Tramor

(Overseas) is the new traditional music project of John Good, formally of Oceans Apart. John is well known through out the West, South, Midwest and in his native Wales as a multi-instrumentalist, Welsh piper, singer/songwriter, composer and poet. Veteran of many Celtic festivals and concerts, including Estes Park, Chicago Celtic Fest, San Diego and Denver, he brings the subtly different flavor of traditional Welsh music to the Phoenix stage. On this occasion he is aided and abetted by mandolin virtuoso Billy Parker

John Good - Biographical Outline

John good was born in 1949 in Cwmafan, South Wales, UK., into a house where the Welsh Language was spoken. Educated in Sandfields Comprehensive School, Hull then Cardiff Universities, where he studied with renowned Welsh composer Alan Hodinott. Taught in the London School system for several years. Immigrated to the USA in 1975, living and performing in San Francisco, Los Angeles then moving to Phoenix in 1989.

Over the last 35 years he has worked in America as performer, session musician, producer, teacher, recording engineer, concert/festival organizer; has led workshops/residencies and given bilingual presentations on Welsh and Celtic Culture, including poetry, music and literature to various societies and organizations including Phoenix area Universities, schools, college and library systems, at Welsh/Celtic Festivals and Highland Games, on local radio and television and for the Humanities Council. His session work includes recordings with Robin Huw Bowen, Jack Bruce, L. Shankar, Tony Williams and Zaker Hussain.

In 2009 John was made director of the Celtic Harvest Festival, Sedona, Arizona and 2010 marks Johns re-emergence in the choral world, being asked to direct the Cymanfa Ganu (singing festival) at Bryn Seion, Oregon; the oldest Welsh church on the West Coast.

Publications

Columnist, Desert Shamrock Newspaper, Phoenix.

Cambria Magazine, Wales/International.

Yr Angor, Welsh Language Newspaper, Wales.

Y Drych, Welsh/American Newspaper.

Ninnau, Welsh/American Newspaper.

Articles and poetry in various magazines, newspapers, newsletters and on many web sites, including the BBC.

Societies

President, Welsh League of Arizona

Former Vice-President, Phoenix Poetry Society

Member, Cymuned (Society)

Member, The Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association (North America)

Member, Cymru Annibynnol

Performances/appearances

Celtic Festivals & Highland Games

Longs Peak (Estes Park) [received 2 of only 4 standing ovations given in 30 year history]
Rocky Mountain (Denver)
San Diego, Salt Lake

Tucson, Flagstaff, Mesa,

Camp Verde, Phoenix,

St Patricks Day Faire, October Festival, (Phoenix)

Welsh Festivals

Welsh Weekend of Song,

St. Peter MN

Welsh Festival, Malad ID.,
100 th . St. Davids Day Celebration,

Minneapolis, MN.

Capel Cymreig, Los Angeles

Wymore Days, Wymore NB
Phoenix, Canon City, CO

Other Events

Plainsong Folk Festival (Lincoln)

Sea Shanty Festival [On the Star of India sailing ship] (San Diego)

Chamber Music Society of Sedona [Standing ovation!]

Fallbrook Americana Series,

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Annual dinner

San Diego Folk Heritage

Goal

To strengthen a fledgling, Welsh and Celtic cultural presence in the Southwest and North America, by creating regional focal points, where American and Welsh/Celtic-born people with an interest in their heritage, culture and language would come to reconnect with their own living history.

Y Gymraeg (Celtic Welsh), as with the languages of all cultures, is the foundation on which to build. Welsh League of Arizonas language class (now in their 7 th year, John Good head teacher), are producing small numbers of enthusiastic and proficient speakers of the old language. With their new, permanent home in the Irish Cultural Center and under the auspices of the Academy for Celtic Studies, with even fairly modest financial aid, the language class would surely allow interested, local residents -- and national and international visitors -- to experience the numerically healthiest of living, Celtic tongues.

Billy Parker - Biographical Outline

Billy Parker grew up in musical family in the New Jersey and began playing mandolin at age 12 when he realized that if he played an instrument, he could stay up as late as everybody else at the many late-night jam sessions held at his family home. Billy has played ever since and has performed professionally throughout the Pacific Northwest and now, Arizona where he has become well known as a performer and studio musician.

Billy is one of the best and most versatile mandolinists in the Southwestern United States. Also an accomplished guitarist and vocalist, Billy works in a diverse variety of musical configurations across the United States, and has entertained and toured with national acts such as Bill Monroe, David Grisman, and the late country music legend, Faron Young.

Billy moved to the Phoenix area in the mid 90's and has been in demand in the studio, appearing on over 40 nationally marketed album projects, and on stage, performing in Celtic, Bluegrass, Traditional Jazz, Western, Blues, and other Folk Music festivals from Connecticut to California and all across the U.S. Billy lives in Chandler, with his wife, Brenda, and daughters, Emily & Kelsey.

For contact and/or booking (480) 786-5332, bbekpark@cox.net , or visit Billy on www.myspace.com/billysbands