Monday, March 31, 2008

CHRIS MERENDA & ADAM SWEENEY parlor concert




Presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

FEATURE – CHRIS MERENDA

Chris follows brother Mike and sister-in-law Ruthy Ungar Merenda, who appeared at Notlob Parlor Concerts in June, 2007. Just like family!

Chris Merenda got his start in the music business in 1993 as a drummer/vocalist in New England's most well hung Ska band, Skarotum. The band found success in the Northeast playing with Ska favorites, The Toasters and Burning Spear – along with personal favorites such as Bim Skala Bim and The Pilfers. Then in 1996 Merenda founded Chewbacca, a garage rock band comprised of only two other fellow Skarotum members, and it acted as a formative vehicle for Chris to exercise his songwriting/guitar playing/band fronting abilities. As he evolved, so did the band, and eventually it would come to be comprised of its current members and be renamed Chewy by late 1998. Chewy went on a tear for the better part of the following five years (chewyrocks.com) producing two potent releases: the Super Spin Punch EP (1999) and the full length Chew thousand Chew (2002). Eventually the band came to a point where a hiatus was required for a brief time though. In the interim, Merenda continued maturing as a songwriter and musician as he produced two impressively diverse solo records, The Regimen in 2003 - and more recently – Hello Freedom in 2005, both featuring his expanded musicality and broadened palette influenced from concurrently touring as the drummer for "subversive acoustic traditionalists..." The Mammals during the same timeframe. Touring with The Mammals since 2004, Merenda won the opportunity to share his unique music with audiences around the country and also had the benefit of being a band member of not only the Mammals, but of Arlo Guthrie’s backup band during the Alices Restaurant 40th anniversary Masacree Tour. He played in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and enjoyed opening for musical icons such as Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, and Nickel Creek. As Merenda wound down the remainder of the Mammals 2007 tour schedule this summer, he looked to the future in working on new Chewy demos and a new solo record. Select Chewy and Chris Merenda shows are planned for the Winter of ’08. The rest is yet to occur… stay close.

CO-FEATURE – ADAM SWEENEY

Adam is a Notlob Parlor Concert veteran, having participated in the August, 2007 Dave Carter Tribute.

"Adam Sweeney is a promsing young folksinger... he combines intricate acoustic guitar hooks with powerful lyric storytelling."
--Passim, January 2007

"Drawing comparisons to Dave Carter and Gillian Welch, as well as folk revival poets like Paul Simon and Cat Stevens."
--Northeast Performer, November 2006

"Adam Sweeney is one of the more talented young west coast songwriters."
--Tom May, River City Folk, WFMT Fine Arts Radio

"Adam Sweeney's sincere songwriting mixes impressionistic imagery, religious iconography and the kind of strikingly personal observations that seem lifted from a letter to a friend. That lyrical blend is delivered through appealing melodies and expressive singing, with a hint of grain to it that sometimes suggests a violin bow drawn tenderly over his vocal cords."
--Willamette Week (Portland, OR)

"A true folksinger... he weaves his words together telling stories of the times."
--The Southeast Examiner (Portland, OR)

"Great voice! Powerful, provocative."
--Portland Songwriters' Association, voted "Best Songwriter" at January Showcase 2004

Bio:

Adam Sweeney cut his teeth as a songwriter in Portland, Oregon's thriving independent scene. Heavily influenced by local heroes Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Adam's homespun acoustic style, gospel-tinged lyrics and rickety banjo pay tribute to neo-traditional troubadours like Gillian Welch and Josh Ritter, as well as folk revival poets like Paul Simon and Cat Stevens.

Now based out of Somerville, Massachusetts, "Technicolor Halo" is Adam's second full-length album, engineered by acclaimed producer Dave Chalfant (The Nields, Erin McKeown, Winterpills). It features an A-list band of Pioneer Valley folk musicians, including Dave Hower (Winterpills, Nields) on drums, Anand Nayak (Daisy Mayhem) on bass, 18-year-old prodigy Jacob Henry Jolliff on mandolin, Jazer Giles on accordion, and Jim Henry on dobro.

The album features nine original songs by Sweeney and opens with a rollicking cover of Trevor Reichman's "Doomsday Sunday Sermon", performed with the Primate Fiasco Dixieland band. It also features "Long Road", a duet written for and performed with Adam's own folk heroine Tracy Grammer.

The songs wind their way from the local church to the local bar, seamlessly fusing themes of faith and doubt, darkness and light, chosen sinners and runaway saints.

Sweeney released a self-recorded debut album "Places & Names" in 2004, after he was voted "Best Songwriter" at a Portland Songwriter Association showcase.

He performs regularly throughout the Northwest and New England, often opening for nationally touring folk acts like Tracy Grammer, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem, Phillip Price (Winterpills), The Nields, and Cheryl Wheeler, among many others.

Artists: CHRIS MERENDA & ADAM SWEENEY

Artists’ websites:

http://www.chrismerenda.com/, http://www.myspace.com/chrismerenda

http://www.adamsweeney.net/, http://www.myspace.com/adamsweeney

Date: Saturday, April 5, 2008

Doors: 7:30pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Suggested minimum donation: $12.50

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; please call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason. Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lotS located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away and the Mellon bank, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Caféhttp://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS, SPRING 2008


NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS

AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE

“THE OLDEST FOLK VENUE IN BOSTON” ™

SPRING SEASON

March 22 through June 28, 2008

Since June, 2007, Notlob has presented nineteen parlor concerts at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music. When the Spring season concludes, no fewer than twenty seven concerts will have been presented in the first year!

Saturday, June 02

Sometymes Why (Aoife O'Donovan of Crooked Still, Kristin Andraessen of Uncle Earl and Ruthy Merenda of the Mammals)


Saturday, June 09

Mike & Ruthy Merenda (Mammals) w/ Torey Adler


Wednesday, June 20

Sharon Lewis (Pooka) & Rose Polenzani


Friday, July 20, 2007

Danielle Miraglia & Tom Bianchi w/ Brendan Hogan


Saturday, August 11

Dave Carter Tribute - Adam Sweeney, Eric McDonald, Beth DeSombre, Ryan FitzSimmons, Dana Price & Chris Thompson.


Saturday, August 18

Geoff Bartley w/ Eliza Blue


Friday, September 21

Brian Webb


Saturday, October 06

Dennis Brennan w/ Mary Lou Ferrante


Saturday, October 20

Teresa Storch & Lenore


Friday, November 02

The Rowan Brothers w/ Eric McDonald


Saturday, November 10

Kristin Cifelli w/ Carrie Cheron


Saturday, November 17

Mare Wakefield & Dan Gonzalez


Saturday, December 15

Jud Caswell & Pat Wictor


Saturday, December 22

Bob Franke


Saturday, January 19

Jon Shain w/ Robin O'Herin


Saturday, February 16, 2008

Jason Myles Goss & Elana Arian


Friday, February 29, 2008

Kristin Andreassen with Laura Cortese & Tristan Clarridge (and six unannounced world-class sting band guests)


Saturday, March 01

Ryan Fitzsimmons & Greg Klyma


Saturday, March 15

Lissa Schneckenburger Band (Matt Heaton on guitar, and Corey DiMario on double bass)

Excellent acoustic folk and roots continues in the Spring season with a lineup of the best local and national touring musicians.

Saturday, March 22, 2008 ~ THE TORNADO RIDER BAND (Rushad Eggleston & Gabriel Cazes) w/ THE ACCIDENT THAT LED ME TO THE WORLD

“His cello is so vivid, whether swaggering merrily, like a drunken bear, or pumping dark, threatening drones. . . . The importance of what Eggleston is doing can hardly be overstated. He is inventing a new way of hearing and playing cello.”
The Boston Globe

Saturday, April 5, 2008 ~ CHRIS MERENDA (The Mammals) & ADAM SWEENEY

“The Mammals are the finest young bluegrass/old-timey band in the country, the country-branch house band for the new weird America. They perform total energy, off-kilter folk that more resembles the twisted quirk of the Holy Modal Rounders than the clean jeans or alter-ninnies currently clawhammering banjos.” LA Weekly

"Adam Sweeney is a promsing young folksinger... he combines intricate acoustic guitar hooks with powerful lyric storytelling."
--Passim, January 2007

Saturday, April 19, 2008 ~ HUNGRYTOWN

"Hungrytown is American folk music at its zenith....retro yet shiny and new, like a freshly minted copper penny. If you’ve been craving folk music of substance, head off to Hungrytown."

Rachelle Nones - Feminist Review

Saturday, May 3, 2008 ~ TRIPPING LILY – CD release party

Equal parts sassy bluegrassers and moody urban songwriters, jazzy jammers and sighing torch singers, Tripping Lily is nearly a genre unto itself. The folk-pop quartet formed in Nashville, but calls Boston home now, and its sound appeals to neotrad and alt fans alike. Guitars, mandolins, and fiddles prance behind airy, quirky melodies that feel both rootsy and modern. The harmonies lull like lullabies, then jolt as if shot through jumper cables.

BOSTON GLOBE - Scott Alarik - Feb 1, 2007

Saturday, May 17, 2008 ~ ALASTAIR MOOCK

It seems no young musicians want to be labeled “folk” anymore. Everyone's passing through on their way to somewhere else — alt-rock, alt-pop, alt-country. Alastair Moock plays folk music. Old-school, powerful, intimate folk music. You may be surprised to hear what it sounds like.

Friday, June 20, 2008 ~ FLYNN w/ IAN BRITT

"One of Boston's best upcoming singer/songwriter, rockers"
Steve Morse, Boston Globe

“…Idiosyncrasy that sets him aside from more conventional song-writers.…his talent for arrangement, alongside the quirky touches that he throws into the mix give his songs a unique charm and edge over less musically inspired singer songwriters.”

Rob Chimes - Sandman. Issue 137


Saturday, June 28, 2008 ~ MIKE & RUTHY MERENDA with very special guest LYN HARDY

A concert to mark Notlob’s First Anniversary! Mike and Ruthy were to have been the very first artists to be presented, but got upstaged by Ruthy’s other band, Sometymes Why, who agreed to play a “pre-inaugural” concert the preceding week. They return with Ruth’s mother, Lyn, and new baby, William Penn (William will be with a nanny in the mansion’s kitchen green room).

"Ungar is the daughter of Jay Ungar and Lyn Hardy,...
"Ungar is the daughter of Jay Ungar and Lyn Hardy, two musicians who have kept American folk traditions stoked. Ungar spent her childhood amidst all manner of string instruments . . . She met songwriter Michael Merenda in the late 90's and, after hearing him perform an original tune, asked him to play it again, whereupon she promptly sang a part in perfect harmony. Thus began a professional and romantic relationship... Ungar is a sensational singer... Merenda is one of the best songwriters of his generation - literate, political, melodic, alternately angry and satirical and sensual."
- Michael Simmons, High Times

Guitarist, singer, and composer Lyn Hardy was born in Ann Arbor, MI, in 1947. She has been performing since the summer of 1965. She was a one-time member of 3/4 Ton Pickups,
who, with a name like that, was, of course, a country band. She wrote some of the music the band used. Other tunes belonged to traditional country greats like Patsy Cline and Hank Williams. Hardy's work, ranging from folk music to rock and blues, has also been influenced by a widely assorted genre of artists like George Jones, Frank Sinatra, Bonnie Raitt, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Jay Ungar, and Diana Ross. After 3/4 Ton Pickups ended, Hardy formed an all-girl eclectic band called the Rude Girls. The band recorded two albums, Rude Awakening and Mixed Messages, both under the Flying Fish Records label. The debut album won the group a Best Independent Label String Band Record award. One of the songs Hardy wrote for the band, "Ballad of Francine Hughes," was picked to appear on a folk song album in a collection being completed by the Smithsonian Institution. Hardy has released a number of folk tunes, working with her ex-husband, Jay Ungar, on the albums Songs, Ballads, and Fiddle Tunes and Catskill Mr. Goose Chase, both for Philo Records. They also combined talents for the albums A Place to Be and Putnam String Country Band. During her career, Hardy has appeared on many other albums, working with artists like David Bromberg, Russ Barenberg, Linda Ronstadt, Molly Mason, Bonnie Raitt, and Evan Stover. ~ Charlotte Dillon, All Music Guide

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist Website: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; please call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason. Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lotS located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away and the Mellon bank, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Caféhttp://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

Monday, March 17, 2008

The Tornado Rider Band w/ The Accident That Led Me To The World - Parlor Concert


NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS

A SEASON OF STRING BAND SUPERSTARS
February 29 through April 5
Concert #3 of 4

THE TORNADO RIDER BAND
&
THE ACCIDENT THAT LED ME TO THE WORLD


The venue is the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

FEATURE - THE TORNADO RIDER BAND

The Tornado Rider Band is

Rushad Eggleston (who plays like a Tasmanian tornado devil plus a falcon plus a wild ferret) on cello and vocals.

Gabriel Cazes (who is like animal from the muppets plus a consistently biting cobra of doom plus a soaring prehistoric bird) on simultaneous drums and keyboards.

They play original motivational friendly songs from mythical lands.

“His cello is so vivid, whether swaggering merrily, like a drunken bear, or pumping dark, threatening drones. . . . The importance of what Eggleston is doing can hardly be overstated. He is inventing a new way of hearing and playing cello.”
The Boston Globe

”. . . Eggleston does things with a cello that one could argue were never intended by man or nature, displaying a decidedly rock sensibility onstage.”
Strings Magazine

OPENER - THE ACCIDENT THAT LED ME TO THE WORLD

"Creating well within the limits of bluegrass, Americana and folk music yet haunting the edges of definition, "The Accident that Led Me to the World" sails across choppy waters, rising and falling on waves of obscurity. Reminiscent of church choirs with voices aloft and abound high roofed chambers, melodies resonate strong, left to echo until finally - gone! The band's recordings, engineered and produced by Jerry Fels, attempt to capture these fleeting moments track by track; however, always secondary to experiencing the music live. "The Accident that Led Me to the World" employs strictly acoustic instrumentation, alternating frequently between guitar, banjo, clarinet, upright bass, strings and close vocal harmonies; generally, one could label the group as Modern Folk Music."

"The Accident that Led Me to the World" is

Zack Ciras -
arrangement, upright bass, guitar and vocals
Mark Mandeville -
songwriter, guitar, banjo and vocals
Raianne Richards -
arrangement, guitar, clarinet and vocals



Date: Saturday, March 22, 2008

Doors: 7:00pm

Concert: 7:30pm

Feature: The Tornado Rider Band (Rushad Eggleston & Gabriel Cazes)

http://www.rushadeggleston.com/

http://www.myspace.com/tornadoriderband

Opener: The Accident That Led Me to the World

http://www.markmandeville.com/

Notlob Parlor Concerts Website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobhouseconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when seats will be assigned to walk-ins.

Venue & directions: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm. Handicap accessible; please call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason.

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lot located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Caféhttp://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available.



Saturday, March 8, 2008

The Lissa Schneckenburger Band

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS
A SEASON OF STRING BAND SUPERSTARS
February 29 through April 5
Concert #2 of 4

Lissa Schneckenburger Band
featuring Corey DiMario and Matt Heaton



Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a wee bit early, Saturday, March 15, 2008

Built in 1760, the historic Loring-Greenough House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

Lissa Schneckenburger - http://www.yellowcarmusic.com/lissa/

Corey DiMario - http://www.crookedstill.com/

Matt Heaton - http://www.mattandshannonheaton.com/


$15 suggested donation, + $1 preservation fee

Website & artist information: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com, http://www.myspace.com/notlobhouseconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 35, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com

Venue & directions: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm. Handicap accessible; please call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason.

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lot located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-b...

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available.


About Lissa's new album:

Announcing the release of "Song" the new acoustic collection of New England folk songs, recorded by Vermont based fiddler and singer, Lissa Schneckenburger. Lissa's fiddling is uplifting and lively, and her singing is gentle and evocative. Both in concert and in the studio she is regularly accompanied by some of New England's best musicians, including guitarists Keith Murphy and Matt Heaton and double bassist Corey DiMario. Recently she has been closely studying the roots of the Downeast traditional music that she first heard as a young girl.

Her latest project is "Song", the first in a pair of CDs dedicated to reintroducing some wonderful but largely forgotten songs and tunes from New England. "Song", to be released April 15th, 2008, contains ten timeless ballads that go back as far as the eighteenth century that she set to carefully crafted modern arrangements. The second recording, "Dance", is scheduled for release in 2009, and will feature a unique repertoire of New England fiddle tunes. "There is currently a lot of focus on traditional American music from the South", she explains, "and many bands are exploring and recording that repertoire, but no one is getting to hear the amazing wealth of traditional music from the North. This is my first attempt at getting some of that music out there for people to enjoy. It is really important that we represent these two essential aspects of New England's traditional music heritage equally. The songs and dance tunes both combine to create an overview of the culture and the sound of traditional music from the northeast. The CDs 'Song' and 'Dance' are two halves of a whole that describes a musical heritage I am very proud of"

continued....

Read more about Lissa's current touring activities in "Lissa Schneckenburger to tour with Solas"