Seventeenth Annual
Fiddlin' Bear
Old-Time Musicians' Gathering
Labor Day Weekend
2011
Lake Genero Park - Hamlin, PA

A four-day musicians' get-together, a festival without a stage. A nice, shady spot beside a lake to camp and make music. Great campsites, open or wooded, fire-pits with seasoned hardwood, showers and flush toilets, a children's playground, a pocket-sized lake for swimming, And... there's no hired entertainment. All the music and dancing is spontaneous, just us folks jamming and carrying on. 

Don't miss the Seventeenth Annual Fiddlin' Bear Gathering at Lake Genero! 

 
     Celebrating our 1st Year Anniversary! Join us at our next Old Timey Jam on Aug. 2nd.

 

Come leave your inhibitions behind and join us for a good ole time with "CT Old Timey Acoustic Jam!" All musicians welcome, even if you haven't come to the jam. We'll be playing common old time tunes that we've played at the jam.

Where: St. John's Episcopal Church, Bristol, CT               

When: Saturday, June 4, 2011, 6:30 - 9:00 pm

Caller: Bob Livingston

Donation: $10

Location Information:

851 Stafford Avenue

Bristol, CT 06010

Texas Gales (Gals)

We're back to the first Tuesday jam on May 3rd at the Pine Loft. Slow jam from 6-7pm then the regular jam from 7-9pm. Come join us! 
I've been working on Texas Gales, nice tune, 3 parts in the key of C.

Jam on March 1st - it's almost spring!

We had a great turnout at the Jam/Family Barn Dance at the Sounding Board last night. Check out the video clip from the dance. Please join us again on Tuesday, March 1st, back at the Pine Loft in Berlin. We'll start the first hour (6-7pm) with a slow jam then proceed with the regular jam from 7 - 9pm.
Hope to see you there!

Old Time Jam & Family Dance

Greetings to all! Our next jam has changed dates & location. We are having a jam/family barn dance at The Sounding Board Coffeehouse, (at The Universalist Church) 433 Fern Street in West Hartford on Saturday, February 26.

We will jam from 6-8 pm and then from 8 - 10:00 we'll play for an old fashioned family barn dance called by Bob Livingston. All playing musicians will be admitted for free and everyone else will be charged a mere $5.00 admittance fee.

Reel the set, form a square, dance in a circle with everyone there, young and old, short and tall, couples, singles, families, all! Folk dances all taught and called, no experience needed - learn as you go!

Cold Frosty Morning - 12/7/2010

Benefit dance for: American Cancer Society/Relay for Life of Haddam-Killingworth

Grab Your Partner, Swing 'er Round, Promenade and Help Stamp Out Cancer!

Come leave your inhibitions behind and join us for a good ole time with "CT Old Timey Acoustic Jam!" All musicians welcome, even if you haven't come to the jam. We'll be playing common old time tunes that we've played at the jam.

Where: First Congregational Church, Haddam, CT               

When: Saturday, January 15, 2010, 7:00 - 10:00 pm

Caller: Bob Livingston

Donation: $15 Adult; $10 Child (under 12) or $40 per family

Location Information:

905 Saybrook Rd.

Haddam, CT 06438

"Breakin' Up Christmas" by Bruce Molsky and Mike Seeger

Crow Creek - cross tuned AEAE

Here's an AEAE tune called Crow Creek and it's pretty easy to pick up. Listen to Andy Reiner play the tune. He learned this tune from Rachel Maloney & Chris Turner. Thanks Andy!

Hawks and Eagles

Here's a favorite jam tune called Hawks and Eagles, key of D. Played by Alan Kaufman, a terrific old time fiddler and author of the book/CD "Beginning Old Time Fiddle". Try it!

What is Old Timey Music?

Many of the people attending our jam have no idea what this means. There are some great explanations (although lengthy) on the web such as What is Old Time Music?, wiki/Old-time Music and Old Time Music.
The best explanation is shown in the video clip from a documentary called "Why Old Time".  This film looks at the living heritage of music from the mountains of Appalachia that has spread all across the world.



Squirrel Heads and Gravy by Chris Germain.