A Thanksgiving for Veterans / Armistice (Veterans) Day for Peace

notloB Music salutes all veterans and encourages readers to support this and similar events.
When you read of the events below note the music element, especially the fact that the one and only Lenny "Let's Go To Mars" Soloman will be playing for your listening and dancing pleasure!

Jeff Boudreau
QM1 (E6), USCG

A Thanksgiving for Veterans

Dinner and concert benefit to give thanks to our veterans and support the important work of the Somerville Homeless Coalition and the local chapter of the Volunteers of America.
DATE & TIME:
Saturday, November 9, 6:00 pm
LOCATION:
Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church, 155 Powderhouse Blvd, Somerville, MA
HOSTED BY:
Clarendon Presbyterian Church and the Nave Gallery
ADMISSION FEE:
Free to veterans and their families.
Open to the public. Proceeds benefit the Somerville Homeless Coalition and the local Volunteers of America.
$20 suggested donation for concert and dinner
$10 suggested donation for dinner or the concert
Tickets may be purchased at the door
Purchase tickets online: https://www.eventbrite.com/event/8913004035

PROGRAM:
Dinner: 6-7:30 pm
Concert: 8-10 pm
Music by:
Lenny Solomon
Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society Brass Band

SPONSORSHIP:
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please contact info(at)navegallery(dot)org for more information.

ACCESSIBILITY:
The Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church has limited accessibility. Please contact info(at)navegallery(dot)org to find out how we can accommodate your needs.

Lenny Solomon Band performed at the Veterans for Peace Benefit Concert presented at the Democracy Center, Cambridge on February 9, 2008. Photo by Beth Fridinger.

Armistice (Veterans) Day for Peace

Monday, November 11, 2013, 2:30-3:30pm
Samuel Adams Park, Boston

Program:
OPENING
Leftist Marching Band, music
Bob Funke, Member, VFP: Ringing of the Bell
Pat Scanlon, Coordinator, VFP: Welcome
Rev. Lara Hoke, Secretary, VFP: Words of Peace

REFLECTIONS ON ARMISTICE DAY
Dudley Hartung, Korean War Veteran
Bob Funke, Vietnam War Veteran
Michael Spinnato, Iraq War Veteran, member of Iraq Veterans Against the War
Al Johnson, Member, VFP: Chelsea Manning

Leftist Marching Band - Music to Dance By

Bruce Macdonald, Vice-Coordinator, VFP: Closing Thoughts

https://www.facebook.com/events/312783792193594

Why Jim Hurst couldn't care less about the CMAs, and why Mark Simos believes it's again safe to watch

"There is a LOT of music I wouldn't exactly call country being played on 'today's country' radio. Just because it has a tractor or a case of beer in it don't make it country, that makes it cheese factor 12 to me."
-Jim Hurst, Jim Hurst, 2x IBMA guitar player of the year, a 2x notloB Parlour Concerts (5/15/10 & 5/23/12) alumnus and a hell of a great guy.

"Sorry if this surprises anyone, but I couldn't care less about the CMAs. Haven't enjoyed the bulk of what is called "today's Country Music" for quite a while... years.

I get it that it sells, and why that is SO important in business, I just don't understand why musical art can't also be included in that 'genre' - using the term loosely.

When country stopped playing the music of Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, and many many more - not even mentioning the legends - I quit listening, and buying.

Even more surprising to some of you: I actually appreciate Taylor Swift and her talent... heck, I even like her music. Yes, you read that right. Do I consider it country? Not me.

There is a LOT of music I wouldn't exactly call country being played on 'today's country' radio. Just because it has a tractor or a case of beer in it don't make it country, that makes it cheese factor 12 to me.

Besides the CMA's and the ACM's have almost always been much ado about nothing, even in the grand days of country music. 

But, I choose to ignore the hype and the non-country music of the CMA's and ACM's and watch a good movie, HGTV, read a book, or take a walk.
But that's just me."

The following morning another notloBBer (2/17/12), Berklee College of Music Professor Mark Simos, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist and another swell guy, did watch the CMA's, posting the following to his Facebook page:

I tuned in to the CMAs Wednesday night because I heard Taylor Swift would be performing with Alison Krauss and other amazing folks (a true pantheon) from the more traditional side of country and bluegrass. It was indeed a beautiful moment that filled me with pride and admiration, both for the musicians I know and for Taylor's taste and groundedness. She's a great writer and performer, and the "unplugged" version of "Red" demonstrated the true song craft that the larger production builds on.

But the real high point of the evening for me was Kacey Musgraves singing "Follow Your Arrow." Call this an open letter of unabashed gushing admiration from a doddering old New England songwriting professor, but that was just the most courageous, most heartfelt, uplifting performance I've seen and heard in a long time.

So I'm officially announcing a mad musical crush on Kacey Musgraves. I love that she brings such a deft songwriter's turn of phrase to her theme. Students of classical rhetoric should study how that song lyric is put together. (G. K. Chesterton himself would be proud, Ron Block!) I love that she frames controversy in a broader philosophical context that shifts the discussion in a powerful way. I love the grace and bravery and wit she showed (as she strummed her ukelele-esque little guitar, Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer!). I love that she brought her grandma as her date to the CMA. I love that she whistled. I love that someone sings "Hey" in the band after "make lots of noise" and then doesn't sing again for the rest of the chorus but you're sure they're still singing hey after each line. (What's up with that about, Pat Pattison?) I don't love that they censored her line (though it kind of proves her point) but I love that she sang it anyway, and shrugged in amused acceptance because I guess she knew it was getting censored - meanwhile I'm like: "darn, such a good song but why is there that unartful lyrical lacuna right at the crux of the chorus?" I loved that she's proving Nashville might be ready for things everyone has been so sure Nashville isn't ready for. Ready or not.

But above all else: I could swear I heard her sing: "Follow your arrow wherever it pointeth." And if she sang "pointeth" in a country song, I think she should get the Nobel Prize for Country Songwriting. 'Nuff said.

With Kacey Musgraves being recognized, and George Strait winning "CMA Entertainer of Year", perhaps the country music industry has turned a corner and Jim can watch this year's awards on replay and live next year.

Related
Censors Mute Kacey Musgraves During 2013 CMAs Performance of ‘Follow Your Arrow’

By Amy Sciarretto November 6, 2013 8:50 PM

THE BOMBADILS w/ Cat and the Moon, JP, 11/22

THE BOMBADILS w/ Cat and the Moon

Eliot Street Coffeehouse

First Parish Church of Jamaica Plain, 6 Eliot Street, JP
Friday, November 22

Doors 7:30, concert 8:00.

$10 students, seniors and the unemployed; $13 in advance; $15 at the door.

Tickets - http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/461823

The Bombadils are a ridiculous and kind-hearted bunch of rascals disguised as a four-piece folk band. Originating from Vancouver, Edmonton, and Halifax, they met in 2009 at McGill University's Schulich School of Music in Montréal, where they were pursuing their studies in jazz and classical music. These musical influences carry over into their love of folk music which includes Irish, bluegrass and Canadian and American old time.

Anh Phung, on Irish whistles and flute, is a stunning presence and spunky improviser. She has twice been awarded the Galaxie Rising Star Award as well as 1st place in the Canadian Music Competition. She performs regularly with notable artists such as blues man Carl Tremblay and John McGale, of Offenbach. Anh plays as though through telepathic communication with kooky and happy-go-lucky fiddler and vocalist, Sarah Frank. Sarah has travelled the continent performing and studying with key figures of traditional folk music such as Peter Yarrow, (Peter, Paul, and Mary), Alasdair Fraser, Natalie Haas, Laura Cortese, and Pierre Shryer. Luke Fraser on guitar, mandolin, and lead vocals grew up on the musical traditions of Nova Scotia, where he has performed as part of the vibrant Maritime music scene, including The Rankins' own Red Shoe Pub and the Halifax Jazz festival. Evan Stewart, upright bass, has performed at the Montreal Jazz festival and has shared the stage with award-winning musicians such as Steve Turre (Best Trombone and Best Miscellaneous Instrumentalist in JazzTimes, Downbeat, and Jazziz), Jim Head and Kent Sangster (Juno nomination, Western Canadian Music Award). 

Coming together as The Bombadils, these four diverse musicians perform a combination of traditional and original music, both instrumental and vocal, both English and French, both improvised and through-composed. For the past three years they have been performing regularly throughout Québec at pubs and cafés, local dances, weddings and concerts. Since their graduation from McGill University's Schulich School of Music, The Bombadils have released their debut CD "Fill Your Boots!" and continue to perform across Canada.

The Bombadils - Blue Lullaby

Cat And The Moon is a contemporary Celtic Bluegrass fusion group that was started in Boston Massachusetts in 2012. They have a wide range of styles including Irish, Bluegrass, originals, jazz fusion, and classical. They play shows throughout New England as well as the Tri-State Area.

Facebook Event - https://www.facebook.com/events/574245522632537/

The Bombadils' website - http://www.thebombadils.com/

The Bombadils' Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/thebombadils/

The Cat and the Moon's website - http://catandthemoonmusic.com/
The Cat and the Moon's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/CatAndTheMoon/

The Eliot Street Coffeehouse, a co-production of the Eliot Street Soiree and notloB Parlour Concerts, are presented in the beautiful and acoustically sound First Church of JP's parish hall.

After that? Watch Eliot Street Coffeehouse's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/6EliotStreet and/or website - http://www.firstchurchjp.org/eliotstreetcoffeehouse/

Dan Bui and Friends at Outpost 186 Inman Square

Dan Bui and Friends

Wednesday, November 20

Bluegrass
Outpost 186, 186 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge

A recent graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Dan Bui is a mandolinist from Austin, Texas. He loves bluegrass and old-time fiddle music. He is thrilled to be performing some original music he has been writing with the help of some of his favorite musicians from the Boston acoustic music scene. 

Lord Geoffrey's Fall offering is an unplugged series in Cambridge featuring rising young talent from the Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory!
Wednesday, September 25 - Eleanor Buckland and Isa BurkeWednesday, October 16 - Cat and The MoonWednesday, October 23 - Dylan McKinstry and Friends
Wednesday, November 20 - Dan Bui and Friends
Saturday, November 30 - Molly Pinto Madigan and Friends
Wednesday, December 4 - Adrinna Ciccone and Friends, Featuring Neil PearlmanWednesday, December 11 - Jacob Means and Friends
Wednesday, December 18 - High Rock MountainThe concerts are presented at Outpost 186, 186-1/2 Hampshire Street, Inman Square, Cambridge where there is plenty of space and on-street parking / close to the T.  It's an art gallery with plenty of room to move, not a bar where artists compete with loud conversations and blaring televisions, or a cramped listening room where patrons are packed into tiny tables!
Patrons are welcome to bring stringed instruments for the pickin' party that follows.
Thanks to Darol Anger (Berklee) and Tanya Kalmanovitch (NEC), Lord Geoffrey's Fall season consultants!

Doors 7:30; Concert 8:00

Students $5

General Public $10

Patrons are welcome to bring string instruments for the after-concert pickin' party.

Email lordgeoffreypresents@gmail.com for special "insider" information.

And tune in to "The Bluegrass Lounge" on Berklee student internet radio The BIRN Monday, November 18, 11pm-1am, when the program will host Dan and his friends live in studio!

NPR music has a very twisted sense of history and music genre

"NPR Music" really needs to understand music genre definitions much, much better. Bluegrass is not old-time, and folk revival is not folk! 

In First Listen: Soundtrack, 'Inside Llewyn Davis' by STEPHEN THOMPSON, November 03, 201311:00 PM

...NPR Music claims "The Coen brother's sparked a bluegrass revival with their 2000 film 'O Brother, 
Where Art Thou?'" 

Oscar Isaac (left) and Justin Timberlake in a scene from Inside Llewyn Davis. Both are featured on the movie's soundtrack. Photo by Alison Rosa

NPR music has very twisted sense of music genres.

O Brother was a fictional film which featured traditional, old-time music and popular tunes and songs and tunes...

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Artist	Length
1.	"Po' Lazarus"	traditional	James Carter and the Prisoners	4:31
2.	"Big Rock Candy Mountain"	McClintock	Harry McClintock	2:16
3.	"You Are My Sunshine"	Davis, Mitchell	Norman Blake	4:26
4.	"Down to the River to Pray"	traditional	Alison Krauss	2:55
5.	"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (radio station version)	Dick Burnett	Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski	3:10
6.	"Hard Time Killing Floor Blues"	James	Chris Thomas King	2:42
7.	"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (instrumental)	Burnett	Norman Blake	4:28
8.	"Keep On the Sunny Side"	Blenkhorn, Entwisle	The Whites	3:33
9.	"I'll Fly Away"	Brumley	Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch	3:57
10.	"Didn't Leave Nobody but the Baby"	traditional	Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch	1:57
11.	"In the Highways"	Carter	Leah, Sarah, and Hannah Peasall	1:35
12.	"I Am Weary, Let Me Rest"	Roberts (Kuykendall)	The Cox Family	3:13
13.	"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (instrumental)	Burnett	John Hartford	2:34
14.	"O Death"	traditional	Ralph Stanley	3:19
15.	"In the Jailhouse Now"	Blind Blake, Rodgers	Soggy Bottom Boys & Tim Blake Nelson	3:34
16.	"I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" (with band)	Burnett	Soggy Bottom Boys & Dan Tyminski	4:16
17.	"Indian War Whoop" (instrumental)	Hoyt Ming	John Hartford	1:30
18.	"Lonesome Valley"	traditional	The Fairfield Four	4:07
19.	"Angel Band"	traditional	The Stanley Brothers	2:15
Total length:				61:24

...that was set in the the Great Depression of 1930's in the American deep south. This makes the setting , one decade and some 600 miles to the south of where bluegrass was conceived and born. Thank you for perpetuating the fallacy that old-time music is the same as bluegrass, NPR!

Proceeding on this faulty foundation, NPR Music infers a movie about a country blues and folk revival artist, Dave van Ronk, will cause new interest in folk music. Here we go again. Dave Van Ronk played country blues music and was a member of "the great folk scare", meaning he was a folk revival artist.

As purported subject matter experts, NPR Music does not understand music genre definitions very well and as a result, intentionally or not, confuses the general public. Here are generally accepted definitions of the genres:

Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of Appalachia.^[1] It has mixed roots in Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and English^[2] traditional music, and also later influenced by the music of African-Americans^[3] through incorporation of jazz elements.Immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland arrived in Appalachia in the 18th century, and brought with them the musical traditions of their homelands. These traditions consisted primarily of English and Scottish ballads—which were essentially unaccompanied narrative—and dance music, such as Irish reels, which were accompanied by a fiddle.^[4] Many older Bluegrass songs come directly from the British Isles. Several Appalachian Bluegrass ballads, such as Pretty Saro, Barbara Allen, Cuckoo Bird and House Carpenter, come from England and preserve the English ballad tradition both melodically and lyrically.^[5] Others, such as The Twa Sisters, also come from England; however, the lyrics are about Ireland.^[6] Some Bluegrass fiddle songs popular in Appalachia, such as "Leather Britches", and "Pretty Polly", have Scottish roots.^[7] The dance tune Cumberland Gap may be derived from the tune that accompanies the Scottish ballad Bonnie George Campbell.^[8] Other songs have different names in different places; for instance in England there is an old ballad known as "A Brisk Young Sailor Courted Me", but exactly the same song in North American Bluegrass is known as "I Wish My Baby Was Born".^{[9]Continued at} http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluegrass_music

Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of various cultures of the Ireland, Britain, Africa, and Continental Europe. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, flatfoot dancing, buck dancing, and clogging. The genre also encompassesballads and other types of folk songs. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments (most often the guitar and banjo).Continued at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-time_music 

Country blues otherwise known as acoustic blues (also folk blues, rural blues, backwoods blues, or downhome blues) is a general term that refers to all the acoustic, mainly guitar-driven forms of the blues. It often incorporated elements of rural gospel, ragtime, hillbilly, and dixieland jazz. After blues' birth in theSouthern United States, it quickly spread throughout the country (and elsewhere), giving birth to a host of regional styles. These include Memphis, Detroit,Chicago, Texas, Piedmont, Louisiana, West Coast, Atlanta, St. Louis, East Coast, Swamp, New Orleans, Delta, Hill country and Kansas City blues.^{[1][2]Continued at} http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_blues

Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers. It has been contrasted with commercial and classical styles. One meaning often given is that of old songs, with no known composers; another is music that has been transmitted and evolved by a process of oral transmission or performed by custom over a long period of time.Starting in the mid-20th century a new form of popular folk music evolved from traditional folk music. This process and period is called the (second) folk revival and reached a zenith in the 1960s. This form of music is sometimes called contemporary folk music or folk revival music to distinguish it from earlier folk forms.^[1] Smaller similar revivals have occurred elsewhere in the world at other times, but the term folk music has typically not been applied to the new music created during those revivals. This type of folk music also includes fusion genres such as folk rock, folk metal, electric folk, and others. While contemporary folk music is a genre generally distinct from traditional folk music, in English it shares the same name, and it often shares the same performers and venues as traditional folk music. Even individual songs may be a blend of the two.Continued at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_music

Hey NPR Music, bluegrass is not old time, and folk revival is not folk! 
And NPR Music needs to revisit its own mission statement...
The NPR Mission
The mission of NPR is to work in partnership with Member Stations to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures.
...to remind itself to write articles that better inform and educate, rather than mislead, the public.

Brittany Haas, Owen Marshall and Joe Walsh "folk music power trio"

Brittany Haas, Owen Marshall and Joe Walsh
"folk music power trio"

Photo credit: Amanda Kowalski

House concert

Sunday, December 8

Doors 6:30, concert 7:00

Minimum suggested donation $10 students and seniors ; $15 all others

No walk-ins, donation must be received in advance.

In Brittany Haas, Owen Marshall and Joe Walsh, we find a veritable folk music power trio. As masters of old-time, celtic, and bluegrass music, all three musicians are widely respected on their chosen instruments (fiddle, guitar, and mandolin). 

California-born Brittany Haas is widely regarded as one of the most influential fiddlers of her generation. She grew up honing her craft in fiddle camps nationwide, and came to her unique sound through the old time fiddling of Bruce Molsky and the innovative stylings of Darol Anger. A prodigious youth, she began touring with Darol's Republic of Strings at the age of 14. She simultaneously studied baboons in the evolutionary biology department of Princeton University and joined seminal chamber-grass band Crooked Still. She has toured with them since, and also performed with Yonder Mountain String Band, Tony Trischka, Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas (her cellist sister), Abigail Washburn, and The Waybacks. She played her fiddle on Steve Martin's Grammy Award-winning CD, "The Crow," and performed in his band on Letterman and SNL. She released her debut self-titled solo album at 17, produced by Darol Anger and featuring Bruce Molsky, Mike Dana Bruce Marshall l, Alison Brown and others. Currently residing in Boston, she is the co-leader of the Brittany Haas/Dan Trueman band who released their debut record "CrissCross" in 2011. She also plays in a fiddle duo with Lena Jonsson, an all-girl indie old-time band called The Fundies, and a trio with Jordan Tice & Paul Kowert.

Hailed by Nashville’s Music Row Magazine for his “lickety-split mandolin work” and by Vintage Guitar Magazine as “brilliant”, Portland, Maine-based Joe Walsh is emerging as one of the best mandolinists of his generation. Walsh is known for his exceptional tone and taste, and his collaborations with acoustic music luminaries including legendary fiddler Darol Anger, flatpick guitar hero Scott Nygaard, bluegrass super group the Gibson Brothers, and pop/grass darlings Joy Kills Sorrow have taken him all over the map, both musically and literally. He’s played with everyone from John Scofield to Bela Fleck to Emmylou Harris, and performed everywhere from bluegrass festivals to laundromats to Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Walsh has two solo albums to his credit, and when not on the road he works at the Berklee College of Music, as a mandolin instructor, ensemble teacher, and as the associate director of the Berklee American Roots Festival.

Vogue magazine calls musician Owen Marshall “A guitar/mandolin/banjo player rivaled in character only by the occasional three-pronged carrot” (Vogue, Nov 2009). Owen has accompanied and collaborated with many of traditional music's top performers including Aoife Clancy, Liz Carroll, Darol Anger, John Doyle, Andrea Beaton, Jerry Holland, Ari & Mia Friedman and his own traditional Irish trio “The Press Gang”. His music has appeared on NPR “the Thistle and Shamrock,” BBC television, and the back of his left elbow has appeared on MTV. In addition to being a respected performer, Owen is in demand at music camps throughout New England and the U.S., where he shares his approach to accompanying traditional music.

Sunday, December 8
Doors 6:30, concert 7:00
A private home just outside of Cambridge.
Suggested minimum donation $10 students and seniors; $15 all others
Donation must be received in advance, either in person at the Fellswater concert 11/1 https://www.facebook.com/events/335079686627918/
or by check payable to Brittany. Email notlobreservations at gmail dot com for instructions.

This concert's Facebook event URL is https://www.facebook.com/events/235959396566713/