2020 Concerts (updated frequently) —-> Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May| June
Happy New Year everyone!
To RSVP for a concert or to ask questions, you can use this FORM or you can also email me directly abbiew@froggie.com. Unless noted, concerts start at 7:30 w/ potluck at 6:30 PM. “Suggested donation” is $20-$25 depending on the show. In general ~ pay what you can. All income levels welcome.
Jan 2020
Jan 9, 2020 (THURS) ~ Johnny Connolly & Casey Neill – Accordion driven Irish dance music, traditional and original songs – RESERVE SEATS – JOHNNY CONNOLLY (Irish button accordion) & CASEY NEILL (guitar/vocals) present an evening of Celtic music and songs. Back in 2003, they embarked on a cross country tour performing at Planet Bluegrass’ Festival of the Mabon, The Cincinnati Celtic Festival, and cut a swath across the midwest. Ever since, Casey & Johnny have made a habit of performing a show or three a year when their schedules allow.
Jan 20, 2020 (MON) ~ SVER ~ (Epic Nordic folk) — RESERVE SEATS – (Olav Luksengård Mjelva, fiddle and hardanger fiddle / Anders Hall, fiddle and viola / Leif Ingvar Ranøien, diatonic accordion / Adam Johansson, guitar / Jens Linell, drums and percussion) ~ SVER play epic Nordic folk music with relentless energy and seductive spark taking you on a fantastic musical journey guaranteed to excite you. Ranging from the very dreamy to a swinging, pounding and sweaty madness – you are invited to the party, greeted by a welcoming primal force that pulls you into the dance. Since the group’s inception, SVER has gone from strength to strength, playing extensively throughout Europe and the US, gaining a reputation as one of the most acclaimed live acts in the Nordic folk scene.
Jan 23, 2020 (THURS) ~ Andrew Finn Magill’s Canta, Violino! ~ (Brazilian music) ~ Andrew Finn Magill (violin) + Nando Duarte (guitar) — RESERVE SEATS – For twenty years violinist/fiddler and composer Andrew Finn Magill has been pursuing parallel careers in traditional Irish music, Brazilian choro, jazz and American fiddle and he has performed with everyone from grammy-nominees Trio Brasileiro to Rising Appalachia. He has been featured on NPR, MTV, Avianca in-flight entertainment, is a Fulbright Fellow and 2019 North Carolina Arts Council Grant recipient for jazz composition. Magill’s fifth studio album Canta, Violino! which was released on Ropeadope Records in 2018, is a Brazilian music-inspired project that traverses samba, choro, and Música Popular Brasileira (MPB), Joining him on guitar is award-winning Brazilian producer Nando Duarte.
“It’s nice to see fresh, young musicians carrying on the traditions of Brazilian music. Finn Magill displays a love and authenticity that can fool you into thinking he is from Brazil. His style is playful and light, yet soulful and passionate. Congratulations!” – Airto Moreira (Miles Davis, Weather Report, Chick Corea)
Jan 24, 2020 (FRI) ~ CRARY, EVANS, & BARNICK ~ Prime Time CD Release Tour ~ Dan Crary (Guitar/Vocals), Bill Evans (Banjos/Vocals), Wally Barnick (Bass/Vocals) — RESERVE SEATS – A Crary, Evans & Barnick show includes new songs and old stories, blazing instrumental artistry, and deep-down, powerfully-felt musical moments. It’s whistling winds in the pines, rambling boys and tragic girls, joys and laughter from old times, furious and foot-tapping instrumental tunes, and a little touch of glory-to-God. And it’s the hovering ghosts of Jimmie Rogers and The Carter Family and Bill and Lester and Earl and Woody and all the greats who showed the way. (WATCH)
Feb 2020
Feb 1, 2020 (Sat) – Grant Gordy & Ross Martin – Guitar Duo – RESERVE SEATS – Grant Gordy and Ross Martin’s duet recording Year of the Dog brings together two of acoustic music’s most forward-thinking virtuoso guitarists, both of whom have deep backgrounds in the American musical vernacular. The album combines originals from each with well-chosen covers from the bluegrass and jazz worlds in which they’ve made their homes. The duo, born of impromptu musical meetings and jams, honors its birth in spontaneity with plenty of seat-of- the-pants soloing as well as some elaborate two-guitar arrangements that recall other great guitar pairings: Eddie Lang and Lonnie Johnson, John Scofield and Bill Frisell, Lennon and Harrison, Rice and Blake, Garcia and Weir, and McLaughlin and DiMeola, to name a handful. (WATCH)
Feb 8, 2020 (SAT) – *Sold out/Waitlist* ~ Kristen Grainger & TRUE NORTH – RESERVE SEATS – Kristen Grainger (vocals), Dan Wetzel (guitar, vocals), Martin Stevens – (mandolin, fiddle, octave mandolin, vocals), and Josh Adkins (bass, vocals)— “True North plays tunes so smooth they bring to mind bluegrass-pop artists like Alison Krauss and Union Station, as well as old country legends like Hank Williams, Sr.” — Kim Ruehl, music reviewer, No Depression/West Coast Performer Americana quartet True North is a powerhouse of intelligent, memorable songs, and lush instrumental and vocal performances, with the crazy-good picking and harmonies of a band deeply rooted in traditional folk and bluegrass genres. Fronted by award-winning singer-songwriters Kristen Grainger and Dan Wetzel, True North is rounded out with Pacific Northwest bluegrass superstars Martin Stevens and Josh Adkins. (WATCH)
Feb 19, 2020 (WED) – *Sold out/Waitlist* – RESERVE SEATS – (Klezmer Music!) – Lorin Sklamberg (accordion/vocals – of the Klezmatics), Sasha Lurje (vocals) , Craig Judelman (fiddle) in a program entitled “Love, Death and Revolution” ~ An intimate evening of Yiddish song with the Klezmatics’ frontman and two of the Europe’s leading klezmer performers.
Featuring the voice of the Klezmer revival, Lorin Sklamberg and darling of the international Yiddish scene, Sasha Lurje (Latvia/DE), this new transatlantic collaboration presents an enchanting evening of Yiddish songs and dance music.
From old folk ballads to the golden age of the Lower East Side, these two pillars of the Klezmer share some of their favorite little known songs. They’re joined by fiddler Craig Judelman (USA/DE), whose background with old time folk music -Yiddish and otherwise – provides the perfect counterpoint, along with Mr. Sklamberg’s accordion, for these two incredible voices. This small all star band packs a big punch, inviting audiences into the dark and passionate inner world of Yiddish song.
Feb 25, 2020 (Tues) – DEAN! + Elise Leavy – RESERVE SEATS –
DEAN! is a Portland-based Soul/Pop band born from the minds of Luke and Rachael Price. Music born from the diverse influences of vintage Soul, old Pop, Americana, their cat named Biscuits, donuts, and fried chicken. DEAN!’s raw harmonies and soul-influenced guitar, culminate in undeniable chemistry. With two voices and an old electric hollow-body, they create music that is honest, timeless, yet uniquely new.
Elise Leavy ~ Raised on the central coast of California and currently living in New York City, 21 year-old singer and songwriter Elise Leavy has written more than 70 songs and has recorded two solo records of original material, accompanying herself on accordion, tenor and six-string guitars, and piano. She co-leads Boston-based folk-grass quartet Ruthless Moon, and is a recent graduate of the New England Conservatory’s Contemporary Improvisation Program. Elise performs as a solo artist as well as with Ruthless Moon and in various configurations with fellow songwriters and musicians. She is currently in the process of recording her third solo project, hopefully to be released this coming fall of 2020 and accompanied by release shows throughout the country.
Mar 2020
March 7, 2020 (Sat) – CANCELLED! ~ Will be rescheduled to a later date ~ ANNE WEISS with Special Guest Julio Appling on Bass – RESERVE SEATS – Anne Weiss is a blues, soul and roots music singer/songwriter, guitarist and pianist with five albums to her credit. She studied classical piano, joined a street gang, became a mountaineer, developed a guitar obsession, worked as a political organizer, learned to salsa dance, became addicted to delta blues, sang with a 100-voice gospel choir, and yes, you will hear it all in her music. Combining soulful blues, acoustic funk, contemporary folk, gospel music, and smatterings of classical phrasing and Latin rhythms, Anne is known for her enormous bluesy voice, great guitar chops, and striking stage presence. Anne adds funk(!) ukulele and emotive piano work to many of her performances. She is a standout songwriter who has been covered by many artists. (WATCH)
Mar 12, 2020 (Thurs) – CHAMELEON WINDS – (Wind Quintet) – RESERVE SEATS – Wind Quintet featuring : Abby Mages (Flute), Alan Juza (Oboe), Sean Kelleher (clarinet), Nicole Buetti (bassoon), & Daniel Partridge (French Horn) – Experience the gorgeous and magnificent sound of this ensemble in our living room. Chameleon Winds is delighted to return and present you with this lovely program!
Mar 13, 2020 (Fri) – CANCELED– SEAMUS EGAN PROJECT – Seamus Egan (flute/whistle, banjo, guitar …), Kyle Sanna (guitar) , Owen Marshall (bouzouki / harmonium), Mia Bertelli (vocals) – RESERVE SEATS – It’s hard to think of an artist in traditional Irish music more influential than Seamus Egan. From his beginnings as a teen prodigy, to his groundbreaking solo work with Shanachie Records, to his founding of Irish-American powerhouse band Solas, to his current work as one of the leading composers and interpreters of the tradition, Egan has inspired multiple generations of musicians and helped define the sound of Irish music today. As a multi-instrumentalist, he’s put his mark on the sound of the Irish flute, tenor banjo, guitar, mandolin, tin whistle, and low whistle, among others. As a composer, he was behind the soundtrack for the award-winning film The Brothers McMullen, co-wrote Sarah McLachlan’s breakout hit, “Weep Not for the Memories,” and has scored numerous documentaries and indie films since. As a bandleader, Solas has been the pre-eminent Irish-American band of their generation for the past 20 years, continuously renewing Irish music with fresh ideas, including a collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens on their 2015 album. As a performer, few others can make so instruments or such wickedly complex ornaments seem so effortless. Music comes as naturally to Seamus Egan as breath, but his mastery of the tradition is only one facet of his plans to move the music forward.
April 2020
April 9, 2020 (THURS) -Postponed Until further notice- Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms – RESERVE SEATS — Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms form a powerful vocally-driven duo whose sound is lifted by Caleb’s distinctive and lyrical mandolin playing, (he even picks up the fiddle from time to time) and driven by Reeb’s unwavering guitar playing. They perform original songs and tunes as well as their favorite old gems from traditional and country repertoires. Both originally hail from Washington State: Caleb from Orcas Island, and Reeb from the Waterville Plateau. They met at the Weiser National Old Time Fiddle Contest, and after singing a few songs together, knew that they had to keep doing just that. They tour regionally and internationally bringing a pure and honest sound to both the Foghorn Stringband and the Caleb Klauder Band.
April 11, 2020 (SAT) -Postponed Until further notice- TIM CONNELL SOLO SHOW ~ (mandolin) ~–> RESERVE SEATS ~ Mandolin virtuoso Tim Connell has developed a unique, modern and global voice for this traditional instrument, described in a Mandolin Magazine cover story as “fiery and energetic, soulful and evocative.” In his solo act, Tim shares his career-long exploration of the world’s many musical styles as realized on the mandolin and voice.
April 18, 2020 (SAT) – -Postponed Until further notice- VIVIAN LEVA & RILEY CALGANO ~ (vocals, guitars, fiddle) – –> RESERVE SEATS – Vivian Leva’s voice is the sound of living tradition. Raised by parents who absorbed ancient tunes and ballads during visits to legendary old-time musicians, Leva grew up steeped in the Appalachian and country music of her Lexington, VA home. On 2018’s Time Is Everything, her label debut on Free Dirt Records, Leva earns a spot in the lineage of great neo-traditional songwriters like Gillian Welch and Sarah Jarosz. And much like these singers, Leva finds inspiration in the past without being stifled by it.
It is unsurprising that she found an instant musical connection upon meeting Riley Calcagno at a fiddle festival in Washington state. Calcagno, who also spent his formative years immersed in traditional music through his playing with the widely recognized band The Onlies, appears throughout Leva’s debut album, acting as co-producer and adding banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and harmonies. Whether on recording or in concert, Leva and Calcagno’s vibrant and magnetic harmonies shift effortlessly between archaic ballads, classic country and honky tonk, and the best of contemporary Americana, imbuing each story of love, passing time, and heartbreak with a hearty emotional punch.
April 25, 2020 (Sat) –-Postponed Until further notice- LISA ORNSTEIN & DAN COMPTON – RESERVE SEATS –Virtuoso fiddler Lisa Ornstein and ace guitarist Dan Compton relish in musical conversation. They transcend the form of the fiddle-and-guitar duo by playing completely together from somewhere deep inside the music. Although they are both accomplished virtuosos on their instruments, what is really exciting about them is the interplay between the two. They’re definitely awake and listening, and no two performances are ever quite the same. A concert with Lisa and Dan takes you on a journey deep into the musical heartlands of Quebec and Appalachia, with side trips for songs, stories, and original compositions. The depth and diversity of Lisa’s musical experiences and her powerful playing find their match in Dan’s imaginative, innovative approach to guitar. The result is a dazzling array of tunes and styles. Real deal music from players who know the traditions inside and out, served up fresh with a side of new tunes.
April 28, 2020 (TUES) –-Postponed Until further notice- TRIO BRASILEIRO – RESERVE SEATS ~ Trio Brasileiro is dedicated to performing the great traditional choro music of Brasil by Jacob do Bandolim, Ernesto Nazareth and others, as well as their own compositions, which are modern reflections of that great traditional musical form. Formed in 2011, Trio Brasileiro quickly made a name for itself as an ensemble worthy of international attention. And, after four recordings and successful tours through Europe and North and South America, they are receiving more than their share of it. Among the many accolades, their 2017 recording with the brilliant Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen, Rosa Dos Ventos, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album, and was named one of the top twenty jazz recordings of the year in the Downbeat Magazine Readers’ Poll. (Suggested donation $25 at the door.) (www.triobrasileiro.com)
May 2020
May 5, 2020 (TUES) –-Postponed Until further notice- BRUCE MOLSKY & ALLISON DE GROOT (Fiddle/Banjo Duets) – RESERVE SEATS ~ The grace and wisdom of longtime fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist Bruce Molsky, described as “an absolute master” (No Depression) melds with the electricity of of banjo player Allison de Groot’s “exquisite tone, timing, and taste” (Tony Trishka) to bring new ideas to old music. Grammy nominee and Berklee College of Music’s Visiting Scholar Bruce Molsky joins forces with his Molsky’s Mountain Drifters’s bandmate Allison de Groot to explore the wonderful world of fiddle & banjo duets from tradition into the future. Bruce is known for his ability to dig deep and transport audiences to another time and place, with his authentic feel for and the unearthing of almost-forgotten rarities from the Southern Appalachian songbook. He’s also the classic “musician’s musician” – who receives high praise from diverse fans and collaborators like Mark Knopfler (Tracker), Celtic giants Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine (Mozaik), jazzer Bill Frisell and fiddle master Aly Bain, a true country gentleman by way of the Big Apple aptly dubbed “the Rembrandt of Appalachian fiddlers” by virtuoso violinist and sometimes bandmate Darol Anger (Fiddlers Four). Banjo virtuoso Allison de Groott is known for her great clawhammer technique, exquisite tone, timing, and taste. She has deep roots in the old time tradition and yet she’s fearless when it comes to breaking new ground. In addition to Molsky’s Mountain Drifters where Allison’s original composition “Closing the Gap” is the title track of their new recording, she is also member of the super group the Goodbye Girls and also tours with the young brilliant fiddler Tatiana Hargraves. (WATCH)
May 7, 2020 (Thurs) –-Postponed Until further notice- The April Verch Band ~ (w/ Cody Walters – Bass/Banjo & Alex Rubin – Guitar/Mandolin) ~ RESERVE SEATS ~ April Verch blends the traditions of roots music and step-dancing with her own artistic voice and vision in a high-energy show that puts her award-winning fiddling and songwriting talents out front. (WATCH)
May 9, 2020 (SAT) –-Postponed Until further notice- Zé Paulo Becker & Special Guest ~ (Brazilian Guitar) ~ RESERVE SEATS ~ With 11 albums to his name, guitarist Zé Paulo Becker has performed in Rio’s bohemian Lapa neighborhood for 20 years, 18 of these at Bar Semente. He has shared the stage with some of the greats, including Ney Matogrosso, Elza Soares, Chico Buarque, Milton Nascimento, Yamandu Costa, Armandinho and Paulo Moura. In addition to important solo work, Zé Paulo divides his talents in the internationally established Trio Madeira Brasil. (WATCH)
May 20, 2020 (WED) –-Postponed Until further notice- The Ladles ~ CD Release for ‘The Line’ ~ RESERVE SEATS ~ The Ladles are Katie Martucci, Caroline Kuhn, and Lucia Purpura-Pontoniere. “
THE LADLES HAVE THREE PART FEMALE HARMONY PERFECTED… “— Sound of Boston
…but their sound is more than that. They are an amalgamation of their respective histories and influences, blending swing, old-time, pop and choral music into a sound all their own. With creative and sophisticated arrangements, they create a dreamy otherworldly atmosphere that draws audiences in and demands attention. They quiet noisy bars and liven up staid concert halls. (WATCH)
May 28, 2020 (Thurs) – –-Postponed Until further notice– STUMPTOWN SWING – Tim Connell (mandolin), Mike Burdette (guitar), Keith Brush (upright bass), Ben Blechman (violin) ~ Stumptown Swing takes audiences back to 1920’s Paris, when gypsies with guitars, violins and upright basses made the leap from French musette to American “hot jazz” and kept Parisians floating on their feet to this evocative new sound. Stumptown Swing performs a set of hot, cool and sultry classics, all resting on a bed of pure swinging groove, featuring gorgeous acoustic instruments played with intelligence and passion by four masters of the craft. (Visit : http://www.stumptownswing.com/)
June 2020
June 10, 2020 (WED) –--Postponed Until further notice- World Mandolin Concert ~ Featuring Brian Oberlin, the UK’s finest ~ Simon Mayor and his long-awaited return to the US, and swing mandolin giants, Don Stiernberg & Paul Glasse .~ Four stellar mandolin players; one house, solos, duo, trios, quartets, amazing chicken legs, and a one-of-a-kind experience. Hear the instructors of the 2020 River of the West Mandolin Camp play a concert open to the public! ( mandoberlin.com | Simon Mayor | Don Stiernberg | paulglasse.com )
June 13, 2020 (SAT) –--Postponed Until further notice- Jenna & Màiri ~ Jenna Moynihan (fiddle) & Màiri Chaimbeul (harp) . ~ Jenna (The Milk Carton Kids, Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards, Old Blind Dogs) Màiri (Aerialists, Darol Anger, Brìghde Chaimbeul) from the Isle of Skye, combine to make contemporary music rooted in the melodies of Scotland and Appalachia. The pair met in 2012 whilst studying at Berklee College of Music and are a product of the thriving and rich Boston music community, and have since toured in the US, Scotland, and France, including sold out performances at Celtic Colours, Celtic Connections Scots Fiddle Festival, & Club Passim. Their debut album, One Two was released in April 2017, and has been a widely-celebrated first release.
“The chemistry between Moynihan & Chaimbeul is a tangible, palpable entity at the heart of their collaboration, making for as natural a sound as I have yet heard in contemporary instrumental acoustic music, and a classic example of how wonders can transpire when you find ‘your people'” – Folk Radio UK, David Morrison
June 14, 2020 (SUN) –--Postponed Until further notice- DAVIS ROGAN (from New Orleans & HBO’s TREME) ~ Solo – Keyboard/Vocals ~ Classic New Orleans with originals + fun storytelling about life and music in NOLA) .~ Davis draws his musical inspiration from Professor Longhair and Fats Domino, as does every New Orleans Rhythm and Blues piano player. What separates Davis is his lyrics. The wit, irony and self-deprecation echo Randy Newman, but the wry observations about life, humanity and New Orleans are uniquely his. This combination of roots music and sharp lyrics, heard in the 2005 release, The Once and Future DJ, drew auteur David
Simon to Davis as David prepared his HBO series about New Orleans, TREME. Davis began working as a consultant and, over six years and four seasons of the show, served as an actor, a scriptwriter, a piano coach, a songwriter and the muse for the character Davis McAlary. By the series’ end, Davis had written or placed more music in the show than any other musician.
Davis is a fifth-generation New Orleanian raised in the neighborhood of Carrollton. He began his broadcast career on WTUL at the age of 10, did his college radio stint at KRRC and was a DJ at WWOZ for 13 years.“Like New Orleans, Davis Rogan is always one bad move away from falling on his ass. And yet, on at least every other occasion, he’s the cat that drops from the tree and lands on his feet. Much as New Orleans somehow manages to do.” David Simon.