Meet our INSTRUCTORS & JAM HOSTS (TBA)

Bosco Over four decades ago, several journeys were made into the depths of American traditional music culture by a curious young musician from Japan. His name is Takaki Kosuke. However, he’s best known in the world of old-time music as Bosco. As a child, Bosco’s obsession for the music of the Carter family and Woody Guthrie led him to study the guitar and mountain dulcimer. Soon after, his obsession for fiddle and banjo brought him to America where he befriended and learned directly from many of the legendary elders who are practically worshipped as musical gods by today’s old-time aficionados: Tommy Jarrell, Melvin Wine, Burl Hammons, Maggie Hammons, Joe Birchfield, and the list goes on. Bosco’s style is a virtual musical time capsule containing the mystical “old sounds” that countless folk musicians strive to conjure on their instruments. His photographs of the great old masters are sacred treasures for fans and students of the genre.

Scott Prouty has an extensive and eclectic repertoire rooted in the old mountain style of fiddle playing which includes dance music as well as beautiful solo fiddle tunes. He grew up in the old-time music scenes of Washington DC and West Virginia and currently lives in Toronto. An archivist by training, his music has been shaped by rare field recordings as well as time spent with older-generation players and contemporary musicians. He has taught at camps including the Augusta Heritage Center, Cowan Creek Mountain Music School, the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes and the Berkeley Old-time Music Convention. Scott is also a featured Tiki Parlour Recordings recording artist and his music and film release "Shaking Down the Acorns" is available at Tiki Parlour Recordings.

The SLO County Stumblers are an energetic American string band based in California’s Central Coast. The band features fiddler Casy Meikle, guitarist David Baine, banjo player Daniel Bohlman, and banjo builder Jerry James on bass. The band formed in 2018 when Meikle returned to California after several years in Middle Tennessee where he became steeped in the region’s musical traditions, traveling extensively with a variety of Southern string bands and with buckdancer Thomas Maupin. The Stumblers play hard-driving old time fiddle tunes and spirited songs, heavily influenced by the golden-era string bands of the 1920s and 30s. Their performance is filled with humorous stories and banter and is guaranteed to get feet moving across the dance floor.

Jimmy Triplett plays fiddle tunes learned from rare field recordings and visits with older musicians throughout rural West Virginia. He has become an in-demand fiddle teacher. In his workshops, he emphasizes bowings and ornamentation that capture the simple beauty and graceful rhythm of old-style Appalachian fiddling. Jimmy worked for several years at the Augusta Heritage Center, where he co-produced “The Fiddling of Ernie Carpenter” and “One More Time: The Life and Music of Melvin Wine.”

Tricia Spencer grew up in Kansas, learning the tradition of old time music from her Grandparents, Vernon and Iona Spencer.  At an early age, she was perched up on some stage tapping her foot to the sound of fiddles, banjos, mandolins, and guitars. Tricia has studied with some of the great masters in old-time music and is highly sought after as a performer, dance fiddler, and instructor.

Howard Rains is an artist and fiddler from Texas, now living in Kansas, who comes from a family rich in both of those traditions. Howard plays rare, old tunes learned from friends, family, mentors, and old recordings. As much known for his painting as his fiddling, Howard has spent many years painting watercolor portraits of his fellow musicians and is also the lead artist and graphic designer for Tiki Parlour Recordings in Los Angeles.

Jim Mueller says: I attended my first Santa Barbara Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention in 1976 and have been a regular attendee ever since.  I’ve been influenced by many fiddlers over the decades, including Tom Sauber, Pete Sutherland, Alan Jabbour, Ralph Blizard, Bruce Molsky, and many others.  In fact, I feel that I have been influenced by everyone that has ever shared a tune with me.  I have performed with the Growling Old Geezers, For Old Times’ Sake, and the Rosin Sniffers. That said, my favorite musical partner is my wife, Amber.

Ruth Alpert first saw flatfooting at Don West’s festival in Pipestem, West Virginia in 1968.  It went straight to her heart and never let go!  She began flatfooting regularly in New York City in 1978, dancing in the aisles of the Eagle Tavern to local and visiting old-time bands.  She has taught workshops, danced with Old Time Appalachian string bands, and busked in various cities in at least 6 states. She is a two-time National Champion in Senior Buck Dancing and a two-time Grand Champion at The Appalachian String Band Festival at Clifftop, WVA, 2019 and 2023.   She was a member of The Fast Peso String Band in Santa Fe, NM for 15 years, and currently is the percussion section of The Honeysuckle Possums, a Santa Barbara all female Americana band.

Joe Wack has played guitar, banjo, and old time fiddle since his teens and twenties. He moved from West Virginia in the early 90’s and is retired after a career in television and movie animation.  For the past fifteen-plus years he has hosted the monthly Audubon Center jam in Debs Park, Los Angeles.

Andy Denes - A Dr. Spock baby and a Pete Seeger teen.  Long-time clawhammer player whose shoulder problems make mandolin less painful.  I've developed a tablature system which I'm happy to share.  It's mando-centric but adaptable to fiddle.

Pat Mac Swyney grew up in Chicago and Los Angeles listening to his mother’s Dubliners and Bing Crosby records.  Pat began playing traditional music in 1982 and currently lives on the windswept steppes of north Los Angeles County where he plays Trad. Jazz with The SWING RIOTS Quirktette; Balkan & Near Eastern with NEVENKA & PEČURKA; Irish with The DIRTY MICKEYS; & Old-Time with SAUSAGE GRINDER.  Pat holds a degree in Anthropology from UC Santa Barbara and has subsequently never worked outside the music and food service industries.

Nick Bachman is an Old-Time fiddler from Iowa who takes special interest in Midwestern and Missouri Valley fiddle tunes. He currently lives in Los Angeles and works in the Animation industry.