Showing posts with label Katie McNally. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Katie McNally. Show all posts

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Are you planning to join us at Fiddle Hell 2016? Here's the latest news...

Fiddle Hell is a mind-blowing experience!
Copied and pasted in its entirety. Hope Dave Reiner does not mind!



"Come to Fiddle Hell Weekend!"

Are you planning to join us for a fantastic fiddling weekend with your friends? Andy ReinerKatie McNallyEric FavreauBecky Tracy, and Andrea Beaton (in photos above) all hope to see you there, and I do, too!

Plan on Fiddle Hell Massachusetts, Nov. 4-6, 2016 in Westford, MA:  We'll be back at the Westford Regency with free parking and improved food options. More info here.

Check out our 2016 workshop and jam session leaders: The list is nearly final - just click on Session Leaders 2016.

Take a look at our new common tune list:  For 2016, we've created a new list of 52 common tunes in addition to the original list, based on your suggestionson the Fiddle Hell survey over the last 3 years.

Sign up for the weekend now: You can prepay here and save a little money. Or just pay when you arrive.  We have discounts for seniors, young adults, and kids, and a few scholarships if you can't afford the fee.

Book your room at the Westford Regency: The Fiddle Hell discount (code HEL114) gets you a room with two beds for $99/night plus tax.  More info here - just click on Overall Logistics 2016. Or commute if you're local.

Tell your friends about the Saturday night concert (Nov 5th, 7PM): Twenty fiddlers, followed by a contra dance (dance or sit in with the band).
New instructors for 2016 include Bruce Molsky (oldtime), Katie McNally(Scottish), Skip Gorman (bluegrass, folk, cowboy), Ellery Klein (Irish),Autumn Rose Lester (New England), and Gretchen Koehler (New England, Canadian).

Returning instructors Andrea Beaton, Andy Reiner, Becky Tracy, Darol Anger, David Kaynor, Eric Favreau, Joy Adams (cello), Frank Ferrel, Laurel Martin, Laurie Hart, Lissa Schneckenberger, Mark Simos, Pete Sutherland, Tom Morley, and many others will be back again to teach tunes and techniques at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels, and to lead jams in various styles. Click here and then click on Session Leaders 2016 on the left to see details about our 2016 instructors, who are great players and experienced, supportive teachers.

In addition to fiddlers, mandolin players, violists and cellists are welcome. Other instrumentalists will need to check with me first. 
Did you know that the top 6 fiddle styles played by Fiddle Hell attendees (from the 2015 survey) are: New England, Irish, Scottish & Cape Breton, Southern Oldtime, French Canadian, and Bluegrass? 2016 workshops and jams will cover these traditional styles in amazing depth, plus Swedish, Cajun, Klezmer, Blues, World, Canadian, Jazz, and Western Swing. We'll also have singing & kids' workshops.

Half the attendees in 2015 were from MA, with the other half from NH, NY, VT, CT, RI, ME, and 12 other states (plus a few from Canada & Scotland).

Please invite your musical friends to join us in 2016!
Since it's a while until November, think about these great camps, too:
Guitar and Mandolin Camp North,April 15-17, 2016, in Charlton, MA.  I've taught there in the past, and will be attending to learn and jam.  Includes some fiddle classes, too.
Rustic Roots Music CampAugust 11-15, 2016, in CT.  Andy Reiner runs this small camp, featuring communal workshops (and cooking), singing, campfire jams & multiple instruments (especially fiddle).  Ages 18+.  I'll be there again!
Maine Fiddle Camp, several fun weekends and  weeks in June and August, 2016. Traditional dance music on many instruments. Several MFC instructors also teach at Fiddle Hell.
Helpful Links
Fiddle Hell logistics, lodging, and leaders 
Fiddle Hell schedule (from 2015, will be updated in July of 2016)
New list of 52 common tunes and 2-CD set of original common tunes played fast and slow


Join the Facebook Group for Fiddle Hell Massachusetts   
Join the 2016 Fiddle Hell Facebook Event  
Follow Fiddle Hell Massachusetts (@FiddleHell) on Twitter  
Offer a ride or request one for Fiddle Hell 2016 at this 
free carpool site 

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Katie McNally on the Cover of Fiddler Magazine!

notloB Music's own Katie McNally, who has performed for us no fewer than FIVE times...

  • May 16, 2009 - Newton Celtic seisiún led by Sean Smith, featuring Katie McNally & Doug Lamey
  • June 4, 2010 - as a member of Long Time Courting
  • March 02, 2012 - Katie McNally & Eric McDonald
  • January 18, 2013 - Katie McNally & Eric McDonald
  • November 6, 2014 - The Katie McNally Trio featuring Neil Pearlman and Shauncey Ali)
...graces the cover of the Winter 2014/2015 edition of Fiddler Magazine!

We're proud of you, Katie!






Sunday, October 19, 2014

The Katie McNally Trio featuring Neil Pearlman and Shauncey Ali at Carriage House Violins, 11/6

Come see The Katie McNally Trio featuring Neil Pearlman and Shauncey Ali in Carriage House Violins - of Johnson String Instrument's beautiful performance space.

Katie has performed for notloB no fewer than three times!
May 16, 2009 Newton Celtic seisiún led by Sean Smith, featuring Katie McNally & Doug Lamey
March 02, 2012 Katie McNally & Eric McDonald
January 18, 2013 Katie McNally & Eric McDonald
So when she learned we were producing concerts at Carriage House and asked to be a part of the series, our automatic response was an emphatic YES!
That her trio includes 2x notloBBer Neil Pearlman was icing on the cake.


Thursday, November 6
Doors 7:00pm
Concert 7:30pm
Carriage House Violins - of Johnson String Instrument
1039 Chestnut St, Newton Upper Falls, MA 02464
ONLINE TICKET SALES END AT 4:00PM DAY OF CONCERT. IF AVAILABLE, TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE SHOW TIME.


Join Boston-based fiddler Katie McNally for an evening of bold and exquisite tunes bursting from the Scottish and Cape Breton traditions. Tickets are $15 general public, $10 Carriage House students. For more information or to make a reservation, please visit (eventbrite URL coming soon). Tickets will also be on sale at Carriage House.

Described as “the new face of Scottish fiddling in the USA”, Katie McNally grew up steeped in the vibrant Scottish and Cape Breton music community in Boston and is the 2009 New England Scottish Fiddle Champion. She was a student of Hanneke Cassel and has performed at venues such as the Newport Folk Festival, The Freight and Salvage, The Barns at Wolf Trap, Symphony Space, and various folk venues throughout the country. Katie performs regularly with all-female Celtic band Long Time Courting, has been a member of the New England fiddle supergroup Childsplay since 2009, and joined world-renowned Galician bagpiper Carlos Núñez on his tour of North America in 2012. 

In her New England tour, Katie will be teaming up with two of the most innovative voices in acoustic music in the US, genre-bending pianist Neil Pearlman and Madison-based violist Shauncey Ali. Katie’s evocative and melodic playing combined with Shauncey’s powerful harmonies and counterpoint—all anchored by Neil’s rhythmically driving piano accompaniment—creates a uniquely arresting take on traditional music.

For more info and to take a listen, visit http://www.katiemcnally.com/http://neilpearlman.com/http://www.graminy.net/

Friday, February 22, 2013

Northern Roots Music Festival '13


Drawn primarily by the sheer number of notloB alumni musicians involved*, at the end of January I took a trip north of the border to Brattleboro, Vermont to attend the sixth annual Northern Roots Music Festival (January 26, 2013), produced by the Brattleboro Music Center.



What craic! So much to do in one day. Offered but I did not participate in, were youth-oriented  afternoon workshops; instead I chose to attend three afternoon sessions (song, Quebequois and Celtic) at the award-winning McNeil's Brew Pub (the Russian Imperial Stout is killer).

After a dinner break came the evening concert at the intimate New England Youth Theater. Spectacular! Judge for yourself, courtesy of Brattleboro Community Television.



A day trip from Boston to Brattleboro and return is possible, but you may wish to consider staying in an area bed and breakfast or hotel. Mark your calendar for next January, I guarantee there will be no conflicting notloB concert.

*Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy (11/1/12)
Lissa Schneckenburger (3/15/08 and 11/6/09 and Corey DiMario (3/15/08)
Katie McNally (5/16/09, 3/2/12 and 1/18/13) and Eric McDonald (7/20/07, 11/2/07, 3/2/12 and 1/18/13)

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Indoor Celtic Festival in Cambridge Friday and Saturday



If not yet on your radar, place the 10th annual BCMFest, which will be produced at three venues in Harvard Square this Friday and Saturday, dead center.

Like notloB Parlour Concerts*, BCMFest is an all-volunteer effort (in fact they are still seeking volunteers - contact them though their website and get free admission).


There will be a very strong notloB alumni presence, including.....
Katie McNally and Eric McDonald

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Molly Pinto Madigan
Laura Cortese
Matt Heaton
Flynn Cohen and The Deadstring Ensemble
Sean Smith
Cliff McGann
Hanneke Cassel


About BCMFest
BCMFest (Boston’s Celtic Music Fest) showcases Greater Boston’s best musicians, singers, and dancers from Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton, and other Celtic traditions. BCMFest hosts an annual weekend-long festival in January that features more than 100 performers. All of the profits from BCMFest are used to fund the next festival.
Throughout the year, BCMFest organizes the Celtic Music Cruise, Boston Urban Ceilidh, and monthly Celtic Music Monday Sessions at Club Passim, which spotlight local Celtic musicians and singers.
Laura Cortese, Shannon Heaton, Leanne McNally, Rachel Reeds, and Sean Smith head the BCMFest committee. Please contact themwith any questions about the festival.

The mission of BCMFest is
  • To produce locally-based Irish, Scottish, and Cape Breton music and dance in an upbeat and friendly environment.
  • To bolster appreciation for traditional Celtic music and dance among youth and the Greater Boston community.
  • To support a living, changing tradition by encouraging cross-genre collaborations and innovations among dancers and musicians of all generations.
  • To produce a variety of collaborative projects and performances for the Greater Boston community.
Hanneke Cassel BCMFest Photo

    Follow BCMFest on facebook and get BCMFest
      news year-round on the BCMFest blog.



The 10th annual BCMFest will be held January 11-12, 2013.


History:
BCMFest was born after Laura Cortese (Scottish fiddle) and Shannon Heaton (Irish flute) realized that recently they had seen many great, traditional Celtic music acts playing it the area; they thought it would be exciting if more of the Boston-area trad players worked with local folk music venues like Club Passim, the Burren, Johnny D’s, and the Canadian American Club. Soon after their talk, Laura and Shannon began planning a weekend-long showcase of local traditional talent—a Boston Celtic Music Fest to celebrate the rich, diverse pool of traditional music and dance in the Boston area.
The festival has become a hub for generating ideas, energy, and community support for local, traditional Celtic music and dance performers. In 2011, BCMFest became an official program of Passim. Today, in addition to the annual festival in January, audiences and artists can enjoy monthly concerts at Club Passim that feature a broad selection of Boston-based Celtic music and dance acts.
As BCMFest enters its tenth year, the festival is stronger than ever, and its vision is more refined. By presenting touring professionals, tradition-bearers, and young performers, the festival offers a variety of music not found anywhere else. The list of performers and fans involved in the festival continues to grow, a sign that BCMFest is a vital addition to the Boston music community.

*Upcoming notloB and related concerts:

01/18/13Loring-Greenough HouseKatie McNally & Eric McDonald
02/18/13Watertown private residenceBrittany HaasLily Henley and Kellen Zakula
02/23/13Loring-Greenough HouseFellswater
03/05/13Johnny D'sRichard Wood & Gordon Belsher
03/09/13Loring-Greenough HouseBronwyn Keith-Hynes and Catherine Bowness w/ George Clements


p.s. I will be managing the BCMFest's sanctuary stage, stop by to say 'hello.'

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

notloB Parlour Concerts (JP) Announces Third Winter Celtic Concert

On December 10 we read in notloB Parlour Concerts Announces Two Celtic Concerts for JP of two upcoming concerts at the historic Loring-Greenough House in JP:


KATIE MCNALLY AND ERIC MCDONALDFRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013 
and

FELLSWATER, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2013


notloB's third Celtic-based concert of the Winter season had not been finalized on account one of the features was preparing for and giving her Berklee senior recital. But the recital is over and the details have been (mostly) worked out, to the point that it can now be announced that the third concert will be...

BRONWYN KEITH-HYNES AND CATHERINE BOWNESS 

Saturday, March 9, 2013


Bronwyn Keith-Hynes is an award-winning fiddler from Charlottesville, Virginia. She began fiddling at the age of three and has studied with many wonderful musicians on the folk music scene including Beth Telford, Jerry Holland, Cleek Schrey, Matt Glaser, John McGann and Darol Anger. Bronwyn is a fluent player of Irish, Cape Breton, Scottish and American traditional music. She has performed throughout the U.S, Ireland and France and has traveled to Ireland extensively to study with local traditional musicians. She has been featured on Irish RTE One television and the Irish Comhaltas Live Programme. At the age of sixteen she was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she is currently in her final year.
Bronwyn has won numerous fiddle contests in Irish and Scottish fiddle styles. In 2006 at the age of fourteen, Bronwyn placed third in the Open Division of the U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Championship. She holds the 2007 Virginia State Fiddle Champion title and has also won at the 2008 and 2009 Mid-West Fleadh Cheoil fiddle competition. 
Bronwyn performs frequently at Berklee and around the Boston area. She performed with Mark O'Connor at the Berklee Performance Center in 2009 and was featured in the Fall 2010 String Showcase held at the Berklee Performance Center. She is part of the group Atlantic Seaways, which is a collaboration of young traditional American and Scottish musicians from Berklee, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dance in Glasgow and Strathclyde University in Glasgow. In 2011 they performed in Lorient, France at the Inter-Celtic Festival. In March 2012 she went on tour in France with the international Irish music and dance show Celtic Dances, run by music directors Liz Knowles and Kieran O'Hare. In addition to being a highly accomplished performer, Bronwyn is also a skilled group and private teacher. She taught at the 2010 Kanack School Fiddle Camp and currently teaches privately in Boston.


Catherine Bowness
In her hometown, Koitiata, New Zealand, Catherine (BB) began her musical studies with banjo tutor, Mark Warren. A few years later she received the Frank Winter memorial award at the Auckland Folk Festival to travel to the USA and study with world renowned banjo players Tony Trischka, Alan Munde and Bill Evans. She won the Uncle Dave Macon banjo competition in Murfreesboro, Tennessee at just 15 years old and came runner up in the Rockygrass bluegrass banjo contest in Colorado. In 2007, she was invited to join Colorado bluegrass band, Long Road Home, for their tour of summer festivals in the USA. BB has performed throughout New Zealand and Australia with the bluegrass band, Twisted Oak, in a banjo duet with tenor banjoist, Alex Borwick and most recently with Cy Winstanley and Vanessa McGowan in their country/bluegrass trio, ‘Sandpaper Tango’. In 2010, she recorded her debut album, Village Green, which features original compositions and collaborations with some of the best acoustic musicians from all around NZ. BB travelled on a Massey University scholarship in 2011 to study at the Miles Davis program in Jazz studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. This year, BB has completed her BMus in Jazz performance at the NZ school of music, being the first person to be accepted on the banjo. 

Each artist may also be giving a one hour separate admission workshop prior to the concert. That detail was not available at press time but is expected soon. Watch the notloB website or Facebook page for that announcement.

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Catherine Bowness 
Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, JP
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Doors 7:30, Concert 8:00
Suggested donation $10 plus $1 preservation fee
20% discount for Loring-Greenough/JPTC members

notloB website - https://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/
Due to the parlour’s intimate size, reservations are strongly recommended, email notlobreservations@gmail.com
More info at the notloB website - https://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/ 
and Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/notloBFolkConcerts

Coffee from JP Licks
Pastries from Fiores Bakery




Monday, December 10, 2012

notloB Parlour Concerts Announces Two Celtic Concerts for JP

Volunteer-run and not-for-profit notloB Folk Concerts enters its sixth year of presenting local and touring old-time, traditional and revival folk, Celtic, bluegrass and blues artists to audiences at the historic (and intimate – just 40 seats) Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain. All concerts begin at 8:00pm. Admission is by suggested donation, with 100% of the proceeds going to the artists and to cover production costs. 
More information can be found at the series’ website -https://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/ and its Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/notloBFolkConcerts/

notloB Parlour Concerts presents

KATIE MCNALLY and ERIC MCDONALD

Friday, January 18, 2013, 8:00pm



"Eric and Katie create a magical acoustic blend of sound that soars sweetly above the listener, swirls to new heights, and then drifts softly back down to earth. You're left with the inescapable desire to press repeat!" -- Fiddler and notloB alumna Lissa Schneckenburger

Welcome back Katie McNally and Eric McDonald have multiple notloB performances on their resumes. Katie performed at the Newton Kitchen Concert (5/16/09 @ the Jackson Homestead); Eric was a part of two Dave Carter tributes (8/11/07 @ Loring-Greenough & 8/13/08 @ Johnny D's) and supported the Rowan Brothers (11/2/07 @ Loring-Greenough); they performed together 3/2/12 @ Loring-Greenough).
Katie McNally and Eric McDonald found each other in high school as like-minded musicians in the Boston traditional music scene. Both sought to functionally push the envelope of traditional music, using original music and modern sensibility to add new color to the familiar style of tunes that have been passed down for generations. Over the years and many impromptu musical moments, this musical relationship congealed into a cohesive unit. Now the music, while based heavily in the Scottish tradition, is infused with influences from two diverse and educated musical backgrounds, where carefully arranged traditional pieces seamlessly give way to original compositions. Every set provides an enthralling dynamic intensity, jerking the listener's emotional chain back and forth with an ultimately satisfying blend of feeling. Having always been two of the busiest players around, these two have amassed a reputable list of experience, currently including the scottish powerhouse Cantrip (McDonald) and the fiddle supergroupChildsplay (McNally). This practiced musicianship shines in the melodic texture and murky tones that linger long after a McNally/McDonald performance.


KATIE MCNALLY

 has grown up steeped in fiddle music. She is a former New England Scottish Fiddle Champion and a two time runner up for the National title. She recently graduated Tufts University, where she studied traditional music from many cultures (including a semester abroad in Glasgow, Scotland). Katie is quickly becoming a renowned instructor. You may often find her leading workshops for the Boston Scottish Fiddle Club or teaching at Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School. She also performs with the fiddle Supergroup, Childsplay, alongside many of the nation's finest acoustic musicians.

ERIC MCDONALD

 is known for his tasteful playing on both the mandolin and the guitar. A former student at Berklee College of Music, he cut his teeth touring with acts such as Matching Orange and The Dave Rowe Trio. He has studied with some of the best mandolinists in the world, including John McGannJoe Walsh and Sean Staples. As a guitarist, Eric is an in demand accompanist, performing with acts such as Brendan Carey Block and Kyle Carey. He is on staff at Passim School of Music and Maine Fiddle Camp, and tours with acts such as Rebecca WudarskiCantrip and Pesky J. Nixon.


Katie McNally & Eric McDonald's website: http://www.katieandericmusic.com/

Suggested donation $10-15 plus $1 preservation fee. 20% discount for Loring-Greenough museum members. 


FELLSWATER

Saturday, February 23, 2013, 8pm


Fellswater is a four piece Celtic ensemble that plays a wide range of music from Traditional to modern compositions, and draws from the heritage of all the Celtic nations, especially Scotland, Ireland, Brittany and Canada. Our instrumentation changes depending on the musical selection and includes whistle, flute, guitar, mandolin, bouzouki,violin, smallpipes and border pipes.

Betsy Ketudat, Fiddle
Jim MacConduibh, Guitar/Bouzouki
Sarah MacConduibh, Flute/Whistle
Matthew Phelps, Smallpipes
Fellswater's website: http://fellswater.com/

Suggested donation $10-20 + less 20% JPTC member discount + $1 preservation fee
20% discount for Loring-Greenough museum members.
Coffee from JP Licks
Pastries from Fiores

Reservations are strongly recommended, email notlobreservations at gmail dot com
More info at the notloB website - https://sites.google.com/site/notlobmusic/




Monday, May 11, 2009

notloB gets small again ~ "kitchen concerts" begin May 16


notloB started at the 40-seat Loring-Greenough House in Jamaica Plain. The concerts were intimate and without amplification. We're doing it again, but at the historic Jackson Homestead in Newton. The "kitchen" series starts this Saturday, a Cape Breton/Scottish Kitchen Ceilidh, featuring Sean Smith, Doug Lamey and Katie McNally.

If you are on Facebook, please share these links with your virtual friends.

5/16 Concert

Series

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION / PARKING / ACCESS / VENUE QUESTIONS:

Telephone: 617-796-1450

Website: www.newtonhistorymuseum.org

=====================

Newton – The Newton History Museum is proud to announce a new acoustic music series to be presented at the historic Jackson Homestead, 527 Washington St., Newton, MA 02458, located at the corner of Washington Street and Jackson Road, between Newton Corner and Newtonville. The series is produced by Jeff Boudreau, who presents similar concerts as a hobby and labor of love in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and Arlington under the name Notlob Folk Concerts ~ http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com. Having produced 27 "parlour" concerts at the historic Loring-Greenough House in Jamaica Plain from June 2006 to June 2007, Boudreau had been searching for a similar venue since the Jamaica Plain Tuesday Club decided to terminate all indoor events except guided tours. "The Loring-Greenough House was a wonderful venue for music, but proved to be too delicate for use of up to 40 patrons. The Jackson Homestead will be a worthy successor." The Jackson Homestead performance space is actually the homestead's former kitchen, so instead of "parlor concerts" the Newton series will be dubbed "kitchen concerts". With a capacity of 30, slightly less than the Loring-Greenough House, the acoustic concerts will be intimate affairs.

Genres to be presented will include Celtic, Cape Breton/ Scottish, pre-war and country blues and traditional folk music, as well as poetry and spoken word. "There's the whole "kitchen racket" (i.e. pickin' and jammin' in the kitchen) ethos in Celtic and American roots music, so the appellation fits", explains Boudreau.

"So many wonderful musicians live in and pass through the greater Boston area, the problem, if one can call it that, is choosing ones that fit the environment." Boudreau will focus on local and rising talent, and has asked BCMFest (Boston Celtic Music Festival) board member and Newton resident Sean Smith to lead the first concert, dubbed an "Arcadian / Celtic kitchen ceilidh." (Editor's note: a céilidh (Irish pronunciation: [/ˈceË�lʲiË�/]) (in modern usage) is a traditional Gaelic social dance originating in Ireland and Scotland, but now common throughout the Celtic diaspora.) Another talent source will be nationally touring "name" musicians performing mid-week. "They need to earn an income while on the road between big gigs, so if they are flexible so will we."

Suggested donation is initially set at $10-15 at the door, $7.50-10 with advance reservation to notlobreservations (at) comcast.net at least 24 hours in advance. Discounts for seniors and students with ID. Immediate family maximum $35-40. Exact prices will be determined in the near future and published to the venue and Notlob websites and mailing lists.

Due to the small performance space, advanced reservations are strongly recommended.

Patrons can subscribe to the Notlob mailing list at http://www.reverbnation.com/notlob, and the Newton History Museum's mailing list through its website, www.newtonhistorymuseum.org.

"notloB concerts are run on the house concert model. All door donations are used for expenses and to pay the musicians. This keeps cost of admission low so more members of the community can attend," explains Boudreau.

Volunteers and service organization partners are needed. Contact Boudreau through the reservations email address.

Patrons can stay informed of the concert schedule in one of three ways:

  1. Visit the The Newton History Museum website - http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/jackson, register to receive its newsletter.
  2. Subscribe to the Notlob Folk Concerts mailing list - http://www.reverbnation.com/notlob
  3. Bookmark the Notlob Folk Concerts website - http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

The season

The first four concerts will serve as a trial. With community support the series will continue into the Fall and beyond, at a rate of approximately one or more concert per month.

Date
Genre
Artists
www
Saturday, May 16
Cape Breton/ Scottish Kitchen Ceilidh

Sean Smith, Doug Lamey and Katie McNally

Friday, June 19
Minimalist, down-tempo blues
Brendan Hogan &Frank Morey, Dietrich Strause opens
Saturday, July 11
Pre-war & country blues

Marylou Ferrante & US Sam

Saturday, August 15
Spoken word, poetry & folk
Tim Mason & Tom Begich
The artists

Sean Smith

Whether in concert or just among friends, Sean has long enjoyed playing music and singing songs from the traditions of England, Ireland and Scotland. Sean has performed as a soloist and as a member of several bands (not necessarily all at the same time) at places like Club Passim, the Boston Celtic Music Fest, Springstep and the Blackstone Valley Celtic Festival. He also tries to get out regularly to sessions around Boston, whether in pubs or parlors.


Katie McNally

18-year-old Katie McNally, runner-up Junior National Scottish Fiddle Champion, has performed with and opened up for such notable musicians as Hanneke Cassel, Brittany Haas, and Laura Risk. She has played at such venues as the Cantab Lounge; the Boston Celtic Music Festival; Brighton College in Brighton, England; the New Hampshire Highland Games; and Club Passim. An active member of the Boston Celtic music scene, Katie can be seen playing with Scottish fiddle band 5 A.M., local contra-dance band, Oh CONTRAire!, and the bluegrass group Boston Road. Throughout the year, Katie teaches Scottish and Cape Breton fiddle and in the summer, she travels across the country to fiddle camps like Valley of the Moon, Mark O'Connor's Fiddle Camp, and the Boston Harbor Scottish Fiddle School. Recently, Katie has become involved in the Scottish Country Dance community and often plays for dances and events in the Boston area.

Doug Lamey

Doug Lamey is twenty-three years old and is the grandson of Bill Lamey. Bill was an extraordinary Cape Breton fiddler and contributor to the Scottish and Cape Breton heritage in the Boston area for over thirty-five years.

Doug has studied and performed for several years all over North America and has a true pride and passion for the traditional style of Scottish and Cape Breton Fiddling, just like his grandfather, Bill Lamey.

One of Doug's first fiddle teachers was Sheila Falls Keohane. Sheila is one of the instructors for the Comhaltas Ceoltsirm Iireann School located in Boston.

Doug has attended The Gaelic College in St. Ann's Bay, Cape Breton and the Ceilidh Trail of Music in Inverness, Cape Breton, Boston College s Gaelic Roots Summer School in Boston Massachusetts and The Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School in San Francisco, CA. These opportunities allowed Doug to study with such renowned fiddlers such as, Buddy MacMaster, John Campbell, Jerry Holland, Carl MacKenzie, Sandy MacIntyre and Seamus Connolly and Alasdair Fraser, to name a few.

Doug has performed in many live sound environments as well as broadcasted performances, such as WGBH radio station and several local television studios in Massachusetts. He has also performed at the annual Glendale Festival in Cape Breton, the Washington Irish Festival and the N.H. Highland Games. He has had the privilege to perform in the Boston area with such artists as Andrea Beaton, Glen Graham, Sandy & Johnnie MacDonald, Cliff McGann and Mac Morin.


Brendan Hogan

Hogan was born out of the deep muck of the River Charles' banks - literally - in the old wing of Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts circa 1980. He's fourth generation, somehow, in a city where transience is all but a given; coming from a long line of police officers and butchers, undertakers and nurses.

As a teenager Brendan was an outsider and introvert, preferring the sound and mystery of music to bubble gum and gossip. Being from the Northeast and coming up in a family of type-A personalities, the blues did not come to Brendan so much as he frantically sought it out. In high school, Robert Johnson's 1930s Columbia recordings were on steady rotation in his bedroom stereo as he slept. Brendan thought it would become a part of him through osmosis, and it did. As most kids discovered Blind Melon, Brendan found Blind Lemon Jefferson. In his tastes, Lead Belly has always precluded Led Zeppelin.

Brendan has indeed made a name for himself as solo artist and as a regular member of the traveling caravan of young Cambridge and Somerville-based singer/songwriters. His initial foray into the blues, combined with good musicianship, has resulted in Brendan becoming just a damn fine songwriter. As with the finest examples of Lucinda Williams, he manages to let the blues influence good songs instead of always being the focus.

It's been said that there are innovators and there are curators. Brendan Hogan manages to be both. Not long after he was old enough to have a beer at a bar, he began hosting and producing 'Blues on WGBH', imparting a wealth of knowledge to radio listeners, introducing them to old blues classics and forgotten tunes as well as new artists from the Boston area and beyond..

"Brendan Hogan is a Zen warrior for the blues — a talented country style picker, singer, songwriter and performer...." – Ted Drozdowski, The Boston Phoenix.

With residencies at renowned Boston area venues and a consistent touring schedule, Brendan Hogan is rapidly making a name for himself as a performer locally and beyond.

This is Breandan's second Notlob concert, having performed with Danielle Miraglia and Tom Bianchi at the Loring-Greenough House on July 20, 2007.


Frank Morey

Singer-songwriter Frank Morey has never been accused of having a sweet, pretty, angelic sort of voice. The Lowell, MA, native is known for a rough, rugged, throaty style of singing, and his voice is perfect for his very earthy, blues-minded folk-rock. Morey's expressive vocals are as gritty as they are soulful.

The New Englander, who plays acoustic guitar and harmonica, brings a variety of influences to the table. He has often been compared to early Tom Waits, and his other influences range from Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen to the late Chicago blues giant Howlin' Wolf. In the northeast part of the United States, Morey has tended to fare well among fans of anti-folk. Morey isn't anti-folk per se - he has a more classic type of sound - but like the anti-folk crowd, he likes his folk-rock with a tough hard edge and a lot of guts.

Morey, whose live performances typically include both covers and original material, has been playing the Massachusetts club scene since the 90's. His first album, Father John's Medicine, was released on the Indigo Hamlet label in 2000 and was followed by the sophomore album, Cold in Hand. In 2002, Morey signed with veteran producer Bob Koester's Chicago-based Delmark label and recorded his third album, the Delmark Sessions.

- Alex Henderson, All Music Guide


Dietrich Strause

Dietrich Strause is a singer/songwriter raised in LANCASTER, PA. When he was a young impressionable boy, he played trumpet with a rock and roll/R&B/soul band where his licks were well received at biker bars throughout rural Pennsylvania. Over the years he developed an appreciation and love for a well-written song, leading him to pursue songwriting. Upon graduating from Oberlin College, Dietrich recorded a collection of tracks with friends Hassan Ali (bass/producer), Trey Alexander (Guitar Player Magazine's 2006 Guitar Hero), Aaron Walker (drummer with The Reese Project), and Rachel Kelly (violin). He currently resides in Jamaica Plain in Boston and is writing and performing more material to be polished and recorded for a debut album available in the spring of 2009. In addition to recording and performing his own music, Dietrich arranges, performs, and records horn parts for the Trey Alexander Band. He is also a professional dog-walker.


Marylou Ferrante

Marylou Ferrante was described by music critic and writer, Daniel Gewertz, in the Boston Herald, as the Bay State's finest female acoustic blues interpreter.

Marylou is an artist who performs pre-war blues from the 1920's & 30's. She covers major artists from the delta to east coast piedmont style players such as Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, Blind Boy Fuller and Memphis Minnie along with mandolin players such as Yank Rachell.

Her passionate expression of these old songs comes from a love of the music and the arrangements themselves, as well as what she says is an appreciation for "the history of these folks and the difficult circumstances they endured."

Marylou has honed her craft listening to the old recordings and learning from some of the great blues players today such as Paul Rishell, Guy Davis, Robert Jones and mandolin great Rich DelGrosso. Marylou has taught at The Cellar Studio, Salem MA

  • "Marylou is a killer. I have watched her grow, and now she's taking over. Blues lovers look out!"... GUY DAVIS
  • "Marylou has the soul of a blues Woman" Detroit's Blues Man... ROBERT JONES

This is Marylou's second Notlob concert, having opened for and played with Dennis Brannan at the Loring-Greenough House on October 6, 2007.


U.S.
Sam

The Saga of U.S. SAM..... Wanted:Fer Rustlin' & Butcherin' Rock'n Country & Blues Songs! Along With His Faithful Guitar, "Grace", Some Harmonicas, "SAM"bourines, and A Saddle Bag Full Of Original & Older & Newer Cover Songs, They Roam Wild & Free Across The Wastelands of Samerica! Samerica? Is He Loco? Si'!


Tim Mason

Timothy Mason has been performing poetry and promoting folk music since the mid 1980s. He honed his performance style in the early poetry slams and around the campfires of the fabled Kerrville Folk Festival, giving the songwriters a run for their money.

An extensive background in human services, three years volunteering for a telephone crisis intervention hotline, training as a rape crisis counselor, four years working with developmentally disabled adults, a stint with court involved youth and eight years volunteering in a battered women's shelter have given him unique empathy with the quiet battles of daily survival.

Born in the Midwest and raised in North America, his family eventually settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, which he still calls home, although he has been a New Englander for over two decades. On the east side of the Big River, he has called Worcester, Cambridge and South Boston home and has now returned to East Cambridge. He supports himself by providing bookkeeping services, tax preparation and consultations to independent artists and arts oriented small businesses.

Over his 25 plus years presenting folk music to New England audiences his work has included reviving Club Passim, the legendary Harvard Square coffeehouse, pioneering new audiences at Capo's in Lowell MA and bringing The Old Vienna Kaffeehaus, in Westborough, MA, to national prominence.

"His insight is genuinely hip because it is accessible.
And sensible. And kind."

As an undergraduate at The University of Utah he chaired the student committee responsible for bringing The Rocky Horror Picture Show to the big screen behind "the Zion curtain quot;. Mason later attended graduate school at Antioch New England in Keene, New Hampshire, earning a Master's degree in Organization and Management. He was voted "Most Standardly Deviated" and "Most Ambiguous". He thought it best to avoid the corporate world. Thus far he has achieved this goal.

His poetry is drawn from his diverse experiences and is written to be performed aloud. He has collaborated with musicians on a number of occasions, including recording the cassette single Saddam's Insane with prize-winning guitarist Geoff Bartley. Saddam's Insane aired on National Public Radio's HEAT show at the onset of the Gulf War.

"You reminded me of the Russian poet Yvegeny Yevtushenko in his earliest and best days."

His most recent work Feral Voices released February 2009 is a full length, 94 page collection of poetry giving a non-human voice and sensibility to the 21st century experience on our shared planet. It marks a return to the page for a poet whose emphasis is on performance and compliments his work from the late 1990s.

His first book Gently, Like Water Cracking Stone was released in 1997. The 50 page perfect bound volume included a CD of live performance and is in its second printing. This was followed by the 1998 release of Bloodlines, a 21-piece CD that features musical additions by award winning musician Geoff Bartley. 2003 saw the release of Bones and Breath a compelling collaboration of poetry and song with Geoff Bartley and produced by Frank Coakley. He is currently working on a new collaboration of song and poetry with Alaska musician Tom Begich.

Mason has demonstrated his performing versatility in several collaborations the WPI Jazz Dept. working with both the ensemble and full Big Band in pops concert presentations.

From Anchorage and Ottawa to Boston and Austin recent festival and club appearances have enabled Mason to reach a wider audience and have solidified his place among contemporary New England artists and national audiences.


Tom Begich

"It's the words that tell the story." That is Tom Begich. The bohemian son of a family steeped in Alaska politics and the product of a life of music, Tom's music resonates with stories and the conflicts of the human condition.

Part of the Alaska music scene in the early 1980's, Tom dropped out and tuned in to the world of politics and business for a decade before finding his way back to local coffee shops, street corners, and music festivals. Since returning to performing and recording, Tom has opened for recording artists Stephen Fearing, Don Morrell, Paul Geremia, and Kim Richey. Tom also hosted a monthly Songwriter's Showcase in his hometown of Anchorage for three years and has performed live on numerous radio stations and on the nationally syndicated radio show "West Coast Live" (October 1999).

Tom has released four CDs, "Such a World" in 1997, "Hotel Metropol" in 1999, and "Albuquerque Road" in 2001. His latest CD, "Cool Blue Light", was released November 20, 2004 and has already garnered favorable reviews.

Tom continues to play in Alaska and small venues throughout the country. Citing musicians as different as Taj Mahal, Harry Chapin, and Christopher Parkening as influences, Tom combines an easy picking style with blues rhythms and storytelling skill to create a musical montage that is always interesting to the ear. His music includes a wide-variety of music ranging from acoustic instrumentals to blues and folk rock. A musician with a wholly original sound, Tom Begich will keep you humming for more long after he's done.

-Notlob Music
http://www.reverbnation.com/notlob