various projects, as well as his collaborations with progressive fiddler Richard Greene and his membership in the Laurel Canyon Ramblers, a legendary California bluegrass outfit.
An accomplished fiddler across genres, John Weed has lived in Ireland and immersed himself in the traditional styles of Clare and Donegal. The result is an old-time Irish fiddling style that compliments his forays into bluegrass, swing, and other American music. A classically trained violinist, John leverages his understanding of the instrument to wrestle every last bit of tone and emotion from each piece he performs.
Guitarist Stuart Mason is known for his authentic vocals, melodic mandola, and inability to hold his whiskey. A native of West Virginia, Stuart has won awards for traditional singing (Goleta Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention), mandola (Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Contest), and songwriting (West Coast Songwriter’s Association). In July a song from his solo release “Appalachian Bride” was selected from among 286 entries to appear on the first New Times Music Awards Compilation CD.
John Weed and Stuart Mason played a concert at Painted Sky Studios in Cambria, California on November 9, 2008, when these live tracks were recorded. Enjoy!
LISTEN: The Abbey Set (MP3)
LISTEN: Kenny Wagoner (MP3)
LISTEN: The Old Bush Set (MP3)
Stuart Mason and John Weed
A classically trained violinist, John Weed leverages his understanding of the instrument to wrestle every last bit of tone and emotion from each piece he performs. Stuart Mason is known for his strong, rhythmic guitar backup style using both standard and alternate tunings, and his “oldternative” songs are deeply rooted in the mountain tradition.
John Weed began his classical training on violin at the age of nine, and immediately fell in love with the instrument. Doors opened up when he went to Ireland for the first time, and as the result of a chance meeting with legendary Clare flute player Bill McNamara, John returned to Ireland the following summer to study and perform with Bill for six months. He returns annually to Ireland to recharge his batteries. The result is an authentic, rooted Irish fiddling style that compliments his forays into bluegrass, swing, and American old-time music.
Stuart Mason Music 