on
Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30pm
(solo and with
special guests).
His Bend visit included five
days of educational outreach in Bend/Sisters area schools and other
programs, including the Sisters Americana Project and the Cascade
Community School of Music .
Craven's visit was made possible by a generous grant from the Oregon
Community Foundation.
“Everything
he touches turns to music”
— David Grisman
Master of all, Joe Craven is a whirling
dervish of percussion madness, mandolin expressionism and fiddle fever.
www.joecraven.com
Joe Craven will be returning to Bend
for a solo concert and educational outreach after recently playing here
this past fall with The David Grisman Quintet. The talented
multi-instrumentalist prefers to combine his concerts with local
community education, and has a knack for bringing out the creativity in
kids and adults of all ages. Joe will be visiting 5-6 local schools as
well as collaborating with the “Americana Project” in Sisters and
teaching public workshops at The Cascade Community School of Music for
all ages and abilities.
www.ccschoolofmusic.org
“Virtuosic” -
Los Angeles Times & “Crowd Pleaser” - New York Times
Craven's
brilliance on string instruments such as fiddle, mandolin, saz, cuatro,
and a world of percussion instruments is the stuff of local legend and
national acclaim. But there's more
to Craven than meets the ear. He is not only a musician, but also a
visual artist, museologist (museum science), educator, loving father,
avid runner, and an advocate of
"demystifying" art and music-making as a daily ritual.
Since 1989, Joe Craven has been a
highly respected multi-instrumentalist with the David Grisman Quintet.
He has kept impressive musical company over the years, playing and/ or
recording with Jerry Garcia, Stephane Grappelli, Bonnie Raitt, Ramblin'
Jack Elliott, Tom Waits, Tony Rice, The Persuasions, Mark O'Connor,
Psychograss, Darol Anger, Rob Ickes, The Turtle Island String Quartet,
and many others. He is a sought after studio musician and is also
featured in the 2001 Sony Pictures Release, "Grateful Dawg”.
Joe Craven
is a musical archeologist, bringing fresh interpretations to archival
treasures. "I love how the process of folk music works...pieces learned
from the aural tradition of observation - homemade and handed down
person to person - generation to generation: Tunes and songs embellished
and altered with different versions through time creating new music
altogether. In the world we live in, when you learn other people's music
you learn about your own," Craven says. His critically acclaimed debut
release, "Camptown," is a testimony to this folk music philosophy. The
album is a collection of traditional fiddle tunes set to an
international panorama of world inspired rhythms and instrumentation.
Joe’s
latest solo project is the newly released “Django Latino”, where he
applies Latin rhythms to
selections from the French gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt’s rich
catalog of songs. ...Craven plays everything from violin (including a
stirring solo on 'Minor Swing') to mandolin, mandola, cavaquiño, ukulele
and a full range of percussion instruments. Ambitious as that might
sound, Craven brings it off, playing with briskly swinging inventiveness
and convincing authenticity.
According
to Joe, "Music is about expression, imagination and living in the
creative spirit. It doesn't need labels as much as it needs opportunity.
Through exploration, practice and sincerity of application, you can make
music on just about anything." And he's proven his point by playing
everything from dashboards to squeeze toys to his head. Joe's clinics,
workshops and school presentations on demystifying music are captivating
audiences around the country.
Joe's education work seeks to honor the creative energy in everyone. He
is a perpetual student and teacher of music all at once; always looking
for the next expression, breath and object to make music with. As Joe
puts it, “If you want to live an artful life, you got to find ways to
bust through the box of normality, category, mediocrity. I try to mix
the discipline of being an adult with the wonder of a child - staying
open to things, focusing, listening deeper, looking longer and letting
go. It's about passion and that means sometimes you got to quit
thinking...just close your eyes, do it, feel it...and learn.
www.joecraven.com
"Joe
re-invents himself on almost a daily basis. You never know which
direction Joe is going to go. He's always innovative and truly
wonderful. He connects with the crowd like no one else. Django Latino
(is) magnificent and I think it's going to make us listen to the music
(Reinhardt-Grappelli) all over again."
–Dan DeWayne, Director, Chico
Performances, California State University – Chico
"He's one of those rare musicians, both
as an interpreter of the music he plays and a scholar who's studied its
history... he's been able to combine his passions—art, history and
music—into presenting songs embellished into new tunes that have a
timelessness that stays."
–Mel Shields,
Sacramento Bee
"Craven is not only a virtuosic musician
but has a wonderful sense of humor as well... production is bright and
filled with wonderful textures but never once feels too busy or crowded.
The music is as colorful as the massive array of instruments that
appears on the cover. It truly is an absolute joy to hear and a breath
of fresh air for the folk tradition."
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