Tony Furtado Trio Live Session December 6th at 2pm

  • December 3, 2013
  • Jefferson Public Radio News; Eric Teel; Nov. 26, 2013

By Eric Teel

On Friday, December 6th at 2pm, JPR welcomes Portland banjo and slide guitar master Tony Furtado and his trio into the studios for a live session on Open Air. 

Before Furtado became a highly-regarded slide guitarist/banjo player, he studied art and music at Cal State East Bay. It was during that time that he went on a whim to Kansas and entered the Grand National Banjo Championship - and won.

It was then that Furtado's solid musical potential soared into the bluegrass ranks and led him on the road with Laurie Lewis and Grant Street, playing bluegrass and old-time music. This musical trail led him to ink a deal with Rounder Records to record his debut solo record, Swamped, which was released in 1992. His eclectic sound includes influences from swing, jazz style, Celtic-folk, and old-timey music, and he continues to blend his unique mastery of both banjo and slide guitar with his developing skill as a songwriter and vocalist.

Furtado performs Friday night, December 6th at 8pm at the Unitarian Center in Ashland as part of the St. Clair Productions concert series. Tickets and information atwww.stclairevents.com.

Furtado's sculpture will also be on display at Illahe Studios & Gallery in Ashland as part of the First Friday Artwalk from 5pm to 8pm.