May 22-24, 2014

By:  Diane Malucelli
Photos by:  Diane Malucelli, Ardie Jarrett, Garry Kerr, Linda Myers, Larry Risner

This funded event took place over three days at the Omni Tucson National Resort on the outskirts of Tucson.  Each day was jam packed with ukulele and banjo workshops, poolside concerts, jam sessions, and an evening concert.  The resort was beautiful and included an outdoor swimming pool and a golf course.  Many of our rooms were near the pool, as well as the banjo and ukulele activities.  The weather was clear and around 90 degrees.

Our group of 12 banjo players practiced in Don Granberg’s room on Friday.  Our players were:  Jesse DeTorres, Don Granberg, Deb Hodson, Bob Hodson, Ardie Jarrett, Bob Malucelli, Diane Malucelli, Linda Myers, Phil Myers, Dick Neuman, Larry Risner, and Sheila Welt.

We performed at 2pm on Saturday.  We looked great in our blue polos and brown khaki pants and everyone cheered for us as we performed our ten songs.  A Tucson tuba player, Daniel “Sly” Slipetsky joined us for our performance. We had about 100 people in the audience.  Jesse played and sang “Babyface,” “For Me and My Gal,” and “California Here I Come.”  Don played his washboard on “Coney Island Washboard.”  Sheila sang “Darkness on the Delta” and Don and Deb sang a duet on “Just Because.”

There were many wonderful musicians at this event and one of the exciting groups that performed was the All Star Youth Banjo Band from Houston, Texas, led by Banjo Hall of Fame musician, Buddy Griffin.  There were about 20 young people from ages 8 to 18 playing banjos and ukuleles.  They knew all of their songs so well that they didn’t need any music in front of them! They were very inspirational and a great group of musicians.  Johnny Baier, Executive Director of the National Four-String Banjo Museum and Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, performed at the event.  Tyler Jackson and his lovely wife entertained us many times.  Another Hall of Fame banjo player, Dave Marty attended as well.  We all enjoyed several international banjo players:  Sean Moyses from England, Mikoyo Onishi and Mashu from Tokyo and Tom Stuip from the Netherlands.

Several of us brought our ukuleles with us and we attended some of the ukulele jam sessions and workshops. Bob and Diane Malucelli played their ukuleles.  Ardie Jarrett and Jesse DeTorres came to several ukulele workshops on Saturday to learn about Hawaiian style and other ukulele styles from Buddy Griffin and blues from Del Rey.

 The EBBC performs in Tuscon.

Bourbon Street Parade and Bill Bailey” from East Bay Banjo Club on Vimeo.

Just Because from East Bay Banjo Club on Vimeo.