Blues & Swing Week

Click on the See More for the lineup of teachers at Blues & Swing Week 2015!

Augusta’s Blues & Swing Week provides students with the opportunity to work with some of the finest performers and educators in the Blues and Swing worlds. Classes cover a variety of styles and levels of instruction on guitar, bass, piano, harmonica and voice, as well as the history of both genres. Evening activities include legendary late-night jams, concerts, dances and a Wednesday night Blues & Swing Party. All classes (except dance and vocals) are intended for those who can already play their instrument to some extent and are ready to start learning Blues & Swing style, technique and repertoire.

Tuition is $450 plus room & board. Registration is now open! To register, specify Blues & Swing Week and select a total of four classes, one class per period. See website for complete listing of classes by period.

Wendi Bourne
(Coordinator)
is a swing/jazz guitarist and vocalist who has been leading bands for swing dancers for many years. She has been the coordinator of Swing Week since 2006. She currently works with Girls from Mars and other Philadelphia area ensembles.

Daryl Davis
(Coordinator)
is a pianist, vocalist, actor, author and lecturer. He has worked with Elvis Presley’s Jordanaires, Chuck Berry, The Legendary Blues Band, Hubert Sumlin and Percy Sledge. His CDs American Roots and Alternate Routes won Washington Area Music Association awards for Best Artist.

Laurel Masse
(Master Artist, Swing Vocals: Stepping Out – Int./Adv.)
Her career started with the founding of The Manhattan Transfer in 1972. She toured internationally with the Transfer for 7 years, recording 4 albums (certified gold and platinum). In 2004 she, along with the 4 current members of the band, received the prized MAC Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2009 she was given the Bistro Award for Best Jazz Vocalist.

Tim Sparks
(Master Artist, Fingerstyle Blues and Swing – Int./Adv. & Guitar Boogie – Int./Adv.)
has been redefining the acoustic guitar repertoire since he won the National Fingerpicking Championship in 1993. Sparks continues to surprise, challenge, and thrill audiences with his diverse repertoire and stunning technique. Equally at home with Country Blues, Jazz or World Music, Sparks’ extraordinary ability has earned him an international reputation as one of the most innovative guitarists working today.

Gaye Adegbalola
(Master Artist, Master Class – Blues Vocal Performance)
was a founding member of Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women, and she has won numerous awards including the prestigious Blues Music Award. She presently tours as a soloist.

Andra Faye
(Bass: Beg./Int. Blues)
is well known for her strong soulful vocals and her abilities as a multi-instrumentalist. She was a founding member of Saffire: the Uppity Blues Women and currently performs with Scott Ballantine.

Ralph Gordon
(Bass: Int./Adv. Swing)
brings 45 years of musical experience to the bass and cello, in the genres of Blues, Swing, Jazz, Klezmer, Folk, Bluegrass, Country and many others.

Jason Anick
(Fiddle: Swing, Int./Adv.)
One of the youngest instructors at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Anick is rapidly making a name for himself in the world of jazz violin and mandolin. He plays with the Rhythm Future Quartet and tours with John Jorgenson. Jason has released 3 albums under his own named and with “The Rhythm Future Quartet.”

Donna Herula
(First Base Bottlenecking – Beg. & Sliding Home – Int.)
is a traditional blues slide guitar player, fingerpicker and singer from Chicago who plays Delta and country blues on National Steel resonator guitars. She was the winner of the 2010 and 2011 Windy City Blues Society Blues Challenge, Solo-Duo Category, and a semi-finalist at the 2012 International Blues Challenge. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2012 Yamaha Six String Theory international guitar competition.

Scott Ballantine
(Swingin the Blues Guitar)
Blues Music Magazine recently called his guitar playing “virtuosic”.Scott has studied with many great guitarists, including Tommy Flint, Pat Webb, Vince Sanders and Mel Deal.He played for many years with the Strugglers, performed extensively as a solo guitarist, and has been playing extensively in a duo with Andra Faye.

Joan Fenton
(Blues Guitar)
has worked as a musician, folklorist, and business woman. She is the recipient of the WC Handy Award and has produced traditional music shows for 15 years for various radio stations. She currently serves on the executive board of the Folk Alliance.

Martin Grosswendt
(Right-Hand Roots Fingerstyle Blues Guitar)
Musicians and critics have called Martin Grosswendt, among other things, a national treasure. An extraordinary instrumentalist and powerful singer, he best known as an interpreter of 1920s and ’30s blues. He has recorded and performed with Utah Phillips, Jim Ringer, Mary McCaslin, and Rosalie Sorrells.

Tom Mitchell
(Swing Guitar)
studied with master Gypsy guitarist Fapy Lafertin and has toured with the legendary recording artist Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, Kevin Wimmer and Jim Stephanson. He currently performs with Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights.

Cyd Smith
(Intro to Swing Rhythm Guitar – Int. & First Swing Lead – Int.)
A versatile guitarist and bassist, over the years she has performed with many luminaries of the national acoustic music scene including Mary Flower, Laurie Lewis, Bob Brozman, Matt Glaser, and Rebecca Kilgore. Cyd is also widely respected as a music educator and teaches at prestigious music camps around the country.

Eric Noden
(Delta Blues to Fingerstyle Blues Guitar – Int./Adv. & Working as a Duo)
Deeply rooted in the music of ’20s & ’30s blues pioneers, Eric Noden’s percussive guitar work and blues vocals have earned the respect of audiences, critics, and musicians worldwide.

Tim Sparks
(Fingerstyle Blues and Swing – Int./Adv. & Guitar Boogie – Int./Adv.)
has been redefining the acoustic guitar repertoire since he won the National Fingerpicking Championship in 1993. Sparks continues to surprise, challenge, and thrill audiences with his diverse repertoire and stunning technique. Equally at home with Country Blues, Jazz or World Music, Sparks’ extraordinary ability has earned him an international reputation as one of the most innovative guitarists working today.

Carson Diersing
(Blues Harmonica for Beginners & The Basics – Learning to Play the Harmonica)
Carson won the 2012 Honeyboy Edwards award at The National Blues Museum, and has performed with Blues Kids Of America, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros and Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin.

Mark Wenner
(Harmonica: “Why What When & Where” – Exploring the Musical Mechanics of the Blues Harmonica, Int./Adv. & “Bustin’ Loose” – Breaking out of Your Ruts – Blues Harmonica & Beyond, Int./Adv.)
The founder and driving force of the Nighthawks for 35 years, Mark is front person and vocalist as well as harmonica player for the band. In addition to his two Blue Rider Trio albums and 20 albums as leader of the Nighthawks, Mark has also recorded six solo discs.

Carol Sudhalter
(Approaching Blues & Swing Standards – Beg./Int. & Intro to Blues/Jump/Swing Horns – Beg./Int.)
was a nominee for Best International Jazz Flutist in Down Beat Magazine’s 77th Annual Jazz Readers’ Poll in 2012. Carol played with first all-female Latin band, Latin Fever, and today can be heard with Sextet and the Astoria Jazz Band.

John Jensen
(Horns: Approaching the Standards – Int./Adv. & Play What You Hear! And Hear Something Good! – Int./Adv.)
John Jensen performs with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and has been a featured performer at the White House and the Kennedy Center. He retired from the US Navy Band Commodores Jazz Ensemble after 24 years service.

Lauren Sheehan
(Blues & Swing Mandolin – Beg./Int. & Basic Fingerstyle Guitar – Beg./Int.)
Her accomplished guitar, mandolin and banjo work behind her distinctive vocals are inspired by old American blues and folk traditions, time spent with elders, scholarship and musical training beginning in 1968. Recent appearances on BBC and NPR and her inclusion in the Library of Congress with the MusicBox Project: Americana Women, attest to her significance as an artist, performer and teacher.

Wes Crawford
(Percussion)
began performing drum set with the extraordinary Jazz/R&B/Blues singer Jane L. Powell, as well as being featured with various symphonies. The National Association for Campus Activities voted the group Entertainer of the Year in 1990 and Jazz Artist of the Year for 1990-1992. Wes served as President of the MD/DE chapter of the Percussive Arts Society from 2011-2014. Currently he leads Enviro Drum- Maryland.

Wendy Dewitt
(Blues Piano – Beginner & Boogie Woogie Piano – Int./Adv.)
Wendy DeWitt performs “straight from the heart” boogie woogie and blues. She has performed with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush, and Jimmy Thackery.

Ricky Nye
(Boogie Piano – Beg. and Blues Piano – Int./Adv.)
Traditional blues, boogie woogie, classic New Orleans jazz and R&B all come flying from the fingers of Cincinnati, OH pianist and vocalist Ricky Nye. Ricky has been inducted into the International Boogie Woogie Hall of Fame, voted “Blues Artist of the Year 2013 & 2014” in Cincinnati’s CEA Awards, and “Best Local Musician” by CityBeat magazine’s “Best of Cincinnati 2013 & 2014” reader’s poll.

Robert Redd
(Swing Piano – Int./Adv.)
From 1995-1998, Robert Redd was pianist and musical director for singer/songwriter Kenny Rankin. While touring with Rankin, he performed with Michael Moore, Oscar Castro-Neves, Roy McCurdy and John B. Williams, among others. Robert worked often as a member of the Charlie Byrd Trio, and can be heard on Charlie Byrd’s last recording, as well as on recordings with Marty Nau, Phil Woods, and Chuck Redd.

Roddy Barnes
(Songwriting)
has composed music and lyrics for plays and television commercials, and his compositions have been recorded by many notable performers.

Kathy Reitz
(“So you want to play a little uke?” – Beg. Ukulele)
This will be Kathy’s 25th year at Augusta. She plays a big bass and a little uke. She often plays with Marv Reitz, Buffalo Nickel Band, Paramount Jazz Orchestra, Sunshine Skiffle Band, and The Hot Buttered Nuggets.

Paul Hemmings
(Ukulele Improvisation – Int./Adv. & Augusta Ukulele Jazz Orchestra)
utilizes the unassuming ukulele to fuse together elements of modern jazz, free improvisation, and American roots music. He teaches at the Third Street Music School Settlement in NYC, and at Marymount Manhattan College.

Angela Hill
(Learning To Sing – Beg. & Gospel Choir – all levels)
is well versed in Jazz, Swing, Blues, R&B, Gospel and Country. She holds a music degree from Howard University, leads two Gospel choirs and performs in commercial bands.

Deletta Gillespie
(Create and Build Your Blues Repertoire & Moanin’, Wailin’, & Hollerin’: Singing The Blues)
is a multidisciplinary performer with nearly 30 years in the entertainment industry and is a member of the Theatre Arts faculty at Coppin State University.

Laurel Masse
(Swing Vocals: Stepping Out – Int./Adv.)
Her career started with the founding of The Manhattan Transfer in 1972. She toured internationally with the Transfer for 7 years, recording 4 albums (certified gold and platinum). In 2004 she, along with the 4 current members of the band, received the prized MAC Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2009 she was given the Bistro Award for Best Jazz Vocalist.

Gaye Adegbalola
(Master Class – Blues Vocal Performance)
was a founding member of Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women, and she has won numerous awards including the prestigious Blues Music Award. She presently tours as a soloist.

Joe Filisko
(Working as a Duo & Extreme Harp – Int./Adv.)
is revered as a master player, teacher, custom harmonica pioneer, researcher and historian. He was awarded “Harmonica Player of the Year 2001″ by the SPAH organization.

Gayle Dean Wardlow
(History of the Blues: 1900-1970)
Gayle Dean Wardlow is a leading world authority on the historical development of the Delta blues. He has researched extensively the lives of musicians Charlie Patton and Robert Johnson. He began researching a book on Delta blues musicians in 1963 and became a leading authority on country blues, amassing the world’s largest and most valuable collection of pre-war blues records. Wardlow has published many articles on blues history, and the book Chasin’ That Devil Music – Searching for the Blues, which was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2006 as a classic of blues literature.

Dave Davies
(Staff Musician)
is a talented multi-instrumentalist, singer, arranger, songwriter and teacher from Ithaca, NY. At home on the trombone, guitar and upright and electric bass, you may also find him playing the tuba, ukulele or drums. He plays with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Lindy Hop Heaven, Djug Django, The Clayfoot Strutters, and others.

Kirk Harwood
(Staff Musician & Assistant Drum Instructor)
Drummer and vocalist Kirk Harwood worked with Steve Miller, Huey Lewis, Western Swing Hall of Famer Tommy Thomsen and Roy Rogers and currently performs with Wendy Dewitt.

Marv Reitz
(Staff Musician / Lab Band Leader)
Marv was warned by his music teacher father not to be a master of all trades and a jack of none. But Marv decided he’d rather not be a jack of one either. He plays saxophone, clarinet, guitar, and sings. This year will mark 24 years at Augusta, 19 the faculty. A molecular biologist by day, Marv has been on the Washington DC music scene for a hard to believe 43 years. He was an original member of Doc Scantlin’s Imperial Palms Orchestra and now leads the Paramount Jazz Orchestra and a 17 piece basement big band. He and his wife share a vast repertoire of music. He can be heard with the Sunshine SkiffleBand on Rounder, and on Patuxent Music with the Buffalo Nickel Band and Razz’emJazz’em.

Tom Cunningham
(Liason)

Donna Diehl
(Liasion)