MARYSVILLE — One of the shining young stars of the Snohomish County bluegrass scene is on his way to the big time.
Mandolin player Nick Dumas, 25, formerly of the regional bluegrass bands Three Generations, Northern Departure and North Country, is the newest member of the award-winning and nationally recognized, Chicago-based bluegrass band The Special Consensus, and he’s moving to Tennessee to be nearer the band’s main touring territory.
A going-away concert in his honor, hosted by the Red Curtain Foundation, is set for tonight, Nov. 6, at the foundation’s art center in Marysville. Dumas will be joined by his former Northern Departure band mate, the guitarist Chris Luquette, and their friend, bassist Connor Hutteball.
In its time, the young Northern Departure band “became audience favorites at the Hometown Hootenanny,” said Beckye Randall of the Red Curtain Foundation, which produced the hootenanny show.
Nick’s and Chris’ “musical careers have reflected both their youthful energy and impressive musicianship,” she said. “I am so proud of them.”
The 7:30 p.m. concert will include traditional and original tunes, vocals and instrumentals and a lot of fun, Dumas said. Opening for the young men will be another hootenanny favorite, Pickled Okra, which combines old time and bluegrass tunes with comedy.
Then on Saturday evening, people can catch Dumas at the monthly Maltby Bluegrass Jam at the grange hall in Maltby, where his “mentors” regularly play music.
Next week, Dumas is moving to Jonesboro, Tennessee.
“It’s a few hours east of Nashville, but a heck of a lot closer than south Snohomish County,” Dumas said. “I hate to move away, but I’m looking forward to this next chapter.”
After this weekend, the next time Dumas likely will perform in his home state will be with Special Consensus on July 22 and 23 at the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival in Stevenson.
“I also would like to be back at the Darrington Bluegrass Festival this next summer, but I may have to miss it this year,” he said.
Dumas grew up in Brier, across the street from his maternal grandfather, the dobro and peddle steel guitarist Harold Christensen.
“Grandpa had a country gospel and bluegrass band, and I was inspired by the fiddle player,” Dumas said. “One year, my parents surprised me with a violin and I started taking classical lessons at Brier Elementary School. I also took some fiddle lessons and then started playing around on my aunt’s mandolin. I’ve picked up the guitar and the banjo, too, but over time mandolin has become my main instrument.
“I would not be near where I am today without the influence of my grandpa.”
As a young teen, Dumas, his mother, his aunt and his grandfather started the Three Generations band and were joined in that endeavor by some other young bluegrass players. “And the young guys would get off to the side to play faster, progressive bluegrass and that’s when Northern Departure got started.”
After high school in Mountlake Terrace and at the Chrysalis School in Woodinville, Dumas focused on Northern Departure with friends Derek Gray (bass), Austin McGregor (banjo) and Luquette, who soon got his big break to join the award-winning band, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen.
During the past four years, Dumas has played in North Country with Will McSeveney (banjo), Kent Powell (bass), Norm Olsen (guitar), Michael Kilbey (dobro) and Stephen Burwell (fiddle), who has since left the band to join Doyle Lawson.
North Country is considered one of the best young bluegrass bands in the Northwest. Leaving the group is bittersweet, Dumas said.
In Special Consensus, Dumas also will sing in the band, which had its start in 1975 with original banjoist Greg Cahill at the height of a bluegrass revival.
“I knew there was a bluegrass revival in the 1970s, because that’s when the festival in Darrington got started,” Dumas said. “But we’re in the midst of another revival now, and I am so incredibly honored to be asked to be part of Special C. By including young players, Greg Cahill is making sure we keep the bluegrass tradition alive.”
In September, Dumas heard that a member of Special C, as it’s called, was leaving and there was an opening in the band. At the International Bluegrass Music Association convention in early October in Nashville, Dumas got a try out with Special C.
“We treated it as a jam session, but we had a great groove and a great vocal blend,” Dumas said. “The next day they called me down and offered me the job. It’s a dream come true.”
Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @galefiege.
If you go
Young bluegrass musicians Nick Dumas, Chris Luquette and Connor Hutteball will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 at Red Curtain Arts Center, 1410 Grove St., Marysville. Only 90 seats are available. Tickets are $17 general, $14 for seniors/students/military personnel and $5 for kids 12 and under, available through brownpapertickets.com or by calling the arts center at 360-322-7402.
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