Thanks to all who came despite the threat of the pending storm. I am back home in Notlob the day after, watching the huge flakes still falling, still trying to comprehend all that transpired last night. A concert featuring Kristin Andreassen (Uncle Earl and Sometymes Why) with
Laura Cortese (Laura Cortese Band & Halali) and Tristin Clairridge
(Daryl Anger & Crooked Still) would have a very special event in itself, but Kristin also brought Eric Merrill, Eric Robertson,
Monica Rizzio, Margaret Glaspy & Aoife O'Donovan!
Who would have thought that in just seven months this series would be presenting such stars of string music. Then again, the inaugural concert was Sometymes Why, so in a way we have come full circle. "What about Ruthy?" Well, she and Mike are taking care of their new baby, but we're working on a Fall date.
Biographies for the announced features were done in the website - http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com. So here's a little about Kristin's "friends".
Eric Merrill - "I live in Boston where I make violins and records. I'm terribly lucky
to be a part of a world in which people play music at once deeply
rooted in tradition and startlingly creative. I've worked as a producer
with many of my favorite musicians from this world, most recently with Crooked Still, Lissa Schneckenburger, and Rachael Davis. All three will have CDs coming out in the next few months."
Eric Robertson -
Monica Rizzio & Laird Boles (Tripping Lily) - "A group of musicians who draw their inspiration from within, Tripping
Lily has revolutionized songwriting with its’ personal and passionate
work. With Demetrius Becrelis (guitar/mandolin/vocals), brother Alex
Becrelis (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Monica Rizzio (fiddle/vocals), and
Laird Boles (upright bass), Tripping Lily blends a unique sound of
traditional and contemporary genres."
Margaret Glaspy (Joy Kills Sorrow) - "Joy Kills Sorrow blends traditional and contemporary influences with
original compositions and age-old melodies, creating a sound that is
inherently American and uniquely their own. Featuring the soulful
vocals of Margaret Glaspy, the one of a kind styling of banjoist Wes
Corbett, the internationally award-winning songwriting and bass chops
of Bridget Kearney, the 2006 national flatpicking champion Matthew
Arcara, and Berklee College of Music’s pioneering first mandolin
student Joe Walsh, Joy Kills Sorrow has deftly crafted a home for
itself on the borders between bluegrass, jazz, old-time and pop styles."
Aoife O'Donovan (Crooked Still, Sometymes Why) - "
Aoife
O'Donovan (first name
pronounced "EEF-uh") has been dubbed the “voice
of the new tradition” by Performer
magazine. USA Today calls her "the newest darling of the
Americana set." Merging American, Irish, klezmer and jazz
styles, Aoife’s angelic voice brings mature expressivity
to traditional songs. In addition to Crooked Still, Aoife is a
member of the jazz-bluegrass super-group the Wayfaring
Strangers and is featured on their latest release, This
Train (Rounder). She has also performed with Seamus
Egan, Darol Anger,
the Boston Pops, and the Utah Symphony. Aoife
grew up in Newton, MA in a house saturated with all kinds of music.
Her earliest musical influences included both of her parents as
well as vocal icons Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon. Aoife graduated
from the New England
Conservatory in 2003 and recently moved back to the Boston
area after spending a year in Brooklyn, NY. Her
extra-musical interests include the Boston Red Sox, Harry Potter
books, and organic snack food.
Aoife
also tours with the trio Sometimes
Why, including Ruth Ungar (The
Mammals, The
Wayfaring Strangers) and Kristin Andreassen (Uncle
Earl, Footworks). For more details on Sometimes
Why, please visit their lovely website.
The show started about 10 minutes late due to the dual issues of
logistics and choreography, getting the three advertised artists and five very special guests from the green room to the parlor. In those 10 minutes I could feel the electricity building in parlor, while in the "green room" Kristin was leading all through a final rehearsal and fine tuning the set list. Having this back stage view gave me additional insite into the role of the feature artist. Not only does she need to focus on her own performance, but also act as concert mistress. My hat is off to Kristin for performing this often unrecognized role.
My thanks to all the musicians, especially Kristin for acting as concert mistress, and to you, the members of the audience!
Keep your lamp trimmed and burning.
Jeff Boudreau
Update 3/5: View photos at http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com/ - click on the "photos" link.
