notloB Concerts is proud to present BROKEN BLOSSOMS & FOLK ARTS QUARTET at the Park Avenue Congregational Church, 50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington Heights, MA 02476 just off Mass Ave.) on Saturday, April 11 at 8:00 pm (doors 7:45).
notloB Concerts is new to Arlington but has been producing quality acoustic folk/roots/Celtic/blues/bluegrass concerts in Boston and the surrounding area for more than two years. Their concerts are 100% volunteer run and not for profit. After production expenses, all patron donations go to the artists.
This is the first of three stringband/Celtic/folk concerts Notlob will be producing at this venue during the months of April and May, the others being
- On May 9, Joy Kills Sorrow (newgrass) & The Boston Boys (bluegrass)
- On May 23, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival 2008 "Most Wanted" winners Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers (Scandanavian folk) & Abi Tapia (contemporary singer/songwriter).
See the website for information about concerts in June and beyond.
The beauty of Broken Blossoms is that they are both new and familiar, rooted in tradition, yet rejuvenated by unique arrangements—a happy convergence of traditional bluegrass, gospel, country blues, and folk-pop.
Broken Blossoms is the unification of a group of highly recognizable performers in Boston's celebrated folk-music circuit—its members gathered by gifted songwriter and guitarist, Andy Cambria, in support of one the area's most prominent singer-songwriters, Jenee Halstead, who released a solo LP (The River Grace) in 2008.
Halstead performed regularly with Cambria, mandolin player David Goldenberg, bassist/hammered dulcimer wizard Simon Chrisman and banjo player Charles Rose, throughout 2008. The group recruited friend and fiddle virtuoso, Kimber Ludiker, just before the year drew to a close and recorded a four-song EP in January 2009. Tracked live in one day at the Unity Church of God in Somerville, MA, the eponymous debut offers up three original songs penned by Cambria and Halstead alongside the band's arrangement of the spiritual, "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning."
Although the members of the band have impressive personal resumes, with performances on such legendary stages as Grey Fox, Wintergrass, The Birchmere, The Grand Master Fiddle Championship, Falcon Ridge and Club Passim to their credit, it is their strength and style as a unit that's made an instant impact on Boston's roots-music scene. Talent buyer, Geoff Bartley, operator of Boston's bluegrass Mecca, The Cantab Lounge, describes them thusly: "Every time I hear this band, they're tighter, deeper and more poised. The sultry vocals and refined songwriting, steeped in traditional roots and bluegrass, vault the group into another category. Look out—these folks could become well-known very fast."
The EP, Broken Blossoms, was released March 23, 2009.
The Folk Arts Quartet (FAQ) combines folk styles from the fiddle world with the arts heritage of the classical string quartet. The result is a new hybrid genre, "ChamberGrass." As the four young women of FAQ pioneer this style they are gaining recognition for their musicianship and innovation.
The members of the Folk Arts Quartet…
Liz Davis Maxfield, Cello
Julie Metcalf, Viola
Ivonne Hernandez, Violin
Hannah Read, Violin
…met while studying at the Berklee College of Music. Although they were classically trained, they all have extensive experience in folk styles. Hailing from Scotland, Canada, and the United States, they each have distinct musical styles. The FAQ has had the honor of being mentored by some of the best contemporary string players around, including Matt Glaser, Natalie Haas, Eugene Friesen, John McGann.
The Folk Arts Quartet arranges traditional tunes and original compositions using an array of techniques and ideas—some they've learned from Classical string quartet pieces, others from folk bands, and others they've invented on their own. With the addition of the occasional beautiful song or energetic step dance, their groovy, contemporary style nods to their many influences and breathes new life into folk and chamber music.
The Folk Arts Quartet has performed in legendary Boston music venues including Club Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the Boston Celtic Music Festival; and the Berklee Performance center. The FAQ has been highlighted by Berklee College of Music as a representative ensemble of the College and its string department for feature performances around the world.
The Folk Arts Quartet has stormed onto the global folk scene, receiving rave reviews wherever they perform. From their unique look to their fresh take on folk and chamber music this is a group not to miss!
ARTIST WEBSITES:
Park Avenue Congregational Church, UCC
50 Paul Revere Road, Arlington, Massachusetts
By car: From Route 2, take the Park Avenue exit (Exit 58), and turn north into Arlington on Park Avenue. Continue to the top of the hill, past the water tower on the right, and down the long, steep hill just until you see the traffic lights at the intersection of Park Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. The church is on the left, one block south of Massachusetts Avenue at the intersection of Park Avenue and Paul Revere Road.
By bus: MBTA
Parking: Ample on-street parking is available on Park and Massachusetts Avenues.
Have dinner before the concert at Jade Garden Chinese Restaurant, 1360 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington. 781-648-8882
Show proof of admission (your email reservation confirmation or ticket stub) for 10% your food bill.
Thak you for supporting live music.
-notloB Music
http://www.reverbnation.com/notlob
When I started learning to play bluegrass music as a teenager in the mid-1970s, the bluegrass mecca was the Washington, DC area. Seldom Scene and The Country Gentlemen were headquartered there, both considered wildly progressive by the traditionalists of that day.
