Music

Music section

The Seamus Egan Project at Next Stage on Saturday, July 6

by stobro | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present The Seamus Egan Project, featuring the longtime leader of the legendary Irish-American band Solas, at Next Stage on Saturday, July 6 at 7:30 pm.  Beginning with tunes from his groundbreaking 1996 album “When Juniper Sleeps,” which was the impetus for the formation of Solas, through music from his 20-year career with that iconic band, and adding some brand new tunes, Seamus, with Owen Marshall, Kyle Sanna and other musical friends, will continue to explore the further reaches of the Irish tradition and beyond.

Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents Simba on Sunday, June 30

by stobro | Music

Twilight Music continues its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 30 with funk and world beat band Simba.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.

Watermelon Wine Song

by tomaidh | Music

What is it called when a song keeps going round in your head for days? This is one of them.

It’s a good song, so I want to share it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqV9NZSGIa4

George Burns (yeah, THAT George Burns) made a cover. He actually did a good job. I didn’t know he could sing.

Trio Pays Tribute to Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” at Next Stage on Saturday, June 29

by stobro | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present Julie Ness, Dave Wysocki and Tristan Bellerive performing Joni Mitchell’s legendary album “Blue” at Next Stage on Saturday, June 29 at 7:30 pm.  Considered a groundbreaking album of the 20th century, “Blue” defined a generation with a ten song cycle, weaving a journey of hope, yearning, love, loss and heartbreak.

Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents The Stockwell Brothers on Sunday, June 16

by stobro | Music

Twilight Music continues its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 16 with contemporary folk and bluegrass quartet The Stockwell Brothers.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill or the Putney Community Center at 10 Christian Square in case of rain.

June 9: Big Woods Voices at FOMAG’s A Cappella à la Carte

by fomag | Music

Guilford, Vt. – Friends of Music at Guilford (FOMAG) presents its 53rd season finale on Sunday, June 9, an annual three-part event dubbed “A Cappella à la Carte.” Set at Guilford Community Church in the Algiers village of Guilford, just over a mile south of Exit 1 off I-91, the evening includes a short meeting, a potluck dinner, and a 7:30 concert of vocal music. Each optional segment is open to the general public; admission to the concert is by donation.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the FOMAG Annual Membership Meeting is typically short and entertaining. It offers a summary of the year, a look ahead to next season, and election of the board of trustees. The meeting is open to all, and even brand-new members that evening have voting privileges. The ensuing Community Potluck starts around 6:30 or so. FOMAG provides some sandwich fixings; other entrées, appetizers, salads, side dishes, and desserts are welcome. The desserts are held aside for a post-concert reception.

Twilight on the Tavern Lawn presents The Chris Kleeman Band on Sunday, June 2

by stobro | Music

Twilight Music begins its 17th annual Twilight On The Tavern Lawn series of folk, world beat, zydeco, Celtic, jazz, blues and bluegrass summer concerts on Sunday, June 2 with an evening of hard driving, house rocking, in your face blues by The Chris Kleeman Band.  The seven concert series continues every other Sunday through August 25.  All concerts begin at 6:00 pm in downtown Putney on the Putney Tavern lawn (bring a lawn chair or blanket) or at Next Stage at 15 Kimball Hill in case of rain.  The series is sponsored by the Town of Putney, Green Mountain Well, Soundview Paper Company, The Putney Food Co-op, The Stockwell Brothers and many other Putney area businesses and organizations.  The concerts are free to the public (donations are accepted) and food will be available.  For more information, call 802-387-5772 or visit www.twilightmusic.org.

Vermont Jazz Center Presents: NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan and Friends

by vtjazz | Music

The Vermont Jazz Center is delighted to present an evening of music with NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan. On Saturday, June 1st at 8:00 PM, Ms. Jordan will perform the first set with pianist Eugene Uman, bassist Genevieve Rose and drummer Billy Drummond.  The second set will feature Sheila Jordan singing with several surprise-guest performers and the rhythm section. This concert is one of many festive occasions throughout the world celebrating Ms. Jordan’s 90th birthday which took place on November 18th, 2018.

Sheila Jordan is a matriarch of the Vermont Jazz Center family. She joined the faculty in 1997, when the (then) new director, Eugene Uman, asked her to run a vocal workshop as part of the Center’s newly revised summer workshop. She offered a small group of singers a three-day program that has now blossomed into a weeklong workshop with instructor Jay Clayton, 20 vocalists and two rhythm sections. Sheila Jordan’s teaching style is based on reverence for tradition, openness to spirit and dedication to quality. In her workshops, Jordan’s visceral connection with the music and her love for the students envelops their experience, creating a safe environment that gently pushes them to exceed what they had imagined was their potential. Jordan has inspired several generations of vocalists, from amateur to world-famous, most of whom are quick to acknowledge that her coaching has profoundly and positively shaped their professional and personal lives.

The End of America and Izzy Heltai at Stage 33 Live

by Mark Piepkorn | Music

The End of America’s three-part harmonies and solid Americana folk-rock draws comparisons to CSNY and The Avett Brothers. They’re known for powerful live performances highlighting their dynamic songwriting.

James Downes, Trevor Leonard, and Brendon Thomas made their debut as The End Of America at the 2016 Philadelphia Folk Festival and were voted Favorite New Artist. In 2017 the band won the Emerging Artist Showcase at Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, returning the next year as the Most Wanted Band.

Grant Peeples / Mark Russell / Ezra Veitch at Stage 33 Live

by Mark Piepkorn | Music

Before Grant Peeples makes his way to Woody Guthrie’s hometown of Okemah in Oklahoma’s interior to the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, he’s going to play an intimate listening event at Stage 33 Live in Bellows Falls. Innovative violin player Mark Russell is coming with him, and local hero Ezra Veitch opens. Sunday, June 16; doors at 6:00, Ezra at 7:00, Grant and Mark at 8:00.

A “tree-hugger that watches NASCAR, and Buddhist with a gun below the seat,” Grant Peeples isn’t afraid to share what’s on his mind. He’s known for his axe-sharp socio-political tunes, raucous humor, and heart-gigging ballads in shows that are a churning mix of hilarious and dead serious.

Caitlin Canty and Oshima Brothers at Next Stage

by stobro | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music’s “Rising Star” concert series continues with  an evening of contemporary folk and Americana music with Nashville-by-way-of-Vermont singer/songwriter Caitlin Canty and Maine duo Oshima Brothers at Next Stage on Friday, May 31 at 7:30 pm.  NSAP and Twilight Music are committed to supporting young, emerging artists, and the new series puts the spotlight on exciting, ready-to-be-discovered performers who are appearing at Next Stage for the first time.

May 26: Solo Organ, Chamber Singers & a Cookout at The Organ Barn

by fomag | Music

Guilford, Vt. — Friends of Music at Guilford (FOMAG), now in its 53rd season, is hosting its 11th Spring Concert & Holiday Cookout in the Organ Barn on Sunday, May 26 beginning at 3:00 p.m. The concert includes an opening set by the Guilford Chamber Singers and a solo recital by Christopher Lewis on the c. 1897 Tracker Organ.

The Chamber Singers, under the direction of Tom Baehr, perform “Life, Death, Love & Loss,” ten part songs set to the poetry of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Blake, Moore, Foster, Teasdale, and others. Singers for this concert include sopranos Christina Gibbons and Sarah Lott, altos Beth McKinney and Joy Wallens-Penford, tenors Steven John and Bill Johnson, and basses Calvin Farwell and Tom Green.

Vermont Jazz Center Presents: Alfredo Rodriguez Duo with Pedrito Martinez

by vtjazz | Music

On Saturday May 18th, the Vermont Jazz Center will present a duo concert featuring two of Cuba’s foremost musical performers: pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and percussionist Pedrito Martinez. Their charismatic presence, a brand new album and an on-going tour of about fifty international gigs has generated tremendous excitement and expanded their circle to include listeners around the globe. In the coming months they will be touring Canada, Italy, Spain, France, Turkey, Sweden, Switzerland, and the US, including Brattleboro, Vermont. In the promo for their new release, Duologue, percussionist Martinez states that “what makes this duo completely different is that I came from the folkloric side and Alfredo came from the classical side.”

Free Irish Music Concert and Book Launch: Doiminic Mac Giolla Bhríde, with Frances Morton

by Brooks Memorial Library | Music

Join us at 6:30 pm on Monday, June 3rd, as we welcome internationally known Irish musician, Doiminic Mac Giolla Bhríde, and his partner, Frances Morton! They will be giving a FREE concert of his own sean-nós music, after introducing his second Irish-language children’s book, Polcaphonc. He will play a few fun songs from the book!

About the book: Polcaphonc (Polka Dot)
The Songbook/CD for kids by Dominic Mac Giolla Bhríde (from the artists who created Icí Pící), has English (Béarla) translations for each song.

Les Poules a Colin and Pipers Den at Next Stage on Friday, May 17

by stobro | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of traditional and contemporary Scottish, Quebecois and world music from New England and Canada by Les Poules à Colin and Pipers Den at Next Stage on Friday, May 17 at 7:30 pm.

Les Poules à Colin is a Montreal-based quintet that, despite the young ages of its member (22 to 27), has been touring Canada, the US, Europe, the UK, Australia and Africa for over eight years.  Their sound seamlessly blends music drawn from some of Quebec’s finest trad musicians with North American influences that range from old-time to jazz.

Patty Carpenter & Verandah Porche with Jon Weeks and Wheeler Laird perform in Bellows Falls

by Mark Piepkorn | Music

Patty Carpenter & Verandah Porche, lifelong friends and collaborators who are no strangers to Brattleboro, will be playing a listening event at Stage 33 live in Bellows Falls with special guests Jon Weeks and Wheeler Laird on Sunday, May 19.

They’ll be playing some of the songs they’ve written since the Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band’s “Come Over” CD, which they also co-composed.

Brattleboro Women’s Chorus Concerts this Weekend: Walk With Me

by bwchorus | Music

The Brattleboro Women’s Chorus will present their 23rd annual spring concert, “Walk With Me,” on Mother’s Day weekend at Centre Congregational Church. Joining director Becky Graber and the 80-voice chorus of women will be Cathy Martin on piano and Connie Green on flute.

Last summer, a group of singers from the chorus traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan to participate in the Sister Singers Festival, a gathering of women’s choruses from across the country. The “Walk With Me” repertoire was inspired by that trip and features songs of travel, migration, community, and home. One of the concert’s songs, “Winnebago” by David Maddux, about an obvious means of hitting the road, was heard at the festival.

Pete Seeger Centennial Tribute Singalong Concert

by GeorgeCC | Music

WEST BRATTLEBORO — Folk singer, activist, musical conscience for the U.S., Pete Seeger, would have been 100 this year. All Souls Church, 29 South Street, will host a singalong concert on Sunday, May 12, at 7 p.m. to celebrate Seeger’s music and his life-long efforts on behalf of peace, justice, and the earth.

The concert will feature well-known performers with deep connections to Seeger, including Sally Rogers, Emma’s Revolution, Peter Siegel, Annie Patterson and Peter Blood.

Those who attend the tribute concert will have the chance to sing together using a new songbook containing fifty classic songs Pete Seeger led throughout his life. Publishers Peter Blood and Annie Patterson of Rise Up Singing fame designed this new book for the Seeger centennial.

Keelan, Jewett Face Off In Concert At Main Street Arts

by Not Signed In | Music

SAXTONS RIVER, Vt. – Hugh Keelan on the piano and Joe Jewett on the violin face off Sunday, May 12 at 3 p.m. in a Classic(al) Saxtons River Spectacular as Main Street Arts continues its Hands On! concert series.

Concertgoers are invited to see all the action up close as Keelan interprets the music of Johannes Brahms on the MSA piano and Jewett matches him on his own instrument with works by Lou Harrison.

While Brahms is a familiar name to classical music fans, Lou Silver Harrison’s may not be.

“Fine & Dandy” Gala Celebrates Gershwin’s Muse, Composer Kay Swift

by fomag | Music

West Brattleboro, Vt. – Friends of Music at Guilford’s tenth annual celebration of Women in Music begins at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, and salutes Katherine Faulkner “Kay” Swift (1897-1993). She was a classically trained composer who became George Gershwin’s trusted musical advisor and companion. After Gershwin (1898-1937) encouraged her to compose popular music, Swift became the first woman to write a hit Broadway musical, “Fine and Dandy” (1930), now the borrowed title for FOMAG’s gala.

Some of both genres of music will be performed at this house-concert benefit for FOMAG’s current 53rd season. The program opens with a piano transcription of the Overture to “Fine and Dandy,” performed by Virginia Eskin, and later includes Swift’s Theme and Variations for Piano and Cello, performed with cellist Rebecca Hartka. Eskin will also accompany several songs from Swift’s musical theater and film scores featuring vocals by Jessica Gelter and Tony Grobe.