Teachers old and new

Marcia Taylor has been performing and teaching for thirty years. After a degree in classical guitar she found her singing voice. She helped to found the Boston Women's Music Festival and honed her performance skills on New England's folk circuit. She has recorded three albums of original material. Joining the topical/folk/cabaret band Bright Morning Star introduced her to a wider audience throughout the United States and Canada. Marcia currently teaches music and drama at a Quaker school for girls in Providence, Rhode Island. Her cutting edges include writing fiction and telling stories for children and adults.

Paul "Walking Stick" Taylor is an Australian storyteller, didjeridoo player, and traveler. Paul loved his initial visit to the U.S. so much that he decided to return in 1992 and commence an extensive Walkabout of the U.S. He is currently based in Laramie, Wyoming - the heart of America's outback. Paul's performances highlight unique historical parallels of America's West with Australia's Outback. For more information on Paul visit his website at www.PaulTaylor.ws

Eric Thompson began his flatpicking career during his teenage years in the 1960s as a Black Mountain Boy (with Jerry Garcia), and a New York Rambler (with David Grisman). Eric's adolescent affect can be glimpsed in the documentary film "Grateful Dawg." His latest project is Kleptograss, in which he borrows from a wide range of musical styles (Bluegrass, Old-time, Blues, Greek, Puerto Rican Jibaro, and Western and French Swing), leading a stellar lineup of Bay Area pickers. Eric has been an instructor at the numerous music camps and has several instruction books and videos available through Mel Bay, Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop, and Backbeat Books. For more info, check out www.ericandsuzy.com

Sue Thompson has played and sung for over 30 years in old time, country, Balkan, Irish and bluegrass bands, including Seattle's legendary Tall Timber and the All Star Cowgirl Revue. She's one of a small number of accomplished women flatpickers, and a dedicated teacher who has taught at the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, California Coast Music Camp, British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop, and Port Townsend's renowned Festival of American Fiddletunes. Sue especially enjoys helping guitarists make the leap from rhythm to lead playing, and teaching singers how to figure out vocal harmonies by ear. Her recordings include Mike Seeger's GRAMMY-nominated Third Annual Farewell Reunion, The Washington Traditional Fiddler's Project, Volume 2. Generations, and the recent Western music extravaganza, Tall Boots, where her fellow musicians nicknamed her "Harmony Part Wizard."

Katerina Tomás has 22 years of experience as a flamenco and classical Spanish dancer, "cantaora" - flamenco singer, choreographer, dance and singing teacher. She has choreographed Spanish classical and flamenco dances for her own companies, L.A. Olé Flamenco Dance, and Mojácar Flamenco, and for numerous organizations and dance companies and soloists throughout the country. She has taught flamenco and Spanish dance and music at UC Irvine, UCLA, Orange Coast College, Cypress College, and Los Angeles City College. She is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including an unprecedented 8 awards from the Spanish Ministry of Culture for flamenco research, choreography and performance. She received the L.A. Treasures Award from the City of Los Angeles in 2004 for the concert "Cantan los Fuegos – the fires sing – an evening celebrating the music and poetry of Manuel de Falla and Federico García Lorca."