Three Day Blues & Folk Music Workshop

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 16, 2018

St. Helens, Ore. - This summer, the St. Helens Arts & Cultural Commission is excited to offer a three day Blues & Folk Music Workshop led by award-winning musical artists Joe Seamons and Ben Hunter.  The classes will be held on June 26, 27, and 28 at the Columbia Center Auditorium, 375 S. 18th Street, St. Helens.

Joe Seamons and Ben Hunter perform acoustic blues and early jazz that delights audiences in concerts and workshops nationwide. For seven years, their tours have extended their work as teachers and community organizers in their home of Seattle, WA.  In 2016, Ben and Joe earned first place in the International Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Category out of 94 solo/duo acts representing 16 countries.  In 2017, they released a new album with harmonica master Phil Wiggins entitled “Black & Tan Ball.”

Participants in the Arts & Cultural Commission’s Blues & Folk Music Workshop will attend three 60-minute classes on consecutive days. Three different time slots are being offered each day so that participants can select the time most convenient for them on a first come, first served basis. Time slots will be offered at 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 5 p.m. at the Columbia Center’s Auditorium. 

The workshop program concludes with a 90-minute concert at Columbia River Receptions & Events at Meriwether Place, 1070 Columbia Blvd., St. Helens, on June 28 at 7 p.m.  The concert program will begin with the students’ performance of songs that they learned in the workshop and is followed by a performance by Joe Seamons and Ben Hunter.  The concert is free for the students’ families.

Workshop participants will learn, play, and compose blues and folk songs of the Pacific Northwest and sing, stomp, and drum out rhythm.  If they have access to an instrument, attendees should bring a guitar, banjo, or ukulele.  If participants do not have an instrument but would like to play one, there are seven ukuleles available to use during the class.  A reservation request should be made when signing up for the class.

This workshop is for people 10 years and older. There is a registration fee of $30.  People can sign up at the St. Helens Public Library or mail a completed registration form and a check payable to City of St. Helens Arts & Cultural Commission to:

St. Helens Public Library
375 S. 18th Street
St. Helens, OR 97051

To download a registration form, go to www.ci.st-helens.or.us/bc-acc.

The workshop is sponsored in part by the Columbia County Cultural Coalition. It aims to inspire homemade music‐making while sparking curiosity of America’s blues and folk music traditions.

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For further information regarding the Blues & Folk Music Workshop, please contact Library Director Margaret Jeffries at margaretj@ci.st-helens.or.us or 503-397-4544 or ACC Commissioner Kannikar Petersen at kpetersen@akaandesign.com or 503-366-3050.