Folk Music Festival, Featuring David Amram!

The Next Stage Arts Project and The Putney School are delighted to co-present a special live concert event on Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 7:00pm, featuring folk music icons from the film For the Love of the Music; The Club 47 Folk Revival. Featured performers will include: iconic composer David Amram, Erik Lawrence (of The Levon Helm Band), Alana Amram & The Rough Gems, Tim Eriksen & The Trio De Pumpkintown, Diamond Doves, Haley Reardon and more. The concert will take place at Next Stage, 15 Kimball Hill, in Putney, Vermont.


Seth Glier and Liz Longley at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery Friday, April 19

Twilight Music presents a twin bill of award-winning contemporary folk singer/songwriters Seth Glier and Liz Longley at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Friday, April 19 at 7:30 pm.

Singer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist and Grammy nominee Seth Glier is renowned for his fearless vocal delivery, musical exuberance and seasoned songwriting beyond his years. Since the release of his album “The Next Right Thing” in 2011, the 24 year old Massachusetts native has shared the stage with artists as diverse as James Taylor, Ani DiFranco, Martin Sexton, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Emmylou Harris and Ryan Adams. A troubadour in every sense of the word, Seth plays over 250 shows a year, headlining his own concerts and major folk festivals.


The Ben Carr Music Project at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery April 11

The Ben Carr Music Project presents an intimate concert of ‘ukulele inspired music at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Thursday, April 11 at 7:00 pm. This unplugged, acoustic event will feature solo compositions and quartet performances which fuse the essences of folk, classical and jazz, resulting in what has been described as “a genre-evading journey through sound.”

The BCMP formed in 2011 with the release of Ben’s third solo album “Oakleaf.” For this affair the band features a fine ensemble of musicians including Ben Carr on ‘ukulele and vocals, Joel Eisenkramer on acoustic guitar and indian slide guitar, Josh Maiocco on acoustic guitar and Steve Cady on the double bass.


Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer w/ Eamon O’Leary at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Friday, April 12

Twilight Music presents two shows with Vermont and Brooklyn-based contemporary folk singer/songwriter Anais Mitchell and her collaborator Jefferson Hamer, plus Irish singer/multi-instrumentalist Eamon O’Leary, at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 and 9:00 pm.

Mitchell and Hamer are touring in support of “Child Ballads,” their new CD of traditional Celtic and British Isles ballads from Sir Francis James Child’s nineteenth century anthology. Recorded in Nashville, the songs are driven by two-guitar arrangements and the kind of close harmonies that call to mind Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris.


Weekend Concert: U2, Berlin, 1981

This is very early U2.

It’s Nov. 4, 1981.

Guitarist Dave “The Edge” Evans and drummer, Larry Mullen are 20. Singer, Paul (Bono Vox) Hewson and bassist Adam Clayton are 21.

Their second album, October was released a few weeks earlier on Oct. 12. The music is still largely unknown to U2 fans. This Berlin crowd responds best (when they respond at all) to the material from the first album, Boy.


Kurn Hattin Homes To Host Annual Jazz Invitational Featuring Trombone Legend and KHH Alum, Dick Nash

Kurn Hattin Homes for Children welcomes the public to attend its Annual Jazz Invitational Wednesday, April 10th at 7:00 pm, with performances by the Bellows Falls Union High School Jazz Ensemble, Kurn Hattin Jazz Ensemble, Northfield Mount Hermon Jazz Ensemble, Vermont Academy Jazz Ensemble, and Vermont Jazz Center Youth Jazz Ensemble. The event will be hosted by Eugene Uman, Director of the Vermont Jazz Center, and the evening will conclude with a performance by the Keene Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Scott Mullett.


Electric Fence @ PVB in Saxtons River Friday Night

Steve Carmichael, Howard Weiss-Tisman, Jonny Sheehan and Jeremy Holch return to Pleasant Valley Brewing in Saxtons River for night of original music and unique covers.

Saxtons River is lovely this time of year and you don’t even have to leave Windham County (what I’m saying is it’s not that far from Bratt!)

Music is free and starts at 8:00. Good food and beer.


Weekend Concert: the Pretenders at Enmore Theater in Sydney, Australia, 2010

Last week’s band, the Buzzcocks barely made it out of the Punk explosion alive.

This week’s band got a late start (1979, when the punk movement was turning into the more polished New Wave), but hit the ground running with a smash single (Brass in Pocket) and hugely successful eponymous first album.

That album was produced by Chris Thomas and Bill Price who gave the Sex Pistol’s one studio effort its great sound and the duo gives the Pretenders a wonderful aggressive vibe here too.


Songwriter’s Roundtable w/ Lisa McCormick & John Sheldon, March 29

The Arts Block in downtown Greenfield, MA, announces a new musical series, the “Songwriter’s Roundtable.” 

The first show in the series takes place on Friday, March 29, at 8pm, and features guest stars Lisa McCormick and John Sheldon. 

The music will be presented in a “song circle” format where the artists trade songs during the sets. There will also be time for questions and open discussions about the songs and the process of songwriting and performing. 


The Lonely Heartstring Band at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23

Twilight Music presents The Lonely Heartstring Band, a dynamic new quintet of Berklee College of Music students who share a love of bluegrass and acoustic music, as well as the music of the Beatles, at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 pm.

George Clements, Matt Witler, Gabe Hirshfeld and Louis Fram play traditional and original songs as well as the songs of the Beatles, which they play as close to the original arrangements as possible, while adding their own influences. They create a new and unique sound using the standard bluegrass lineup of instruments – guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and acoustic bass.


Windham Orchestra: Pathways to Imagination & Performance

On Sunday, March 24 at 3 pm, the Windham Orchestra, under the direction of Hugh Keelan, continues its commitment to offering extraordinary opportunities for young artists and music lovers with “Pathways to Imagination & Performance” at the Latchis Theater in Brattleboro, VT.

Anchoring Sunday’s performance is Dmitri Shostakovich’s 1945 Symphony No. 9. Although originally intended to be a celebration of the Russian victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

From masterwork to the local works of our community’s young composers, the Windham Orchestra performs a medley of original compositions by elementary and middle school students. This unique opportunity creates a pathway for bringing the artistry and imagination of young composers into reality.


Weekend Concert: the Buzzcocks, Auf Wedersehen, 1981

The old guard was the Who (two week ago’s concert).

Punk’s vanguard was the Sex Pistols (Americans could argue for the Ramones & the New York Dolls, but Britain had far and away the more vibrant movement and the Pistols were its undisputed leader and last week’s
concert).

This week our concert band is a member of punk’s rearguard: the Buzzcocks. This 1981 concert was the band’s last till they reformed in 1989.

It’s amazing to me now that such a good band would have failed. However, the punk & new wave movement spawned more bands than could be supported and many good ones fell by the wayside and others never got the recognition they probably deserved (XTC and Husker Du come to mind).


Vermont Jazz Center Presents Karrin Allyson on Saturday, March 16th at 8 pm

When vocalist Karrin Allyson steps to the microphone, you can’t predict what style or language she’ll be performing in. The best part is, it doesn’t matter.

Allyson is referred to as a jazz vocalist, and has climbed to the pinnacle of the genre since recording her debut album, I Didn’t Know About You, in 1992. She is now regarded among the top vocalists in jazz. Releasing her 13th album last year, Allyson has put together a career that has brought her to top stages around the world, performing at major jazz festivals in Brazil, Japan, Australia and Europe, as well as the most legendary venues in the United States, including regular appearances at New York’s Blue Note and Birdland. Along the way, Allyson has garnered four Grammy Award nominations, most recently for her 2012 album ‘Round Midnight.


The Stray Birds and Keith Murphy at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery Thursday, March 14

Twilight Music presents Pennsylvania-based, acoustic folk trio The Stray Birds, plus traditional singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Keith Murphy at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 pm.

When The Stray Birds take the stage, the spotlight falls on three voices raised in harmony above the raw resonance of wood and strings. It is a sound drawn from the richness of American folk music traditions, spun with a stirring subtlety and grace. Maya de Vitry, Oliver Craven and Charles Muench’s performances speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs and their embrace of the experience of live music. Reveling in the energy of each room, a connection to the audience is the essence of their show. 



Weekend Concert: The Sex Pistols at Winterland, San Francisco, 1978

Last weekend’s performance was the Who from 1970, when they were in the midst of a run of highly successful albums that included Tommy (’69), Who’s Next (’71) and Quadrophenia (’73).

By 1977, the year before this weekend’s concert takes place the Who’s formidable energies were tied up in legal wrangling over royalties.

Finally, one night in March of that year Pete Townsend, the group’s guitarist and principal song writer and in this instance, negotiator walked out of an 11 hour meeting with a seven figure check in his hand.

He headed to a bar called the Speakeasy where a couple of his protégés were playing (John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett). He got drunk on only two shots of whiskey.


Kurn Hattin Homes for Children To Host 21st Annual Choral Invitational March 20th

On Wednesday, March 20th at 7:00 pm, Kurn Hattin Homes for Children welcomes the public to attend its 21st Annual Choral Invitational. The event is in celebration of “Music in Our Schools Month” and will feature performances from seven area choral groups and conclude with an audience sing-along of “America, The Beautiful.” Kurn Hattin Co-executive Director, Tom Fahner, will be Master of Ceremonies.


Please Tune In! Kurn Hattin Homes Select Choir To Perform on 2013 Series Premiere of Public Television’s “Together In Song”

The Kurn Hattin Homes for Children Select Choir, the first Vermont music ensemble to compete on the WGBY Public Television series “Together In Song”, will be featured on the season premiere of “Together in Song’s” third season on Saturday, March 23, at 8PM.

“Together in Song” is hosted by Springfield Symphony Orchestra Maestro, Kevin Rhodes, and the children from Kurn Hattin Homes will compete with 37 other non-professional childrens’ and adults’ choruses from Western New England in ten categories according to age and musical genre.