Russia-America Bluegrass Jamboree

Welcome to Russia's Premier Bluegrass Music Festival

The second joint Russian-American Bluegrass music festival in Russia will take place July 12-16, 2011 with events in Vologda, Semenkovo, and Yekaterinburg, Russia.

Check out the fun from the first-ever 2010 Bluegrass Jamboree event!

What is Bluegrass Music?

Bluegrass is the one American music genre that has remained almost completely unknown in Russia. But this festival is helping to change that! Wikipedia defines it as a sub-genre of American country music, with roots in Irish, Scottish, and English traditional music, as well as African influences brought to America by slaves. It is an outgrowth of traditional and 'old time' folk music of the Appalachian mountain region of the United States.

Traditional Bluegrass music is typically played by a small ensemble of stringed instruments which includes 5-string banjo, guitar, fiddle (violin), mandolin, and contra-bass viol ("upright bass"). Some Bluegrass groups also include a resonator guitar (also known as 'resophonic' guitar or 'Dobro'). Modern Bluegrass shows influences from other types of music ranging from rock, to jazz, to blues. It may include electric instruments, especially electric bass guitar. Multi-part harmony singing is also an important part of both traditional and modern Bluegrass music.

A Bluegrass band

Bill Monroe Photo courtesy Robert Corwin

Bluegrass as a musical genre takes its name from the American band which popularized it in the 1940s and 1950s - the "Bluegrass Boys", founded and led by Kentucky mandolinist and vocalist Bill Monroe, often referred to as the 'father of Bluegrass music'. The Russia - America Bluegrass Jamboree features concerts by both American and Russian bluegrass musicians as well as informal "jam sessions".