Island Mountain Arts

Fingerstyle Guitar with Ken Hamm, July 28 - 31, 2009

Fingerstyle Guitar
Tuesday, July 28 - Friday, July 31, 2009

Instructor: Ken Hamm

Early Bird Fee: $396 + GST (EXTENDED TO MONDAY JUNE 15TH)

Regular Fee: $440 + GST

Download a pdf of the course information

Course Description

Ken Hamm will be offering a 4-day workshop on blues guitar, incorporating elements of the following approaches – fingerpicking, open and alternate tunings, and slide guitar. This course is aimed at the intermediate level: beginners are welcome but should expect to be challenged and be prepared to work hard. One day will be spent on the basics of the above approaches, and the remaining days will deal in detail with actual blues songs from Ken’s repertoire, from the work of blues artists such as Leadbelly, Bukka White, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Jesse Fuller, Skip James, and Ken’s own hard-driving originals. This course includes an extensive book of guitar tablature to refer to, and students should be prepared to bring along a guitar tuner, a slide, pen and paper, and if possible, a recording device. Ken’s interpretations of the songs covered in the course will be available on CD at a student discount for those attending. Ken’s music is available for listening at www.kenhamm.com

Bio

Ken Hamm is one of Canada’s foremost interpreters of traditional roots and blues music. Since 1978, when he began touring solo, Hamm has won a wide following for his stellar guitar work, as well as for his original songs that reflect his rural westcoast life. Along the way Hamm was awarded a Juno for Best Roots & Traditional CD and has been nominated for Recording of the Year and nominated several times for Best Acoustic Act of the Year by the Toronto Blues Society. Hamm was also nominated three years running as Best Acoustic Blues Guitarist by North America’s "Guitar Player" magazine and he was the Canadian representative to the Festival of Plucked Strings in Morocco.

But beyond the awards and well-earned praise he has garnered, the most impressive thing about Hamm’s music is how he is able to make the music he plays his own. When you see Ken Hamm in concert, it is obvious that he has absorbed, arranged and restated traditional blues and roots music, and made it current and original. His ability to accompany himself with driving and intricate slide and acoustic guitar completes the mix.

Hamm was raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario and began his musical pursuits as a teenager by listening to old country and blues recordings at the local folk record store. The proprietor, recognizing his interest and intent, encouraged him. After playing in local bands and performing in coffee houses around Thunder Bay, Hamm began travelling the folk circuit performing in venues ranging from house concerts to concert halls to major festivals. Hamm moved to the West Coast in 1982 and has continued to write from his experiences as a silviculturalist, fisherman and rural observer. His songs reflect the land he loves and the lives of the people that live there without being sentimental or overstated. Hamm’s song ’Fishing Grounds’ is featured on an interactive CD-ROM designed by the BC Folklore Society to educate high school students.

In addition to these activities, Hamm has become well known as a guitar instructor of fingerpicking and slide guitar styles, and is currently working on a book and instructional video. As well as producing roots music recording projects for others, Hamm is presently touring to promote his 2003 release, ’FingerLicks’, an all-instrumental collection of tunes featuring new as well as previously recorded material.

Hamm is constantly on tour in Canada, England, Scotland and Europe, playing festivals and concerts and presenting guitar workshops, sometimes solo, sometimes with other musical friends. With six CDs, his own label and an ever expanding audience, it is likely you can hear some of Ken Hamm’s musical magic in your area soon.

Events Included:

~Monday, July 27, 7pm: Student Welcome Reception, IMA Gallery (2323 Pooley Street) Meet your instructor and pick up your student information packages.

~Tuesday, July 28, 5:30pm: Student BBQ - IMA Gallery, free for students, $5 for guests

~Tuesday, July 28, 7pm: Concert - History of the Blues with Ken Hamm - IMA Gallery, $15, free for students of Ken Hamm’s workshop.

~Wednesday, July 29, 7:30pm: Concert - David Francey & Craig Werth, Sunset Theatre, $20 (Note: only free for students of the Songwriting with David Francey and Craig Werth).

~Friday, July 31, 6pm: ArtsWells Festival Opening - Sunset Theatre, $10, free for students

IMA students also receive free admission to Barkerville Historic Town and many discounts to local businesses.

The ArtsWells Festival Of All Things Art runs from Friday, July 31 – August 3, 2009 and features over 50 musical acts on 7 stages throughout Wells and Barkerville, plus workshops, an ArtWalk, the One Minute Play Festival and fun stuff for kids. See www.artswells.com for tickets and details. Early Bird tickets are $60 and are available until June 15th. A Regular price weekend pass is $80. Day passes available at the gate. Consider sticking around after your workshop!