Sounds of the river

BY RICK BIRD
Post music writer

Almost hidden among the hubbub over the paddlewheelers and riverfront hoopla this weekend is a fine musical lineup. The sounds of Tall Stacks feature some outstanding American river roots music.

The Tall Stacks musical lineup is hardly a side show. In fact, music-lovers may actually find the sounds the event's main attraction.

It's hard to go wrong with any of the performers on the six stages in Newport, Covington and Cincinnati this weekend. There will be an assortment of jug bands, brass bands, banjo pickers, great bluegrass players and an emphasis on workshops where people can interact with the musicians.

Katie Laur, the veteran Cincinnati bluegrass queen, has found it a labor of love putting together the entertainment lineup. She has assembled a tremendous cast dedicated to what she calls the ''river music'' genre.

''This is a style of music all its own. There are some people absolutely ate up by the river,'' Ms. Laur said. ''They go back and find every song written about a boat and about the river. These musicians come out of the woodwork for this kind of festival. And it surprises me each time we do this how many great players there are.''

The hero of the river beat remains John Hartford, the multi-instrumentalist riverboat captain, and Grammy-winning songwriter and bluegrass player. He is indeed a river Renaissance man, and he has has performed at all the Tall Stacks celebrations since 1988.

Ms. Laur thinks he is the musical soul of the festival.

''I now call him the 'voice of the river,' '' she said. ''He is what Mark Twain was before him. Nobody has so consistently explored riverboat life in songs and in his other work, in his productive career. He represents the mystique of the Ohio River.''

Hartford will be performing for four days at Tall Stacks on various performance stages and at workshops. He will be hard to miss.

While music will be heard non-stop at the festival, Ms. Laur thinks the heart of the Tall Stacks entertainment is a series of workshops where people can get up-close-and-personal with various artists. Those looking for an intimate musical experience - and wishing to pick up a few music lessons - should check out these workshops:

A ''Women in Traditional Music'' workshop will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Yeatman's Cove. It features bluegrass and traditional mountain singers such as Ma Crow, Ms. Laur and female players from the bands Kentucky 31 and the Freight Hoppers.

A fiddle workshop at 3:30 Saturday at the upper-level Serpentine Wall stage will feature Jay Unger and Peter Ostroushko (noted for their work on ''A Prairie Home Companion'') and players from the Freight Hoppers.

Jug-band players will gather for a workshop (or what Ms. Laur predicts will be a ''play shop'') at 6 p.m. Saturday at the lower-level Serpentine Wall stage. Featured will be members of Cincinnati's Dancing Pigs and Louisville's acclaimed Juggernaut Jug Band.

A banjo workshop at 2 p.m. Sunday at Yeatman's Cove will feature Tony Ellis, John Hartford and members of Kentucky 31.

Here are highlights of regional and national performance acts this weekend:

The Iguanas are the best bet for those looking to get a little rowdy. The raucous swamp-rockers have performed in town several times before, most notably as an opening act for Jimmy Buffett, as he has touted the Tex-Mex-meets-the-Bayou band on his Margaritaville record label. The band plays sets at 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Yeatman's Cove Stage.

The outstanding Juggernaut Jug Band represents the tradition of Louisville, where some say the jug-band sound was born. This real-deal jug sound mixes jazz, blues and swing into a traditional but eclectic act. The band is playing Friday and Saturday nights at various sites, including impromptu shows throughout the crowd.

Tonight the festival brings in some serious Mississippi blues players, deep from the Delta. Featured are R.L. Burnside, Elmo Williams, Hezekiah Early and T-Model Ford. They roll in on what's billed as the Fat Possum Mississippi Juke Joint Caravan, playing from 7 to 10 at the Public Landing Stage.

Tony Ellis is a fine banjo artist performing on various stages Sunday on the Cincinnati riverfront. The Grammy-nominated Ellis is the epitome of the Appalachian picking tradition.

Entertainment

John Hartford, daily

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, daily

Dean Magraw and Peter Ostroushko, daily

Dodworth Saxhorn Band, daily

The Fat Possum Mississippi Juke Joint Caravan, today

Three On a String, today-Friday

Juggernaut Jug Band, Friday-Saturday

Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, Friday

The Freight Hoppers, Friday-Sunday

The Iguanas, Saturday

Tony Ellis, Sunday

Complete Entertainment Schedule