Zip City Blues

Fundraising Event
Friday, December 4th, 2009 8:00pm

Musician Lineup
11am - Paul Carson
12pm - Give Glory Dancers
1pm - Brad Hulbert and Russ Cook
2pm - Jim Amirault
3pm - Annika Amstutz

Underwritten by Peter and Barbara Brinkley

Storytelling Workshop from 10am to 12:00pm
“Tips and Tricks of the Well Told Tale,” presented by Regina Carpenter, is open to brand new tellers and veteran tellers.  Whether you are a beginner or experienced teller this workshop will strengthen your unique style, build your confidence and give you feedback on your storytelling strengths.  There will be a $5.00 more or less fee for the workshop (more if you can, less if you can’t). Workshop participants will then be given an opportunity to perform a story at the open mike at noon.
Underwritten in part by the Arts Council of the Northern Adirondacks

Storytelling Festival from 12:00pm - 6:00pm No Admission Fee
The stories are all true. The facts may have been altered because of memory lapses.  Karen Glass hosts.  The festival will end with a community potluck and an opportunity to "meet the storytellers."

For a list of performers and the days schedule Click Here
Underwritten in part by the Arts Council of the Northern Adirondacks

Jay Regional Idol Northern Essex County Competition
At the Amos & Julia Ward Theater In Jay, NY

June 6
Saturday
6:30pm

Wulaba Drumming  & Soma Beats African Dance
Saturday June 6th, 2009
Time: 6:30 pm
At the Amos & Julia Ward Theater 
Located at the Green in Jay
Admission: $5.00

Wulaba Drum
Wulaba is a West African drumming group based in Lake Placid, and founded by lead drummer and percussion teacher, James Gann. Soma Beats dancers are led and choreographed by Johnna MacDougall.

For over a dozen years, the Vermont band Atlantic Crossing has been thrilling audiences and contradancers with traditional songs and acoustic instrumental music from New England - music which has its roots in the Celtic British Isles and in French & Maritime Canada - together with original compositions inspired by these traditions.

Rich harmonies and compelling rhythms imbued with a deep love of the tradition, high levels of creativity and emotional expression, and a healthy dose of fun are the hallmarks of an Atlantic Crossing performance. The band is bringing to life the music of the Helen Hartness Flanders Collection of traditional New England songs, and researches, writes and performs material relating to local history.

May 30
Saturday
7:00pm

AMBIENT TEA PARTY AT JEMS THEATRE 
Venturing in a new direction, the Jay Entertainment and Music Society (JEMS) will present a DJ Peanutbutterbreath Ambient Tea Party.  The evening event is a fundraiser for JEMS.

Too Human and Karen Glass

May 22

Too Human play "Good music with a lot of heart." They cover jazz standards from the American Songbook, but with a fresh interpretation that brings new life to those classic songs. Their songwriting influences are Paul Simon, Smokey Robinson, Joni Mitchell, Buck Owens, Duke Ellington, Thom Bell, Carole King, Cole Porter and the Gershwins - from jazz and blues to pop to R&B. With vocals, guitar, percussion and, on occasion, upright bass they have a jazzy / bluesy feel with a lot of heart. Ellen's earthy voice combines perfectly with Roger's unusual percussion style and stirring vocals. Sweet harmonies, unusual arrangements and Roger's famous mouth trombone are the musical elements that frame their performance. But what drives their work is their on-stage chemistry. High quality musicianship with humor and passion, totally in sync with each other, they create a strong and intimate atmosphere.

Karen Glass is teacher, grandmother, quilter, paddler……………..and storyteller.  She has been telling stories for more than 50 years, professionally for the last 15 years.  She weaves a spell for her listeners, holding their hands, their eyes and their hearts through snowstorms and fires and beautiful gardens. She weaves the spell of stories of times past and places of fantasy. She has children believing they are native people listening to their stories, learning and laughing as they listen. Adults are drawn in to the stories and find the truth of the stories in their hearts. Karen has published two CDS; Phoebe’s Garden and other stories of strong women and The Troll at Bear Pond and other Adirondack Hiking Tales with Too Human providing the original musical interludes.  She has told stories from California to Massachusetts but especially loves to tell in the Adirondacks.

Homegrown String Band

May 15

The Homegrown String Band is a 21st century incarnation of the traditional family band. The band consists of Rick and Georgianne Jackofsky and daughters Erica and Annalee, who have been performing at festivals, theaters, coffeehouses, schools, and libraries throughout the northeast since 1997.

Before the inventions of radio and television made it possible to bring professional entertainment into our homes, it was common for families and communities to entertain themselves by singing and dancing to homemade music. In 1992 the Jackofsky family threw away their television and sought out more traditional forms of entertainment. Picking up where their grandparents left off, they are reviving a great American musical tradition. Inspired by the rural string bands of the early 20th century, this 21st century incarnation of the traditional family band utilizes unique instrumentation including guitar, banjo, fiddle, dulcimer, mandolin, banjo ukulele, harmonica, jawharp, doumbek, and percussive dance to put their own stamp on a repertoire drawn from the classics of rural American music, including blues, bluegrass, country, and folk. Their original music has been lauded as heartfelt, original, and impressive by major music publications Sing Out! and Dirty Linen. Sing Out!also hailed Erica as a true fiddle powerhouse.

Towne Meeting String Band

April 24

Towne Meeting is a distinctive blend of vocals and acoustic sounds for vintage and contemporary music. The group crosses generations in its selection of songs as well as its membership. It consists of family and life long friends, many of who have sung and played music together off and on for several years. The group’s name represents folks coming together to play music at family and community gatherings.

Towne Meeting is: Dennis Hulbert, vocals, 12 string guitar; Miles Moody, vocals, six string guitar; Richard Sutphen, vocals, six string guitar, mandolin; Gary VanCour, vocals, six string guitar; and Justin VanCour, bass guitar.

For more information, go to www.myspace.com/townemeeting or contact the band at <townemeeting@yahoo.com>

Crossing North

February 27

Bruce Lawson and Jen Carter-Kelly share a spirit for traditional, uncontrived acoustic music. They evolved into Crossing North, a duo that respects the past while creating their own unmistakable spare, sweet sound. Built on a framework of close, two-part harmony, Crossing North performs music at the intersection of acoustic country, folk and bluegrass.

Their concerts feature original music, plus new versions of a few great tunes made popular by artists they admire. The duo has a fan base throughout the Champlain Valley region of New York and Vermont.

 Dan Berggren

March 13

     Dan Berggren's roots are firmly in the Adirondacks where he was raised but his music has branched out across many borders.  The award-winning musician and educator grew up in the Essex County town of Minerva on the land farmed by his mother's family for four generations.  Dan has entertained audiences throughout New York State , from Kentucky to Texas, Vermont to Michigan, and overseas in Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Transylvania and Central Africa.

       The 30-year folk veteran held various jobs before devoting his life to music full-time:  working in the woods with a forest ranger and surveyor; radio producer in Europe; and professor of audio and radio studies for SUNY Fredonia.  Dan currently lives in Ballston Spa where he owns and operates Sleeping Giant Records which has produced thirteen albums.

Dorothy Jane Siver and Family

March 27

Dorothy Jane Siver has been playing music most of her life. With weekly piano lessons since she was 4 years old, her private teacher explained to her parents that she had a musical "gift". At the age of nine she began taking private violin lessons with the local music teacher. Rapidly learning with the popular "Suzuki" method, the two private music teachers continued to give her praise as an above average music student. Dorothy auditioned with 400 musicians and was chosen to become a member of the Vermont Youth Orchestras String group as a Violinist for the 2007 season.

Practice was to become morebecame intensive. Piano lessons and daily practice, private violin lessons and daily practice, Weekly orchestra rehearsals weekly and a strict homeschool program was starting to put some stress on the young musician. A quick plan was adopted and her parents rushed to a local violin shop to find her a cure. They purchased her a "fiddling" book with a cd and took it home for her to play. She not only smiled while playing, but started stomping and swaying as she fell in love with BLUEGRASS MUSIC !!!!!!