May Northeast USA Trad-based Music Festivals

From NEFolk· For the New England Folk Community

If you are aware of others, send details by email to NEFolk-owner@yahoogroups.com
Producers and publicists are welcome to share information about their festivals by sending an email to NEFolk@yahoogroups.com

Tables > NEFolk's Festival and Camp Database

Start YYMMDD	End YYMMDD	Festival or Camp Name & URL	Genre	City & State	This Year's Status / Message # (past years) / Comments
130510	130512	Bayou n' Brooklyn Music Festival http://bayou-n-brooklyn.com/	Cajun Creole, Zydeco	Brooklyn, NY	Confirmed / () / "Bayou n' Brooklyn is a weekend-long celebration of Cajun, Creole, Zydeco Music and Dance. Headliners Christine Balfa, Ed Poullard and Megan Brown arrive for the weekend- long celebration to perform, teach and jam with festival goers."
130517	130519	Bluegrass on the Bogs http://www.bluegrassonthebogs.com/	Bluegrass	Hanson, MA	Confirmed / 14544 (11920, 13282, 13921) /
130517	130519	Banjo Camp North, Spring Edition http://www.BanjoCampNorth.com	Old-time	Charlton, MA	Confirmed / ()
130524	130526	Fiddler’s Grove  http://www.fiddlersgrove.com/	Old-time	Union Grove, NC	Confirmed / ()
130524	130526	GottaGetGon Family Folk Music Festival  http://www.pickingandsinging.org/	Traditional folk	Saratoga, NY	Confirmed / ()
130524	130526	Black Creek Fiddlers' Reunion http://www.oldsongs.org/blackcreek/index.shtml	Old-time	Altamont, NY	Confirmed / (11999) / The annual Black Creek Fiddler’s Reunion takes place every Memorial Day weekend at the Altamont Fairgrounds just west of Albany, NY. As a kickoff to the summer festival season, this event features abundant camping with heated bathrooms and hot showers, banjo, fiddle, and guitar workshops, a slow jam workshop for beginners , and of course great jams! The social highlight of the weekend is the Saturday evening Pot Luck Dinner followed by jamming in the heated barn and numerous nooks and crannies until the cows come home! This event, along with the Fiddling Bear – Lake Genero event, have become the bookends of the summer festival season for those in the Northeast who appreciate old time fiddle tunes.
130525	130526	East Durham Irish Festival http://www.mjqirishcentre.com/eastdurhamirishfestival.html	Celtic	East Durham, NY	Confirmed / ()

Center for Irish Programs, Boston College Gaelic Roots Music, Song, Dance, Workshop, and Lecture Series

From Center for Irish Programs, Boston College
Gaelic Roots Music, Song, Dance, Workshop, and Lecture Series
Series director: Séamus Connolly, Sullivan Artist-in-Residence 
Gaelic Roots calendar: http://www.bc.edu/gaelicroots
Video clips:  http://www.youtube.com/user/BurnsLibraryIMC

___________________

January 25 through May 23, 2013 – John J. Burns Library (Chestnut Hill Campus)

Exhibit, The Musical Roots of Séamus Connolly, Sullivan Artist in Residence

On May 11, 2013, Séamus Connolly will receive the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) in recognition of his distinguished career as one of the world’s most respected master Irish musicians. The Boston College “Musical Roots” exhibit, on view at the Burns Library through May 23, highlights influences and milestones in Connolly’s career. A renowned Irish traditional musician, performer, and teacher from Killaloe, Ireland, Connolly won ten All-Ireland solo fiddle championships before immigrating to the United States in 1976. As Sullivan Artist-in-Residence in the Center for Irish Programs, Connolly directs Irish music and dance instruction and programming at Boston College.

Burns Library regular hours through May 23: Monday – Friday (9am – 5pm).

Burns Library extended hours through May 4: Wednesday April 24 and May 1 (5pm-8pm); Saturday April 27 and May 4 (10am-2pm). For information or directions, please contact the Burns Library at imc@bc.edu or call 617-552-3282.

(Photograph by Gary Gilbert)

___________________

Thursday, April 25 – O’Neill Plaza (Chestnut Hill Campus), Main Tent

12:00 to 12:30 p.m.: Irish music and dance at the 15^th annual Boston College Arts Festival

The festival on O’Neill Plaza opens with Irish music and dance performances by Boston College students, faculty, and staff.

___________________

The Gaelic Roots series is co-sponsored by the Center for Irish Programs and the Boston College Libraries. The above events are free and open to the public.  All events are subject to change. For more information, please e-mail irish@bc.edu or call 617-552-6396.

For directions see http://www.bc.edu/gaelicroots . Campus parking guidelines are available at http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/transportation/visitor.html

Inclement weather: visit http://www.bc.edu/bcinfo or call 1-888-BOS-COLL for updates on weather-related closings on campus.

Event descriptions are provided by the Office of News and Public Affairs and the Irish Music Center of Boston College.

The Burns Library Irish Music Center offers selected video clips of Gaelic Roots events on its YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BurnsLibraryIMC
 

RIP Richie Havens

At a concert a few years ago, Richie remarked, "I don't see what the big deal is going into space, we're already there."
Such wisdom.
Rest in peace, Richie Havens.

The Cantab Monday Night Open Mic is in Trouble

Reported here Monday, April 8, 2013 in Geoff Bartley's Monday Night Open Mic at the Cantab Changing Format, here is the information again, from the man himself.

Dear friends and fans,

The Cantab Monday Night Open Mic is in trouble.

Monday night bar sales are too slow.

To keep the stage, we must pay our way better than we have been.

So I've come up with some evil schemes to keep more people in the bar longer.

First off I want you all to start drinking a lot more... a hell of a lot more.

I'm kidding I'm kidding.

But seriously... starting in May every open miker will be charged $3 to play two songs.

The money will go to the bar. 

I'm also going to make up the list as we go along, instead of making the whole thing up right before eight o'clock.

And no more feature acts.

Yup... after Paul Geremia on April 22 and Cosy Sheridan on April 29... no more feature acts.
Paul Geremia and Dakota Dave Hull are each playing a house concert this weekend thanks to Jeff Boudreau.  Go here: notloB Parlour Concerts  Dakota Dave Hull has threatened to come to the open mic on Monday to sass Paul Geremia, who goes on at 10:00.  Dave... hope you will squeeze in a visit... and I'd love to put you on for a couple three.

Starting in May, the evening will be devoted entirely to open mikers*.  We welcome with open arms their friends and fans, their wives and girlfriends, husbands and boyfriends, especially the heavy drinkers.  Kidding... kidding.
*Except for Memorial Day when the a cappella group The Mass Whole Notes will sing 10:00 to 10:40 and I'll pass the hat for them as usual.

I'm open to your thoughts comments reactions suggestions observations advice... but mostly I just want to see your faces.

Help us keep this stage.  I've taken a pay cut and will take another.  I'm feeling my way in the dark... nothing is set in stone... I don't want to charge... but the Cantab can't carry us.

I don't want to cancel features either... maybe the set could be shorter and earlier... 8:30 to 9:00 say.

My shifts have been hemorrhaging... the open mic is in triage...

Yes I know I'm being melodramatic... but it's for good cause.

Come visit me! 

Bring a friend!

FOOD
Food (but not drinks) may be brought into the Cantab... there are many good inexpensive restaurants on our block... African... Mexican... subs wraps pizza salads... Falafel Palace Middle Eastern... vegetarian vegan organic... good beef salmon turkey soy burgers... homemade sweet potato fries... a wide menu at the Tavern two doors down... and they all make orders =to go.

CANTAB PARKING
Drive around slowly and think pure thoughts.  The Parking Goddess Will Provide.

Geoff Bartley & Howie Tarnower MUSIC
~ Howie Tarnower and I play Phil Ochs Song Night Benefit for WAMC at the WAMC Performing Arts Studio, a beautiful restored bank building, in Albany on Saturday, May 11.  Greg Artzner and Terry Leonino of Magpie and Happy Traum will be there... also Sonny Ochs and my friend Wanda Fischer from the station.  Howie and I will sing one of my songs and two Phil Ochs songs, The Thresher and Gas Station Women.  We will be fabulous.

~ And on Friday, July 19, Howie and I play the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham, MA.  Tickets are $18 / $15 members.  Showtime is 8:00.  We'll be playing old blues and early jazz numbers, some traditional songs, a little bluegrass, and some of my songs.

~ I played two shows w/ Tom Paxton last weekend... one at the Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham, and the other in Schenectady NY for the 8th Step... at a theatre w/ 440 seats.  Coincidence?  Inquiring minds want to know.  Tom had stir fry w/ chicken.  I had spicy shrimp Pad Thai.  As usual, both shows were funny moving.

~ I plus a Special Guest... either Howie (mandolin, banjo, harmony singing) or Dave Rizzuti (Telecaster)... play EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT at Smoken' (sic) Joe's BBQ Restaurant in Brighton Center, Brighton MA ! ! ! FREE PARKING IN BACK AFTER 6:00 ! ! !

~ Chuck Brodsky was wonderful at the Cantab 4/15... story songs of high order.

Some people at the Cantab know the family of marathon bombing victim Krystal Campbell and knew her.  Be careful out there and be good to each other.

Geoff
Geoff Bartley (1948 - ?)
acoustic blues guitar etc
geoffbartley@pobox.com
www.geoffbartley.com 


Geoff's Cantab open mic is responsible for launching many successful artists, as well as giving a supportive environment to newcomers and regulars alike. I sincerely hope the community responds to his appeal. Please share this blog article and sister post in Cecilia's Choices via social media. Show Geoff's open mic some love.

-------------------

5/2/13
Here's the latest scoop, directly from Geoff.

Hello everyone,

THANK YOU ALL for the outpouring of support I have received from you.

I feel so loved!

I've gotten too many emails to respond to everyone individually, so here's another shotgun one to say THANK YOU and apprise Interested Parties about the Current State of Open Mic Affairs.

DELETE?  Don't give a flying fish about this open mic?  Want me to quit pestering you?  Say the word and it shall be done!

Until I settle on a winning formula, the Open Mic Situation is fluid.

With your good suggestions and my fabulous decision-making perspicacity, I believe the Open Mic will not only endure but will thrive.

The Latest Evolutions in the Formulation of a Winning Formula include the Following Elements:

1) Sign-up is now first come, first served, or in advance... email me at <geoffbartley@pobox.com>

2) Each open miker will now be charged $3 to play two songs... the money will go to the bar.  I chose this option as a way to help keep our stage.  The option I eschewed was the two-drink minimum. 

This issue would be moot if you'd all just start drinking like Don Draper on Madmen...

3) I have reinstated feature acts, but the set is now shorter and earlier... 20 minutes starting at 9:00PM.  I will pass the hat for features as before.  Bring money.

! ! ! This Monday Night May 5 the feature act will be GEOFF BARTLEY AND HOWIE TARNOWER  ! ! !

! ! ! Special Surprise Cash Prize for Some Lucky Open Miker ! ! !

! ! !  It Won't Be Much  ! ! !

4) I'll be choosing feature acts from the local/regional singer-songwriter community with more frequency.

5) I'll be encouraging more duos trios quartets and will encourage open mikers to accompany each other instrumentally and vocally.  I will attempt to lead by example.

6) I'm going to play four songs quick at 8:00.

7) If these measures do not resuscitate the Open Mic, I will begin booking Young Acoustic Bands and will present them in a Format that Encourages Group Music.

As everyone knows, the Cantab Monday Night Open Mic (December 1991 - ?) is the finest in the land. 

However, there are many other fine open mics around.  Neal Braverman runs one on Monday nights... but not every Monday night... in Roslindale called ROM (for Roslindale Open Mic).  Their website is www.roslindaleopenmike.org and Neal's email is neal@roslindaleopenmike.org.

Also on Monday nights, Tom Bianchi runs a contest style open mic at the Lizard Lounge on Mass Ave four blocks north of Harvard Square on the right.  Contact Tom at <tom@24hourtom.com>.

Thanks to Neal and Tom for their support.

If neither of these open mics is within your reach (you poor soul), visit http://www.openmikes.org and type in your Postal Zip Code... you'll get a list of Open Mics in your area.

Open Mics are a forum we use to express ourselves about anything and everything.

Novice? 

Come on down!

Polished veteran? 

Come on down!

Long live Open Mics!

Sincerely,
Your Host,
Geoff Bartley (1948 - ?)

The "World Famous" Cantab Lounge
738 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139
617 354-2685
http://www.cantab-lounge.com
In Scenic Square, Psychic Vortex of the Great Northeast
 

A pair of blues greats giving concerts on their own birthdays, how cool is that!

notloB Parlour Concerts presents... 

a pair of

 blues greats giving concerts on their own birthdays!

Dakota Dave Hull
Friday, April 19, 2013

Doors 7:30, Concert 8:00

Preceded by a separate admission workshop*

Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain

“One of the best guitarists in the world.”

—Dave Van Ronk

“Hull is something of a guitar god in his native midwest, where he’s been 

dazzling audiences for over 30 years with his lush finger-picking and quicksilver 

flat-picking. He is also a sly raconteur with an encyclopedic knowledge of vintage 

American music.”

—Scott Alarik, Boston Globe, March 2004

“There’s a million good things I could say about Dave Hull but I’ll narrow it down 

to two: He’s an excellent picker, both flatpick and fingerstyle, he collects some 

fine instruments, and we’ve been at a lot of good places to eat together.”

—Norman Blake

“Hey Dave, thanks for sending me your Loyalty Waltz album. I just put it on to 

use as background music for something I was reading. Damn you, I never read a 

thing. Listened to the whole album straight through. Nice album, my good man. 

Keep on.”

—Geoff Muldaur

Hailed by everyone from Dave Van Ronk to Doc Watson, from the Washington Post to downbeat, Dakota Dave Hull’s guitar style spans a wide musical geography to create an infectious, uniquely personal blend of jazz, ragtime, folk, blues, Western swing, and vintage pop. Dakota Dave is a restlessly curious, adventurous traveler along the broad highway of America’s music. In his playing the masters speak, but in a vocabulary that is Dave’s alone: alternatively mirthful and moving, always melodic.

A gifted composer as well as a strikingly original interpreter of older tunes, Dave calls what he does “classic American guitar.” Folk legend Van Ronk called Dave “one of the best guitarists in the world.”

Most of all, Dakota Dave’s music is great fun. As Douglas Green (Ranger Doug of Riders in the Sky) puts it, “There is an imp within Dave Hull that always expresses itself on the fretboard; a witty, intelligent yet respectful imp who frolics in his music, an imp Dakota Dave neither fights nor lets take control, but simply absorbs into the heart of his style.”

On stage or in the recording studio Dave has performed with Utah Phillips, Doc Watson, Robin and Linda Williams, Dave Van Ronk, John Renbourn, Paul Geremia, Spider John Koerner, Cam Waters, Sally Rogers, Butch Thompson, Peter Ostroushko, Garrison Keillor, and Norman Blake, and many others. His albums include three with early performing partner Sean Blackburn and six solo efforts (the acclaimed Hull’s Victory and Reunion Rag, both on Flying Fish) with four more, New Shirt, Sheridan Square Rag, The Loyalty Waltz and Time Machine on Arabica Records. Airship, a duo album with singer/guitarist/fiddler Pop Wagner was widely praised. His three albums with guitar and mandolin ace Kari Larson (also on Arabica) have become legendary. Most recently, Dave recorded an album of mostly traditional music duets with the noted guitarist Duck Baker, When You Ask a Girl to Leave Her Happy Home.

Dave is a recipient of a 2013 Traditional Arts grant from the Minnesota State Arts board.

*WORKSHOP: "The Art of Making Arrangements" $30 (less 20% JPTC members). RESERVATIONS AND PRE-PAYMENT REQUIRED. Arrive 6:30, workshop 6:45-7:45pm.

"This special workshop from acclaimed guitarist Dakota Dave Hull offers something for all levels of player, either fingerstylist or flatpicker, or both. Some of the things that'll be discussed: Melody, Harmonization, Transposition to other keys and registers, Improvisation, Solo, Playing nicely with others, Backup, Right-hand Technique, Rhythm, and Bringing it all together. We'll also talk some about right-hand technique, that singularly overlooked and incredibly important part of guitar playing, whether with a pick or fingers. Dave will happily try to answer most any questions a participant may have about arranging for the guitar or a group."

CONCERT: Doors 7:30, concert 8-10pm. $20 at the door, $15 in advance. 20% discount for JPTC members + $1 preservation fee. 

COMBINED WORKSHOP AND CONCERT: $10 discount for combined concert + workshop.  

email notlobreservations at gmail dot com

In your reservation request please specify you are reserving for the workshop, the concert, or both.

Coffee from JP Licks

Pastries from Fiores Bakery

Dakota Dave Hull / The Extempore Rag

The Hink

Paul Geremia

Sunday, April 21, 2013 

Doors 6:30, Concert 7:00

A private residence in Watertown

notloB Folk Concerts' 100th concert was supposed to be on the 6th year anniversary (June 2, see below) but when a living legend calls AND it's his birthday, how can one say "no?"
For almost forty years, Paul Geremia has survived solely by the fruit of his musical labours. Having abandoned all other means of support in 1966, he has been travelling far and wide ever since, performing in every capacity from street singing to club and concert bookings, throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Europe.

In the years since, Geremia has built a reputation as a first rate bluesman, songwriter, a "scholar" of early jazz and blues, and one of the best country blues fingerpickers ever with his tools - six and twelve-string guitars, harmonica, piano and a husky soulful voice - and with an innate sense of the humour as well as the drama of the music, he keeps traditional blues fresh and alive with his performances.

Combining his interpretation of the earlier music of people like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Scrapper Blackwell and Blind Blake, with his original compositions, he has created a style which is very much his own and which has received accolades in the U.S.A. and Europe, too numerous to mention.

Geremia's background isn't typical for a bluesman. He is a third generation Italian-American who, as he laughingly puts it, "was born in the Providence River Delta". Growing up in a family that moved across the country and back numerous times weaned his appetite for music, history and travel, which served him well later on.

During the sixties, Paul noticed that the music he had enjoyed playing on harmonica (his first instrument) was now referred to as "Folk Music" and was enjoying popularity. During his short time in agriculture college, he was mostly occupied with learning guitar and hitch-hiking to where the music was. He soon left college and hit the road permanently. He found paying gigs in coffee houses and "basket houses" in cities and at college campuses and made occasional forays South and West in search of the music he loved and what gigs he could find.

During these years, Geremia crossed paths with people whose influences were beneficial to his development and understanding of the tradition. He worked as opening act for some of the early blues "legends" thereby gaining an immeasurable depth of knowledge from people like Babe Stovall, Yank Rachel, Son House, Skip James, Howlin' Wolf, and many others, especially Pink Anderson whose career he helped revitalize.

Geremia has recorded ten solo albums, and has appeared on numerous anthologies and compilation discs. His superb recordings have made him a critical favorite and place him firmly among the legends who inspired and influenced him over the past four decades.

Celebrate Paul's birthday at a house concert in Watertown.

Sunday, April 21, 7pm
$15-20+ suggested donation.
Dessert pot luck.
Reservations are required - notlobreservations@gmail.com
Paul's website
Facebook event

"Tootie Blues"

Called a "national treasure," Paul Geremia is perhaps the greatest living exponent of the East Coast and Texas fingerpicking and slide guitar styles. Here he performs "Tootie Blues," from the newly released DVD "Guitar Artistry of Paul Geremia.

More info at https://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/home

Podunk 2013 Cancelled

From the festival's Facebook page

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival, Inc. shared a link.

17 minutes ago

April 13, 2013

To the great supporters of the Podunk Bluegrass Festival:
The members of the Podunk board are sad to report that the 2013 festival is canceled. The board worked tirelessly to develop an alternative location following our forced departure from East Hartford. The Town of Norwich and Dodd Stadium location looked promising and provided a good venue for the 2012 festival with the potential to develop into a long term home for Podunk. Unfortunately, there was a conflict with home baseball games for the 2013 festival dates and neither the Tigers' nor Podunk schedules could be adjusted. The path to make Dodd viable in following years is not sure for the same scheduling issue.
The board immediately began searching for an alternate venue, and some locations looked promising. Various fairgrounds, parks, and public spaces were investigated for potential Podunk use. No location within the state was off limits if it could work. Some locations would have changed the nature of the festival to a town fair with multiple stages at various locations, and others, including Kelly Middle School in Norwich, were short camping space on site or priced out of range.
After months of effort, the board has not found a clear, long-lasting solution for Podunk's home. In order to provide artists enough time to make alternate plans, the board believes it necessary to cancel the festival at this time for 2013, and devote our time and effort to the 2014 festival. The desire is to find a home for Podunk and develop the financial backing necessary to bring back a strong world-class festival in 2014 that can vie for Festival of the Year, just as Podunk was named in 2010.
For the great Podunk supporters who have purchased advanced tickets for the 2013 festival, the board has agreed to give you two options. One is to convert your ticket cost to a tax-free donation to Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival to continue our efforts to bring you a top-notch festival in 2014. To thank you for such a donation, you would be our guests at the next Podunk Festival. The other option is a complete refund of your advance-purchase ticket cost. You can let us know by sending a letter to Podunk 80 Brandegee Lane, Berlin, CT 06037 or an e-mail to rogercrpa@yahoo.com.
We are truly sorry that we cannot bring you a festival in 2013, but we hope you can make plans to join us in 2014. You can stay abreast of Podunk developments by checking into the Podunk web site at http://podunkbluegrass.com/
You can also join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/podunkbluegrassfestival

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival

podunkbluegrass.com

Official site of the Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival, Inc.

UPDATE 4/15, 3:47PM
24 Hours after news was posted here, Bluegrass Today has picked up the story.
http://bluegrasstoday.com/podunk-taking-2013-off/

Podunk taking 2013 off

John Lawless | April 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Bluegrass fans in central Connecticut will be without a primary destination event this season. For the past 16 years, the Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival has brought top artists to the area during the first weekend in August, but it appears that circumstances have colluded in such a way that their Board of Directors had no choice but to cancel the 2013 festival.
After 15 years in East Hartford, the festival moved from Martin Park in 2012 when the city withdrew its financial support. This occurred at the same time that the festival’s Executive Director, Roger Moss, was forced out of his position as Director of Parks and Recreation in 2011 by newly elected mayor, Marcia Leclerc.
Moss and Podunk found a new home in nearby Norwich for 2012, located about 40 miles southeast of the old location. Roger was hired as the city’s new recreation director, and arranged for the festival to be held in Dodd Stadium, the home field of the Connecticut Tigers, the Class A short season baseball team for the Detroit Tigers.
All went well for 2012, but a scheduling conflict emerged this year putting the team and the festival at odds for the stadium. The city’s contract with the team gives them first priority, and Podunk was homeless.
In a statement issued yesterday, Moss shared the board’s decision in a statement.

“The board immediately began searching for an alternate venue, and some locations looked promising. Various fairgrounds, parks, and public spaces were investigated for potential Podunk use. No location within the state was off limits if it could work. Some locations would have changed the nature of the festival to a town fair with multiple stages at various locations, and others, including Kelly Middle School in Norwich, were short camping space on site or priced out of range.
After months of effort, the board has not found a clear, long-lasting solution for Podunk’s home. In order to provide artists enough time to make alternate plans, the board believes it necessary to cancel the festival at this time for 2013, and devote our time and effort to the 2014 festival. The desire is to find a home for Podunk and develop the financial backing necessary to bring back a strong world-class festival in 2014 that can vie for Festival of the Year, just as Podunk was named in 2010.”

Fans who have already purchased tickets for 2013 are being given two options. Those who agree to convert the ticket fee into a donation will be offered free admission for the next event, and those who prefer to obtain a full refund will be eligible to receive them.
All advance ticket holders are requested to contact the festival and let them know your preference. You can do so by email, or by postal mail.

Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival
80 Brandegee Lane
Berlin, CT 06037

Let’s hope to hear soon that the festival has a new home for 2014 and beyond.

"Living Legend" Paul Geremia House Concert, 4/21

Paul Geremia

Sunday, April 21, 2013 (Paul's birthday!)

Doors 6:30, Concert 7:00

A private residence in Watertown

notloB Folk Concerts' 100th concert was supposed to be on the 6th year anniversary (June 2, see below) but when a living legend calls AND it's his birthday, how can one say "no?"
For almost forty years, Paul Geremia has survived solely by the fruit of his musical labours. Having abandoned all other means of support in 1966, he has been travelling far and wide ever since, performing in every capacity from street singing to club and concert bookings, throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Europe.

In the years since, Geremia has built a reputation as a first rate bluesman, songwriter, a "scholar" of early jazz and blues, and one of the best country blues fingerpickers ever with his tools - six and twelve-string guitars, harmonica, piano and a husky soulful voice - and with an innate sense of the humour as well as the drama of the music, he keeps traditional blues fresh and alive with his performances.

Combining his interpretation of the earlier music of people like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Scrapper Blackwell and Blind Blake, with his original compositions, he has created a style which is very much his own and which has received accolades in the U.S.A. and Europe, too numerous to mention.

Geremia's background isn't typical for a bluesman. He is a third generation Italian-American who, as he laughingly puts it, "was born in the Providence River Delta". Growing up in a family that moved across the country and back numerous times weaned his appetite for music, history and travel, which served him well later on.

During the sixties, Paul noticed that the music he had enjoyed playing on harmonica (his first instrument) was now referred to as "Folk Music" and was enjoying popularity. During his short time in agriculture college, he was mostly occupied with learning guitar and hitch-hiking to where the music was. He soon left college and hit the road permanently. He found paying gigs in coffee houses and "basket houses" in cities and at college campuses and made occasional forays South and West in search of the music he loved and what gigs he could find.

During these years, Geremia crossed paths with people whose influences were beneficial to his development and understanding of the tradition. He worked as opening act for some of the early blues "legends" thereby gaining an immeasurable depth of knowledge from people like Babe Stovall, Yank Rachel, Son House, Skip James, Howlin' Wolf, and many others, especially Pink Anderson whose career he helped revitalize.

Geremia has recorded ten solo albums, and has appeared on numerous anthologies and compilation discs. His superb recordings have made him a critical favorite and place him firmly among the legends who inspired and influenced him over the past four decades.

Celebrate Paul's birthday at a house concert in Watertown.

Sunday, April 21, 7pm
$15-20+ suggested donation.
Dessert pot luck.
Reservations are required - notlobreservations@gmail.com
Paul's website
Facebook event

"Tootie Blues"

Called a "national treasure," Paul Geremia is perhaps the greatest living exponent of the East Coast and Texas fingerpicking and slide guitar styles. Here he performs "Tootie Blues," from the newly released DVD "Guitar Artistry of Paul Geremia.

Happy 52nd Birthday, WMBR

Word has been received from Eli Polonsky via "Community and Independent College Radio" that today is student/community radio WMBR's (MIT, Cambridge, MA) 52nd anniversary.


Eli Polonsky52 years ago today, students at MIT completed an electronics project, threw the switch, and put WTBS 88.1 FM, the MIT college and community radio station, on the air with ten watts! Still student-run and maintained and programmed by an all-volunteer student, alumni, and community staff, WMBR now serves greater Boston and northeastern Massachusetts on the air with 720 watts, and the world online at http://www.wmbr.org/, with unique non-commercial original programming not heard elsewhere. Happy 52'nd to WMBR!


Across the Commonwealth are a half dozen community radion stations and maybe twice that independent college radio stations, but WMBR is one of a handful of hybrid community/indepenent college radio stations. For a complete listing click here.

Community and independent college are types of radio service that offer a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial and public. Community and independent college stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popular to a local/specific audience but which may often be overlooked by commercial/mass-media and so-called "public" broadcasters. Community and independent college radio stations are operated, owned, and driven by the communities they serve. Community radio is not-for profit and provides a mechanism for facilitating individuals, groups, and communities to tell their own diverse stories, to share experiences, and in a media rich world to become active creators and contributors of media.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WMBR!

stay independent!

MK-60 Console

1960

In the late 19th century, the MIT electrical engineering faculty initially thought radio was a novelty, but that did not stop students from experimenting with the technology and forming the MIT Radio Society. Established in 1909, W1MX (originally 1MX) is believed to be the oldest college amateur radio station in the United States. The history of broadcast radio at MIT began as a campus-only AM broadcast when WMIT signed on in 1946. Students not only ran the station, but also built its equipment. Wanting to reach the fraternities located in Boston, the station began the process of obtaining a Federal Communications Commission license for an AM or FM commercial frequency in the 1950s. All the commercial frequencies and the call sign WMIT were taken, but the students persisted. On April 10, 1961, from this console, one of the first all-transistorized radio consoles ever built (again by MIT students), WTBS 88.1 signed on as part of MIT’s centennial celebration. (The station’s call letters changed to WMBR in 1979.) For 50 years, students, alumni, staff, and volunteers have broadcast an eclectic variety of music and news programming that serves the MIT community as well as much of eastern Massachusetts.

photo and text courtesy of the MIT Museum.

notloB Parlour Concerts presents Joey Abarta, Paddy League and Jackie O'Riley, with special guest Nathan Gourley!

notloB Parlour Concerts presents

Friday, May 17
Doors 7:30, Concert 8:00
Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, JP 02130
Suggested donation $15-20+

+$1 preservation fee that goes to the Loring-Greenough House

reservations strongly suggested - notlobreservations at gmail dot com

Joey Abarta, Paddy League 

and Jackie O'Riley,

with special guest Nathan Gourley! 

Traditional Irish music on the uilleann pipes, supported by Greek bouzuki and old style step.

Joey Abarta has spent the last ten years of his life touring North America, Europe, and Asia, teaching and performing music on the uilleann pipes. A Los Angeles native, he first received instruction on the pipes from Dubliner Pat D’Arcy, a founding member of the Southern California Uilleann Pipers Club. His musical skills have been further honed by several visits to Ireland, a year-long stint working in Japan, and continuing relationships with master pipers. In August of 2009, Joey’s accomplished playing won him an All-Ireland championship, placing second worldwide at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. Currently based in Boston, Joey divides his attention between performance, teaching, and recording. In addition to performing solo, he tours with Mick Moloney and the group The Green Fields of America; while at home, he organizes the meetings of the Boston Pipers Club, teaches for Comhaltas’ Boston Music School, and organizes various traditional music concerts and events. His debut solo album is due out this June.
http://joeyabarta.com/

Paddy League's intuitive accompaniment style — on bodhran, guitar, and bouzouki — provides irresistible rhythm and a distinctive traditional sound. With a life-long passion for both Irish and Greek traditional music, Paddy is a multi-instrumentalist who is also influenced by many of the world’s vernacular and art music traditions, from the Mediterranean to Brazil. He exhibits vitality and a natural touch on every instrument, and an exceptional ability to respond to often hidden nuances in a tune. His renderings of traditional songs, along with many of his own instrumental compositions, highlight his multi-faceted musicianship and bring great variety to his music. Paddy has performed extensively throughout North America, Brazil, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and Europe, and been featured on over one hundred recordings.

Jackie O'Riley began Irish set dancing as a teenager in the Boston area. She has gone on to study traditional step dancing and sean-nós dancing with Kieran Jordan and with a variety of teachers in workshop settings in the US and Ireland. She studied abroad at University College, Cork where she spent much time set dancing and learning traditional steps. This past summer she attended the Blás summer school at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick. She has performed in "A Christmas Celtic Sojourn," “A Saint Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn,” “Celebrate!” at the JFK Library and Museum, and has choreographed and performed in the Boston Celtic Music Festival. She has been teaching non-competitive step dancing and Irish social dancing for the past two years. 

Fiddler Nathan Gourley hails from Madison, Wisconsin, where he grew up in a musical family that often traveled to folk and fiddle festivals across the country. Now based in the Twin Cities, Nathan puts his passion for Irish music into practice as a member of The Máirtín de Cógáin Project, The Doon Ceili Band, and O’Rourke’s Feast. He can also be found at the MSP airport en route to many yearly excursions to Ireland, New York, Chicago and other hotbeds of traditional Irish music.

Geoff Bartley's Monday Night Open Mic at the Cantab Changing Format

Geoff Bartley's Monday Night Open Mic

at the Cantab Lounge has been in existence for some twenty two years. That is not news. What is news is Geoff is changing its format (see screen capture at end for details of the current format). In a nutshell, Geoff opens at 8pm with a couple of songs, then, using a magic formula only known to him and the observant, some ten are selected for the first half of the evening. A featured performer does a 20-30 minute set, for which the proverbial hat is passed. After the feature's set, those not selected for the early set and latecomers fill the remainder of the night, until last call. Sound duties are very ably handled by P.J. Shapiro.

December 11, 2011

Geoff Bartley and David Massengill

John Gorka and Geoff Bartley

Geoff Bartley and Tom Paxton

Geoff has announced, "The Open Mic is moving into a new phase as I try to make it better serve the singer-songwriter open mic community. Starting in May, the evening will be devoted entirely to open mikers. Your suggestions and comments are welcome."

I can speculate on the reason for the format change but will leave further elaboration (or not) to Geoff.  Whatever the reason, Geoff and the remaining features, who are always top notch, deserve the community's full support.

From the Cantab calendar:
April 8 - Ed White
April 15 -

Special Guest!

April 22 - Paul Geremia
April 29 - Cosy Sheridan

Whether you are a young musician just starting out or a Cantab veteran who has not been back for some time, come down to the open mic to see Geoff and his last remaining features, and continue to give support to the series after the format change.

From the Cantab website, these are the best open mic guidelines I have ever read. I am sure Geoff would not mine others using his model.

Geoff Bartley's Monday Night Open Mic Thank you for your interest in the open mic at the World-Famous Cantab Lounge in Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. We cordially invite you to visit, at which time you'll be privileged to view Jimmy's Christmas lights (which are up and on year 'round) with your very own eyes. You must be 21. We hope this page will answer more questions than it raises. Geoff Bartley runs an open mic w/ a feature on Monday nights and bluegrass on Tuesday nights. All the other nights are sewn up until the end of time. Can we talk you into visiting us and playing a couple? If you're a newcomer and arrive by 7:45 any Monday night Geoff will probably be able to give you one of the fiercely-coveted slots before 10:00 as a way of saying thank you for coming. Plan two songs. On subsequent visits, throw your name into our hat and take your chances about when you go on... we pull names out at random. Playing later in the night also has advantages. If you come late... like 11:00 or midnight or later... you'll still get a slot and sometimes we can put you right on. We usually run right up to 12:45 AM closing. This open mic is primarily a place for people to learn stagecraft, try new songs, learn to present a song, learn how to end a song, to develop stage presence, to be inspired, to inspire others, to express themselves, to comment on some aspect of The Modern World. Geoff plays two songs at 8:00 PM to get the thing started. All kinds of music are encouraged... original songs, cover songs, acoustic blues, jazz, pop, soul, unaccompanied singers, instrumentalists... almost anything goes. (Spoken Word poets are encouraged to visit the Cantab downstairs on Wednesday nights when the Boston Poetry Slam meets. ) The only thing that hurts us is overly long set-up and tear-down times. So if you're an electric band, come very stripped down... hand percussion and small amps... or better yet we'll plug your electric instruments into our sound system. This means you don't hafta schlepp the amps! Our soundman PJ Shapiro is an excellent musician and songwriter... he will take care with your house and monitor mixes and will help you sound good. The sound system is pretty good and rarely catches on fire. The feature set runs from 10 to 10:40. Pay for this is via $5 requested pass-the-hat only, no guarantee. The open mic resumes after the feature set. Getting Hired as an Open Mic Feature: The process by which Geoff chooses feature acts is so complicated that even he doesn't understand it, but he listens to everyone and does hire some acts after hearing them and meeting them at the open mic. Your open mic host, Geoff Bartley, is a respected acoustic fingerstyle folk and blues guitar player. He also writes songs, plays the harmonica, and sings. So come on over to the Cantab Lounge (Psychic Vortex of the Great Northeast) and share your music or grab a brew and just listen . . .

Source: http://www.cantab-lounge.com/public_html/cantab_openmic.html