Bluegrass music has influenced a wide range of musicians, including some whose music does not classify as strictly bluegrass. For the final Midtown Bluegrass show of 2016, join us for an afternoon of music that goes beyond traditional bluegrass The Quebe Sisters from Texas and Raleigh’s own Hank, Pattie, & The Current.
The Quebe Sisters are champion fiddle players who also sing in close multi-part harmony that is sure to keep you transfixed from the first note to the final chord. Their musical style is reminiscent of pre-WW acoustic swing music with Andrews Sisters-like three part harmonies. Along with headlining their own shows to ever-growing audiences, they’ve shared stages with American music legends like Willie Nelson, George Strait, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Ray Price, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, Riders in the Sky, and many others. Today, after more than a decade of travelling the U.S. and the world, and with three acclaimed albums to their credit, Grace, Sophia, and Hulda Quebe are pros in a variety of genres.
Raleigh’s own Hank, Pattie, & The Current will start the afternoon off with their take on acoustic music. Two veteran North Carolina bluegrass musicians, Hank Smith (Barefoot Manner, Kickin Grass Band) on banjo and Pattie Hopkins Kinlaw (Kickin Grass Band, Long Bay Symphony) on fiddle and vocals have joined forces with some of the Triangle area’s most versatile musicians to build a sound that weaves bluegrass into the tapestry of jazz, blues, and classical styles. With Ben Parker on guitar on vocals, Robert Thornhill on mandolin and vocals, and E. Scott Warren on bass, the band makes use of traditional bluegrass instrumentation in a nontraditional way to play original music that goes beyond the limits of the idiom. Their arrangements follow in the footsteps of Bela Fleck, Mark O’Connor, Chris Thile, Sam Bush, Edgar Meyer, and Tony Rice. Hank, Pattie & The Current want to pick up where seminal crossover groups like Punch Brothers, Strength In Numbers, and the ever changing Bluegrass Allstars call home. The music is vocal and instrumental, allowing the band to experiment with arrangements and tailor the compositions to become vehicles for exploration.
Before the music starts on stage, musicians ages 18 and under who play guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bass, or banjo are invited to participate in a facilited jam to kick off the afternoon. Local musicianJef Walter will be on hand to share some tips and tricks and answer questions about bluegrass jamming. Learn more about PineCone’s Youth Programs and see a list of past youth jam songs
PARKING NOTE: A new building is under construction on what was the gravel parking lot. The closest parking garages are the Captrust parking deck or the parking deck under the new Bank of America building (directly across from Captrust). There is a SMALL paved lot beside the construction site with street level parking available.
Picnics and dogs on leashes are welcome, and you can bring chairs and blankets. No alcohol may be brought to the park, but drinks will be available to purchase on site for those 21+ with a valid ID.