Bluegrass Jams | Blue Grass Boogiemen

Bring your string instrument to Tolhuistuin, because this summer you can participate in acoustic jams led by Laurens Joensen. Each edition, Laurens invites a band to jam with the audience. Not so musically inclined? You are also welcome to come and listen.

Bluegrass is an American style of music that is considered part of the country genre. It has roots in European and African-American traditions and was the music of immigrants in the mountainous regions of eastern America. The music has Irish and Scottish backgrounds, in its typical lamentations can be heard the nostalgia for a homeland and hard life in the mountains. One of the few types of folk music, bluegrass has a jazz-like structure: one instrument plays a solo, while all the others fulfill the accompaniment. Ideal for a jam, in other words!

This edition: Blue Grass Boogiemen

The Blue Grass Boogiemen have been playing traditional bluegrass professionally since 1990. Their show has proved to be very successful all over Europe. For instance, in Ireland where they won the ‘Waterford Crystal Bowl’ for ‘most popular band’ at the Guinness International Bluegrass Festival. Or in their native Holland, where they won the ‘Silver Fiddle Award’ and the ‘Gram Parsons Award'(eight times) both for best acoustic country/bluegrass band, and beat Alison Krauss to the number one spot in the ‘Strictly Country’ charts with their first album. They also were voted most popular band by the audience at the European World of Bluegrass festival twice. But also in the US, where they’ve been touring several times, people are enthousiastic about their music.

Over Laurens Joensen

Laurens Joensen (1978, Terneuzen) studeerde klassiek gitaar aan
 het Amsterdams conservatorium. 
In december 2001 won hij de publieksprijs op het Cameretten-festival.
 Hij is gitarist, componist en singer-songwriter. 
Joensen (spreek uit: Jo – ensen) zingt niet alleen in het Nederlands maar ook in het Faröers zijn vadertaal.