educational programs

"Red did an excellent job. She really drew the attention of both the young and old alike, and had a very creative and inventive way of getting them to participate in the lessons she was presenting." - Mae Smith (Interpretation Specialist, The Delta Blues Museum, Clarksdale, MS.) "The Residency went incredibly well and much of that was due to your professionalism. Your depth of knowledge, enthusiasm and tenacity with often over exuberant students, was exceptional. Our district works a lot with artists in residence. What we have found is that the level of success is directly dependent on the quality of the artists involved. Once more, that is what made this one work so well." - J. Michael Huffman (Director of Arts/Magnet Programs, Lima City Schools, Lima, OH.)

"Blues Experts." - NBC News

"All the kids enjoyed your music and journey, and some really got into it - I overheard them talking later. It's not easy to keep 700 13-year old's attention, you're good!" - Avis (Teacher)

"For once the school did something I enjoyed...I sure didn't know much about the Delta Blues so it was really cool, especially to hear how it found its way up to Chicago...I even got to have a little chat with Jackie 5 & Dime after everyone cleared out at the end about playing the bass, and he explained to me why there was no bassist and how he used the bass drum on his lower notes to help compensate. After that we talked about the type of music I play and the function of round-wound and flat-wound strings. It was a really enjoyable experience." - Tim C. MusicPlayer.Com (Bass student)

"Hey this is Steph and Molly and you came to our school on Thursday April 25. And it was so awesome you totally inspired us to take guitar lessons thankz!" - (Students)

Fun And Educational

Dear Educator:
We’d like to introduce you to our special music performance and workshop packages. For decades The Original Delta Fireballs have brought their traditional "Juke Joint" style ensemble to adults of all ages in nightclubs, restaurants, festivals, and special events throughout the nation. This music duo also offers students a chance to experience an educational live performance starting with two different basic presentations, "The Muddy Mississippi" (performance), and "Geneva Red's Harmonica Workshop (performance, plus a "hands on" harmonica workshop). Both are fun and captivating experiences, and can be customized and expanded on with the options below.
Music, History, Geography, Culture -
During "The Muddy Mississippi" presentation, Jackie 5 & Dime plays his drums and guitar/banjo at the same time in the tradition of Blues greats Joe Hill Louis Dr. Ross and "Baby Face" Leroy Foster, it's always fascinating and exciting to watch. Coupled with the talents of Geneva Red, one of the rare and leading female Blues harmonica players in the world today, this duo known as The Original Delta Fireballs are sure to stir the imagination of any young audience. It’s always easy for them to motivate audience participation with hand clapping and dancing. Their song repertoire takes their audience on a musical journey that starts in Chicago and heads south along the Mississippi River, stopping in St. Louis, Memphis, the Juke Joints of the Mississippi Delta and Arkansas, all the way down to New Orleans and back again. These two always bring a little history and background about the songs they play to their presentation, and instill a sense of the importance of this great American Music tradition.
"Geneva Red’s Harmonica Workshop" is again an introduction to America’s Blues music through a performance by The Original Delta Fireballs, plus a hands-on Harmonica workshop for the participants.
Geneva Red’s Harmonica Workshop combines elements of The Muddy Mississippi presentation, and adds even more student-artist interaction by introducing students to this small but powerful instrument with an insightful introduction to beginner’s Blues harmonica.
Students receive their own harmonica and learn the basic chords and rhythms of the 12 bar Blues as they play along with The Original Delta Fireballs in a traditional “Call and Response” style.

Geneva Red's Hohner Harmonica Workshop is now available for students without sight!
Red and 5&Dime have developed this harmonica workshop exclusively for the blind. With all the standard visual ques for this workshop incorporated as audio ques in the music that is presented. This is a fun and engaging music performance program for those without sight to learn basic Blues harmonica, and to join in and accompany The Original Delta Fireballs.
Geneva Red's Artist In Residence Program. Basic elements of the Muddy Mississippi Presentation and Geneva Red’s Hohner Harmonica Workshop are combined and expanded upon in this Artist in Residence Program. The goal of this program is for students to experience what it’s like to be in an actual music performance, while playing harmonica and singing along with The Original Delta Fireballs. This program takes participants to another level and is an exciting personal and musical learning experience that culminates in a grand finalé performance for family, friends, and community members to attend.
The Artist in Residence program can be tailored to your schools individual needs; accommodating various class sizes and daily time schedules. Geneva Red and Jackie 5&Dime work closely throughout their time with the students teaching them the basics of harmonica in a fun and engaging way, as well as a little history of this great American music and the performers who created it. High School Jazz Band Option. For a broader outreach, Jackie 5 & Dime developed a workshop to include High School Jazz Bands with Geneva Red's Artist In Residence Harmonica Program. In the tradition of BB King's or Bobby Blue Bland's band arrangers (Onzie Horne, Joe Scott), this option brings both the harmonica students, and the Jazz Band together for an event culminating in an even more spectacular finalé performance at the end of the residency.
5&Dime composed the manuscript for four 50s R&B style horn sections to each accompany the harmonica performances, with the Jazz Band rhythm section joining the Original Delta Fireballs as a full size Chicago style Blues band for the finalé that includes all the students performing together for their families, friends, and community. A real celebration of American music. Special Things can happen! In 2018 5&Dime was commissioned by The Blues Committee in Lima OH, to write two 17 piece steelpan (steel drum) band arrangements, adding pans to Geneva Red's Harmonica Artist In Residence at the Liberty Arts Magnet school in Lima. On March 1, 2019 these pieces were performed in a public concert by the Liberty Arts Magnet student steelpan band in combination with Red's residency harmonica students. This was the first time in history that a large orchestrated steelpan section was added to accompany a Blues band, The Original Delta Fireballs, in an academic institution, breaking new ground in not only the Steelpan genre, but Blues music education, also.
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