THROUGH THE EYE OF THE TIKI
THROUGH THE EYE OF THE TIKI:
Bruce Molsky and the LAOTS Photographs
There have been two colossal old-time events in Los Angeles recently and I can’t wait to show them to you. But first, a smidgen of background. We just had two huge “gatherings” in Los Angeles: The Bruce Molsky Release Party and the 11th Ever Los Angeles Old-Time Social.
In early May, the Los Angeles-based recording label/production company The Old-Time Tiki Parlour, which I am a co-founder of, released something monumental: Bruce Molsky’s CD/DVD Set, Can’t Stay Here This a-Way. Bruce is one of the modern masters of old-time fiddle, banjo, guitar and voice. He is an international fiddle superstar who is not only a gifted torchbearer of the tradition, but a highly creative and mesmerizing innovator within the old-time tradition. This man gave me so much as I was learning old-time music, I decided to give something back.
Last year, Bruce moved into the Tiki Parlour for several days and I recorded/filmed him knee-to-knee the entire time. Over the course of the year, I produced this set with the help of old-time musicians/artists Rick Hocutt, Chris Berry, Angelina Elise and Joseph DeJarnette. We put together the ultimate Bruce Molsky set with sound, visuals and a booklet with extensive notes, photographs and artwork. Those familiar with past Tiki Parlour releases will have an idea of what to expect. So in May, Bruce flew out to the Parlour with his bandmates Allison DeGroot and Paula Bradley and we had a grand old release party with local musicians, students and fans!
One week later, we had the LAOTS! We brought out musicians from North Carolina, Washington, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area this year. The Canote Brothers, Tom Marion & Frank Fairfield, Earl & Adrian White, Squirrel Butter, Echo Mountain String Band, High Life Cajun Band and Sausage Grinder helped make the three day event a magical time. For those of you who have just heard about this, we put on concerts, workshops, dances and jams for 72 hours straight at three different locations every May. The Social is a must go to event! During the festival, The Canote Brothers stopped by the Parlour for a recording session. That was a hoot! If you don’t know their work, check them out ASAP. You’ll be grinning from ear to ear with every tune and song they make! Both are gifted visual artists too. I even commissioned Greg Canote to paint a stylized version of the Old-Time Tiki Parlour in true Canote style!
As an obsessive documentarian, I took many photographs of these events. So here they are. Enjoy!
PHOTOS FROM THE BRUCE MOLSKY RELEASE PARTY AT THE OLD TIME TIKI PARLOUR
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{besps_c}0|Bruce__Dave_Jamming_small.jpg||Bruce and David Jamming{/besps_c}
{besps_c}0|Bruce__Dave_jamming_2_small.jpg||Bruce and David Jamming{/besps_c}
{besps_c}0|Bruce__David_small.jpg||Bruce and David{/besps_c}
{besps_c}0|Bruce__Laura_small.jpg||Bruce and Laura Osborn{/besps_c}
{besps_c}0|Bruce_Paula_Allison_David_small.jpg||Bruce Molsky, Paula Bradley, Allison DeGroot and David{/besps_c}
{besps_c}0|JAM_small.jpg||Jamming with Bruce{/besps_c} {besps_c}0|JAM_2_small.jpg||More jamming with Bruce{/besps_c}
{besps_c}0|Molsky_group-toast_small.jpg||Group toast{/besps_c}
PHOTOS FROM THE L.A. OLD TIME SOCIAL
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{besps_c}1|LAOTS_CANOTES_small.jpg||Greg and Jere Canote {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_CHARLIE_BECK_small.jpg||Charlie Beck {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_CHARMAINE_Slaven_small.jpg||Charmain Slaven {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_CONCERT_Earl_White_small.jpg||Earle & Adrian White{/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_DANCE_CALLING_WORKSHOP_with_Susan_Michaels_small.jpg||Calling workshop with Susan Michaels {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_david_bragger_fiddle_workshop_small.jpg||David Bragger Fiddle Workshop {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_Echo_Mountain_String_Band_small.jpg||Echo Mountain String Band {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_FAMILY_DANCE_BAND_small.jpg||Family Dance band{/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_FRANK_FAIRFIELD_AND_ZACK_SOKOLOW_small.jpg||Frank Fairfield & Zack Sokolow {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_Greg_Canote_Workshop_small.jpg||Greg Canote Fiddle Workshop{/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_harmony_singing_small.jpg||Harmony Singing Workshop with Charmaine and Charlie {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_SQUARE_DANCE_1_small.jpg||Square Dance {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_SQUARE_DANCE_2_small.jpg||more Square Dance {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_SQUARE_DANCE_BAND_small.jpg||Square Dance band {/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_Tom_Marion_Frank_Fairfield_and_Zack_Sokolow_small.jpg||Tom Marion, Frank Fairfield and Zack Sokolow{/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_with_Tom_Frank_and_Zack_small.jpg||Another with Tom Marion, Frank Fairfield and Zack Sokolow{/besps_c}{besps_c}1|LAOTS_CALLING_WORKSHOP_BAND_small.jpg||Square Dance Calling Workshop band {/besps_c}
David Bragger is a Los Angeles-based instructor and player of old time fiddle and banjo music. He also photographs, films, and collects the lore of traditional artists, from puppeteers in Myanmar to fiddlers of Appalachia The Old Time Tiki Parlour