Red Hot Blacktop

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Red Hot Blacktop

Unity Church of God

6 William Street, Davis Square, Somerville

Doors 7:30, Concert 8:00

Suggested minimum donation $12 at the door; $10 if reservation is made at least 24 hours in advance and to UCG members;

$5-10 student (with ID) rush / children under13

email notlobreservations @ gmail.com for information/reservations

Red Hot Black Top delivers high octane acoustic entertainment. Fusing bluegrass, old-time folk and blues with a distinctive rock and roll attitude, Red Hot Black Top mixes modern with tradition. With an extensive lineup of young talent, inventive arrangements and old fashion hot licks, Red Hot Black Top delivers a show that is as exciting as it is intriguing.

Jen Starsinic (Vocals, Fiddle, Banjo) A regular performing artist, Jen has played over 200 performances throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and Virginia with the bluegrass band Iron Ridge since she joined the group in September 2005. In June 2008, Jen also became a full-time member of Ophelia, playing fiddle, guitar, banjo and voice with the West Virginia based old-time string band. In addition to these regular endeavors, Jen also acts as a “fill-in fiddler” and has played with many bands in the area. She has participated in a number of performances at Harrisburg’s Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, the Carroll Arts Center, the Arcadia Bluegrass Festival and the Lucketts Community Bluegrass Series. Jen has traveled to Minneapolis, MN and Providence, RI to perform with Hershey Symphony Festival Strings at MENC All-Eastern and National Conferences.

David Goldenberg (Mandolin): David Goldenberg has been fortunate enough to start playing the mandolin at a time when the instrument's boundaries and limitations are constantly being challenged. He is at the forefront of this open minded generation of players. His playing is well informed by the instrument's modest history in addition to many musical environments which are foreign to this instrument's lineage. He has been heavily influenced by players such as Chris Thile and David Grisman as well a

s Django Reinhardt and Wes Montgomery. He currently studies mandolin at Berklee College of Music.

Sam Stambler (Guitar): Sam has been playing guitar and banjo since he was 14. He is known for his high energy performing and outside the box approach to bluegrass. He has an eclectic musical background and is not afraid to admit that he loves both Scruggs, Sondheim and Schubert. He also likes Schrödinger, though not much of a musician, he was one heck of a physicist (Sam's other love in life)

Etienne Cremieux (Fiddle): From classical to jazz and from bluegrass and old time music to rock, Etienne's musical inspiration cuts across multiple genres. He went from Suzuki school kid to Suzuki school dropout and owes more than he can say to the many mentors who have guided and influenced his journey. Etienne is as comfortable jamming bluegrass on his fiddle as he is shredding on a five-string electric violin. His high energy performance is full of fearless improvisation.

Gabe Hirshfeld (Banjo): Gabe started playing banjo almost five years ago after hearing the theme song to the radio show Car Talk. His life has never been the same.

Josh Dayton (Bass): Josh has played on the New England bluegrass circuit for nearly ten years. In addition to bluegrass, Josh has played many forms of music including classical, jazz, blues, and rock. This variety of musical influences has helped Josh develop a solid, but unique bass playing style.

"These days, "chops" is a given for the Young Lions entering the bluegrass arena- to stand out from the crowd, the young musician must also have deep musicality and a balance of adventure and tradition... The future is now!” -John McGann

More info at http://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/

Young songwriter wins contest with 'haunting' piece

Molly is a notloB alumna, having opened for Hungrytown during the Fall of 2008. She is a founding member of Jaded Mandolin, who will be co-featuring with Red Hot Black Top in Somerville before year end (date tba), and part of the hybrid "Jaded Tops" (members of both groups), who will be opening for the Claire Lynch Band at the Bull Run Restaurant in Shirley on October 17.

Young songwriter wins contest with 'haunting' piece

Jennesa Regios
Staff writer

October 07, 2009 11:21 pm

—

Molly Pinto Madigan, a 19-year-old from Peabody and freshman at Salem State College, recently won first place in the Boston Folk Festival songwriting contest. Her song "I'm Bound Away" was chosen out of five finalists in the youth division, and she performed the song last month on stage at the University of Massachusetts Boston, where the festival was held.

Click play to listen (Total time: 5:19)

Madigan is a multi-instrumentalist; she plays bodhran, banjo, guitar, pennywhistle and is classically trained in piano. She is also the lead singer of a bluegrass band called Jaded Mandolin.

When did you begin writing your own music?

I wrote a few little songs when I was younger, but I started seriously writing music a few years ago when I was 15. I saw other people writing songs and thought, well I can do that. And I really like poetry so I can include that in my songs. I write mostly folk, though this ["I'm Bound Away"] is the first one I wrote for piano. I wasn't sure how to go about that. I'd written classical pieces. And I've written lyrics, but not piano and voice together.

How would you describe your winning song?

When I played the piano part for my piano teacher he said it was haunting. When I brought in the lyrics, my English teacher said the lyrics were haunting. And when someone heard them together, they described it as haunting.

What is the song about?

It's not about anything. Just what I was feeling. It's more about the emotion, not the event. My thoughts and feelings mulling around inside. I wrote the song in June. I started it, then I had to go to orientation at Salem State, and I kept saying, "I have to get back to my piano. I need to keep writing it." I think the whole song was influenced by the ballad tradition.

How did it feel to win?

I got a phone call and found out I had to perform with four other finalists on Saturday at the festival. I was really nervous. Then I found out I won. I was kind of shocked. I was kind of worried about the audience reaction at first. When I recorded it, to send in, it's six minutes, I was worried they would get bored with it. But a lot of people told me, "Oh, you sound beautiful."

What are your musical influences?

I'm really interested in world music and traditional music. I really have a keen interest in folk music and folk lore. I listen to a lot of that stuff.

How did you come to play the bodhran (an Irish frame drum)?

I listen to a lot of Celtic music. I thought, "Oh, that would be cool to play." And my dad kept saying, "You should get one." I saw one in the shop and it was cheap, so I just bought it and taught myself.

And what's happening with Jaded Mandolin?

We just had a gig this past Tuesday. It was in Acton at an open-mike feature. We play a lot of Club Passim, in Cambridge. And this October we're teaming up with another bluegrass band and opening for Claire Lynch.

Have you thought of recording a solo CD?

I haven't thought too much about it yet, but it would be pretty cool.

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Photos

Molly Pinto Madigan's "I'm Bound Away" took first place in the Boston Folk Festival songwriting contest youth division. Courtesy photo