ABOUT THE BANJO SNOW TRAIN
Departs Tuesday Feb 8th. Departs Martinez: 10:30 am. Departs Sacramento 11:50 am
Arrive in Reno 4:45 pm
Returns Feb 10th.
Train Departs Reno at 8:36 am, Arrive Sacramento 2:15 pm. Arrive Martinez 3:30 pm
Reservations: Reservations require a $20 per person deposit to hold your seat First payment is due Dec 1, 2010.
Make Your Reservation
Changes: An adminstrative charge of $10 per change will apply to any change after final payment has been made. No changes withing (14) days of departure.
Cancellations: Full payment is due Dec 1, 2010. An admiistrative fee of $10 will be charged for any change after confirmation. For cancellations received after December 1, 2010 or within 31 day of departure, a fee of 25% will be charged.
An Account by LARRY CAPUTO
This was the second year that Jack Convery of the East Bay Banjo Club organized this event.
Last year, in 2007, the trip to Reno was set up to honor Georgette Twain who was to be inducted into the Banjo Hall of Fame in Guthrie, Oklahoma. This year our guest of honor was Mr. Charlie Tagawa, leader of the Peninsula Banjo Band. Charlie is already a member of the Hall of Fame having been recognized for his musical contributions to the art of playing the banjo and for his expertise on the tenor banjo.
The train trip for banjo players was scheduled for February 5, 2008. Several banjo players including Charlie Tagawa, Larry Caputo and his wife, daughter and two month old grandson, and Bill Lungren from the Peninsula Banjo band arrived at the Emeryville station ready to board. Also getting on in Emeryville were two people from Texas, Bob Alexius and his wife Patsy. Bob said that he and his wife had read about last years train trip and were quite interested being part of this years event.
Charlie Tagawa enjoying his ride on the Snow Train
Having an interest in banjos and himself being a Tuba player, he and his wife drove from Texas to California to board the train to Reno in Emeryville.
The train left Emeryville at 10:30 AM and made stops in Martinez, Suisun City, Sacramento and Roseville picking up more banjo players from the East Bay Banjo Club and the Sacramento Banjo Band. In total there were 82 making the trip of which 40 were banjoists. In addition to the banjos we had several other musicians making the trip including, Rod Robert, a piano player from Cal's Steak House in San Rafael, Norm Gary who plays a wonderful clarinet, and Dave Sturtevant a guitarist.
For those of you who don't know, Amtrak runs two party trains per week from Emeryville to Reno. One is known as the Fun Train. It goes to Reno on Friday and comes back on Sunday. The other is known as the Snow Train. It leaves Emeryville on Tuesday and returns from Reno on Thursday. The banjo trip was scheduled for the Snow Train where two cars (car #9 and #10) were reserved for banjoists and friends. The Snow train is specifically set up for partying with few restrictions. If you want to smoke you can visit the smoking car. If you want to drink, you can visit the bar in car #4. If you want to observe the fantastic scenery, typical of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you can head off to the Dome Car which is set up for observing the mountains, snow and scenery.
When we arrived in Reno it was 5:15 PM. With no official activities planned for Tuesday evening we were on our own. On Wednesday the hotel reserved the second floor for banjos. Jack scheduled a four hour workshop from 1:00 to 5:00 PM where we learned special techniques for strumming and making the perfect tremolo. Jack discussed special rhythm techniques and using chords up the neck. The workshop was directed by Jack Convery with the assistance of Charlie Tagawa, with Bill Cooper on banjo and Dave Sturdevant on guitar.
We adjourned for a group buffet dinner at 5:30pm and we all returned to the second floor ballroom for a jam session at 7:30 PM. For the evening session we invited the general public to join us on the second floor. Every seat was filled with banjo players, fellow train passengers, friends , and fans. Charlie Tagawa was introduced and the evening show began. One of the highlights of the evening was a duet featuring Bill Lungren and Charlie playing Nola.
The jam session adjourned at 10 pm as we all had to be on the departing train on Thursday morning.
On the return trip banjos rang out constantly from Reno to Emeryville.
Banjo players from all over Northern California
enjoy the 2007 Snow Train
The trip back was hampered with delays as trains going both ways were limited at one point to a single set of tracks. But, nobody cared as the music occupied our time and although the return trip was two hours and 45 minutes behind schedule it seemed as though time passed quickly.
On the trip we had one more exciting element added to the voyage, a magician. He roamed from car to car baffling the minds of the passengers and was simply amazing.
We arrived back in Emeryville at 8:45. It was the second year we have had this event and plans are already being made to repeat it again next year.
Written by Larry Caputo
(Com. Dir, Peninsula Banjo Band)
For more information about the 2010 Banjo Snow Train contact Jack Convery at: email entline@mac.com
Or view the RENO TV SPOT(2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmeC1hpux3g&feature=player_embedded
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Banjo Snow Train
P.O. Box 508
Benicia, CA 94510
(707) 747-1004
entline@mac.com