Mark Seitz, T.J. Lundy, Steve Streett, and Frankie Short
(Brian Eldreth on bass is left, and out of the frame.)
19 January 2014:
Straight from Ed Henry's Dispatches from the Field: Congratulations to Frankie Short and Northern Connection. A day has passed and I have time to record a few notes from yesterday's session with the Maryland Bluegrass Community at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack in Port Deposit, Maryland. Odd how it's become my winter campaign headquarters for 2013-2014. I like it. I like the ambiance of camouflage ball-caps and cowboy boots mixed in with the smell of motorcycle fuel. I like to see families and extended families of friends and neighbors celebrating birthday parties. Yesterday it was Joyce Miller's and Roger Williams' turn. Happy Birthday to Joyce and Roger! But the main event was the debut of "Northern Connection" with Frankie Short, Steve Streett, Mark Seitz, Brian Eldreth, and T.J. Lundy. One band goes down and another arises. This is basically a follow-up to the demise of Baltimore Bluegrass, a group that called it quits in December, 2013. Frankie Short wanted to keep up the momentum so he quickly gathered four of the most talented players in Maryland and launched Northern Connection. There is always a danger of things going badly. There is always the danger of a polite, warm, reception; a few polite, warm hand-claps to acknowledge the presence of the entertainers. After all, none of them are strangers to this crowd at Jumbo Jimmy's and it's an even tougher nut to crack because the crowd at Jumbo's is Die-Hard bluegrass. They live on the raw energy of classic hillbilly music. If they really appreciate what you're doing up in the playing area, they show their appreciation by crowding the dance floor with their exuberance. Yesterday afternoon and into the early evening the dance floor was packed - no room during a few wild fiddling sessions with T.J. Lundy in high gear - especially in a long set of "Gold Rush." The stand-out was Mark Seitz and his vocal work with Frankie Short. Mark plays mandolin and has a history of playing with Harold Tipton, Fastest Grass Alive, Keystone Bluegrass, and other bands. Toward the end of the evening, his daughter Keri Seitz joined the group for two vocal selections, "Cry, Cry Darlin'" and "Somehow tonight." Steve Streett's father, John Streett, also joined in for a song, along with Bobby Lundy on bass. There were other musicians attending which gave credence to the debut as being something special for the Maryland bluegrass community, and it is something special.
In December I started a "Calendar" (see other articles on this site.) of traditional bluegrass and where to find it in Maryland. A few dates in January grew into numerous dates and the names of the active traditional bands performing into March and April. So far, the calendar mainly focuses on the bands in the Baltimore/eastern Maryland region and doesn't cover what's going on in western Maryland or the Pan Handle. When the festival season arrives there will be so many bands reporting in and I've already decided I can't list it all. I've already gotten way over a thousand hits on the calendar and it continues to increase. What does this tell me? Welcome back, Frankie Short and Northern Connection. There is plenty of playing space and audience for everybody. If you're thinking of forming a band and joining this august gathering of traditionalists, here's the caveat; the challenge; you better be ready to satisfy a discerning audience that loves their traditional bluegrass and knows exactly what they want to hear. When you can get them all crowding the dance floor, well, you just won the Grand Prix. Nice work, Frankie, you get the Gold Medal for being a class-act.
Northern Connection returns to Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack at a later date. (check my on-line calendar.)
Northern Connection: Frankie Short (guitar and lead vocals) Mark Seitz (mandolin and vocals) Steve Streett (banjo and vocals) T.J. Lundy (fiddle) Brian Eldreth (bass).
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