Rhythm & Vibe : Alive In The Wild

Dates

Program P11-11

9/1 – 9/4

Program Fee: $125

Steve Ono will lead clinics for guitarists of all levels: beginners to experienced!

Abdullatif Bell Touncara facilitates communication with nature and each other through drumming

** LABOR DAY WEEKEND MUSIC RETREAT **

Rhythm and Vibe: Alive in the Wild!

Drum circles alongside a rushing creek…guitar jams in the middle of the Giant Sequoias. A unique music retreat for instrumentalists of all ages and levels!

The spirit of the retreat is to bring music-lovers together for an opportunity to learn from the facilitators, each other, and from the rhythm that flows through the trees and mountains of Sequoia National Monument

Guitar master and teacher Steve Ono teams up with drumming artist/storyteller/instructor Abdullatif Bell Touncara for three days of musical connection with nature, instruction, collaboration, and jamming in the wild. Explore the vibe of nature at outdoor locations, and tune in to the connection between music and human communication!

The camp is perfect for the “occasional musician” – acoustic guitar players and percussionists who own a guitar or hand drum, but perhaps may rarely play the instruments. Learning, teaching, and musical expression are all enhanced by the natural surrounding of the National Park, nurturing musical growth for beginning and intermediate musicians.

The program is also designed to accommodate well-seasoned and experienced musicians/performers. Rhythm & Vibe provides the opportunity to simply enjoy your instruments with other music lovers at an incredible venue. All will join in a unique experience which blends elements of instruction with experiential and free-form performance.

After breakfast and lunch, you will have the opportunity to engage with your musical instruments – and the other participants — during instructional clinics that focus on various aspects of guitar and percussion playing.

The afternoon schedule is completely open, giving you time to enjoy hikes around the property, naps in nature, or impromptu jam sessions with new friends. After dinner, participants will gather together to reflect and share the day’s musical teachings with Steve and Abdullatif inside Hull Hall. After this time of reflection, everyone will then enjoy at a nightly campfire jam session beneath a blanket of stars.

RETREAT WEBSITE

Musical instruments are NOT provided. Participants are encouraged to bring extra/additional instruments to share with other group members at the campfire – but this is completely optional and up to you!

If you can not attend the full retreat, you are still welcome! Please email Frank Delgado at: frankDmail@gmail.com for more information about partial attendance.

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ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Steve Ono is a guitarist with extensive Jazz, Folk, Rock, Blues and World music influences and experience. After meeting Frank Hicks, a swing era guitarist, he was inspired to study the musical artform more deeply, and graduated from the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood

Steve Ono has also been composing and playing rhythm guitar lately with local rock violin virtuoso Patrick Contreras, including a New Year’s eve show with B.B. King. His song “Serious Man” was featured on a compilation titled “The Maximus Sessions,” received airplay and was noted as a standout by newspaper critic Don Mayhew. Ono has also been featured on four separate musical broadcasts which have aired on PBS affiliate, KVPT-18.

Abdullatif Bell Touncara was trained by several master drummers in the African tradition. He uses his talents to “edutain” students of all cultures and ages about true African culture – as art is a natural part of life in Africa, Abdullatif shows people how art is an everyday part of their lives. With an overall background in the visual arts, music, dance, and theater, he has performed internationally: from a national theater in Lagos, Nigeria to a concerts and festivals throughout the United States. He is also the vice president of TORODO, a West African ballet and performs with Diamano Coura West African Dance Company.

STEVE ONO is a guitarist with extensive Jazz, Folk, Rock, Blues and
World music influences and experience. He will be presenting 1)
Folksinger 101: basic chords and folk songs 2) Cheap Tricks for the
Lazy Guitarist 3) Open Guitar Tunings drones and the blues.

Steve Ono has also been composing and playing rhythm guitar lately
with local rock violin virtuoso Patrick Contreras including The 2007
American Gypsy Shows and the 2008 New Year’s eve show with B.B. King
at the Warnor’s Theatre. He plays rhythm guitar with the great local
country band Randy Deaver and Crossfire and is a Fresno Folklore
Society board member.

His first solo public performance was at the 1971 McLane High School
Talent Show. The first paid performance was in 1972 in a coffeehouse
in Steenwijk, the Netherlands.
Steve played in the progressive rock band Folly’s Pool and co-wrote
several songs on their debut album. Steve met Frank Hicks, a swing era
guitarist which sparked a flurry of study on Steve's part. This study
resulted in his 1980 graduation from the Guitar Institute of
Technology in Hollywood.
After playing in Newport Beach and doing some recording session work
including home recording with a friend on 8 track half inch reel to
reel tape, Steve moved back to Fresno in 1985 and became involved in
the computer music using a Commodore 64 and early MIDI synthesizers.
His first digital audio experience was using Cakewalk and Windows 3.1.

Songwriting took on new importance in November 1993, with the release
of "The Maximus Sessions," a compilation CD of Fresno area songwriters
and artists. Steve's song: "Serious Man," received airplay and was
mentioned as a standout by critic Don Mayhew of the Fresno Bee.
In 1995-96, Steve appeared three times on the CSUF Television
Production, "Works in Progress", with Thomas Witt-Ellis for broadcast
on Fresno's Valley Public Television (KVPT-18).
His first all original CD, "Voice of a Friend," was released in December 1996.
In 1998 Steve co-produced a self-titled CD for the Flamenco-Jazz trio
Cerro Negro, which received much airplay on KEZL 96.7 Smooth Jazz
Radio.
In 2004 Steve and Eddie appeared on the KVPT/Comcast live broadcast of
the “Blues in the Tower” show produced by CSU Summer Arts.
In 2005 Steve produced “Tus Tsim” the debut album of Hmong Flamenco
guitarist Alain Lee.
In 2006 Steve produced the “Smokin’” album for himself and Eddie Gordon.
In 2008 he produced the EP “Songs for Darfur” for Greg Lawson.
In 2009 he produced the LP “For the Camps” for Greg Lawson.