MUSIC Forum at canaaninstitute.org

[Mike_L]

What: Beppe Gambetta at Valley Folk Music

When: Saturday, January 21, 7:30 pm

Where: Valley Folk Music at 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets)

Contact: Debra Chesman, Director info@ValleyFolk.org (607) 962-4461

Admission: $15 general / half price students and disabled / 14 and under free with adult.

Extra: Pre-concert, acoustic jam tunes and songs session begins @6PM.

Flat-picking Guitar Virtuoso and Singer Beppe Gambetta

With America in his heart and his roots in the sun and the olive trees of his home in Genoa, Italy, Gambetta bridges the two continents, creating a musical fusion where American roots music and Ligurian tradition, emigration songs and folk ballads, steel string guitars and vintage harp guitars not only co-exist but interact, without any rigid classification. After eleven CDs, DVDs, teaching books and collaborations with many other top-flight musicians, Gambetta is increasingly known as one of the true live master innovators of the acoustic guitar. His study of intricate details of the commonalities and differences between American, Celtic and Italian folk style uses of flat picks is unparalleled. His own style is as innovative as he is charming. His playing and singing stand out for their emotions and thoughtfully developed tone.


Gambetta, a true master innovator of the acoustic guitar, has played prominent festivals such as Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS, Merlefest in NC, Four Corners Festival in CO and Canadian Folk Festivals in Winnipeg and Edmonton, as well as NPR radio shows “All Things Considered” and “E-Town”. Gambetta also has performed in prestigious rooms like the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY. In his career he has performed with some great heroes of the folk scene like David Grisman, Gene Parsons, Doc Watson, Bela Fleck, Norman Blake and with the band Men Of Steel. Gambetta has become one of Europe's foremost guitarists in American idioms. He began by playing in a classical orchestra for plectrum instruments, but moved to American music when he founded the Italian bluegrass band Red Wine. The band released Full Taste, but Gambetta began to concentrate on a solo career in 1988, when he recorded Dialogs. He collaborated with Tony Trischka on Alone & Together, and moved to the Green Linnet label for 1995's Good News from Home. Gambetta has also released instructional videos for Homespun Tapes.



Gambetta once before graced the Valley Folk stage in 2009, when a last minute change of schedule brought him near Corning. At the time, it was thought to be a once in a lifetime chance to see Gambetta in such an intimate setting. The fact that it was summer time, on short notice, meant that many regulars regretted missing his last visit, so Valley Folk is providing another opportunity not to be missed. He promises to play some new repertoire so return concert-goers will see a new concert. “I’d like to emphasize how lucky we are to be able to present someone of Gambetta’s musical stature at Valley Folk Music in Corning” says Debra Chesman, Director and Booking Coordinator at Valley Folk Music.



“Get him on a stage and his fingers speak a language all their own. After all, he’s not known as the Italian King of the flatpick guitar for nothing.” - Steve Wildsmith of The Daily Times



For more information: www.valleyfolk.org info@valleyfolk.org (607) 962-4461



http://www.beppegambetta.com/ to hear some amazing sound clips and more info about Gambetta

Press: click on “promo and media” for high resolution photos.



These concerts are made possible by a grant from the NY State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered locally by the Arts Council of the Southern Fingerlakes.



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_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Debra Cowan sings folk songs from both sides of the Atlantic at Valley Folk Music



When: Saturday, February 18 2010, 7:30 PM Concert
Where: Valley Folk at Drake House, 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets)

Admission: $15 cash or checks on-the-door only; Children 14 and under free with adult;

½ price students (full-time college/high school w/ID) and disabled people.



There will be a pre-concert jam session from 6 PM until concert time. Bring unplugged instruments and voices to make music in the gallery before the show while the rest of the volunteers set up the theater.



In a music scene full of singer-songwriters contemplating their own navels, Debra Cowan is a breath of fresh air. She has all the skills of a real folk singer. Perfectly happy singing with her guitar or unaccompanied, she is a singer of songs written by others and she can make them convincingly her own. Cowan’s captivating warm alto sound, with just a little vibrato, carries each of her carefully-chosen folk songs with such emotion that you’ll forget they were written by others. Her newest release, Fond Desire Farewell, takes contemporary and time-honored public domain songs, but puts them in modern settings.



Idolizing Julie Andrews while a young girl, she later discovered Jethro Tull and Steeleye Span in her teens. Escaping her small Midwestern town at 21, she ended up in northern California (randomly chosen by the toss of a dart) where she attended college, sang in bars, and eventually found work as a math teacher. Continuing her discovery of folk music led her to English and Scottish singers like Sandy Denny and Ray Fisher. While she started performing 35 years ago, she began touring in 1998, with frequent stops in the US and UK, from folk clubs to festivals, eventually becoming the full-time folk singer she is today, bridging the old and new.



In 2011, Cowan sang the part of Marilyn from Si Kahn's musical production "Silver Spoon". She has performed in many prestigious UK venues and for six months in the late 90’s, held a residency at Sandy Bell’s Bar, Edinburgh's premier folk music pub, following in the footsteps of Dick Gaughan and Aly Bain. She was a formal showcase artist at several International and Regional Folk Alliance Conferences and twice performed on the nationally syndicated live radio show Folkstage (2002), hosted by Rich Warren and River City Folk (2008) hosted by Tom May. Her earlier recordings Dad’s Dinner Pail and Other Songs from the Helen Hartness Flanders Collection and The Long Grey Line brought her praise both in the US and abroad. In 2006 her version of “Walloping Window Blind” was featured in SingOut! magazine and also that year, her rendition of Richard Thompson's "Has He Got a Friend For Me" was included in the Free-Reed Records box set RT-The Life and Times of Richard Thompson.



“She is blessed with a beautiful voice and a deep appreciation for the tradition....each song is a new story to be shared and experienced." -- Ron Olesko, host "Traditions", WFDU, Teaneck, NJ



"Cowan is a clear-voiced singer who presents songs with affection and feeling."

-Dirty Linen Magazine
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

VALLEY FOLK COLLABORATES to CELEBRATE WOMEN

No longer will the accomplishments of Adirondack women remain unknown and unsung. Peggy Lynn has been singing, proclaiming women to be heroes. Sandra (Johnson) Weber, a former Corning West High graduate, has been digging through archives and recovering pieces of women's history. Together, they present the stories of remarkable Adirondack women who displayed courage, intelligence, fortitude, and backcountry buffoonery. As you hear their stories, be prepared to sob and chuckle. This program may make you reconsider Adirondack history.

Peggy Lynn is a folk singer and songwriter with 9 collaborative and solo CDs to her credit, including one whose songs about Adirondack women were co-written by Sandra Weber. She also was involved in an Adirondack DVD and co-wrote one book, Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks , also with Sandra Weber. Lynn is no stranger to Valley Folk audiences, having appeared back in Dec 2008 with renowned hammered dulcimer player Dan Duggan.

Sandra (Johnson) Weber is not only an author, but also a costumed storyteller as you will see in this performance. Weber’s inspiration for her award-winning writing was sparked by a passion for the Adirondacks. The mountains, meadows, rivers, and lakes of northern New York State awaken her creative voice, so she spends as much time as she can at her log cabin--listening, watching, reading, and digging into mountain legends, not to mention hiking canoeing, snowshoeing and skiing. She has written a total of 6 Adirondack books. Besides the Adirondacks, she enjoys writing about women, nature, music, and history. Especially enjoying writing for kids, she authored 3 books for young adults and her work has appeared in Highlights for Children and Cobblestone Magazine.



There are 3 events planned around these two women

1. Book Talk - Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks by Peggy Lynn and Sandra Weber. Talk to be led by Professor Louise Sullivan-Blum of Mansfield University.

Tue March 6, 6 PM @ Southeast Steuben County Library, 300 Nasser Civic Center Plaza, Corning.

Contact: ssclibrary.org (607) 936-3713 (free event)

2. Informal Workshop- The Importance of Telling Women’s History to be led by Peggy Lynn and Sandra Johnson Weber

Saturday March 10, 2- 3 PM @ Benjamin Patterson Inn , 59 West Pulteney St., Corning

Contact: www.pattersoninnmuseum.org (607) 937-5281 (free event)

3. Peggy Lynn & Sandra (Johnson) Weber: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks in Song and Story

Saturday, March 10, 2012 7:30 PM, $15* , Valley Folk at 171 Cedar Arts (corner 1st & Cedar St.)

(*usual discounts: half price students and disabled, 14 and under free w/adult)

These concerts are made possible, in part, with public funds from the NY State Council on the Arts, Decentralization Program, administered locally by the ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

He Said, She Said: Husband-and-Wife Irish Duo sings about couples in and out of love

For their forthcoming CD, Boston's favorite Irish music couple, Matt & Shannon Heaton are delving into juicy traditional COUPLE songs, songs which name two distinct, intriguing characters who face intrigue, drama, and strife. Renowned for their inventive and infectious arrangements of Irish music, Valley Folk Music will present flute player and traditional singer Shannon Heaton and her guitarist/singer husband Matt at The Drake House (171 Cedar Arts, Corning, NY) on Saturday April 14. Showtime is 7:30pm. Admission is $15 at door; Children 14 and under free with adult; Students with ID 1/2 price. Venue contact is Debra Chesman ( 607-962-4461 or info@ValleyFolk.org ).

Music is how the Heatons make their living; and it’s also how they share their love of timeless ballads and nostalgiac dance tunes with diverse audiences. From Thailand, to rural Manitoba, to New York City, the acclaimed duo has a knack for presenting Irish music in a fresh, accessible, and comfortable way for audiences of all ages.



Just as music is an integral part of their life, travelling is an integral part of who they are. As a young child, Shannon’s early summers were spent touring around the Southwest with her family for her parents’ research on Native American press. During her later formative years, Shannon lived in Nigeria, Africa, and Suphanburi, Thailand. Matt spent two summers studying guitar in Tuscany and has joined Shannon on repeat trips to Thailand. Together they have taken countless trips across the Atlantic to learn traditional music and hone their instrumental playing in Clare and Galway.

The Heatons find that their music is enhanced by expanding their horizons. Through their travels, meeting new friends helps them learn new tunes and helps them hear their music through new ears. Matt explains, “Playing music that tells stories people can relate to – and playing in people-friendly venues – allows us performers to connect with communities of listeners and fellow music lovers in a very direct way. It feels like an honest, refreshingly homegrown thing to be a part of.”

The Heatons now share their passion for music and traveling with their son, Nigel James. The youngest Heaton now shares the road with his parents. At just 18 months old, he has already been in three countries and seems to enjoy rhythmic aspects of Irish music best of all.

Matt & Shannon have an easy rapport with audiences and a knack for storytelling. Their shows are chock-full of fine musicianship and good humor, rich in variety and emotion as they move seamlessly from fiery Irish flute- and guitar-based instrumentals to songs about love, death, and bicycles. From town to town, they lift people’s spirits and make Irish traditional music relevant to general acoustic music fans.

Before their April 14th show, there will be an unplugged Jam session with acoustic instruments and voices, from 6pm until concert time. For more information about the Heatons, please visit www.MattandShannonHeaton.com

:: Official site www.MattandShannonHeaton.com
:: Fan Page: www.facebook.com/MattandShannonHeaton
:: Podcast: http://tuneofthemonth.posterous.com/rss.xml
:: Parenting Blog: http://leaplittlefrog.blogspot.com/

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_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Legendary Alice Gerrard in Duo with Beverly Smith at Valley Folk Music

When: Saturday, May 19, 7:30 PM Concert
Where: Drake House / 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets) Admission: $15* cash or checks at-the-door only; Children 14 and under free with adult; ½ price Students (Full-time College/High School) and Disabled People.



There will be a do-it-yourself, pre-concert jam session from 6 PM until concert time. Bring unplugged instruments and voices to join the community of music-makers down the hall while the rest of the volunteers set up the theater until concert time.

Alice Gerrard and Beverly Smith, longtime friends and jamming partners have been busy touring with other musicians for years. Recently, they have built a joint repertoire, bringing together their Appalachian bluegrass and old time duet singing with traditional tunes which they took on tour to Spain and the UK before preparing for this Corning debut at Valley Folk Music.

One of the most respected guitar players in old time music today, Beverly Smith is also in demand as a singer, fiddler, and dance caller. She has made numerous recordings, backing up fiddlers Bruce Molsky, Rafe Stefanini, Tara Nevins and Brad Leftwich, vocalizing with Irish musicians Mick Moloney and John Doyle, and also singing with bluegrass great Laurie Lewis. She toured with Carl Jones for ten years bringing wonderful harmony duet singing experience to the current tour with Gerrard. She has taught and played at many camps, including the Swannanoa Gathering and Jay Ungar’s Ashoken fiddle and dance camp. She has performed with various musicians at numerous folk festivals, including appearances with old time band, The Rockinghams.

The daughter of trained classical musicians, Alice Gerrard didn't grow up with bluegrass or folk music although she did sing around the living room piano. At Antioch College in Ohio, she was inspired by dorm mates to get more absorbed into rural sounds such as those in the “Anthology of American Folk Music” album and she abandoned the piano.

Next, Gerrard encountered a thriving music scene in Washington, D.C., where she met numerous bluegrass and old-timey musicians, including Mike Seeger of the New Lost City Ramblers, who introduced her to Hazel Dickens. With their mutual love of traditional American music, Gerrard and Dickens became close friends and developed a harmony style combining aspects of both the Carter Family and that of Bill Monroe. Their repertoire continued to expand as they studied sheet music at the Library of Congress and taped old-timey musicians at folk festivals.

The duo’s first two albums featured a stellar group of sidemen—bluegrass legends Lamar Grier, Chubby Wise, David Grisman, and Billy Baker. They were later combined and released (1996) what was to become one of the most influential recordings in music history, Pioneering Women of Bluegrass. The 26 tunes on the reissued album includes six Carter Family songs, Monroe tunes, three original songs by Dickens, plus Gerrard's hard-hitting satire of sexist attitudes towards women, "Custom Made Woman Blues." Gerrard and Dickens produced four classic LPs (recently reissued by Rounder on CD) and influenced scores of young women singers. Gerrard and Dickens' Get Acquainted Waltz was released in 1975 and featured accompaniment by Mike Seeger, Gerrard's husband at that time, and his New Lost City Ramblers band mate Tracy Schwarz.

Gerrard also recorded two albums with Seeger -- Mike and Alice Seeger in Concert in 1970 and Mike Seeger and Alice Gerrard in 1980 -- and one solo collection, Pieces of My Heart in 1994. Since 1987, Gerrard published The Old Time Herald, a quarterly magazine devoted to the preservation of old-timey music. She has also won numerous music awards including the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Distinguished Achievement Award, a Virginia Arts Commission Award, the North Carolina Folklore Society’s Tommy Jarrell Award, and an Indy Award. Inventory of Alice’s field recordings and interviews with 700 traditional musicians is archived at The Southern Folklife Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill: Alice Gerrard Music Collection, 1954-2000. http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/inv/g/Gerrard,Alice.html

To sum her up, Alice Gerrard is a talent of legendary status. In a career spanning some 40 years, she has known, learned from, and performed with many of the old-time and bluegrass greats and has earned worldwide respect for her own important contributions to the music. Alice’s two solo albums, Pieces of My Heart, and Calling Me Home were released on the Copper Creek label in 1995 and 2004, respectively, to critical acclaim in Billboard, Bluegrass Unlimited, New Country, and other publications. These superb recordings showcase Alice’s many talents: her compelling, eclectic songwriting; her powerful, hard-edged vocals; and her instrumental mastery on rhythm guitar, banjo, and old-time fiddle. ”One of the best voices in contemporary old-time music…This is the real stuff.”— No Depression, Nov-Dec. 2004

For more information visit Gerrard’s website: http://www.alicegerrard.com/index.htm or visit Valley Folk Music’s website: www.valleyfolk.org

Submitted by Debra Chesman (607) 962-4461



*These concerts are made possible, in part, by public funds from the NYS Council on the Arts Decentralization program, administered locally by the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

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_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

CHANGE OF PLANS - Flynn steps in at Valley Folk this month

When: Saturday, June 9, 2012 7:30 PM Concert
Where: Drake House at 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets) Admission: $15 cash or checks at-the-door only; Children 14 and under free with adult;
½ price Students (Full-time College/High School) and Disabled.

As customary, on concert nights, there will be a pre-concert jam session, down the hall, from 6 PM until concert time. Unplugged instruments and voices welcome.

While the originally-planned performer Enoch Kent is very much alive and well, doctor’s orders prohibit his appearance this month. We apologize to Kent’s fans for the disappointment. This does, however, give an opportunity for the Valley Folk debut of John Flynn, from the Brandywine area of Northern Delaware, who graciously agreed to step in on short notice so that we end the spring season on a positive note.
In an era of deep division, John Flynn's songs call us together as they speak for the wounded, the weary, and the afflicted; for the prisoner, the soldier, and all the forgotten ones who walk unseen in our midst. Fusing the vision of an activist with the unblinking eye of a truth-teller, John Flynn's music speaks deeply to the heart and the spirit. A wordsmith and poet of rare clarity, he evokes our shared humanity as he addresses the times we live in through songs that resound with awareness, irony, humor and compassion.
The open heartedness and resonant decency in Flynn's work have made him a staple of Phil Ochs Song Nights across the country, and brought him the respect and friendship of longtime heroes like Kris Kristofferson and Arlo Guthrie. Sally Millbury Steen of Pacem in Terris calls John Flynn "A troubadour of justice, mercy and hope."
“John Flynn has committed himself to a life of service and songs for and about ‘the lost and the lonely, the shackled and scarred.’ ... America's Waiting is a great album, distinguished by its courage and sincerity. ... This is an important album by an important artist." –Kris Kristofferson
"John Flynn is the John Lennon of the plasma generation!" -- Ramblin Jack Elliott
Visit his web page: JohnFlynn.net to find out more about John Flynn.
Press: Visit http://web.me.com/calljoann/Artists_of_Note/jf.html for Hi-Res photos. Also, use the "media" link on that web page.
Valley Folk’s musician friends help The Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes at The Old Time Fiddlers' Gathering, June 16/17 at Lakewood Vineyard in Watkins Glen in the jamming tents. The 2012 season continues on: October 20 with Alison McMoreland and Geordie MacIntyre- excellent traditional ballad singers all the way from Scotland; Finally, Al Parrish, of Tanglefoot fame, comes solo with his guitar to finish 2012 on November 17.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

October 19, 2012
at special Friday, 8:00 pm time
Jez Lowe

in the Drake House Studio Theater
at 171 Cedar Arts Center, 155 Cedar Street, Corning

Jez Lowe has built an enviable reputation over the last 20 years as a songwriter and performer and as a recognised musical ambassador for his native North East England, with more than a dozen albums and countless live performances around the world. Lowe was nominated as “Folksinger of the Year” (2008) in the BBC Folk awards. Jez Lowe is one of the busiest and most in-demand performers on the current acoustic music scene. More info http://www.valleyfolk.org/

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Saturday, October 20, 2012
John Roberts & Tony Barrand

in the Drake House Studio Theater
at 171 Cedar Arts Center, 155 Cedar Street, Corning

Widely acclaimed for their lively and entertaining presentations of English folk songs, John Roberts and Tony Barrand have performed at major festivals, colleges, clubs and coffeehouses throughout the US, Canada, and their native Britain. They sing the ballads and songs of rural pursuits, of social and sociable situations, of industrial toil and strife, of the sea and much more—illustrating the lives and the social history of the people who made and sang the songs. Their songs are punctuated with tales, monologues and dance tunes, giving a more complete appreciation of the diversity, and vitality of the English folk tradition. More info http://www.valleyfolk.org/

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Saturday, November 17, 2012
Al Parrish

in the Drake House Studio Theater
at 171 Cedar Arts Center, 155 Cedar Street, Corning

Al Parrish grew up singing in choir and playing in the high school band. Later, he played in many bands, in many genres. In 1989, he entered the world of folk/roots music when he and three friends created Brean Derg Muc. In 1994, he joined legendary Canadian roots icons Tanglefoot, beginning a 17-year career of touring across Canada, the US, and the UK. After Tanglefoot played its final show in 2009, Parish began playing solo in May 2010 with shows around Canada. In January 2011, he played a sold-out, solo concert at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario. Now he is bringing his solo show to Corning. More info http://www.valleyfolk.org/
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

CANCELLATION

Valley Folk is sorry to inform concert-goers that the previously advertised duo from Scotland, Alison McMoreland and Geordie MacIntyre are no longer able to appear October 20th due to unforeseen circumstances. We regret any disappointment to their fans.

But save the October 20th date, as there is another concert being planned for that same date to be announced shortly. In addition, there will be an extra concert added to the fall line-up, not previously advertised, to be announced shortly, for October 19, the same weekend.

The final 2012 concert with Al Parrish from Canada will proceed as planned for November 17.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

THE BRITISH ARE COMING! THE BRITISH ARE COMING!

Organizers at Valley Folk are bloody well excited about an all-British weekend on October 19 and 20. While Valley Folk concerts are usually on a Saturday, once a month, this October they present a concert with Jez Lowe on Friday, October 19 at 8:00 in the evening AND a concert with John Roberts and Tony Barrand on Saturday, October 20 at the usual 7:30 time. As is the custom on concert nights, a singing and jamming session will be held in the conference room beginning at 6 PM both nights. Concerts are held at 171 Cedar Arts Center in the Drake House on the corner of First and Cedar Streets in Corning. General admission is on-the-door only, cash or checks, at $15*. Full time student w/ID and the disabled get in for half price while children 14 and under are always free with an adult. For more information, go to www.valleyfolk.org or phone 607 962-4461.



While Lowe is a singer-songwriter, his songs speak of his native northeast England and his coal-mining home town (near where the movie Billy Elliot, was set). They tell of life, of history and the struggles of people past and present, sometimes with cultural references to poets and writers, broadcasts and disasters. It’s the stuff of great folk music; deceptively simple on one level, but very sophisticated on another level. Many of his songs, such as Back in Durham Gaol, (Gaol is the British spelling for jail) The Bergen, Greek Lightning and These Coal Town Days have been recorded by hundreds of other performers such as Fairport Convention, The Dubliners, The Tannahill Weavers, Cherish The Ladies, Liam Clancy, Gordon Bok, etc and are becoming classics. Chesman, who books Valley Folk Music concerts first heard Lowe at a Festival in Winchester, England. “He instantly became one of my favorites” Chesman said. Over the last 20 years, Lowe has played in some of the most prestigious venues in Australia, Europe, Hong Kong, UK and the US, accompanying himself on guitar, Cittern and harmonica.

Andy Nagy, of the BOSTON GLOBE said: Some of the best contemporary folk songs since early Richard Thompson are coming from the pen of Jez Lowe.

And now for something completely different on the next night:

We, at Valley Folk, are dead happy, as they say in England, that John Roberts and Tony Barrand, met as fellow graduate students at Cornell back in the 1960’s and have been singing lively and entertaining renditions of English folk songs ever since. Through the years, they have recorded several CD’s which include a critically-acclaimed album of authentic sea shanties, an album of drinking songs recorded live in a Chicago tavern, an Evening at the English Music Hall, and four albums of songs from their celebrated Christmas pageant, Nowell Sing We Clear. They have also recorded a selection of the songs that the composer Percy Grainger collected in Lincolnshire during the early years of last century and a collection of songs by Rudyard Kipling. They have recorded on a number of labels, including Swallowtail Records, Front Hall, Folk-Legacy Records, National Geographic, and most recently, Golden Hind Music.

Unaccompanied two-part singing has always been a primary staple of their repertoire, using stark harmonies. Their well-balanced voices are perfectly complimentary to each other. John is a leading exponent of both Anglo and English concertinas, as well as being a fine banjo and guitar player. They sing the ballads and songs of the sea, of rural pursuits, of social and sociable situations, of industrial toil and strife, and much more, typically arranging their material thematically to better illustrate the lives and the social history of the people who made and sang the songs. Their songs are punctuated with tales, monologues and dance tunes, giving a more complete appreciation of the wealth, diversity, and vitality of the English folk tradition.

Both are active in the folk dance arena as well as in song. Tony was a well-known Morris and clog dancer, and his teaching is in demand across the United States. His book, Six Fools and a Dancer, has been hailed as the definitive work on Morris Dance in the United States. John, although he can dance, may more often be found providing the music on concertina. When not participating in singing or dancing, Tony teaches folklore and esthetics via the University Professors Program at Boston University; John is a freelance music engraver and desktop publisher.

*Some of our concerts are made possible, in part, by a grant from the NYS Council on the Arts’ Decentralization Program, administered locally by the Arts Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

More information and links to performer websites can be found at www.valleyfolk.org

The 2012 Valley Folk season concludes on Sat. November 17 with Al Parrish from Canada.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Canadian Al Parrish to entertain at Valley Folk

When: Saturday, November 17, 2012 7:30 PM Concert
Where: Drake House at 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets) Admission: $15 cash or checks at-the-door only; Children 14 and under free with adult;
½ price Students (Full-time College/High School) and Disabled.

As customary, on concert nights, there will be a pre-concert jam session from 6 PM until concert time. Unplugged instruments and voices welcome.

Al Parrish played in many bands, in many genres. In 1989, Al entered the world of folk/roots music and never looked back. In 1994, Al joined legendary Canadian roots icons Tanglefoot, beginning a 17-year career of touring across Canada, the US, and the UK. The band was awarded the Crossroads Band of the Year (2000), Best of Bound for Glory (2003) and, at the 2007 CFMA, Best Vocal Group. In December 2009, Tanglefoot played its final shows and disbanded.

Parrish began playing solo in May 2010 with shows around Ontario and in Maritime Canada. In January 2011, he played a sold-out, solo concert at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener, Ontario. Legendary producer Paul Mills recorded that show on the Millstream Studio’s mobile, multi-track rig. From this, he and Al produced Propensity for Joy, Al’s first solo CD.

During this same time, Parrish has been working freelance with former bandmates Steve and Rob Ritchie, and My Sweet Patootie. He has also performed with Tom Leighton, Anne Lederman, Connie Kaldor, Coole Park, Pitch ‘n’ Timber, and The Dory Bungholes.

Parrish is currently in the studio working on another solo CD. When he is not playing music, he has been doing commercial voice-over for clients such as Petro-Canada, Nokia, and Insano Productions. He is also writing a memoire and a novel.

Save the date January 5, 2013 for the next Valley Folk concert when David Jones will perform songs of exquisite taste from both sides of the Atlantic. Mr. Jones, originally from London, comes to us from Leonia, NJ.

These concerts are made possible, in part, by a grant from the NY State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, administered locally by The Arts Council of The Southern Fingerlakes.
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Allan Carr and Jane Rothfield play new old-time with Scottish and Appalachian Roots on Saturday Feb 2 at Valley Folk in Corning.

CORNING NY - Husband/wife duo, Jane Rothfield and Allan Car have been playing their unique blend of traditional and original Celtic and Appalachian style music for over 30 years. Carr (from Aberdeen, Scotland) grew up surrounded by the rich traditional music of the Northeast of Scotland. Jane is an award winning fiddler and tune composer with deep roots in the fiddle traditions of New England, Scotland and the American South. They play roots music, directly from the source, while expanding on that tradition with newly composed songs and tunes. Expect fine singing, hot instrumentals and a warm sense of humor to take the chill out of February.

Allan Carr, already singing traditional songs in his teens at the Aberdeen Folk Club, learned from such source singers as Jeannie Robertson, Lizzie Higgins, Jimmy McBeath and Stanley Robertson. He went on to win traditional singing competitions throughout Scotland. In the early 80’s, Carr teamed up with American Rothfield in Edinburgh, Scotland where they recorded 3 albums featuring their unique combination of American and Scottish traditional and original music. Together they toured the folk clubs and festivals in the UK and USA, eventually joined by Silly Wizard bassist Martin Hadden, pioneering the fusion of American and Scottish traditional styles. They have appeared on BBC TV and Radio and American nationally broadcast radio shows such as The Flea Market (Chicago) and Mountain Stage (WV).Carr’s first Solo CD “Songs of Northeast Scotland” was released in August 2012, featuring his smooth singing and accompaniment on traditional songs from Allan’s homeland. Carr and Rothfield formed the new old-time string band, Red Hen in 2005 and have 2 recordings.[redhenstringband.com] Carr and Rothfield are also in demand in the Contra Dance scene with their bands Corachree (www.corachree) and Jane's Gang.

Jane Rothfield, in high demand as a fiddle and claw-hammer banjo teacher at folk music camps, started her fiddling career in high school with a band Mint Julep, in New England while learning from French Canadian fiddle master Louis Beaudoin (of Canton, Ct) and participating in fiddle contests throughout the region. She is an award winning fiddler and tune composer (her tunes, “Too Late for the Bacon” and “Red Hen” won the Best Original Tune prize at Clifftop Appalachian Music Festival (2006 & 2010). She has numerous recordings that demonstrate her swingy and full-of-groove fiddling as well as her original compositions. In addition to playing with Carr, Rothfield plays in several other contra dance bands - Great Big Taters and JaneBob! Her recordings have also been featured on Thistle and Shamrock on NPR.

When: Saturday, February 2, 7:30 PM Concert
Where: Drake House at 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets) Admission: $15 cash or checks at-the-door only; Children 14 and under free with adult;

½ price Students (Full-time College/High School) and Wheelchair Occupants.

Pre-concert jam session begins at 6 PM until 7:25. Bring unplugged instruments and voices, songs and tunes. Play down the hall while the rest of the volunteers set up the theater until concert time.

More information and samples of music: www.allancarrmusic.com & www.janerothfield.com

Press: For photo go to www.valleyfolk.org
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Siren Songs- A concert featuring The Johnson Girls with 171 Women’s Chorale as openers.

When: Concert begins at 7:30 PM. Saturday, March 2, 2013. Pre-concert jam/sing begins at 6:00

Where: 171 Cedar Arts Center’s Drake House Studio Theater (Corner of First & Cedar Streets.)

Admission: $15 on-the-door only by cash or check High School & F/T College Students and the Disabled welcome at half price with ID. Children 14 and under, free w/adult.

The Johnson Girls, based in NYC, make up an energetic, all-woman a cappella ensemble performing both traditional and contemporary music with hair-raising harmonies and a powerhouse delivery, emphasizing songs of the sea and shore along with haunting ballads and laments. Their songs are from all over the world. Listeners will hear songs with an Afro-Caribbean influence, of inland waterways, of fishing and mining, songs that are Irish, Anglo- American, Italian, French, and Canadian plus ballads work songs, and more. The audience becomes part of the show, singing the refrain on some of the songs.

“The Johnson Girls, shanty singers from America, took the place by storm….Those who thought a shanty singer had to be male, bearded and with a beer gut, had better think again.”–Cornwall Guardian, UK

The Johnson Girls have appeared at festivals, clubs, coffeehouses and schools, across North America, UK and Europe in addition to having sung on Oscar Brand’s radio show, France Bleu Radio, and French TV. They have been described as exciting, haunting or uplifting since coming together. They originated at the Mystic Seaport Festival in 1997, to burst through the barrier of this previously male-dominated genre.

There will be a short, (15-20 mins.) joyous opening set of folk songs performed by our own Corning area harmony makers, the Women’s Chorale of 171 Cedar Arts.

For 20 years, The Women’s Chorale of 171 Cedar Arts has been taking great pleasure in performing much-loved favorites from around the world, along with lesser-known compositions. Their mission is to share the music they love with the widest possible audience, and to develop and promote the universal language of music.

The Women’s Chorale would welcome new members! They rehearse and perform both at 171 Cedar Arts Center in Corning and in a wide range of community spaces. For more information, contact 171 Cedar Arts Center by phone (607)-936-4647 or by email info@171CedarArts.org.

This concert, part of the monthly Valley Folk concert series, is also part of the Festival of Women in the Arts in the greater Elmira area and is co-sponsored by 171 Cedar Arts Center

Valley Folk Music information: www.ValleyFolk.org
The Johnson Girls information: www.thejohnsongirls.com
Festival information http://www.cantatasingers.com/festival-of-women
171 Cedar Arts information: http://www.171cedararts.org/
The women’s Chorale information: http://www.171cedararts.org/womenschorale
A short video about the chorale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOTf2vclC0o

Save the dates: Valley Folk will host a Kitchen Party at a member’s house with the all-woman Irish-American group Long Time Courting, on Friday March 22 at 8 PM. You must contact Valley Folk to reserve a seat in advance by making a $20 (or greater) donation. Seating is limited. Coming up: Friday, April 19, 8 PM (at 171 Cedar) Brian Peters from Northeast England; Sat, May 18 – 7:30 Finest Kind – British-North American harmony trio from Canada.

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Kitchen Party with the Celtic sounds of Long Time Courting

Contact: Debra Chesman, Director, Valley Folk Music 607-962-4461 info@valleyfolk.org or Martin Hempstead 607-329-3309 www.valleyfolk.org

When: 8 PM Friday, March 22, 2013
Where: A Valley Folk Supporter’s home in the Corning/Painted Post area. Exact address and directions given with advanced reservations. Phone the above numbers for more information.

How Much: Minimum $20 donation (cash or check) for the musicians, given in advance. Children 14 and under free with adult; ½ price Students (Full-time College/High School) Reservations are essential, even if on the last day, and are based on limited spaces. Please phone or email to make the arrangements.



Who: Boston-based band LONG TIME COURTING offers an extraordinary blend of neo-traditional Celtic Roots music. Exquisite vocal harmonies combine with the formidable instrumental prowess of Sarah Blair (fiddle), Valerie Thompson (cello), Shannon Heaton (flute), and Liz Simmons (guitar) to create music that is both playful and richly satisfying. This is the second time Valley Folk will host Long Time Courting. Although the line-up has changed slightly with a new fiddler and cello player, the same high energy and instrumental skills along with the same gorgeous vocal blend of Shannon Heaton and Liz Simmons continues to impress.


"Enchanting vocals, top-rank musicianship, and well-conceived, intelligent arrangements."
--Boston Irish Reporter


"An exceptionally good album... one of the best new groups playing in the Celtic genre."
--Times Argus


“This is not a 'girl band' for the sake of being so. These women are true masters of their craft.”
--Aoife O'Donovan, vocalist and songwriter, Crooked Still



The “Kitchen Party” is a tradition from Newfoundland and Labrador where Celtic-based music was an inseparable part of the lives of early settlers. The evening will include a full length performance by the group in a relaxed atmosphere, up close and personal, where folk music is most at home. The usual warm beverages and snacks will be provided by Valley Folk. People are welcome to stay late to socialize, jam or sing after hours with acoustic instruments and voices.

Press: Visit the web page: http://www.longtimecourting.com/ to hear/see video of the band and read the individual bios of the band members or to get high res photos of the band.

Save the dates for our upcoming concerts held at 171 Cedar Arts in Corning :

FRI April 19 Brian Peters squeezebox master and strong singer from the Northeast of England; SAT May 18 Finest Kind—British and North American vocal trio from Canada www.valleyfolk.org for more details.

Submitted by Debra Chesman.

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

Brian Peters squeezes out traditional tunes and ballads at Valley Folk Music

When: FRIDAY, April 19, 2013 8:00 PM* Concert Where: Drake House at 171 Cedar Arts, Corning NY (Corner Cedar and First Streets) Admission: $15 cash or checks at-the-door only; Children 14 and under free with adult; ½ price Students (Full-time College/High School) and Disabled.
As customary, on concert nights, there will be a pre-concert jam session from 6 PM until concert time. Unplugged instruments and voices welcome. NOTE: this concert is on a Friday, at the usual venue.
Valley Folk Music, Director www.valleyfolk.org

Brian Peters is one of the English folk scene’s great all-rounders: a compelling singer, a top squeezebox player and a skilled guitarist. Brian is one of his country’s best Anglo-concertina players and is equally good on melodeon, while he’s also internationally-known as an excellent singer of traditional ballads. He delivers a repertoire of startling variety. Alongside classic songs from the tradition, and lively English dance tunes, you can expect to hear newer songs, a few of his own instrumental compositions, and wild squeezebox excursions into ragtime or blues, for variety. His stage act bristles with energy and wit.

Brian has played major folk festivals in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada, as well as touring extensively in Europe. He has collaborated with many British and American musicians, is in demand as an instrumental teacher and workshop leader, and has recorded several highly-acclaimed CDs.

“Brian Peters plunges deep into the ancient songs, finds their power, mystery, evil, drollery and courage, and brings them to us fresh” -- Cornell Folksong Society, USA

“A singer, guitarist and melodeon player of rare ability…. an unusual repertoire, and unusual conviction in singing it”--Dirty Linen (USA)

“Really excellent songs, performed to his usual high standard…. magnificent instrumental playing” --The Living Tradition

For more information, visit www.brian-peters.co.uk where you can also hear sound samples from performances or see hi-res photos (for the press).

Or go to www.valleyfolk.org and follow link to performer websites.
Save the dates: Saturday May 18 with Finest Kind, a vocal trio from Canada for the last concert of the spring season.
June 16/17 weekend in Watkins Glen for the annual Old Time Fiddlers' Gathering where musicians friends of Valley Folk will be in the jamming tents while others will be on stage.

Submitted by Debra Chesman (607) 962-4461
Valley Folk Music, Director www.valleyfolk.org

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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[Mike_L]

*From Debra -

Due to the unusual nature of a Friday concert at Valley Folk Music, there may have been some confusion. It was brought to my attention that things published in various places listed the start time either at 8 PM or at the usual 7:30 PM. The correct time is 8 PM.

Our brochure published months ahead and all the posters have listed 8 PM. We will, therefore, honor the 8 PM start time, hoping that if someone gets it wrong, they will be less upset that they rushed to get there early for no reason than if they arrived leisurely at 8 only find out they were late.

The compensation is that the pre-concert jam session will begin at the usual 6 PM time and it will run an extra half hour until concert time.

Thank you for your help in getting the correct and slightly unusual time out there of 8 PM on a Friday.

Debra Chesman

Valley Folk Music, Director www.valleyfolk.org
monthly concert series/folk music community
2013 concerts @ Cedar Arts Center, 155 Cedar St. CORNING, NY 14830 (Corner Cedar and First St.)
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Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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