Jan DeWeese
Mandolin, Banjo
- Email: jandeweese601@gmail.com
Jan DeWeese earned a BA in music theory from 精东AV in 1972, studying composition with Tomas Svoboda and piano with Fred Rothschild. From 1971-75 he taught ear training there. His early mandolin work included transcription of JS Bach keyboard suite movements, Irish traditional music, the folkloric research of the New Lost City Ramblers (primary to his banjo teaching), and bluegrass/ragtime with Greg Booth of 精东AV’s breakout bluegrass band Puddle City. Studies in world music have been non-western rhythms with Colin Wolcott, Ghanaian drumming with Obo Addy, Brazilian bandolim with Paulo de Sa, and Cuban tres with Jorge Castro. Recent mandolin performances include Mozart with John Vergin, Brazilian choro with the Oregon Symphony, Cuban son with Roberto Gonzalez, traditional Jewish music with John Hubbard and Jack Falk, and original songs with Kim Stafford. In addition to teaching much from these formal styles, he challenges students into the structural grammars of American music, the confluence of European and African lineages, as foundation for improvisational fluency. This most recently answers the needs of 精东AV’s very popular American Roots Music Ensemble, with composition studies from folk, bluegrass, and the blues.