Jamaica Plain music patrons
embrace all genres, from classical to experimental and everything in between.
Starting in November residents will have the opportunity to attend two
presentations by the new Eliot Street Coffeehouse at the First Church in
Jamaica Plain, Unitarian-Univeralist, located at 6 Eliot Street.
Eliot Street Coffeehouse is the result of
a merger of First Church’s own “Eliot Street Soirée” series, and Jeff
Boudreau’s not-for-profit “notloB Parlour Concerts”, presented since 2006
across the monument at the Loring-Greenough House.
“Eliot Street Soirées”, headed by
Janna Maria Fröhlich, and a dedicated team of church volunteers, presented
three concerts, Kombucha, a jazz trio, Fellswater, a Celtic
quartet and John Muratore and Roberto Cassan, jazz/traditional Italian folk
guitar and accordion duo. notloB’s history is a bit more extensive, having
presented some 50 concerts at Loring-Greenough, its first being Sometymes
Why (Aoife O’Donovan (Crooked Still), Kristin Andreassen (Uncle
Earl) and Ruthy Ungar Merenda (The Mammals, Mike+Ruthy).
Rushad Eggleston, Tristan Clairridge, Brittany Haas and Corey DiMario (all
members of Crooked Still), Darol Anger (Republic of Strings, Turtle
Island Quartet, David Grisman Quartet), Sharon Gilchrist, Lissa
Schneckenburger, the Rowan Brothers, Tony Bird, Doug Lamey (which was
something of a homecoming as his grandfather, Bill Lamey, owned a home on
Greenough Street), Joey Abarta and dozens more performed there. See https://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/home/history for the
full listing.
“Loring-Greenough, with its 18th
century ambiance and acoustics was a wonderful venue, unfortunately the rent
its owners (The Jamaica Plain Tuesday Club) proposed for what would have been
our seventh year did not work in our model” Boudreau says. (After rent expense,
100% of the door donations went to the artists). “I have attended many
contradances in First Parish’s hall, with its wood walls and floors and vaulted
ceiling, the acoustics are such that we will continue the tradition set across
the street by presenting bands who can perform without the need of sound
reinforcement.”
“With community support,
additional concerts will be presented in the hall, with the possibility of
presentations in the stunning 250-plus seat sanctuary. We have additional ideas
incubating, too early to disclose” hinted Boudreau, who will be scouting talent
this weekend at Mike and Ruthy’s Summer Hoot at Jay Ungar and Molly
Mason’s Ashoken Music and Dance Camp in New York and attending the first
Celtic Crossroads festival in western Maine.
The other half of the blend is
First Church in Jamaica Plain and Janna Maria Fröhlich. The church has
been a presence on the corner of Eliot, Centre and South Streets since 1769.
The current Sanctuary dates from 1854, and the Parish Hall from the
1880’s. Janna, until last June when she retired to finish graduate work
in music therapy, was the long-time vocal soloist and occasional
pianist/harpist at First Church and has performed in many a service or concert
in both the Parish Hall and Sanctuary. Her own recently formed Celtic and
originals ensemble, Heart Soul Voice, was the opener for Fellswater last year
at the Soirée. Says Janna, “The acoustics in the parish hall, built in
the 1880’s, are nothing short of miraculous. Whoever designed it was a
genius. I’ve stood in the furthest corner and heard the quietest notes of
John Muratore’s guitar clear as a bell. When I’ve performed in an
acappella group on the stage, I could hear each other singer’s timbre and how
it blended with mine. The space itself is just beautiful and welcoming as
well. This is why I’m inspired to have more music performed here as a
benefit to the artists, to the church, and to our community. And more
folks coming in to the space means greater awareness of the good work the
church does via its food pantry and other social justice activities.”
The season:
