Tag blues

“A Night of Mandolin Music: Jim Richter Mandolin Camp Faculty Concert” celebrates mandolin music across its spectrum—orchestral, folk, jazz, bluegrass, rock, and blues. The Jim Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us is in its 12th year and has been a center of mandolin instruction based in Bloomington, Indiana since 2011. This concert features camp faculty: Don Julin (Billy Strings; writer of Mandolins for Dummies), Sharon Gilchrist (Tony Rice; Peter Rowan, John Reischman), Laurelyn Dossett (Rhiannon Giddens; Levon Helm), and Jim Richter (blues/rock mandolin educator; Gordon Bonham). Joining as special guests are Gordon Bonham, the Banister Bluegrass Band, the Columbus Mandolin Orchestra, and others. This free event is sponsored by the Jim Richter Mandolin Camp, WFHB radio, the Grant Street Inn, and Kimble Mandolins. More about the camp and its faculty can be found at www.richtermandolincamp.com.

Sorry because it sounds so cliche, but 2023 Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us was magical. Yes, I said it, magical. We had a tight-knit supportive community of mandolinists who encouraged each other in a way that produced moments of joy, poignancy, and sublimation. From classroom work to student recital, this cohort of students was incomparable.

And, speaking of incomparable, having Mike Compton, Don Julin, and Laurelyn Dossett on staff was nothing short of remarkable. Don has been my compadre going back to 2012. His voice is very much in the fabric of this camp. But so is Mike’s, as Mike is really the only person I could site as a mandolin mentor–someone who I actively sought out to learn more about this wonderful 8-string instrument. And the breakout star was Laurelyn. Campers were very appreciative of having a break from the male mandolin know-it-all instruction to have time with her for harmony vocalizing and songwriting. Plus her performance of Zeppelin’s “Rain Song” at the concert left individuals speechless.

The concert. Wow. From the Banister Family Bluegrass Band (Roger Banister, Denise Kocur, Daryl Jones, and yours truly), to Laurelyn, Mike, Don, and Gordon Bonham, we covered a wide array of mandolin music in a little under 2 and 1/2 hours.

So where are we for 2024? The 11th Annual Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us will be Wednesday July 10th through Saturday July 13th, 2024 in Bloomington Indiana. You can learn more at the information page. Registration is live.

The Jim Richter Blues Mandolin podcast captures all of the Mandolin Blues Lick of the Day series and any other blues-related videos that I post. Consider subscribing to it for weekly, if not daily, content!

We are getting closer and closer to the summer, which means the 10th Annual Richter Mandolin Camp for the Rest of Us with mandolinists extraordinaire Don Julin and Mike Compton. Both of these guys mean a lot to me as musicians, mentors, and friends. More than a camp, this is a reconvening of friends and I always strive to ensure that the camp is imbued with that spirit.

Fun things for the 10th camp:

• A third instructor: the master, Mike Compton!
• A community-based concert that will be opened to select additional attendees. Confirmed musicians:
  • Banister Bluegrass Band
  • Don Julin
  • Mike Compton
  • Jim Richter and Gordon Bonham (blues)
  • and more to come!
• Swag from GHS Strings
• Individual and classroom instruction
• Wednesday meet and greet, camp orientation
• Late night jamming every night of camp
• AND, our requisite bourbon and whiskey tasting of fine spirits

This camp is always one of the highlights of my year. And, given the 10th anniversary and seemingly out of the pandemic, attendance is already very high with less than a handful of spots left. If interested in attending, please email Jim Richter at jim@jimrichter.com