The Goods: Calle Mambo supports Family Safety, Fall Community Concert, Winship's mando instructional book

By Aaron Davis (for JHWeekly.com)Chop and pickAspiring mandolin players should know that there’s a quality instructional book series being made in their own backyard. Actually, that would be Ben Winship’s backyard – Henhouse Studios in Victor. Winship announced this month that Mel Bay has published a collaborative effort with his Brother Mule band mate Brian Wicklund, “The American Mandolin Method, Vol. 1.” The elementary book is accompanied with audio and designed for beginning mando players.“Brian’s 'American Fiddle Method' [series] is the best selling of the Mel Bay books, and he has a lot of experience with elementary players,” Winship said. “Fiddle method is logically based on the time-tested Suzuki method and hundreds of years of proper technique, but the challenge with mandolin technique is that it is kind of all over the map. So we did a lot of research and sent our ideas around to other teachers for their stamp of approval. Most of the work [for us] was deciding how the songs should be played, and writing out the notation for those 30 songs.” Winship and Wicklund are currently working on Vol. 2, which will be geared towards intermediate and advanced players. It is due out before Christmas.Salsa and support for familiesIn July, Driggs’ Family Safety Network purchased a three-bedroom, two-bath home that provides no-cost housing to families transitioning away from violence. To help fund the need for furnishings, linens, kitchen items, and to expand security of the home, the Family Safety Network is hosting a Salsa party with a 10-piece Latin-jazz band, Calle Mambo. There will also be Salsa dance instruction, a raffle and a silent auction. Calle Mambo performs a benefit for Family Safety Network, 7 to 10 p.m., Thursday, at Warbirds Café in Driggs. $15 advance or $20 door and available at Corner Drug, Big Hole Music, Victor Emporium, and Trailside General Store in Tetonia.Volunteer groups use cash to shineThe Community Foundation of Jackson Hole recently awarded a $5,000 matching grant to Cathedral Voices and Treble Voices Chamber Choirs, Jackson Hole Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Hole Chorale, Jackson Hole Community Band, Brass Quintet, and Jackson Hole Jazz Foundation to help promote vibrant, locally-based music and to offer a collaborative concert. Music in Harmony: A Fall Concert, 7 p.m., Tuesday, at the Center Theatre. Free. CathedralVoices.org.