Windsor Journal reports:

On Saturday, March, 2 Windsor native Ksenia Mack is coming to the Northwest Park, to offer an evening of music with her group, The Porch Party Mamas. It’s a home coming for Mack who told the Windsor Journal that she hopes to see friends a family she has not seen for years.Mack, who was brought up in Windsor and graduated from WHS lives now in Boston where for the past she has been doing what she always wanted to do, she said with a smile: play music.

“Music in my family,” she  recalled. “Most of my family played music, very unprofessionally. They’d get together, my dad and my aunt would get together in the basement and play music with some of their friends. We used to do this every Tuesday night. And then all of my relatives would come in the basement and listen. And sometimes my mom would get real funny and play the washboard and stuff. It was just real fun.”

Mack started playing guitar in high school, and when it was time for college her mom suggested that she study music, because it was really the only thing  she was interested in “That was really great and nice of her, Mack now said. “So I learned how to play classical guitar from a woman named Ellen Jameson, that was also a Windsor Native, and I got into school at Uconn with studying classical guitar. And then, when I finished school with that degree, I moved to Boston and I did what I always really wanted to do, which was singer-songwriting style.”

Gradually she became known in the area, and progressed to playing in shows, and then do opening acts for famed musicians like Willie Nelson, Patty Griffin and the Indigo Girls. But she found her real place among the other members of the Porch Party Mamas, a group of talented female musicians who write and perform Americana.

“These four women that I play with, I consider them some of the best musicians that I’ve met in my entire life,” she told us. “We all play together, and we’re all each others’ band members. There’s four writers, and we are all each others’ band. Our style is a little bit diverse and eclectic, but basically Americana covers it.”

The band is Kelly Riley on guitar and bass, Felicia Brady accordion. Windsor’s own Ksenia Mack guitar. Percussionist Katrin Peterson and fiddler Jane Grondin.
Why “Porch Party Mamas?” we asked.

“Because we started to play just like my parents did,” Mack responded. “My husband and I would throw these music parties, and these were the people that would come.”
The group is now collecting material and getting ready to professionally record.
So, if you want to listen to some great music, that has at some roots right from the Hometown, on March 2 the Northwest Park will be the place.

For ticket information go to www.northwestpark.org or call the park at 860-285-1886. Proceeds from the concert will benefit environmental studies at the Park.

To view article go to Windsor Journal

Boston guitar teacher Ksenia Mack playing with her student Sarah Jane at a recent Guitar Summer Camp! Well, maybe it’s not summer but since these group get-togethers started in the summer the name stuck. These guitar play-alongs are a fantastic way for Ksenia’s students to play within a group setting. Supportive, festive and just plain fun they allow you to simply jam with fellow musicians and/or break away and give a solo performance. In this way all of Ksenia’s students not only get private lessons but are part of a community that includes workshops by some of Boston’s best singer/songwriters.

Now available on CD Baby

Purchase my new CD or download the songs!!

Here’s a song I co-wrote with Liz Cook for my recent album Lost Across America

Ksenia is currently recording a new CD, a soundtrack to images done by photographer Robert Castagna. It will be released in November. For more information visit upcoming gigs page.

Ksenia Mack playing at Johnny D’s on May 25th 2012 with the Porch Party Mamas.

All guitar students are welcome to routine “Guitar Summer Camps”. These group experiences allow students to interact and play together both as a group and individually. Here’s what one student recently said:

“Ksenia, I enjoyed the “Summer Camp” last night.  Wonderful people, good music, a great experience.  It is my guess that leading a session like that is much more difficult than it looks.  You did a super job of making sure that everyone got a lot from the evening, even though the skill levels were very different.

The Summer Camp was almost identical to the “Song Circle” format that I attended a couple of times in Austin.  I have always thought that a participatory experience was the best way to enjoy music.  You provide a real service to the community by opening your home to these sessions.  It seemed like you were genuinely enjoying the evening.  Even so, I hope that you can run these in a way that makes it worth you while so that they can continue.”

Paul

For more information on guitar lessons visit Boston Guitar Lessons.