David Massengill returns to notloB Folk Concerts

David Massengill, with Jack Hardy, appeared at a notloB Folk concert on November 1, 2008. He returns for three concerts, Monson, Newton and Grafton, and a radio interview.

Tune in to "American Roots", hosted by Troy Tyree on WCUW Friday, December 11 (9am-noon). David will be on about 10AM.
Worcester community radio WCUW, 91.3fm, http://www.wcuw.org/

Friday, December 11 - @ A Tree Falls Productions house concert in Monson
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=188801486820&ref=ts

Saturday, December 12 - @ Jackson Homestead in Newton
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142299718127

Sunday, December 13 - @ notfarG House Concerts in Grafton
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163474737468&ref=ts

notloB Folk Concerts

presents

DAVID MASSENGILL

at the Historic Jackson Homestead, Newton ~ Saturday, December 12

&

at notfarG House Concerts, Grafton ~ Sunday, December 13

The city of Bristol lies on the border of Virginia and Tennessee, and the state line runs down Main Street. That means that when Bristol holds a parade-if you're lucky-you can march down the street with one foot in each state. When David Massengill was growing up on the Tennessee side, he thought that was about as exciting as things could get. But today, when David looks back, he remembers many other stories, some scary, such as the time he chased a bobcat, and the bobcat chased him back; some funny, such as the time he first heard Aunt Gladys cuss. Other stories he has learned since growing up by listening to friends and reading family letters and newspaper articles. They all add up to a personal history that David shares with his listeners.

"Basically, I tell true stories about friends and family," he says. "Basically true . . . or," he adds after a pause and a smile, "stories I made up about friends and family."

As distinctive a performer as he is a writer, David Massengill accompanies himself mainly on the Appalachian dulcimer, which he slings over his shoulder like an electric guitar. The sound of the dulcimer has an intimate, detailed quality that complements the easy graciousness of Massengill's stage presence. He has achieved a virtuosity on the traditional instrument that enables him to wring from its few strings music of a complexity and richness far beyond anything it was ever meant to produce, drawing the listener in to his lyrical imagery and the close-up focus on human foibles and experience that is the substance of his best songs.

Jesus escapes from a mental hospital, history's greatest villains gather for a dinner party, a New York restaurant kitchen crew saves an illegal alien cook from the immigration man, a young woman and a bandit fall in love as he robs her … these are just some of the vividly imagined scenes and characters with which David Massengill captivates audiences wherever he performs. Massengill's songs are rich with insight and poetic imagery, they're upbeat and engaging but full of subtle complexities; this Appalachian dulcimer player with the soft-edged vocal style and offhand stage presence is acknowledged to be one of America's finest songwriters.

Even when Massengill tackles large-scale social and political themes, he approaches them through stories about people, in the best folk tradition. In "My Name Joe," for instance, Massengill conveys some complex feelings about the plight of illegal immigrants through his empathetic portrait of Joe the Thai cook, a hopeless outsider in an alien culture; at the same time, he paints a picture of the kitchen worker's milieu-and tells a good tale too-with an arresting, brief appearance by an incidental character or two for extra spice.

In the mesmerizing eight-minute-long ballad, "Number One in America," Massengill tells the epic story of the struggle for racial equality through a series of anecdotal first-person vignettes spanning three decades; the central incident is a 1986 march by the Klan in Bristol, Tennessee, Massengill's home town. The story gains dramatic power as, in the refrain and elsewhere, the same words recur in different people's mouths, expressing dramatically different-even opposite-sentiments, a device that imbues the song with powerful irony and a touch of ambiguity that deepens its ultimate impact.

http://www.davidmassengill.com

Friday, December 11, 10AM ~ David Massengill on the Radio

Listen to Troy Tyree's "American Roots" program on WCUW, Worcester's community radio station. 91.3fm, http://www.wcuw.org/

&

Saturday, December 12 ~ Historic Jackson Homestead

527 Washington St., Newton, MA

http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/jackson/

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142299718127&ref=ts

Suggested minimum donation $15, kids 12 and under $5, $50 immediate family max.

Doors 7:15pm, Concert 7:30pm

&

Sunday, December 13 ~ notfarG House Concerts, Grafton

A private residence in Grafton (address will be given on acceptance of reservation (required)) -

notlobreservations @ comcast.net
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=163474737468&ref=ts

Suggested minimum donation $15

Noon - 1pm - Pot luck lunch, byob

1-3pm - Concert

3-4pm - Pickin' Party

notloB Folk Concerts (Somerville and Newton) are volunteer run and not for profit.
Mailing list ~ http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic
Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38565709718&ref=ts

notfarG House Concerts (Grafton) ~100% of the donations go to the artists.
Mailing list ~ http://www.reverbnation.com/venue/431454
Facebook ~ http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=147864099159&ref=ts

Folk News and Information
Blog ~ http://notlobmusic.blogspot.com
Yahoo ~ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthEastFolknRoots

Upcoming notloB Folk Concerts

Saturday, January 23: Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers @ UCG Somerville

Friday, January 29: Jim Infantino @ Jackson Homestead

"In this era of pop-driven acoustic music, notloB is keeping the folk tradition alive." ~ Jack Hardy

The FOLK BROTHERS (David Massengill & Jack Hardy)

NOTLOB ACOUSTIC CONCERT SERIES AT THE CLARENDON HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WITH THE SUPPORT OF ARTSOMERVILLE, PRESENTS THE FOLK BROTHERS w/ a very special guest.

When two of America's best songwriters get together the result could be electric, but it is not. It is acoustic. Jack Hardy and David Massengill have known each other since they both moved to New York City in the mid-seventies, Jack from Colorado, David from Tennessee. The Boston Globe has said, "Jack Hardy is one of the most influential figures today in defining the American Folk Song." The same could be said of David Massengill. In this era of pop-driven acoustic music, these two have dual-handedly kept the folk tradition alive in songwriting.

Jack and David have shared many a stage together at clubs and festivals, been members of the weekly songwriters workshop since its inception, and worked on the Fast Folk Magazine together. They have traveled together, boulevardiered together, played softball together, had the occasional adult beverage together. And now they are forming a duo: The Folk Brothers. Move over Simon and Garfunkel and Don and Phil.

David brings the experience of six albums, nine bootlegs and nine books to the mix. Jack brings the experience of fifteen albums and eight plays to the mix. David's songs have been covered by such artists as Joan Baez, Dave Van Ronk, The Roches and Charlie King whereas Jack's songs have been covered by such artists as Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen, Lucy Kaplansky and Joel Rafael.

Their choice of material for this project draws from their own greatest hits such as David's "On the Road to Fairfax County," "Rider on an Orphan Train" and "My Name Joe" to Jacks' "Tinkers Coin," "I Ought to Know" and "The Zephyr" to covering songs of their friends such as Dave Van Ronk, Paul Siebel and Utah Philips, as well as covering traditional songs. David plays the mountain dulcimer (Dave Van Ronk said that "Massengill took the *dull* out of dulcimer") as well as guitar. Jack plays guitar as well as mandolin. They are also noted as being great tellers of tales while introducing their songs.

Their first album as a duo, Partners in Crime, was released in July, with transcendent harmonies, and a great mix of history, tradition, politics and irreverence. Rumor has it there is an alternate name for The Folk Brothers: "The Baloney Brothers," but we have been unable to confirm this rumor.



DATE: Saturday, November 1, 2008

TIME: 8:00pm

SUGGESTED DONATION: $15, $10 Tufts students with ID

Tickets

VENUE: Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powderhouse Blvd, Somerville, MA 02144

NOTLOB WEBSITE: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

ARTIST WEBSITES: http://folkbrothers.com, http://www.jackhardy.com, http://www.davidmassengill.com/

CHARITY: Through Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church’s “Peace, Justice and Mission Committee”, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to RESPOND. Patrons may also bring items from RESPOND’s wish list. Patrons may also donate funds directly through RESPOND’s website - http://www.respondinc.org/main.html

RESPOND’s mission is to help women and their children create options for a safer life, free from domestic violence, and to further the efforts of the larger community to end domestic violence. At this time we seek to fulfill our mission by providing shelter, support, advocacy and education.