The monthly PineCone Bluegrass Jam is a “circle jam,” where musicians gather in a circle and play together. Tunes are played up to speed and everyone interested in playing bluegrass instruments is welcome.
This jam will be held outdoors when weather permits. TransferCo has a beautiful patio, with lots of room for pickers and spectators alike. There’s also a spacious ballroom just off the Food Hall that’s got room for a nice sized circle.
Jam leader Ron Raxter is pictured far left playing the upright bass. (photo by Tom Beck)
Facilitated Ron Raxter, the repertoire includes both instrumentals and vocal songs. Ron is one of PineCone’s founding members and is active in a number of local jams. He’s a retired attorney, bass player and was part of the local organizing committee that helped recruit IBMA’s World of Bluegrass to Raleigh.
In the colder months the jam is held in the TransferCo Ballroom. (photo by Maurice Melvin)
Whether you’re a first-time jammer or a veteran, you’re welcome to learn the tunes and play along, or just listen and observe! However, please note that this is not a “learning” or “slow” jam. If you want to play at a slower tempo you might want to check out our monthly “Beginners’ Jam” at Harry’s Guitar Shop. Regardless, this is a great place to meet other musicians who share your enthusiasm for bluegrass.
Please remember – every jam is different! This jam tends to draw a big crowd, and it is open to musicians of all skill levels. Please help us make sure that newer players feel welcome! Also, big, mixed level jams can be challenging. Patience and kindness are appreciated!
The PineCone Bluegrass Jam meets on the fourth Monday of each month at Transfer Co. Food Hall in downtown Raleigh.
Come celebrate North Carolina’s rich artistic heritage with a daytime event honoring the latest recipients of the North Carolina Heritage Award, the state’s highest honor for folk arts. This biennial awards show draws a large and enthusiastic crowd to recognize and honor distinguished award recipients, who range from acclaimed musicians to folks who quietly practice their art in family and community settings. The five honorees will share the inspiring stories of their lifelong dedication to craft through live on-stage interviews, documentary film presentations, musical performances, and a display of artwork. Full of music, art, and community, this uplifting afternoon will leave you feeling proud to call North Carolina home.
TIP: For this and all PineCone shows, you can save a bunch of money on fees by buying your tickets through our Box Office. Give us a call at 919-664-8333 and we’ll help you find the best available seat.
The 2025 recipients of the N.C. Heritage Awards are:
Gaurang Doshi, a North Indian classical musician from Winston-Salem Helen Gibson, a woodcarver from the Brasstown community in western N.C. The Glorifying Vines Sisters, a gospel quartet from Farmville Chester McMillian, a Round Peak guitarist from Mount Airy Herman and Loretta Oxendine, Lumbee traditional artisans from Pembroke (Loretta Oxendine passed away on Oct. 6, 2024, and will be honored posthumously.)
Held on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 7-9 pm at the Riparian Provision Company (1408 South Saunders Street, Raleigh). This is an up to speed, gather in a circle kind of jam. It’s led by great players who work to make sure there’s space for everyone in the tunes.
The leader picks a key (D, A and G are popular) and calls tunes in that key until it feels right to pick a new key and retune. The fiddlers traditionally call the tunes, but not always the jam leader. If you’re playing fiddle you should expect to be asked, “Hey, you got a good D tune?” While “no” is an acceptable answer, it’s good to have a tune in each key that you’d feel comfortable calling and kicking off.
Whether you’re a first-time jammer or a veteran, you’re welcome to learn the tunes and play along, or just listen and observe! However, please note that this is not a “learning” or “slow” jam. Please remember – every jam is different! This jam tends to draw a good crowd, and it is open to musicians of all skill levels. Please help us make sure that newer players feel welcome. Also, big, mixed level jams can be challenging. Patience and kindness are appreciated!
This jam is open to all musicians, not only beginners! It is a learning jam, though, to help those who are still learning the basics of bluegrass music and playing with other musicians. It is open to participants of all ages and abilities. This is a great opportunity for participants to learn basic jam etiquette before jumping into a traditional jam. We’ll spend the first hour playing together in a single large group, stopping frequently to discuss the songs. The second hour, we like to break off into two smaller groups and put our new jam skills into practice!
Facilitator Jef Walter is a local musician who plays with Hank Smith & the Beer & Banjos All-Stars (every Tuesday at The Raleigh Times Bar) and other groups; he also mentors The Loblollies youth bluegrass band.
