Seldovia Arts Council

Saturday August 30 (Labor Day weekend) will bring a mini-festival of top-notch guitar music to Seldovia with the Guitar Master”s Concert. Come hear these singer songwriters and master dobro, slide and resonator guitar players, Del Rey, Steve James, Corinne West, and Doug Cox, fresh from the Acoustic Alaska Guitar Camp.

Del Rey has been a blues queen since her teenage years, playing music with elements of country blues, stride piano, classic jazz and hillbilly boogie. She travels the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, giving concerts as well a concert/lecture on “Women in American Music”. She’s frequently on tour with Steve James, plays ukulele with Ukeshack, and writes about music for publications including Acoustic Guitar. Del has several collaboration recordings, plus 5 solo albums. The latest, Blue Uke, came out on Hobemian in 2008. “If you like your blues warm, wise, witty and well-played, give Del Rey a listen.” (Dirty Linen)

Doug Cox is not only a master dobro player, but is accomplished on other “slidey” instruments such as the guitar, weissenborn, and national mandolin. Making his home on Vancouver Island, Doug tours festivals, clubs and concert halls and has recorded 2 solo albums plus many collaborations. His music has appeared in film and programs aired on NBC, CMT, Spike TV, A&E, PBS, Animal Planet and Discovery. An acclaimed educator, Doug teaches at guitar camps and workshops across the country, and has produced a series of instructional packages on slide guitar, dobro and guitar playing. “This virtuoso brings the Dobro into the drawing room and the concert hall. It’s no longer just a case of country backup, it’s a front-and-centre solo instrument.” (Jurgen Gothe, CBC’s Discdrive)

Steve James is well known among devotees of contemporary acoustic folk and blues. Steve taught himself guitar from the age of 12, then migrated from New York to Texas where he played solo, led a small combo, and played support for many excellent musicians including Bo Diddley, Bill Monroe, and Dave Van Ronk. In 1988 Steve began recording albums and touring throughout the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Brazil and China. He has published articles, instruction books and videos. Currently Steve lives in Austin where he performs guitar, slide guitar, mandolin, guitar-banjo, and writes, teaches and fishes. “Flawless fingerpicking and slide guitar paired with an idiosyncratic writing style and an exuberant performance persona makes Steve James come on like a full band.” (Dirty Linen)

At the age of 15 Corinne West dropped out of school to tour the country in an old converted school bus with a nomadic group of artists. Realizing that one woman with a guitar could live a creative life and make a statement about the world, she began busking (performing live in public for tips). She developed a signature sound, taking elements from Americana, country, bluegrass and rock. Her first album, Bound for the Living brought accolades from major music reviewers, and being a finalist in the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival songwriting competition launched her career on the national festival circuit. Acoustic music legend Mike Marshall produced Corinne”s second album, Second Sight. “Corinne West is a brilliant songwriter with a powerfully eloquent singing voice.” (Maverick)

With Anchorage”s Alex Weed. An up and coming bluesman, Alex tours clubs and festivals nationwide, including 2007’s Seldovia Summer Solstice Music Festival. His raspy, soulful vocals reflect an unusual depth of understanding, reminiscent of a young Otis Redding or Ray Charles. In between gigs, Alex studies as a guitar performance major at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

The concert will begin at 7:30 pm on Saturday, August 30 in the Susan B. English School Commons. Tickets will be on sale at the gate beginning at 7 pm, at the usual prices.