Notlob Acoustic Folk Concerts Fall Season

Since June 2, 2007, Notlob Parlor Concerts presented the best local and touring roots, Americana, newgrass, traditional and contemporary folk and blues artists at the historic Loring-Greenough House in Jamaica Plain. Artists included Bob Franke, the Rowan Brothers, Geoff Bartley, ChrisThompson, Dennis Brennan, Aoife O’Donovan, Rushad Eggleston, Tristin Clairridge, Corey DiMario (all of Crooked Still), Kristin Andraessen (Uncle Earl); Chris Merenda, Mike Merenda, and Ruthy Ungar Merenda (all of the Mammals), Pat Wictor, Jud Caswell, Sharon Lewis, Brian Webb ... For a complete listing with links to the artists' websites see the Notlob’s “artists”[1] page.

Patrons following the music series' history know that the Loring-Greenough House owners decided to not extend Notlob's contract, which lead to a search for a new venue and shuffling of the Fall schedule, and a shift in presentation. Rather than presenting solo or small group acts in the confines of the museum’s intimate parlor, Notlob's Fall productions are moving to the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powder House Blvd, Somerville.

Jeff Boudreau, who produces the series, looks at it somewhat philosophically. “What we had in JP was small and magical, but I look forward to the (Clarendon’s) sanctuary, to hearing Greg Greenway’s and John Flynn’s blended voices, when they step out in front of the microphones, fill the space.” Boudreau explains the move was affected by the scale shift. “ The schedule had to be shuffled, moving the focus from one solo artist to duos whose artistic and performance styles complement each other. Another reason for selecting ArtsSomerville and Clarendon as partners is the church’s Nave Gallery, a beautiful exhibit space that will be used for afternoon workshops”.

The concert series is produced in cooperation with ArtSomerville (ARTS)[2], a volunteer organization that draws upon the talents of local creativity, strengthening communication among artists and the public by presenting exhibits, performances, and educational activities. The goals of ARTSomerville are:

* To create partnerships with municipal, public, and private organizations
* To provide facilities for the support, promotion, and exhibition of the arts
* To foster educational and cultural programs in the arts
* To promote Somerville as a vibrant and welcoming artistic community

The Fall schedule may be limited in length but it the depth of its talent is impressive. The season begins September 20, featuring Greg Greenway[3] and John Flynn[4], well-seasoned performers in their own right but also fast friends of Sonny Ochs (Phil’s sister) and veterans of many Phil Ochs nights concerts. “John was booked to perform solo in JP, adding Greg was a natural”, explains Boudreau. The season opener will be hosted by Naomi Arenberg Producer/Host of “Folk on WGBH”.

On November 2, Jack Hardy[5] and David Massengill[6], two founding members of “Fast Folk”[7] (whose members read like a who’s who of the folk revival movement), will be performing as the Folk Brothers[8]. This concert had been in the formative stages for twelve months, starting at Jack’s camp at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, NY. “This year, when Jack and David performed together as the Folk Brothers, I new we had to set a date. ‘Partners in Crime’ (released July, 2007) blends traditional songs like ‘Saint James Infirmary” with brand new songs like Jack’s “Worst President Ever”, it should be in the play list of every folk radio station”, explains Boudreau.

The season concludes November 15 with western folk artist Mary McCaslin[9], complemented by local country blues and folk hero Geoff Bartley[10].

CHARITY: Through Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church’s “Peace, Justice and Mission Committee”, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to RESPOND[11]. 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.

Additional artist and series information can be read at the Notlob Concerts website - ~ http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com ~ and in the news group ~ http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic ~ where one can also register for the mailing list.

Watch the Folk Brothers perform "Worst President Ever"

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

[1] http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com/pastperformers

[2] http://www.artsomerville.org/

[3] http://www.greggreenway.com/

[4] http://www.johnflynn.net/

[5] http://www.jackhardy.com/

[6] http://www.davidmassengill.com/

[7] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_Folk

[8] http://folkbrothers.com/

[9] http://www.marymccaslin.com/

[10] http://www.geoffbartley.com/

[11] http://www.respondinc.org/

ALASTAIR MOOCK, May 17

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS

AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS

ALASTAIR MOOCK

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Notlob Parlor Concerts are presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music. Run by volunteers, 100% of the donations go towards series expenses and artist compensation.

Notlob’s twenty seventh production of the 2007-2008 season is ALASTAIR MOOCK!

Biography

There was a time in America when folk music was relevant, edgy, even dangerous — a tool of personal and political expression, at once raw and beautiful. That spirit lives on in the music of Alastair Moock.

Moock sometimes performs with a band or accompanist, but you're most likely to find him alone on a stage, sitting in a low chair, stomping a booted foot, picking his beaten guitar, and growling out some of the most beautifully crafted songs you're ever likely to hear. Those songs have won Moock top honors at many of the country's most prestigious contests, including those at the Falcon Ridge, Sisters, and Great Waters folk festivals. In 2007 he was nominated for a Boston Music Award for Outstanding Singer/Songwriter of the Year. The Boston Globe calls him “one of the town's best and most adventurous songwriters” and The Washington Post says “every song is a gem.”

Moock's writing style is often compared to those of John Prine and Woody Guthrie. Like them, he tends to stick to simpler harmonic forms and tight rhyming patterns that emphasize his lyrical dexterity and natural talent for storytelling. His songs have the smooth, clean lines of American classics — a timelessness reinforced by his whiskeyed voice and muscular fingerpicking. But this is not museum music. Moock frequently tackles contemporary subject matters, examining the changing world around him. The songs are observant, heart-wrenching, funny, and defiant — often all at once.

As a performer, Alastair engages audiences with a style of humor and insight that Americana Radio chart-topper Slaid Cleaves describes as “masterful.” Not content to simply serve up a laundry list of tunes, he mixes his own songs with spoken word pieces, stories from the road, and even a bit of American history, providing context for the traditional blues and ballads he includes in every show. His ability to connect with audiences has earned Moock the opportunity to open for an impressive roster of national acts over the years, including Arlo Guthrie, Taj Mahal, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Greg Brown, Kasey Chambers, Jay Farrar, Patty Larkin, and Marshall Crenshaw.

Moock started performing in 1995, moving from his home outside New York City to the folk haven of Boston, Massachusetts. After honing his skills on Boston's innumerable open mike stages and working his way up through the local coffeehouse and club circuit, he began touring around the U.S. By 2002, he had already traveled extensively throughout the East and Midwest, performing at many of the top listening rooms and outdoor events in the country, including the Newport and Boston Folk Festivals, The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, The Birchmere in Washington D.C., and The Bluebird Café in Nashville. In 2003 he made his first trip to Europe, where he performed at the prestigious Bergen Music Fest in Norway. Since then he has made numerous trips across the pond with appearances in the UK, France, Netherlands, and Scandinavia.

In 2005, Alastair signed with international roots label CoraZong Records, which released Let it Go, Moock's fourth CD. The album charted for fourteen consecutive weeks in the Roots Music Report Folk Chart's Top 10 and cracked the Americana Music Chart's Top 40 in February, 2006. Worcester Magazine calls it “one of the best roots music records to come out of New England in recent memory” and Daniel Gewertz of The Boston Herald included it in his Top 10 list for the year, saying “Moock has become simply one of the top songwriters in the region.”

This spring CoraZong will release Fortune Street, Moock's latest effort. The album, which includes nine new original tunes and one traditional cover, is Moock's most intimate and mature to date. Two of the tracks were recorded solo; the other eight feature the stripped down roots ensemble of David Goodrich, Lou Ulrich, and Mike Piehl (all former members of the seminal Boston rock band Groovasaurus), joined by guests Kris Delmhorst, Michael Dinallo (The Mercy Brothers), and Sean Staples (The Resophonics).

It seems no young musicians want to be labeled “folk” anymore. Everyone's passing through on their way to somewhere else — alt-rock, alt-pop, alt-country. Alastair Moock plays folk music. Old-school, powerful, intimate folk music. You may be surprised to hear what it sounds like.

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Awards

• Nominee, 2007 Boston Music Award, Outstanding Singer/Songwriter of the Year
• Finalist, 2006 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition
• Winner, 2004 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Contest
• Winner, 2004 Great Waters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
• Winner, 2004 Sisters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
• Finalist, 2004 South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
• Honorable Mention, 2004 Telluride Troubadour Competition
• Award Winner, 2004 Great American Song Contest
• Finalist, 2002 USA Songwriting Competition

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Selected Appearances

• 2008 Celtic Connections Festival (Glasgow, UK)
• 2005, 2002, 1999 Boston Folk Festival (Boston, MA)
• 2005 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Hillsdale, NY)
• 2005 Sisters Folk Festival (Sisters, OR)
• 2005 Susquehanna Folk Festival (Columbia, MD)
• 2003 Bergen Music Fest (Bergen, Norway)
• 2002 Newport Folk Festival (Newport, RI)
• Billy Block's Western Beat (Nashville, TN)
• The Birchmere (Alexandria, VA)
• The Bluebird Café (Nashville, TN)
• Caffe Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY)
• Club Passim (Cambridge, MA)
• The Focal Point (Maplewood, MO)
• The Iron Horse Music Hall (Northampton, MA)
• The Madison Folk Music Society (Madison, WI)
• The Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago, IL)
• The Outpost in the Burbs (Montclair, NJ)
• The Philadelphia Folksong Society (Philadelphia, PA)
• The Ram's Head Tavern (Annapolis, MD)
• Sanctuary Concerts (Chatham, NJ)
• The Towne Crier Café (Pawling, NY)

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Selected Openings and Shared Bills

• Ray Bonneville
• Greg Brown
• Peter Case
• Kasey Chambers
• Slaid Cleaves
• Marshall Crenshaw
• Dick Dale
• Guy Davis
• Jonathan Edwards
• Cliff Eberhardt
• Ramblin' Jack Elliott
• Jay Farrar
• Mary Gauthier
• Arlo Guthrie
• Patty Larkin
• Adrian Legg
• Taj Mahal
• David Mallett
• Lynn Miles
• Bill Morrissey
• Peter Mulvey
• Carrie Newcomer
• Ellis Paul
• Kelly Joe Phelps
• Utah Phillips
• Willy Porter
• Garnet Rogers
• Bill Staines
• John Stewart
• Susan Werner
• Brooks Williams

Artist: ALASTAIR MOOCK

Artist’s websites:

http://www.moock.com/

http://www.myspace.com/alastairmoock

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008

Doors: 7:30pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Suggested minimum donation: $12.50 + $1 LG House preservation fee.

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason.

Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lots located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away and the Mellon bank, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

GREG KLYMA & RYAN FITZSIMMONS

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS:

GREG KLYMA and RYAN FITZSIMMONS

Saturday, March 1, 2008

$12.50 suggested donation at the door + $1 preservation fee, $2.50 discount for members of the JP Tuesday Club and all who make make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance. Cash at the door. Doors 7:30pm, concert 8:00pm.

Due to the parlor’s intimate size, reservations to notlobmusic @ gmail dot com are recommended.

Notlob Parlor Concerts presents the best local and touring roots, Americana, newgrass, traditional and contemporary folk and blues artists at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been a historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music. Past artists include Bob Franke, The Rowan Brothers, Geoff Bartley, Christine Thompson, Dennis Brennan, Aoife O’Donovan (Crooked Still), Kristin Andraessen (Uncle Earl), Mike and Ruthy Ungar Merenda (the Mammals), Pat Wictor, Jud Caswell, Sharon Lewis, Brian Webb and many others. Visit the series’ website at http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com.

GREG KLYMA: http://www.klyma.com/

Rust Belt Vagabond Greg Klyma is a character - a folk troubadour with a rock 'n' roll heart. He's played that character into his well-worn dreadnought acoustic guitar and A-frame mandolin.

Greg has shared the stage with everyone from Todd Snider and Ramblin' Jack Elliott to Jimmy LaFave, Lucy Kaplansky & the Asylum Street Spankers at venues including The Ark, The Beachland Ballroom, The Cactus Cafe and Club Passim.

RYAN FITZSIMMONS: http://www.ryanfitzsimmons.com

"As one of the new breed of young New England singer/songwriters, Ryan Fitzsimmons is the real deal. I happened to catch him as an opening act one night and was knocked out by his singing, songwriting, guitar playing, and poise. He has the chops and smarts to go somewhere and I look forward to catching him again soon when someone else is opening for HIM!"
- Barnes Newberry, host of Highway 61 Revisited, Folk Radio WUMB Boston MA

While still a relative newcomer to Providence, RI, Ryan Fitzsimmons was nominated for Best Folk Act in the Providence Phoenix Best Music Poll for 2004. Ryan is simply the kind of musician who impresses immediately. He would go on to win the 2007 "Best Male Vocalist" award in the same poll, while gaining many other accolades along the way.

Originally from Syracuse New York, Ryan first gained attention at age 14 playing lead guitar in an alternative rock band called Anodyne which was nominated for a Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY). But after performing in a number of electric bands, Ryan decided to give up the amplifiers to see what he could do with just wood and steel and voice. What he discovered in performing solo with an acoustic guitar was an intimacy and nuance he found instantly inspiring. Bringing to the fold his years of electric guitar playing and using innovative alternate tunings, Ryan Fitzsimmons' acoustic world runs the emotional gambit. The lyrics of Ryan's songs range from gentle, poetic details to the in-your-face realism of a bar fight, and his guitar ranges just as far, from starry night to thunderclap.

Over the last few years, Ryan has quietly been establishing a reputation as one of the most original and promising young songwriters on the scene today. Playing shows from Montana to New England (including venues such as Club Passim, Johnny D's, and the Paradise Lounge in Boston, The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River, MA, and Stone Soup in Pawtucket, RI) Ryan has been engaging audiences with his distinctive songwriting and dynamic performances. Along the way, Ryan has shared the stage with performers Ben Folds, Dar Williams, Loudon Wainwright III, Greg Brown, and Richie Havens.

Ryan's first CD, Open All Night, is the long-awaited companion to his live show. The album is a statement of Ryan's history, and in it Ryan takes all the diners, gas stations, smoky bars, and side streets that he's come across and extracts the human element, drawing the listener in with the questions and emotions that these places resonate. The album also features collaborations with many of Ryan's friends, including a subtle give-and-take with Peter Mulvey on the song "Write it Down". Delivered with Ryan's inspired guitar playing and dynamic presentation, Open All Night (voted Best Local CD of 2005 in the RI Motif reader's poll) proves what has been exciting audiences at Ryan's live performances for years.

BOB FRANKE "Dragged Into Christmas" Concert, 12/22

BOB FRANKE

http://www.bobfranke.com

Bob Franke (it rhymes with “Yankee”) is at the peak of his considerable craft; brimming with the wise and spiritually generous songs for which he is best known, along with wrenchingly convincing topical songs and sugared with the hilarious. His are the kind of songs that really do have the power to change the world by being taken into the lives of people. They come to you, these songs.

As Tom Paxton says, "It's his integrity. I always think of Bob as if Emerson and Thoreau had picked up acoustic guitars and gotten into songwriting. There's touches of Mark Twain and Buddy Holly in there, too."

Franke began his career as a singer-songwriter in 1965 while a student at the University of Michigan. He was one of the first people to perform at the now famous Ark Coffeehouse in Ann Arbor. Upon graduation in 1969 with an A.B. in English Literature, he moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has since made New England his home.

Bob's songs are considered classics, fueled by his deep faith and the real-life lessons taught him by his 30-odd years of playing everywhere from concert halls to street corners. Bob has appeared in concert at coffeehouses, colleges, festivals, bars, streets, homes and churches in 33 states, four Canadian provinces and England. His concerts have appeared in lists of the top five musical events of the year chosen by critics in the Boston and San Francisco Bay areas. In 1990, he was nominated as an Outstanding Folk Act by the Boston Music Awards.

Consider this list: Peter, Paul and Mary; David Wilcox; John McCutcheon; Sally Rogers; Lui Collins; Garnet Rogers; June Tabor. These well-known artists (and many more) all sing and record Bob's music. Seasoned veterans and novices alike are drawn to the complex, warm-hearted spirituality and captivatingly clear-cut melodies of Franke's songs.

When he isn't writing or touring, Bob leads workshops in songwriting at music festivals and music camps, workshops described by the participants as "transcendent." He was the Artistic Director of the Singer-Songwriter Project of 1999's Bethlehem Steel Festival. In August of 1990 Bob wrote a set of songs for a ballet of "The Velveteen Rabbit," commissioned by the ODC Dance Company of San Francisco. He has composed three cantatas and a number of hymns for the Church of St. Andrew in Marblehead, MA. The Songs of Bob Franke, a songbook produced by the the Folk Project, was released in 1992. He wrote a Harvest Cantata for the Marblehead Eco-Farm in 1996. The song "Hard Love" figures prominently in Ellen Wittlinger’s young adult novel of the same name (Simon & Schuster, 1999).

Among his live radio credits are A Prairie Home Companion, A Mountain Stage, Our Front Porch, Sandy Bradley's Potluck, Folk Scene, West Coast Weekend, and Bound for Glory.

In addition, Bob has recorded a number of albums with much well-deserved critical acclaim (see Recordings). Two of his songs appear in the top ten of WERS-FM (Boston) 1988 poll of all-time favorite folk songs. Brief Histories was named one of the ten best albums of 1989 by Boston Globe critic Scott Alarik and was nominated as an Outstanding Folk Album by the 1990 Boston Music Awards. In This Night was named #1 Acoustic Recording of 1991 by WUMB-FM (Boston) and was nominated as Outstanding Folk Album by the 1992 Boston Music Awards. His first Daring release, The Heart of the Flower, was named one of the Boston Globe's top ten folk albums of 1995. His latest , Long Roads, Short Visits was released in September of 1997, becoming one of WUMB-FM Boston’s top ten recordings of that year. The Desert Questions (2001) is Bob's latest.

A Night to Sing the Praises of Bob Franke
by Scott Alarik, The Boston Globe, January 22, 1996

CAMBRIDGE--What makes a song a hit? These days, the only measures seem to be units sold, chart placement, number of recorded versions. In folk music, however, there is another kind of hit: songs that travel from person to person, often without knowledge of authorship; songs that are truly taken into the lives of people. Saturday, an impressive parade of gifted folk artists gathered at Sanders Theater to honor Bob Franke, a local songwriter they clearly feel writes hits like that, on the occasion of his 30th year in folk music.

Each act did one Franke song, one original. Lorraine and Bennett Hammond set the stage wonderfully, explaining that what binds all Franke's songs is that they are all somehow about love, then offering their own reflective "Love Has a Life of Its Own."

As the evening convincingly displayed, the love in Franke's songs moves far beyond the dating-and-mating love in so much of today's pop. Tom Paxton sang Franke's sublime meditation "Thanksgiving Eve:" "What can you do with each moment of your life/But love till you've loved it away?"

More at http://www.bobfranke.com/reviews.htm

Franke's Heavenly Lyrics Strike a Chord with Folk Brethren
by Daniel Gewertz, The Boston Herald, January 17, 1996

Bob Franke came from a time when folk singers didn't make money, they made a difference. "Money and record sales didn't cloud the picture. We tended to honor the best among us," said the man respected as New England's finest philosophical songwriter.

A dozen folk singers will honor Franke on his 30th anniversary in music at Sanders Theater on Saturday. The concert will include two troubadours far more famous than the evening's namesake: Tom Paxton and Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter Paul and Mary).

"It's his integrity," Paxton said of Franke. "I always think of Bob as if Emerson and Thoreau had picked up acoustic guitars and gotten into songwriting. There's touches of Mark Twain and Buddy Holly in there, too."

Though he's an unknown in wider circles, on the folk circuit Franke songs such as "Hard Love" and "For Real are considered classics. Instead of ending a concert with sing-alongs by Woody Guthrie, some area shows have closed with Franke's anthemic "The Great Storm Is Over" or his prayerful "Thanksgiving Eve."

More at http://www.bobfranke.com/reviews.htm

The 30th Anniversary Concert
Franke's Folks
Friends and Admirers Gather to Pay Tribute to the Songwriter
by Scott Alarik, The Boston Globe, January 19, 1996

Most people have to die before anyone throws a soiree like this for them. Tomorrow at 7:30pm, a group of folk all-stars gathers at Sanders Theater to honor 48-year-old Bob Franke on his 30th anniversary as a folk singer. Fellow songwriters Tom Paxton, Noel Paul Stookey, Jack Hardy, Linda Waterfall, Lui Collins, Mason Daring, Lorraine and Bennett Hammond, and Geoff Bartley will perform some of their own songs and, in the highest honor one songwriter can pay to another, also sing versions of Franke songs, many of which have become standards in the modern folk canon. Franke will perform as well.

Another cause for celebration is the recent release of "The Heart of the Flower," his first release on Daring Records. It is his prettiest record to date, thanks in no small part to Daring's sublimely sensitive production. It shows Franke at the peak of his considerable craft, brimming with the wise and spiritually generous songs for which he is best known, along with wrenchingly convincing topical songs and sugared by a hilarious cyber-blues and the adorably bubble-gum-corny ode to his wife, "Christine '65".

It may seem curious for such a fuss to be made for an artist who has never had a mainstream hit, never won a Grammy, made the cover of Rolling Stone or even sung a duet with Willie Nelson. But success is measured differently in folk music than in commercial pop. His songs have been covered by a myriad folk performers, among them such diverse artists as Tony Rice, June Tabor, Stan and Garnet Rogers, Priscilla Herdman, Gordon Bok and John McCutcheon. But Franke is counted among today's best folk songwriters for deeper reasons that say much about how folk's standards differ from those of the music industry.

More at http://www.bobfranke.com/reviews.htm

Review of "The Heart of the Flower"

from Sing Out!, Vol. 40, No. 4
©1996 Sing Out! Corporation

This represents Franke's most "commercial" release, with full professional production by Mason Daring. Being a folkie at heart, Daring tastefully layers just the right amount of accompaniment. Of course, the contributions of instrumentalists Nina Gerber, Cary Black and Billy Novick further enhance the production.

Franke is one of the very few songwriters who can weave religion into his songs, as he does in "Eye Of The Serpent," without sounding like he's proselytizing or dogmatic. His songs form compact moral dramas equally appropriate to atheists, Christians or Buddhists.

Franke has re-recorded here his well-known "Hard Love", long out of print, although now covered by about a dozen other performers. While his voice has never sounded better, it lacks the edge of pain that once accompanied this song. Still, even amid 10 other fine gems, "Hard Love" alone justifies the cost of the CD.

More at http://www.bobfranke.com/reviews.htm

Review of "The Heart of the Flower"

from Dirty Linen, June/July '96
©1996 Dirty Linen

Bob Franke The Heart of the Flower [Daring CD3016 (1995)] Sing Hallelujah, the great storm is over! A new release finally from Bob Franke, poet and songwriter. Although he is best known as a singer's songwriter, Franke's own versions are quietly beautiful. His songs have great words and nice tunes; many feature Franke's sly humor or a touch of the Divine (if not both). Franke's version of his own "Hard Love" is on this album along with many others, particularly a gorgeous retelling of the story of Jonah, "Waiting for Nineveh to Burn." (WD)

Website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobhouseconcerts

Venue: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.

PAT WICTOR & JUD CASWELL, Saturday, December 22, 2007

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE

PRESENTS

PAT WICTOR & JUD CASWELL

Saturday, December 15, 2007

$17.50 door, $15 JPTC members, seniors and students with ID.

Doors 7:30pm. Concert 8:00pm.

The Notlob Parlor Concerts at the Loring-Greenough House presents the best local and touring roots, Americana, newgrass, traditional and contemporary folk and blues artists in unique and unusual settings in the Boston, MA area. The Fall 2007 series continues at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130, http://www.lghouse.org. Built in 1760, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been a historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

PAT WICTOR

http://www.patwictor.com

http://www.myspace.com/patwictor

"...Pat Wictor walks onstage and sits down. He places a Guild DV-52 flat across his lap and begins playing slide guitar. The sounds are snaky and sizzling...."
-Richard Cuccaro, Acoustic Live

In a remarkably short period of time, Pat Wictor has become the name that is being chatted about on the acoustic, blues, folk and Americana circuits. Steeped in American "roots" music, Pat is a contemporary songwriter and interpreter drawing on the rural country, gospel, and blues traditions of our nation.

An American by birth, Pat was raised outside of the United States until his teenage years, living in Venezuela, Holland, Norway, and England. This time abroad gave him an unusually deep awareness of being a resident of a country while also a world citizen. Through these early experiences, he gained an appreciation for taking diffferent paths to arrave at the same destination.

Indeed, Pat took a convoluted path to folk music, winding his way through rock, heavy metal, and jazz. He started with guitar, shifted to bass, moved to saxophone, and then quit music entirely before a return in 1993, a time when he also began composing songs. By 2001, he left a teaching career to pursue music full time and does so in the broadest way possible. An adept improviser and accompanist, he is sought after as a collaborator, sideman and session musician, with numerous recording credits to date. His monthly e-mail column, "A Few Choice Words," is read by thousands of subscribers. He is a music educator of note, teaching workshops on writing, interpreting, and rearranging songs, on slide guitar and other guitar techniques, and various topics of music history.

His performances--part fireside chat, part meditation on matters earthly and transcendent--feature his originals. In addition to his own tunes, he is quick to offer up a newly-discovered lyric from another performer, or a fresh arrangement of a traditional song, delighting in introducing his audience to innovative material. With flowing red hair and zen-like calm, Pat embraces his audience with the sincerity of his music and the clarity of his voice, inviting them in.

Pat views his life and his music as a journey, populated with an ever-shifting landscape of people, places and emotions. It is a journey he is eager to share with others, knowing that it is the experiences along the way, not the arrival, that initiate the most profound changes.

Pat's fifth CD, Heaven Is So High...And I'm So Far Down, was released in July '06, and has receivved nationwide airplay on folk and specialty radio programs. The disc features standout originals like "I Will Walk With You," the a cappella "Raise My Voice and Sing," and the title track. The CD also includes distinctive versions of Bob Dylan's "Oxford Town," Dave Carter's "When I Go," and a swampy, rousing version of "You Got To Move," featuring Abbie Gardner of Red Molly. His previous CD, Waiting for the Water, also received wide radio play, reaching #4 on the FolkDJ charts in February 2005, and remaining on the charts for months afterward.

HONORS AND CREDITS:

2007 Finalist, New Folk competition, Kerrville Folk Festival
2006 Most Wanted, Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase
2006 Nominee, Emerging Artist of the Year, International Folk Alliance
2006 Nominee, Best Gospel Song, "Love Is the Water," Independent Music Awards
2006 CD Favorites, "Heaven Is So High..", The Midnight Special, WFMT Chicago, Rich Warren, host

Quotes and Testimonials:

“Pat Wictor’s songs, his blues tinged slide guitar and mellow performance style impress the hell out of me. Watch out for this guy. He’s a terrific new talent.”
- Gene Shay, WXPN, Philadelphia

“If you can make it to only one concert this year, let it be a show by Brooklyn’s own Pat Wictor, who plays heart-felt blues-based roots music like the only begotten son of Bonnie Raitt (same red hair!) and Chris Smither. And unlike blues interpreters who have seen too many stormy Mondays with hellhounds on their trail, Pat is also an excellent songwriter whose new/old compositions will send you on a journey through the old Dock Boggs and Son House 78s. But these aren’t old songs, they’re originals that, to paraphrase Mr. Smither, are “still flopping around on the deck.”
- Jim Motavalli, WPKN, Bridgeport, CT

“Soft-spoken and articulate, in the 1930’s he could have been a dust bowl preacher. The sermons, accompanied by the choir of his slide guitar, would have brought comfort to many a soul.”
- Richard Cuccaro, Acoustic Live

“His performances are delicate, nearly evanescent–a daring and unusual approach for a blues singer who give listeners fresh perspectives on such familiar material as Son House’s “Death Letter” and Skip James’ “Hard Time Killing Floor.” Wictor’s compositions are especially memorable.”
- Blues Revue

“Pat Wictor is a phenomenal lap-slide guitarist and songwriter as well as an interpreter of others’ music. His lyrics are intelligent and compelling, his stage presence commanding.”
- Mike Space, Artistic Director, Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem, PA

“Amazingly his live performances are as polished and brilliant as his recordings. It has been my supreme pleasure to harmonize with him.”
- Jen Schonwald, Angel Band and Full Frontal Folk

“Although I am inherently suspicious regarding any so-called “buzz” that surrounds a new artist, the word of mouth about Pat Wictor is more than justified when you listen to the man. He’s a master at the lap-style slide guitar, has a haunting voice, and showcases an eclectic selection of songs on his CDs.”
- Charlie Backfish, Sunday Street Program, WUSB, Stony Brook, NY

“This is one of the best CDs to come across my desk in a long time.”
- Jeff Rusch, WNTI Hackettstown,NJ

“He not only is a great guy and a great talent, but I believe he has, follicle for follicle, the best hair in folk music.”
- Rob Carlson, Modern Man

JUD CASWELL

http://www.judcaswell.com

http://www.myspace.com/judcaswell

Jud Caswell lives where the two Maines meet: where ex-hippies play cribbage with fishermen and a kind of rural poetry is salted with Yankee gumption. He grew up on a little farm in Morrill, Maine, picking carrots and milking goats; listening to records by Cat Stevens and the Beatles, reading Mark Twain and Kahlil Gibran.

A multi-instrumentalist from an early age, he wandered through jazz bands, orchestras and medieval ensembles before finding his home on the acoustic guitar. Heralded by Sing Out! magazine as "one of the leading singer-songwriters on the current scene," Jud has won eight nationally recognized songwriting contests, including the Dave Carter Memorial, Boston Folk Festival, and Kerrville New Folk contests. His song "Blackberry Time" is being taught in the songwriting curriculum at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Jud is currently supporting the release of his latest CD, “Blackberry Time,” released in 2007.

- Finalist, 2008 South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
- Winner, 2007 Dave Carter Memorial Song Contest
- Winner, 2007 Plowshares Songwriting Contest
- Winner, 2006 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Contest
- First Place, 2006 Boston Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
- Selected, 2006 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist
- Winner, 2006 Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest
- First Place, 2006 Suwannee Springfest Songwriting Contest
- First Place, 2004 Great American Song Contest (9 Awards including 1st Place)
- Winner, 2004 Rose Garden Coffeehouse Performing Songwriter Competition

"...one of the leading singer-songwriters on the current scene... highly original... He's a young man who is wise beyond his years. Caswell sings with charming warmth in his voice. By the end of the CD you want to know this man."
- Rich Warren, Sing Out!

"Jud Caswell is much more than a great singer and guitar player, Jud's songs take you into the storyteller's world with clear images and characters that come to life for the listener."

- David Wilcox

Folkwax gives "Blackberry Time" a 9, saying, “Caswell's fluent, warm, honey-like melodies and his undoubted skill with his six-string piece of wood and steel... both constitute aural delights... Jud Caswell is a rare and eloquent song poet who truly deserves your time and your God-given listening apparatus...”

- Arthur Wood, founding editor of FolkWax

"Maine's Jud Caswell is one of those expert, multigifted folk singers who are surprisingly unknown outside their home territory. Caswell's guitar playing is elegant, his voice both personable and tuneful, his songs neatly crafted, his sound imbued with warm energy."

- Boston Herald

Website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobhouseconcerts

Venue: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.

Price: $17.50 at the door, $15 with advanced reservation to notlobmusic@ gmail.com and to members of the JPTC, seniors and students with ID. Seating is limited to 40. Inquire about group discounts.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Handicap accessible: Call 617-524-3158 for more information.

Directions: The Loring-Greenough house is located at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lot located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on CentreStreet within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217),

show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

Volunteers & street team: This is a 100% volunteer-run effort. All interested in participating can read the volunteer policy at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/volunteer-policy Publicity assistance is often required. If interested, contact via notlobmusic@gmail.com, with “publicity” in the subject line.

Future concerts:

Saturday, December 22 2007, 8:00 pm ~ A very special holiday concert featuring Bob Franke ~ Traditional Folk ~ http://www.bobfranke.com

Saturday, January 5, 2008, 7:30pm ~ Colleen Sexton & Rebecca Katz – Contemporary folk ~ http://www.colleensexton.com/ http://www.rkatztunes.com/

Saturday, January 19, 2008, 7:30pm ~ Jon Shain & Robin O’Herin, with very special guest – Traditional folk, gospel and blues ~ http://www.jonshain.com/ http://www.robinoherin.com/

More information at http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Please share with friends and neighbors, and thank you for supporting live music.

11/17/07: Mare Wakefiled & Dan Gonzalez

THE NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS MARE WAKEFIELD & DAN GONZALEZ

The Notlob Parlor Concerts at the Loring-Greenough House presents the best local and touring roots, Americana, newgrass, traditional and contemporary folk and blues artists in unique and unusual settings in the Boston, MA area. The Fall 2007 series continues at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130, http://www.lghouse.org. Built in 1760, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been a historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

Reservations: notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations are recommended as seating is limited to 40 and most past shows have sold out. $2 off for members of the JP Tuesday Club, seniors and students.

Mare Wakefield

http://www.marewakefield.com, http://www.myspace.com/marewakefield

“Take Me Home is a rootsy, singer/songwriter collection from one of the best we've heard. Four Stars!” Maverick Magazine, UK “At time soft and soulful, at others riotous and rowdy ... Wakefield is a unique and wholly self-evolved performer with that special ingredient” Mark Wehner
Producer/Host of Americana Tonight
Nashville, TN “Mare Wakefield has concocted a mellow, likable country-folk sound on Take Me Home. The opener, "I'll Drive," lays down a backdrop of piano, acoustic guitar and drums that works well with Wakefield's warm vocals. A sad, country-flavored dobro sets the mood for "Pack Up Your Stuff," an emotional downer with a little vocal help from Amelia White. Both songs have strong melodies and, especially in the latter case, unwind at their own pace. Given this pacing combined with low-key arrangements and a simple production (very little reverb, etc.) these songs are imbued with a back-porch quality. Another intriguing quality of Take Me Home is the addition of Nomad Ovunc's piano in the midst of the fiddles and dobros. It's never intrusive as in bad country-pop, but is woven into the texture of "Texas" and "Cold River," adding a nice, unexpected touch. Wakefield is helped along this path considerably by bassist Jim Thacker, drummer Justin Amaral, fiddler Brian Arrowood, dobroist Kim Gardner and several others. These players, whatever their individual histories may be, fall into a comfortable groove here, offering an attractive, spare soundscape for Wakefield's vocals. Things get a bit funkier on "Love vs. the USA," a rockin' bit of gospel complete with a backing choir. Non-pretentious with a mellow, country-folk sound, Wakefield's Take Me Home offers a solid group of songs on its own terms. 3 and 1/2 stars.” Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.
All Music Guide
AllMusic.com “Cozy brilliance ... Could she be the merger of Maria McKee, Natalie Merchant, Shawn Colvin and Dolly Parton? Wakefield and her guitar fill a musician's space as if an inherent extension of her soul. There is volume and symmetry that is as untainted as it is simple. This most elegant component is indeed a rare find and decrees strength and depth. Feel this music. It absorbs like thirsty skin. ” Michelle Manker
Louisville Eccentric Observer
Louisville, KY “Take Me Home is Wakefield's fourth album, and her first in four years. She relies on both acoustic and electric arrangements, and even strips things down to one voice, one guitar on "Lullaby." The piano also adds an extra element to many tracks. Take Me Home sounds great, and Wakefield's an expressive singer. ” Sing Out Magazine “The songs, the voice, the band is just plain good! A voice a bit reminiscent of early k.d. lang, poignant story-telling, diverse scenarios. Wakefield’s humor and technique shine from a powerful voice that reaches both ends of the scale.” Nicki Ehrlich
Victory Music Review Magazine “Why you aren’t a national figure already can only be chalked up to the music business. Your voice, the sublime intelligence of your lyrics and production are first rate.” George Maida
DJ WCVE FM
Richmond, VA “I enjoyed your album [Factory]. I liked your singing, and the songwriting is unique. I loved the one about the sewing machine... Well done in all” Gail Davies
producer and RCA recording artist
Nashville, TN “More than your typical fly-by-night coffeehouse folk artist [Wakefield is] musically sophisticated, weaving elements of jazz and bluegrass into her compositions. Her lyrics read like stream-of-consciousness short stories. Don’t pass up the opportunity to see her perform.” Cheryl Eddy
San Francisco Bay Guardian
San Francisco, CA “Wakefield’s songs are ’old school’ in the best possible way: they have an honesty and directness that nowadays are hard to find. With her lyrics she’s able to make you think and make you smile ... she even managed to reincarnate the Ghost of John Denver -- what more can you ask for?” Ruben Jonas Schnell
NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk)
German Public Radio, Hamburg “A wonderful singer-songwriter ... I'm glad the rest of the country can be introduced to her talent.” Martin Anderson
Music Director and Host
WNCW-FM, Spindale, NC “Well-written songs, beautifully sung ... top notch instrumental accompaniment.” Doug Dick
WVGN, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands “An arresting collection of folk pop... So immediately accessible it risks getting overplayed.” New Times
San Luis Obispo, CA “Your new recording is so excellent it was moved up to heavy on our playlist.” Liz Wise
KLCC, Eugene, OR “Wakefield is Oregon cafes, small town Texas and twangy Nashville rolled into one. Her guitar and vocals ache in all the right places ... She resembles an early Billy Bragg, you'lll want to be in the front fow at her next concert.” Cranky Crow Music Reviews “Reminiscent of Dar Williams, conjuring up the ghost of Johnny Cash. Her voice is sweet without being saccharine, familiar without sounding like anyone else, and extremely pleasing to the ear ... The fiddle drew me in, the story line kept me from leaving.” Theresa Hogue
Gazette-Times
Corvallis, OR “Unbridled tenacity pours out of her. Through her songs she evokes a passion for music and life on the road.” Ashland Daily Tidings
Ashland, OR “Rootsy, country-tinged folk ... [Take Me Home] showcases Wakefield's talents beautifully.” Vanessa Salvia
Eugene Weekly
Eugene, OR “Sweet voice, sensitive lyrics ... with a hint of twang.” John Larson
Tacoma Weekly
Tacoma WA “Introspective and intelligent mix of contemporary folk and Americana.” Jeff McDonald
Cascade Arts and Entertainment
Bend, OR “Refreshing and versatile.” Mail Tribune
Medford, OR “Wakefield wins over audiences with her Gillian Welch-like voice and intelligent lyrics.” Santa Cruz Sentinel
Santa Cruz, CA “A beautiful merging of the simplicity of the best folk and country music with all of the complexities of human relationships ... The combination of desire and resignation that comes through on the title cut is particularly moving. I'm actually looking forward to my commute to work tomorrow, so I can listen again!” Mark Stepakoff
singer/songwriter
Boston, MA “Folky enough to rock a coffee shop near you, rural enough for her to perform the songs at a state fair.” Cooper Lane Baker
Weekly Planet
Tampa, FL “Introspective yet very much alive...there’s a lovely sense of the upbeat, even in Wakefield’s most brutally personal moments.” Andre Hagestedt
Statesman Journal
Salem, OR “Mare is sultry, cozy and funny; her voice slips somewhere between sweet maple sugar and cognac. Mare’s songs are personal but not agonizing; intimate, but not ponderous. She seems to hold a laugh behind even her more serious lyrics--a laugh and another lighter step.” The Arcata Eye
Arcata CA “Wakefield has a clear, energetic and confident voice that bounces off the band’s thick walls quite well and even holds humor.” The Rocket
Seattle, WA “Sweet and clever folk-pop.” Willamette Week
Portland, OR “Good--I liked Wakefield’s mix of humor and angst.” Bob Doran
North Coast Journal
Eureka, CA “You are sooooo f*cking talented, beautiful, funny. Why aren’t you on tv?” audience member “Tender songs and a clear voice.” The Oregonian
Portland, OR “Expressive vocals & poetic writing.” The Daily Triplicate
Crescent City, CA “Back by popular demand.” Tacoma Weekly
Tacoma, WA “Wakefield’s voice can snake through a venue like an invisible conga line, grabbing listeners and pulling them along with a well-placed rhyme or pointed insight.” The Register-Guard
Eugene, OR “Stirring vocals.” San Francisco Bay Times
San Francisco, CA “Wakefield...was the surprise hit of the show. She...delivered a strong set...and stuck around to sing harmony with just about every performer on the bill. She has a beautiful voice, endearing stage presence and writes...with humor.” WOW Hall Notes
Eugene, OR “Her original songs blend humor and insight about everyday events...with tenderness and strength. Wakefield’s laid-back performance style instantly put the audience at ease, making her shows feel like a circle of friends rather than a concert.” Tanya Igancio
The Source
Bend, OR “[Wakefield’s] folk and pop songs are steeped in the everyday with humor and poignant insight.” Auburn Journal
Auburn, CA “Mare’s stronger playing [on Factory] is matched by her maturing voice. The notes come out easy...she’s enjoying herself.” Aria Seligmann
Eugene Weekly
Eugene, OR “Each song draws the listener in to a sort of sacred communion with the band...Wakefield opens her world to the listener, as each songs evolves into a charming story.” Rebecca Shala
The Daily Barometer, Corvallis, OR

"No one really looks like Barbie, so come to the table and eat!" So goes the chorus to the song "Barbie" by Mare (pronounced "Mary") Wakefield. As a teenager, Wakefield struggled with an eating disorder, an experience she chronicles in the song. "Barbie" is humorous and deceptively light-hearted, but girls everywhere responded. "Because of that song, I got my first taste of fan mail," Wakefield recalls. "Girls sent me alternatively-proportioned Barbies in the mail, girls wrote asking about my struggle and detailing their own. This was the first time I truly realized the power a song could have."

Though "Barbie" came out on Wakefield's first record (Girlfriend, 1997), she's never forgotten that lesson. Four records and nine years later, Wakefield still strives to impact her audience through song. Residing in the wide-open spaces between contemporary folk and alt-country, Wakefield tells her stories. Her latest release, Take Me Home, guides listeners on a journey from cross-country road trips to home-sweet-home, from failed relationships to forever love. Songwriting alternates between starkly autobiographical ("Lullaby," "Take Me Home") to flights of fiction ("Leroy," "You Don't Know"), but always Wakefield alights upon a universal truth.

With a voice that's been called "Oregon cafes, small Texas towns and twangy Nashville rolled into one" (Cranky Crow, Seattle WA), Wakefield is gently carving out a name for herself, her music, and her stories.

Mare’s CDs, Girlfriend (1997), Factory (1999), One Day's Drive (2001), and Take Me Home (2006) are receiving airplay on folk, triple A and non-comm radio stations nationwide and in Canada, Australia, and Europe.

Dan Gonzalez

http://www.dangonzalezmusic.com, http://www.myspace.com/dangonzalezmusic

It's rare to find this marriage of smart social commentary with great music, but Gonzalez has done just that, fair and Square.

- Performing Songwriter

Public Square [the album] is excellent.

Rob Reinhart - Acoustic Café

...[a] literate topical balladeer.

Scott Alarik - Boston Globe

Boston singer/songwriter Dan Gonzalez released Public Square in June, 2006. Gonzalez's second full-length album features his newest songs in their purest form. Public Square has received wide acclaim, including recognition on Rob Reinhart’s nationally syndicated Acoustic Café program. The album was also chosen as a top 12 "Do It Yourself" album by Performing Songwriter magazine.

Dan Gonzalez has been called the "future of the singer/songwriter" and a "masterful solo performer" (reviews, cdbaby.com). Since winning the top songwriting scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in 2003, Dan has played venues such as Club Passim, the Berklee Performance Center, and the Bitter End. His music has received radio play on radio stations across the country, including Mix 98.5 Boston and WUMB 91.9 Folk Radio Boston, and has been featured on NPR's All Songs Considered.

In addition to performing and writing, Dan has initiated the Columbus Day Gift Project. This project raises funds through the sale of Dan’s song, Columbus Day. All profits from the sale of the Columbus Day single are gifted to Rethinking Schools, an organization committed to education for social justice. For more information on the Columbus Day Gift Project, please visit columbusdaygifts.org.

Awards…
• Finalist--2007 Telluride Troubadour Contest
• Finalist--2007 Wildflower! Performing Songwriter Competition
• Finalist--2007 Rose Garden Coffeehouse Performing Songwriter Competition
• Runner Up--2007 Singer/Songwriter Awards
• Semi-Finalist--2007 Starbucks Music Makers Competition
• Honorable Mention, 2007 Lyric Writer Awards
• Performing Songwriter Magazine Top 12 DIY album for Public Square, November, 2006
• “One to Watch" Rob Reinhart’s Acoustic Café, August, 2006
• Honorable Mention, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Songwriting Contest, 2006
• Radio Crystal Blue “Future Star, 2006
• Winner, Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge, December, 2006
• Feature, NPR’s All Songs Considered, May, 2004
• Honorable Mention, American Songwriter Magazine Lyric Competition, 2004
• Scott Benson Scholarship for Songwriting, Berklee College of Music, 2003
• Winner, Berklee College of Music Songwriting Competition, 2003
• Winner, Berklee College of Music Performer/Songwriter Contest 2003

Notable venues played…
• Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Telluride, CO)
• Club Passim (Cambridge, MA)
• Tupelo Music Hall (Londonderry, NH)
• Berklee Performance Center (Boston, MA)
• Nameless Coffeehouse (Cambridge, MA)
• Me & Thee Coffeehouse (Marblehead, MA)
• Rose Garden Coffeehouse (Mansfield, MA)
• Bitter End (New York, NY)
• Knitting Factory (New York, NY)
• Johnny D’s (Somerville, MA)
• Canal Street Tavern (Dayton, OH)
• Wilbert’s (Cleveland, OH)