Jenna and Mairi at Outpost 186 5/31

LORD GEOFFREY'S YOUNG GUNS RISING TALENT SERIES CONTINUES!

Jenna and Mairi https://www.facebook.com/jennaandmairi "Rooted in traditional Scottish and Appalachian Old-Time music"Saturday, May 31, 8pm (doors 7:30) $10, $5 students Outpost 186 186 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA Cambridge, MA https://sites.google.com/site/lordgeoffreypresents/ https://www.facebook.com/LGPresents Rooted in traditional Scottish and Appalachian Old-Time music, Jenna and Mairi have developed a sound which celebrates and explores beautiful melodies. The pair met whilst studying at Berklee College of Music and are a product of the thriving and rich Boston music community. Jenna and Mairi have both been heavily steeped in tradition, but their arrangements push boundaries with original compositions and breathe new life into old tunes.  -Mairi- Màiri Chaimbeul is a Boston-based young harp player and composer, who was born and brought up as a Gaelic speaker on the Isle of Skye in the North-West of Scotland. Whilst blossoming from a deep-rooted sense of tradition, her sound draws on influences in world, jazz and classical music. She has toured throughout the UK and in Europe as well as performing in the USA, with highlights including appearances at Celtic Connections Festival, Glasgow; Gent Festival of Flanders; The Edinburgh International Harp Festival, and Zakir Hussain's Pulse of the World at BT River of Music Festival, London 2012. Mairi was a BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award nominee in 2010 & 2011, and Finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Jazz Musician 2010 & 2012 and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2010 & 2011. She was also winner of Celtic Connections's Danny Kyle Award in 2010 with the group Kilairum. Since September 2012 she has been a full-scholarship student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. -Jenna- Jenna Moynihan is a young fiddler on the acoustic music scene, known for her unique and distinct voice on the fiddle. Raised on Chautauqua Lake in New York State, she first picked up the fiddle at the age of 6. She spent summers at various fiddle camps throughout the country, honing her craft with many masters of fiddle and garnered many awards in her youth at Scottish Fiddle competitions. Jenna received a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in 2009, where she studied with Darol Anger, Matt Glaser, Bruce Molsky, and Mark Simos. During her years at Berklee, Jenna received the Fletcher Bright Award and the American Roots Music Award, both given annually to an outstanding fiddler. She graduated with honors from Berklee in 2013 with a degree in Violin Performance and a minor in American Roots Music. She has performed in the US, Canada, France, and Scotland with various groups including Folk Arts Quartet, Atlantic Seaway, Darol Anger's Republic of String's, Bonnie Loch Fiddlers & more. In 2012, Jenna was invited to participate in the first-ever Acoustic Music Seminar in Savannah, Georgia, which brought together the new wave of acoustic musicians alongside many accomplished veterans, including Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussein, Chris Thile, Tony Trischka & more. Also in 2012, Jenna performed alongside the world-renowned classical-crossover soprano, Hayley Westenra and the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall.

Fresh Haggis, Lady Rogo, Arlo Guthrie's Historic Garbage Trail Walk

LORD GEOFFREY'S RISING TALENT SERIES CONTINUES WITH TWO CONCERTS THIS WEEK!

Wednesday, May 14, 8pm (doors 7:30)
Fresh Haggis 
(Elias Alexander, Kathleen Parks and Eamon Seffton)

https://www.facebook.com/FreshHaggis

Fresh Haggis is a dynamic young trio of Scottish and Irish traditional musicians playing a fresh and innovative style of contemporary traditional music. Their shows alternate between stunning, creative arrangements of traditional songs, and fiery tune sets, including many originals. Fresh Haggis began when border piper/singer Elias Alexander and guitarist/singer Eamon Sefton formed a musical bond at sessions and fiddle camps across the city of Boston. They were joined by fiddler Kathleen Parks, who brings dynamic tune playing and luscious harmonies to the group. All three are also members of Bluegrass/Celtic band Cat and the Moon. Fresh Haggis is a vibrant, different take on traditional music from Scotland and Ireland.

https://sites.google.com/site/lordgeoffreypresents/
https://www.facebook.com/LGPresents

$10, $5 students
Outpost 186

186 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA

Friday, May 16, 2014, 8pm (doors 7:30)
Lady Rogo and Friends

"Crossing an old genre with a young fire.
She's sweet, she's Lady Rogo."

Crossing an old genre with a young fire.
She's sweet, she's rootsy, she's bluesy-
She's Lady Rogo.

http://www.sarahrogo.com

https://www.facebook.com/Rogomusic

https://sites.google.com/site/lordgeoffreypresents/
https://www.facebook.com/LGPresents

$10, $5 students
Outpost 186

186 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA

Join Team notloB Sunday, May 18 at Arlo Guthrie's Historic Garbage Trail Walk to Massacree HD (Huntington's Disease)!
Stockbridge to Housatonic, MA
Questions about the walk or ride sharing or camping? email notlobreservations@gmail.com
Please share the Facebook event -https://www.facebook.com/events/620293748042667/

If you cannot attend the walk and wish to make a contribution you can do so at http://www.garbagetrailwalk.org/GarbageTrailWalk/Sponsor_Forms.html#1 and designate "Team notloB"
More info at http://www.garbagetrailwalk.org/GarbageTrailWalk/Welcome.html

"Our 14th annual "Arlo Guthrie's Historic Garbage Trail" Walk to Massacree HD (Huntington's Disease) is a fun day riding in a VW Microbus to Theresa's Stockbridge Cafe where the 6.3 mile walk begins...not before having a delicious breakfast! You will begin the walk by going to the "police officers" station and then on to the old town dump where you'll be entertained by the dump divas! Next you'll have some delicious ice cream & shrimp cocktail.
Lastly you'll walk by Robby Baier's Soultube Studio & AmeriGas, ending at the Guthrie Center. At the center you will receive a free lunch compliments of Laurel Lake Center for Health @ Rehabilitation and enjoy some live music.
Registration begins at 8:30-9:45 at The Guthrie Center, walk begins at 10."

Martha's Vineyard Concert Producers DO Know Their Left from Their Right!

On April 5, the Reel Blues Fest posted in the photos area of its Facebook page the concert poster below featuring Jonathan Edwards playing a guitar left handed on their Facebook page...

Knowing he is right handed, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, we asked "Is Jonathan ambidexterous?", and supplied this video.

Today, public radio station WMVY, a co-producer posted this revised poster in its Facebook page's photos area:

We're glad to see Mr. Edwards is once again playing guitar right handed, proving that Martha's Vineyard concert producers DO know their left from their right. It just takes them about one month to figure it out.

Fresh Haggis

Fresh Haggis 
(Elias Alexander, Kathleen Parks and Eamon Seffton)

Outpost 186, 186 Hampshire St., Inman Square, Cambridge

Wednesday, May 14, 8pm

F

resh Haggis is a dynamic young trio of Scottish and Irish traditional musicians playing a fresh and innovative style of contemporary traditional music. Their shows alternate between stunning, creative arrangements of traditional songs, and fiery tune sets, including many originals. Fresh Haggis began when border piper/singer Elias Alexander and guitarist/singer Eamon Sefton formed a musical bond at sessions and fiddle camps across the city of Boston. They were joined by fiddler Kathleen Parks, who brings dynamic tune playing and luscious harmonies to the group. All three are also members of Bluegrass/Celtic band Cat and the Moon. Fresh Haggis is a vibrant, different take on traditional music from Scotland and Ireland.

https://sites.google.com/site/lordgeoffreypresents/
https://www.facebook.com/LGPresents

$10, $5 students
Outpost 186

186 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, MA

UMass Lowell Defiles May 4 and 5

By creating and displaying sophomoric "memes", for two days in a row UMass Lowell's Facebook page has defiled the losses of life at Kent State University and the Battle of Puebla. 

UMass' online words  are above and my responses are below the images.

"It's Star Wars Day! We hope the force is with you as you prepare for your exams."

Supporting Hollywood space fantasies is a cute diversion from reality, but instead of creating mindless memes, UMass Lowellwould do better to remind students that on this day 44 years ago four of their brothers and sisters at Kent State died protesting Richard Nixon's invation of Cambodia. If the college does not teach about the wars and how domestic demonstrations helped end the war, one can self-educate via the Zinn Education Project, a great resource for teaching history ignored by the public school system.https://www.facebook.com/ZinnEducationProject/photos/a.10150511273339677.377666.121352639676/10152097531669677/?type=1&theater

"Can celebration and studying go hand in hand? Today, they'll have to! Shake your maracas all the way to straight A's on your finals this week! #cincodemayo"

Two days in a row the UMass Lowell Facebook page administrators have presented questionable Hollywood-based memes. Today's makes light of Cinco de Mayo, which is NOT about sombreros, cactus trees, donkeys, tacos, maracas, chili peppers or Hollywood (which was a part of Mexico until the US' imperialistic War of 1846) commedians, it is the celebration of the victory of the Mexican forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, against the better trained and better equipped invading French army. Put another way, it is a celebration of the triumph independence and democracy over imperialism and monarchy. 
UMass Lowell, as a teaching institution, would do well to portray the day with dignety and respect deserved. If unable or unwilling to do so, it could Direct those who "like" its page to the Zinn Education Project for more information.
"I recently came across a flier in an old backpack of my daughter’s: Wanted: Committee Chairs for this Spring’s Cinco de Mayo All School Celebration. The flier was replete with cultural props including a sombrero, cactus tree, donkey, taco, maracas, and chili peppers. Seeing this again brought back the moment when, years earlier, my daughter had handed the flier to me, and I’d thought, “Oh, no.” The local K-6 elementary school’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) was sponsoring a stereotypical Mexican American event." Continue reading "Rethinking Cinco de Mayo" here: http://bit.ly/Q5A9W1Painting from mural on Mexican history by Diego Rivera at the National Palace."Source:https://www.facebook.com/ZinnEducationProject/photos/a.10150110390139677.282958.121352639676/10152099408579677/?type=1&theater

Meet Author/Photographer Craig Harris, The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music Signing, Arlington, May 10

THE BAND: PIONEERS OF AMERICANA MUSIC 

Book signing - May 10th at Wood & Strings Music Center, Arlington, MA

Author/photographer Craig Harris will be talking about and signing copies of his new book, The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music, the in-depth exploration into an extremely influential ensemble, at Wood & Strings Music Center, 493 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, on Saturday, May 10th (1 PM - 3 PM).

   

Here is what one reader had to say about The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music:  “Until about a month ago, I didn't know who Craig Harris even was, let alone that he was writing a book about The Band. Only real Band fans can truly appreciate the gravity of knowing that such a thing exists. I got mine today, and I could not put it down. I thought I knew a lot about The Band and I did. After reading this book, I know even more. It is obviously written by a true fan, and music scholar, and will be much appreciated by legions of other fans who love this music. I found his story a wonderful addition to things I already knew, while filling in gaps that I didn't realize existed until today. It's a page turner. It's also historically sound, and amazing in its scope. He tells of the dreams and aspirations of each player, and how many were or were not realized. The research alone is vast. Any new comprehensive book about The Band has to be, and this is like having a Handy User's Guide of the roots of this pioneering music. He tells of the birth of so many dreams my head was spinning. If you are a fan of The Band during their entire history, this book is a MUST READ - a story told from all kinds of sources in a format I long for most days, a BOOK! It harkens back to when I was breathlessly waiting for every Rolling Stone, snuck my brother's High Times, and immersed myself in the music to the extent that I did. 

MANY years ago, I wrote concert reviews, naturally learning to pay close attention to everything in print about music. I find out I am not alone in my manic pursuit of the details and stories about this magical ensemble. Because of my personal knowledge, I knew many of the stories, and Craig's sources for the information because they were the same as mine. And millions of Band fans will feel the same. But this is much more, and the glorious feeling of knowing more about my beloved Band, and Levon Helm, makes me feel like a kid who still hungers for the music news in print. It evokes that feel in the book as well. Any book that keeps and encourages people to learn about Levon Helm, and honor his memory, including Craig Harris' book is welcome to many fans who may have never seen him or The Band. I thought I knew a lot about The Band, and I do, especially Levon. Craig's book lays out the history in reverent admiration that is genuine and reflects sentiments of the masses of nameless fans who feel the same way. One of my favorite passages discusses the relationship between Levon and Amy Helm as he struggled through chemo, and her selfless devotion to her dad is crystal-clear. Also, the joy Levon got from the realization of his dream of having her with him at the Rambles is clearly present, while also devoting equal, fair, and unbiased reporting about all the original members. The facts and history are painstakingly told in such a great way to help keep The Band, as well as Levon's spirit alive and well, along with Rick and Richard. This book is one that the Angel Band would applaud."

Further information can be found at www.drumawaytheblues.com  

Leading up to this event, Harris is scheduled for an on-air telephone interview on "WMBR Lost And Found" 1960s/'70s music show, Tuesday, May 6, beginning shortly after 12 noon EDT on WMBR 88.1 FM in greater Boston, and online at http://www.wmbr.org/.

The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music (Rowman & Littlefield)

House Cuts MCC by 13% - Senate Budget Up Next

Source: MassCreative, by permission.

www.mass-creative.org Here is the proverbial good news and bad news from the work of the arts, cultural, and creative community over the past three weeks to increase the state’s investment in the creative community through the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) budget. First the bad news: Late last night, the Massachusetts House passed its budget that cut the Massachusetts Cultural Council budget 13% to a level of $9.6 million. This is a $1.5 million cut from last year’s budget of $11.1 million. This reverses the budget gains made last year and will force the MCC to cut back on its support to the community and its programming. This cut happened despite 113 legislators supporting Representative Cory Atkins’ amendment to increase the MCC budget to $16 million. More than 70% of the House supported an increase, yet the budget stands at $9.6 million. Now, some good news: Over the past three weeks, due to the outreach of all of you, we successfully bumped up the budget 88% from the original allocation of $5.1 million proposed in the first Ways and Means budget. Thank you to House Ways and Means Chair Brian Dempsey who led that fight. The creative community raised its voice in unison -- generating more than 2,000 emails in 48 hours to secure the 113 co-sponsors, using social media to educate the public, placing op-eds in daily papers around the state, and making hundreds of calls into the State House on Tuesday when the House was deliberating. Together, we held 14 district meetings with 33 legislators out in our communities. These meetings were attended by 544 people. We built a broad base of support in the House. No other amendment recruited more than 83 co-sponsors. Only 15 of the 1,181 amendments had more than 50 co-sponsors. A number of your legislators emerged as champions for the arts, cultural, and creative community. In particular, Arts and Culture Committee Chair Cory Atkins led the campaign work in the chamber with her colleagues and truly worked hard for us all. The best news is that the process is not over. The Senate will release its budget in a couple of weeks and we will have another opportunity to reverse the cuts and work to increase the state’s investment in the creative community. Stay tuned and get ready for our next round with the Senate, which will start in a couple of weeks. Thanks again for all of your great work. Matt Wilson, MASSCreative http://www.mass-creative.org/