Ballet Enchante' (compositions of Gershwin)

Saturday October 19, 2013

Showtime: 8:00 / doors: 7:30
Tickets: $25

Ballet Enchanté is preparing an original ballet program entitled “A Tribute to George Gershwin,” w/ 9 performances currently scheduled throughout June, September & October 2013. The program, which is 45 minutes in length, will be a celebration of George Gershwin’s genius as a 20th century, American composer. There are 7 dances that comprise the program, set to an eclectic sampling of Gershin’s work, featuring piano rags, Broadway tunes, a charleston, & his brilliant symphonic poem, “An American in Paris.”

The 7 dancers in the company — ranging in age from 14-37, & residents of Morris & Essex Counties, & Brooklyn, NY — have been rehearsing extensively since February. Their talent & dedication are truly extraordinary, as they have deftly balanced the demands of being performers with a semi-professional arts company with full-time employment, school, & involvement with other dance companies.

The mission of Ballet Enchanté is three-fold: to nourish the technical and artistic proclivities of each individual dancer; to demonstrate the creative choreographic potential of ballet; and, to enhance appreciation for and understanding of the performing art within the local community. To this end, each season Ballet Enchanté prepares original choreographic projects, and then embarks on an extensive performance schedule, with up to 6-10 events per season. The company now has 9 original ballet programs in its repertoire (consisting of 52 individual dances) and has given over 65 public performances throughout Morris and Passaic Counties during its 7 years of activity.

Vienna Teng

Saturday October 5, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $25 / VIP $55

VIP includes soundcheck access, meet & greet and preferred seating

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$25 Tickets:

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$55 VIP Tickets:

Royal Scam

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $25

Back for a return engagement!!

The Royal Scam is the world’s premier Steely Dan tribute band. Playing more than 40 of Steely Dan’s masterpieces, The Royal Scam has helped to keep the compositions of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, the spirit of rock/jazz, and the enthusiasm of fine musicianship alive in small clubs and concert venues in the NY metropolitan area.

Charlie Hunter

Friday September 6, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $25 advance / $30 day of show

First coming to prominence in the early 1990s, Charlie Hunter has recorded 17 albums. Hunter plays custom-made seven and eight-string guitars, on which he simultaneously plays basslines, rhythm guitar, and solos. Critic Sean Westergaard describes Hunter’s guitar technique as “mind-boggling … he’s an agile improviser with an ear for great tone, and always has excellent players alongside him in order to make great music, not to show off.” Charlie is joined by drummer Scott Amendola in support of their new CD release “Not Getting Behind Is The New Getting Ahead”.

Mountain Heart

Saturday August 3, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $25

Join us for the second night of the Historic Blairstown Theatre’s Annual Bluegrass Throwdown with an Evening Of Bluegrass with Mountain Heart.

Mountain Heart is the band that has been fearlessly revolutionizing the way acoustic music can be presented and played. The band’s name has been synonymous with cutting-edge excellence in acoustic music circles since the group’s creation in 1999. Widely known throughout the music industry for continually redefining the boundaries of acoustic music, the band has gained legions of loyal fans both as a result of their superlative musicianship, and more notably, their incomparably exciting live performances.

As one of the most highly awarded ensembles ever assembled, Mountain Heart, or members of the band, have either won or been nominated for Grammy’s, ACM, CMA, and multiple IBMA Awards. They have appeared on the revered stage of the Grand Ole Opry in excess of 125 times and have shared the stage with acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Montgomery Gentry, Merle Haggard, George Jones and Brad Paisley to Alison Krauss, Tony Rice, The Avett Brothers, Yonder Mountain Stringband, Levon Helm, John Fogerty and Patty Loveless.

Mountain Heart’s musical virtuosity, unmatched energy, and keen sense of entertainment dynamics have helped them to forge a highly unique sound, and stage show, which appeals to an incredibly wide variety of musical tastes. From large outdoor folk music and bluegrass festivals, to sold-out arena shows opening for Southern Rock icons, Lynyrd Skynyrd, to co-headlining concerts with the acoustic guitar legend, Tony Rice, Mountain Heart always makes an undeniable connection to an audience, leaving them on their feet. In short, this rare combination of abilities makes Mountain Heart one of the most versatile acts ever assembled.

This year will see Mountain Heart booked to play some of the most prestigious outdoor multi-genre festivals in the nation as well as theaters and clubs as they tour in support of their 7’th album, “That Just Happened”, which was released in late 2010 on their own imprint, MH Music Group.

Greensky Bluegrass

Friday August 2, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $20

Incendio

How does a music band make ends meet these days?

The last 10 years have seen the total decimation of the “old” industry system. Record companies, along with the promotional and technical firms that support them, have downsized dramatically or disappeared altogether. Self-motivated musicians have taken their future into their hands and moved forward with bold steps.

Such is the case with the latin guitar world fusion group Incendio. This Los Angeles-based group started in 1999, and came of age during the last gasp of the old record industry paradigm. Faced with the prospect of being an instrumental music-driven band in an age of increasingly bleak pop-driven market (where one-shot youngsters are heralded as geniuses, then sadly discarded in six months), Incendio has persevered and even thrived, taking instrumental Spanish guitar music to new and uncharted artistic levels.

The group has had seven international CD releases. The most recent, the guitar trio CD “Vihuela”, came out on their own Incendio Music label in summer 2009. They additionally have a live DVD, “Dia y Noche”, which has received critical acclaim for its sonic quality and uncompromising focus on “just the music”. It was the Who’s legendary Pete Townsend who said in 2003, “bands in the future must be able to play well live — that’s the only music market that there will be”. Incendio has taken that to heart, embracing the do-it-yourself ethos of indie rock and punk by self-booking and touring over 170 dates a year across the United States.

But it is the music they present at these shows upon which they have built their reputation. Sweeping, romantic playing is usually the heart and soul of live Spanish guitar performance. But the diverse backgrounds of the musicians in Incendio mean that, in addition to that romantic and passionate playing of their instruments, their concerts balance rock-style enthusiasm and energy with a tremendous technical and improvisational sophistication. Thus, Incendio achieves the difficult task of appealing to both a general audience who enjoy the melodies, as well as that more difficult audience: other musicians, who have come to respect the group’s vision and work ethic as much as their fretwork wizardry and occasionally complex arrangements.

The group’s CD’s also feature a unique compositional and performance slant. Echoes of their predecessors like Strunz and Farah, Jesse Cook, and the acoustic side of Al Di Meola are obvious. But the group has explored jazz, Celtic, middle-eastern and electronica throughout their career, putting their own stamp on their self-produced music. They subtly bring influences as diverse as Weather Report, Jimi Hendrix, XTC, Paco de Lucia, Buddha Bar and Joni Mitchell to bear on their musical tapestry. Thus, their music is a true “fusion” and sounds like little else in the genre. And thus, as they have moved through new age, through electronica, through every subheading, the band’s sound and enthusiasm has continued to evolve — no two Incendio CD’s sound exactly the same.

Since their music defies easy characterization, the behemoth of terrestrial radio in big markets like LA has not embraced them – but they seem to have worked well without it, thank you very much. It is the smaller radio markets, college radio, satellite, internet, where the burgeoning support for the band has grown exponentially over the last five years. And press reaction around the country has been similar — “who are these guys, they’re great, why haven’t I heard of them”. The band takes it in stride – it’s a long haul game, and this determined band seems to be comfortable with taking cities and states by storm, one location at a time.

Incendio’s richly textured music is rooted in myriad sources: Carbé’s flamenco and classical guitar training as well as her Sicilian ancestry, Durand’s Peruvian heritage, Stubblefield’s European travels and musical collaborations with Kuwaiti oud maestro Waleed Hamad, not to mention Durand’s penchant for rock-style dramatics and Stubblefield’s lightning-fingered jazz-fusion mastery. Carbé’s deceptively graceful bass and guitar playing grounds Durand and Stubblefield’s dazzling twin-guitar attack, resulting in adrenalizing sonic explorations that take on greater dimension when they call longtime friends like percussionist Bryan Brock and drummer Nicole Falzone.

The evidence of the strength of live show can be seen and heard in the Dia y Noche CD and DVD release. Available as of December 2005 on their own Incendio Music label, it literally shows day and night aspects of Incendio in action. While the nighttime footage was filmed in an elegant concert hall, the daytime scenes capture the electric intensity of an Incendio performance as they play at the eclectic Strawberry Music Festival in Yosemite, California. The footage of Durand and Stubblefield’s tightly interlocked guitar solos — almost like spiraling shredding contests — with Carbé propelling the floor-pounding rhythms, all three rocking from the gut, leaves no doubt that this is a band that is, first and foremost, about performance. Crowd scenes reflect the thrilled surprise of audiences experiencing Incendio for the first time. It’s that immediate visceral response from listeners upon which Incendio has painstakingly built a reputation over the past six years.

“We’re definitely a niche market,” Stubblefield allows. “But it’s a niche market that, when a lot of people hear it, they say, ‘I like that.’ We’ll play a street festival and sell 200 CDs in a couple of hours. The radio won’t touch it but people who walk by and hear us think it’s great. That’s been crucial to our success, and we’ve just slowly built on it.”

Word of mouth has been crucial and delightfully kind to Incendio. Carbé recalls how a concert booker was turned on to the band by her guitar-fixated teenager: “This 14-year-old boy watches us on Vista LA and he’s into Hendrix, he’s into Coltrane, and he said to his mom, ‘You need to hire these guys.’ So she looked us up because of her son.” Incendio was subsequently booked for a high-profile university concert series.

“We always have had great word of mouth,” Durand adds with gratified pride. “It’s just approaching that tipping point. If we play for a thousand people, we won’t get 800 people coming up and giving us a perfunctory pat on the back, saying, ‘You guys are really good.’ We’ll get 50 people coming up saying, ‘We will follow you into hell.”

Able Hands

Saturday July 13, 2013

Showtime: 8:00 / doors: 7:30
Tickets: $10

Able Hands – Able Hands is the work of Michael Klics, a self-taught songwriter and musician from New Jersey. With an ever changing entourage of musicians, Able Hands draws its influences from both the American songwriting tradition and a rich palate of musical styles.

Omingnome – This Georgia outfit is “squinting inwards for a further onwards”.

Big Girl (Brooklyn) – Big Girl is a quartet based out of Brooklyn, NY. They assemble groovy complex rhythms and layer them with swirling guitar, nostalgic piano tones, and strong harmonies.

An Evening with Ben Taylor

Tuesday July 2, 2013

Showtime: 8:00 / doors: 7:30
Tickets: $25

How come everything good seems so hard to hear when Iʼm listening?

Ben Taylor listens and thinks. A lot. In fact, the word Word is something Ben mulls over daily. It is, when you think about it, the only word that IS what it means. The meaning of word connects us – in any language – and this idea of communication is very important to Ben, as is the paradox of an individuated consciousness (think: ego) versus collective unconscious, that which unifies us all (happiness, fear, hate, love). Heavy? Not really, just a part of the ever evolving, highly intelligent, vulnerable, loving brain of Ben Taylor, musician, son, brother, friend and deep believer. Not only has Taylor spent the past few years thinking, he has also spent a lot of time LISTENING.

Listening is Ben Taylor’s first album in four years, the last being the critically acclaimed The Legend of Kung Folk Part 1, which had CNN commenting that the album, “reflects the broad palette of pop” and Blurt Magazine declaring, “For some time now Ben’s been busy carving out a unique niche for himself in the music world.”   Ben himself once described his work as “organically handcrafted songs,” and given the painstaking thought and care he puts in to his art, who are we to argue? As a successful and eclectic independent artist for the past ten years, it isn’t just anyone who takes four years to put out their next album (Listening being his fourth album).

Listening, out on Sun Pedal Recordings/ILG in August, flawlessly fuses the sounds and styles of folk, pop, soul, urban, reggae and country, and is, as Ben says, “an evolution. Some songs were actually recorded four years ago, some were recorded a few months ago, and a few recorded a few weeks ago just in time to make it. This album runs the gamut from both the production style and the period of my life in which they were recorded. These songs are little windows into the last four years of my life.” Ben was in no rush to record Listening because, for most of his career, he never limited himself with a deadline. A self-described ‘late bloomer’ musically, Ben didn’t start singing until his early 20s. The hesitation is understandable, given the daunting example of success set by his parents, James Taylor and Carly Simon. While Ben thought of other vocations he could pursue, including a wilderness guide or martial arts instructor, he was drawn to the family business. Ben had a true affinity for music, and not surprisingly, a love for words. “My scholastic career was not successful. My attention wanders, and I like to follow it. It’s a creatively lucrative process for me. My internal jukebox was always so much louder than my teachers.”

 “Releasing an album represents the beginning of a process. On a commercial level, it’s a promotional enterprise.  However, it’s a journey on a spiritual level as well. It’s an interesting one, with a lot of blessings, lessons and interesting adventures to have – and I get to do it with my best friends in the world. Completing an album represents a whole vignette of what may or may not be coming next.”

Listening was co-produced by Ben and his long time musicians; drummer Larry Ciancia, bass player Ben Thomas and guitarist David Saw (Saw also co-writes most of the music with Ben). Now that he is with a label, he is looking to pick up the pace and Ben is eager to delve deeper in to his songwriting. “Next time, I’d like someone to have more of a ‘Captain’ position, with a big picture in mind. My part is to write and perform, and now I want someone else to mix and produce. I want to focus my attention on my songwriting and to throw myself deeper and deeper in to music.”

The songs on Listening certainly support Ben’s clear progression as a songwriter. The track, “Worlds are Made of Paper,” which references The Beatles “Yesterday” as Ben’s favorite Beatle’s song, is a philosophical ode on the transience of life (“Yesterday” – get it?). With a strong bass beat that dissolves in to a campfire chorus, Ben and the band happily sing with an indifference to this temporary thing we call life. The album’s first single, “Oh Brother” embodies the best of songwriting in personal form with a life lesson hidden in an melodic yarn for Ben’s younger twin brothers, who like most 11 year olds, are already struggling with outside judgments and fitting in. “Even a champion loses the day before the race,” Ben cautions the boys, letting them know it’s ok to fail, and, as only an older brother can, reminding them to shine on, no matter what. The beautifully haunting acoustic title track, “Listening,” is a song Ben has been performing live for a few years. Written after he realized that he was a better talker than listener, the song stood as a constant reminder to listen more.

The social commentary of “America” challenges both America and Ben himself, to start living a more impeccable life. Not one to preach, this is Taylor extending a hand to anyone who wants to take the challenge of doing better each day. The album closer, “Next Time Around” isn’t like anything else on Listening, a folk-bluegrass-country hybrid, which could easily be heard as part of Garrison Kiellor’s “Prairie Home Companion.” A beautiful piece of abstract story-telling, Ben encourages the listener to find their own meaning in his words.

While he enjoys being in the studio, Ben is looking forward to getting out on the road too. “If you take being in the studio over playing live, you lose out. They are both important parts of the same process. You need to write a song, perform it in front of people and have an audience react to it. It helps me with the writing and presentation of the recorded song if I play it live before I record it. To me, you don’t really hear your song for the first time until you share it.”

Ben’s also excited to be on a label for the first time in his career. “For most of my career, I put out my own stuff on my own time. I start really well but then slow down. Now that I have a proper label, I love sharing the reins of my creative process. If you’re too close, you often don’t have good insight and don’t know when to stop. I love what I do and one of the best things about being a musician is getting to hang out with musicians all day! They’re mostly a joy to be around,” Ben says with a laugh.

An admitted harsh critic on his own work, Ben is quite happy with the end result of Listening. “I hope people like it. I am immensely self-critical, and almost always want to start from scratch when I finish an album. The hardest thing about being a member of my family is the expectations I put on myself. The best thing about it has been my ability to overcome that in order to be the best performer and musician I can be. My wish would be that any one who spends time with Listening just digs the songs.”

Us Not Them

Saturday June 29, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $30

Friday June 28, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $20

Long recognized and praised as a creative force in acoustic music, Claire Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. The current Claire Lynch Band is a powerful juggernaut, a quartet that has the innate ability to perfectly interpret the beauty, subtlety, and genre-defying sophistication of Claire’s music.

Claire’s career is fittingly bookended by two IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year awards: in 2010, in recognition of her current work with the Claire Lynch Band, and in 1997, for her influential work with the Front Porch String Band, and as a solo artist

Blazing her own trail in the mid 70′s when there were few role models for a young woman in the genre, Claire Lynch made history when she led the Front Porch String Band, which evolved in the 80’s and 90’s into “one of the sharpest and most exciting post-modern bluegrass bands on the circuit.” She formed her own Claire Lynch Band in 2005 and has consistently been a top pick of prestigious publications, critics and audiences across the nation ever since.

Claire grew up in Kingston, N.Y. until the age of 12, when the family moved to Huntsville in northern Alabama. There she began her education in country music and got caught up in the bluegrass revival of the 1970′s, joining a band called Hickory Wind. Later, the band changed its name to the Front Porch String Band with Claire’s vocals as its centerpiece.

In 1981, after their first nationally released recording, the group retired from the road, and Claire pursued dual careers in addition to raising a family. As a songwriter, her tunes have been recorded by such luminaries as Patty Loveless, The Seldom Scene, Cherryholmes, Kathy Mattea, the Whites and Stephanie Davis. At the same time, she became a much sought-after session vocalist

James Maddock and Band

Friday June 21, 2013

Showtime: 8:30 / doors: 8:00
Tickets: $20

British born James Maddock was first recognized in the U.S as leader of the band Wood (Songs From Stamford Hill – Columbia Records). Songs From Stamford Hill, which remains a fan favorite 10 years later, produced a Top 5 Triple A hit (Stay You) and was included in the first Dawson’s Creek compilation.

In 2009 Maddock released Sunrise On Avenue C, for which he won the 2010-11 NY Music Award for Best Americana Album. Maddock followed Sunrise in 2011 with Wake Up and Dream. NYC’s WFUV 2011 Listener’s Poll named Wake Up and Dream (#13) as one of the top albums of 2011. The Mike Scott (Waterboys)co-written single “Beautiful Now” was named the #9 Song of the Year in the same poll. Maddock has become a mainstay on non-comm and satellite radio and continues to tour extensively.

His new album “Another Life” is available for pre-order March 26th!!! Official release is May 7th.

Hackensaw Boys

Thursday June 20, 2013

Showtime: 8:00 / doors: 7:30
Tickets: $20

With feet firmly planted in the old-time song tradition, hands soiled by the dirt of rock n’ roll and eyes fixed steadily on the future of real country music, the Hackensaw Boys are among the most exciting groups charting new territory in today’s diverse Americana music scene.

How does it work?

Everybody sings a bit of lead, everybody sings a bit of harmony and most members know when to shut up. Instrumentation includes banjo, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, harmonica, upright bass, charismo (a home-made tin can contraption) and the occasional trap kit.

Where do they come from?

In the beginning they all lived in Charlottesville, VA, but now the seven members are spread throughout Virginia, West Virgina, New York, and New Orleans. For more than a decade, however, they’ve come together to tour the United States, Europe and the U.K. and to record several critically acclaimed albums.

Who are they?

The group’s lineup includes:

• Ward Harrison (strings and thumb picks)

• Ferd Moyse (strings and horsehair)

• Ben Townsend (strings and horsehair, strings and thumb picks)

• Brian Gorby (traps and sticks)

• David Sickmen (strings and improvised straps)

• John Miller (stand up strings and fingers)

What’s new?

When asked in March of 2012 to play a show in celebration of the life of a fallen fan in Kinderdijk, The Netherlands, the Hackensaw Boys proudly accepted.  On February 15th, 2012 René Verkerk was killed in an accident by the scoop-wheel of his windmill.  The weeks following his death, friends and family gathered round and found the Hackensaw Boys were a mutual passion and comfort.  René was a huge fan of the band and injected most of his relationships with their music.

On Thursday, May 24th, over 200 friends gathered in Café De Klok, the local pub, for René’s celebration of life.  The theme of the concert was the Hackensaw Boys’ song We Are Many.  From this memorial show, comes Hackensaw Boys – For the Love of a Friend, a 16 track CD including Keep It Simple and Can’t Catch Me, with a 35 minute bonus DVD.

2012 also saw the release of The Old Sound of Music, Vol. 1 and The Old Sound of Music, Vol. 2, deliver original material that draws upon the songwriting talents of its members. These six-song collections are the result of recording sessions held at the decaying but comfortable Sound of Music studios on Broad Street in Richmond, VA before it moved to its new location. The recordings were mastered by Grammy award winner Charlie Pilzer at Airshow Mastering in Takoma Park, MD. As with the group’s previous album, Look Out (Nettwerk Records, 2007), all songs were engineered by Library of Congress archival audio restoration specialist (and all around good guy) Bryan Hoffa.

History

The Hackensaws have toured with a bevy of diverse acts that were quick to embrace the group’s sound and songcraft, including: The Flaming Lips, Cracker, Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, The Detroit Cobras, Cake, Railroad Earth, Cheap Trick and De La Soul.

In 2003, the Hackensaw Boys were honored to serve as Charlie Louvin’s backing band on that Country Music Hall of Fame member’s nationwide tour.

Recent History

Appearances at numerous festivals including Pukelpop in Belgium, Bonnaroo in Tennessee, Bergenfest in Norway, Telluride in Colorado, Belfast Folk Festival in Ireland, Floyd Fest in Virginia, Lowlands in the Netherlands, Pickathon in Oregon, and more…

Ancient History

In the fall of 2000, twelve musicians and a photographer friend left the Blue Moon Diner in Charlottesville, VA in a 1964 GMC motorcoach (“The Dirty Bird”) and circled the country on a six-week tour of theaters, bars, street corners and alleys.

http://hackensawboys.com/

Crystal Bowersox

Sunday March 10, 2013

Showtime: 7:00pm / doors: 6:30pm
Tickets: $20

Crystal Bowersox has made it her mission to live life and her music to the fullest. With a gentle warmth and wisdom well beyond her years, the consummate artist has an uncompromising vision of herself and her music that is refreshing and rare. “I believe if you stand for something, stand your ground; stand it strong and stand it proud.” It is this fortitude and courageous spirit that resonated with millions night after night when the 2010 American Idol runner up took the stage. There is a sincerity and authenticity about her that just can’t be manufactured. The same can be said about her musical prowess, which has all the markings of a creative force to reckon with who is in it for the long haul. Her rich amalgam of blues, country, folk and rock makes her one of the most dynamic young voices in music to come along in years. She has performed alongside everyone from Harry Connick Jr., Joe Cocker, and Alanis Morrisette, to Michael Franti, John Popper and BB King. All That For This, Crystal Bowersox’s sophomore release and Shanachie Entertainment debut, is a powerful testament to her talents as both a singer and songwriter, as well as her unerring musical vision. She confides, “I am more proud of this body of work then anything I’ve done before. If this music can move someone to tears or makes them smile, then I have really accomplished something. That’s all I can ask for.”

All That For This is Crystal Bowersox’s emancipation from judgment. It is the manifestation of her own womanhood and enlightenment won through hard fought battles, failures and triumphs. It is the belief that listening to your own inner voice will lead you where you need to be. “I am learning not to judge music and myself so harshly and to not allow myself to be swayed by other’s judgment. I’m trying to listen to my own
instincts more often. I can’t convince someone who doesn’t like my music to like it, but for the people who do, I want to play them another song,” she says smiling. Until now, the world has witnessed only a portion of Crystal Bowersox’s talent, which was channeled through mainstream pop expectations on her debut release, Farmer’s Daughter. With the highly anticipated release of All That For This (March 26, 2013), produced by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Sheryl Crow, John Lee Hooker, Raul Malo), Bowersox exposes a new dimension of her music.
“There are definitely more happier light-hearted moments on this record,” confides the 27-year-old Portland transport. “There are also touches of some of the darkest places and emotional states that I’ve been in my past.  This album reveals a much more grateful and gracious side of me. It’s the next chapter of my life.” Bowersox’s new recording is a finely crafted and beautifully arranged tapestry that illustrates the dynamic
singer’s keen ability to shape a narrative poetically and metaphorically, inviting listeners into her world. “I was regularly obliterated by how powerfully Crystal can connect,” says Steve Berlin. “I can say that tears and goose bumps were a fairly everyday occurrence.”

All That For This is Crystal Bowersox’s emancipation from judgment. It is the manifestation of her own womanhood and enlightenment won through hard fought battles, failures and triumphs. It is the belief that listening to your own inner voice will lead you where you need to be. “I am learning not to judge music and myself so harshly and to not allow myself to be swayed by other’s judgment. I’m trying to listen to my own
instincts more often. I can’t convince someone who doesn’t like my music to like it, but for the people who do, I want to play them another song,” she says smiling. Until now, the world has witnessed only a portion of Crystal Bowersox’s talent, which was channeled through mainstream pop expectations on her debut release, Farmer’s Daughter. With the highly anticipated release of All That For This (March 26, 2013), produced by Steve Berlin (Los Lobos, Sheryl Crow, John Lee Hooker, Raul Malo), Bowersox exposes a new dimension of her music.
“There are definitely more happier light-hearted moments on this record,” confides the 27-year-old Portland transport. “There are also touches of some of the darkest places and emotional states that I’ve been in my past. This album reveals a much more grateful and gracious side of me. It’s the next chapter of my life.”

Glimmer Twins

The Rolling Stones have long been hailed as The Greatest Rock-n-Roll Band in the World. But before they became the corporate machine that they are sometimes referred to as today, they earned this title by wowing audiences worldwide with some of the most electrifying performances in the history of rock-n-roll. Beginning with the recording of the classic album ‘Beggar’s Banquet’ in the late 60’s, the Rolling Stones would enter into what is widely considered to be their most creative period that would continue right up through the release of the album ‘Exile On Main St.’ You will be amazed at the way The Glimmer Twins are able to recreate the look and feel of The Rolling Stones during this period and beyond.

The Rolling Stones single handedly changed the way rock concerts were presented to large audiences when they kicked off their ’69 U.S. Tour which is thoroughly documented in the movie ‘Gimme Shelter’. By combining the raw energy of the band with the more sophisticated amplification systems for the times, The Stones were able to connect with their mass audiences in sold-out arenas on a whole new level. The Glimmer Twins will give you a close-up view and feeling of what it was like to be in the audience at one of these historical performances.

By 1972 their live performances were creating such frenzy, that many venues needed to utilize a lottery system in order to fairly distribute tickets because of the overwhelming demand. In subsequent years, the audiences kept increasing in size to the point where The Stones were selling out stadiums across the world. Everyone wanted to experience the sensation of seeing The Rolling Stones perform. What makes The Glimmer Twins such a special attraction is their ability to capture the raw energy of the most electrifying performances throughout The Rolling Stones career, and present it in such a way that audiences are able to experience the same sensation of what it was like to be at a Stones concert in their heyday. Because of the uncanny resemblances to Mick Jagger & Keith Richards in their prime coupled with the special attention given to the minutest details both musically and visually, The Glimmer Twins are a cut above all other tribute bands on the circuit today.

http://www.theglimmertwins.net

The Contribution

Tim Carbone, Phil Ferlino, Jeff Miller, Keith Moseley, Sheryl Renee and Matt Butler.

It was at Hornings Hideout in 2005 that Jeff Miller, Phil Ferlino and I came upon the “brilliant” idea of making a record together some time in our future. It was a magical night and as the stars came out in our minds we took the first steps on the path that led to the creation of “Which Way World”. We were many days lost in creativity beneath the mighty redwoods and emerged into the California sunshine with ten songs sown together with the threads spun from our common love of the music and spirit of our friendship. In a twist of poetic irony we were able to secure the incredible talents of our good friends Keith Moseley and Jason Hann to be our rhythm section, the String Cheese Incident being the reason we were all at Hornings in the first place those four years ago! And here we are and soon you’ll know what we’ve found. – Tim

AztecTwo-Step & Pete Fornatale

AZTEC TWO-STEP: Their Original Music plus The Simon & Garfunkel Songbook
with Special Guest Legendary FM DJ/ Music Historian Pete Fornatale

Venerable folk-rock duo Aztec Two-Step will perform a very special evening of music: their exceptional renditions of The Simon & Garfunkel Songbook with special guest host Pete Fornatale interspersing commentary and personal anecdotes from interviews with Paul & Artie, plus many selections from their own 40-year canon of Aztec Two-Step originals.

About The Simon & Garfunkel Songbook:
When Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman, the critically acclaimed duo Aztec Two-Step, burst on the scene in 1972 with their Elektra Records debut, they were reviewed as having the “intellectual lyricism” and “ethereal harmonies” of their legendary predecessors, Simon & Garfunkel.

Renowned for bringing the folk/rock music of the 1960s into the ’70s and beyond, Aztec Two Step continues to be one of acoustic music’s most respected and enduring acts. While the duo possess a rich musical legacy of their own, it only makes sense that they would choose to interpret and perform the timeless songs and harmonies of Simon & Garfunkel.

Performing the Songbook on their own since 2005, Aztec Two-Step joined forces with legendary broadcaster Pete Fornatale in an expanded version of the show after the 2007 publication of Pete’s book “Simon and Garfunkel’s Bookends.”

In 2008, the duo released Time It Was- The Simon & Garfunkel Songbook (Red Engine Records) a live album of the Songbook show featuring Mr. Fornatale, who provides commentary and insights based on his interviews with Simon & Garfunkel.

About Aztec Two-Step:
Aztec Two-Step’s name comes from a Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem, and since 1971 Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman have been writing and performing songs that helped make their generation’s musical memories. The recording from their self-titled debut album (Elektra Records), The Persecution and Restoration of Dean Moriarty was the first song written about Jack Kerouac’s iconic American novel, “On The Road.”

In 1987 Living in America received the New York Music Award for Best Folk Album and was named in Billboard’s year-end critic’s poll. Praised in major media outlets such as Rolling Stone, and having appeared on numerous TV and radio shows such as David Letterman, King Biscuit Flour Hour, and World Café Live, in 1999 Aztec Two-Step was the subject of a documentary that aired on PBS.

Of their 2005 release, Days of Horses, the Boston Globe said “fans of the duo’s harmony-driven tunes and easygoing acoustic guitar riffs will recognize their James Taylor-meets-Simon & Garfunkel sound. What’s new is the mood. This album sits back on its haunches as Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman look back wistfully at American pop culture and their own ride through it.”

2007 saw several hallmark events for the duo. In June, Aztec Two-Step performed “The Persecution and Restoration of Dean Moriarty (On The Road)” at a very special Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival as the author’s hometown marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of On The Road. Also In June 2007, Real Simple, a popular national lifestyle magazine, named Aztec Two-Step one of the top five classic folk albums joining work by Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Tom Rush and Phil Ochs. Rhino Records released Forever Changing-The Golden Age of Elektra Records 1963-1973, a five-CD box set that tells the story of this landmark record label and the music that defined an era. The collection includes Aztec Two-Step’s “The Persecution and Restoration of Dean Moriarty (On The Road).”

In early 2012, the duo anticipates the official release of Cause & Effect, a new studio CD to commemorate their 40th Anniversary. It is a collection of 16 songs of social significance produced by Paul Guzzone and featuring long-time bassist Fred Holman. The album is a combination of re-worked previously recorded songs, as well as newly mined material.

After 40 years, Aztec Two-Step continues to impress audiences with intelligent songwriting, dazzling acoustic lead guitar, and inspiring harmonies, and remains one of acoustic music’s most popular and enduring acts.

About Pete Fornatale:
One of the architects of progressive FM radio in the 60’s, Pete Fornatale he has one of the most recognizable voices in rock radio. He has been a fixture on the New York dial for four decades, starting his career at WFUV in 1963 and then moving on to WNEW-FM in 1969 and K-Rock in 1989. Currently back at WFUV,  his celebrated long-running program, “Mixed Bag,” airs on Saturdays in New York, and nationally on XM satellite radio.

http://www.aztectwostep.com/

Alfred Hitchcock's VERTIGO

Join us for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo

1 showing only!

[D0bV2gh4E7Y]

Bill Frisell and The Beautiful Dreamers

Jazz guitar legend Bill Frisell and The Beautiful Dreamers in an exclusive area engagement at the HBT

Featuring Eyvind Kang (viola) & Rudy Royston(drums).

“It’s hard to find a more fruitful meditation on American music than in the compositions of guitarist Bill Frisell. Mixing rock and country with jazz and blues, he’s found what connects them: improvisation and a sense of play. Unlike other pastichists, who tend to duck passion, Mr. Frisell plays up the pleasure in the music and also takes on another often-avoided subject, tenderness.” – _The New York Times_

“Frisell is a revered figure among musicians – like Miles Davis and few others, his signature is built from pure sound and inflection; an anti-technique that is instantly identifiable.” – _The Philadelphia Inquirer_

Joan Osborne

Originally from Anchorage, Kentucky,  Joan Osborne moved to New York City in the late 1980s to study at NYU’s film school, where she formed her own record label, Womanly Hips.  She signed with Mercury Records, and released her first full length album, Soul Show: Live at Delta 88, in 1991.  Her second album was Relish (1995), which became a hit on the strength of the single “One of Us”.  Apart from this song, the rest of the album was steeped in country, blues and folk music.  “Right Hand Man” and “St. Teresa” became radio and fan favorites following the success of “One of Us”.   Joan was nominated for six Grammy Awards including Best New Artist.

Joan studied briefly with late Qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and performed alongside such notables as Stevie Wonder, Melissa Etheridge, Taj Mahal, Luciano Pavarotti, Spearhead, Bob Dylan and the Chieftains.  She was featured in the 2002 documentary film, “Standing in the Shadows of Motown”, and toured with Motown sidemen, The Funk Brothers.  Joan and her band accompanied the Dixie Chicks for a national tour in the summer of 2003, during which time she also joined veteran San Francisco jam-rockers The Dead as a vocalist, and released her fourth album, titled How Sweet It Is, a collection of classic rock and soul covers.

Joan covered Dolly Parton’s “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind” on the 2003 tribute album Just Because I’m a Woman: Songs of Dolly Parton.

During 2005 and 2006, Osborne performed on numerous occasions with Phil Lesh and Friends.   It was around this time in 2006 that Osborne released her first full-length album for Vanguard, a country-tinged effort called Pretty Little Stranger.  In February 2007, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry.

In May 2007, she issued Breakfast in Bed, a return to the soul music that she had covered on How Sweet It Is.  Breakfast in Bed also featured the two songs (“Heatwave” and “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”) that she had covered for the film “Standing in the Shadows of Motown”.

Osborne’s latest album, Little Wild One, was released in September 2008.

Recently her song “One of Us” was performed by the cast of Glee in the episode “Grilled Cheesus”.

http://joanosborne.com