Cornell Folk Song Society Concert — Saturday, February 27, 8:00 pm at Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall, Cornell Ag. Quad (Garden Ave., near Bailey Hall), Ithaca, NY

This wild wind out of Canada blows hot, not cold! With passion, precision, and playful charm, Le Vent du Nord has taken the world of Gallic dance and song by glorious storm, earning accolades such as Canada’s JUNO, Boston Globe’s Album of the year (2009), the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance Best Artist award, and Best of Bound for Glory. Nicolas Boulerice, Olivier Demers, Simon Beaudry, and Réjean Brunet meld four rich voices, hurdy gurdy, accordions, fiddle, piano, guitars, mandolin, bodhran, jaw harp, bones, and foot percussion in traditional Quebeçois music and their own spirited compositions. They also skillfully embrace Breton, Celtic, Gypsy, Senegalese, Indonesian, and New Orleans Dixie jazz music, with effortless transitions between styles.La Volée d’Castors. They’re well-versed in the French Canadian heritage of call and response and crooked dance tunes, stunningly tight vocal harmony, and achingly beautiful music. Kerry Dexter of Dirty Linen writes: “It’s a wild ride through French-Canadian music, with just enough of the quieter side of things to catch your breath and prepare you for the next round of flying fiddle notes, hurdy-gurdy circles, and stories in song.” This will be a rare night of high-energy music, age-old to original, with a decidedly French twist, performed with finesse and infectious joy! When LVDN plays, it’s hard for audiences to stay seated.

Over the years, LVDN members have developed their skills in such stellar groups as Eritage, Matapat, Ad vielle que pourra, La Bottine Souriante, MontcorbieR, and

Concert tickets: $15 advance/$17 door. $3 rebates for CFSS members, seniors, teens; children free. Cornell students $10/$12. Tickets at Ludgate Farms, Ithaca Guitar Works, GreenStar, Bound for Glory, online (cornellfolksong.org), or by mail (SASE, CFSS, Box 481, Ithaca, NY 14851). Info: 607-279-2027.

On Sunday, Feb. 28, Le Vent du Nord will give various workshops: instruments, foot percussion, songs, and some Quebeçois social dance. Tentative time: 11 am-4 pm, with potluck lunch. For details, contact Margaret Shepard at mbs19@cornell.edu or 607-582-7655. Full schedule will be posted here soon!

–Margaret Shepard

Mamadou Diabate’s solo kora CD “Douga Mansa” JUST WON A GRAMMY FOR Best Traditional World Music Album! This album was recorded locally by Will Russell at Electric Wilburland.

Malian kora musician, Mamadou Diabate is a member of the Mandinka West African jeli (musician caste) family. His musical lineage goes back seven centuries to the time of Sunjata Keita, the conqueror of the Malian empire.

Now based in the United States, Mamadou performs around North America and Europe. Interested in bringing the kora to new audiences, he has played with jazz and other contemporary artists, however he remains rooted in the traditions of the Manding kora and his griot heritage. He is one of a handful remaining kora players that are keeping alive the kora tradition.

BILL STAINES CONCERT Saturday, February 6, 2010, 8 pm Hollis Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall, Cornell Arts Quad

What is it about this graying, bespectacled performer with an odd left-handed guitar technique that fills the hall every time he comes to Ithaca? Perhaps it’s the chance to sing along with gusto on lots of fine choruses. Perhaps it’s his gentle presence and wry good humor. Perhaps his songs engage us with a ring of truth and the warmth of familiarity. Whatever it is, the Cornell Folk Song Society is pleased to welcome again this old friend.

For more than 40 years, Bill Staines has roamed the roads, bringing his memorable, chorus-rich songs to audiences from Alaska to New Hampshire. He sings so convincingly of the West, small towns, and open spaces that one might think he was once a cowboy (he yodels) rather than an old New Englander. His originals, such as “All God’s Critters Got a Place in the Choir” (a hit from summer camps to Carnegie Hall) and songs of hard-working prairie farmers, truckers, and bush pilots, are part of the folk lexicon and are often miscredited to “Traditional.” David Amram calls Bill Staines “A modern-day Stephen Foster…his song will be around 100 years from now.”

Tickets: Ludgate Farms, Ithaca Guitar Works, GreenStar, Bound for Glory, online http://www.cornellfolksong.org/ $15 advance/$17 door; $3 rebate for members, seniors, teens; children free. Cornell students $10/$12. Info: 607-279-2027 or website.

–Margaret Shepard

Local singer/songwriter Emily Arin to perform at Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah

MONTOUR FALLS, NY—It’s a small world indeed when a connection is made between Nuuk, Greenland, Montour Falls, New York and Park City, Utah.

In mid-2008, Montour Falls-based singer/songwriter Emily Arin was notified that her song “When You Knew Me When” had been selected as part of the soundtrack to Nuummioq, Greenland’s first-ever feature film production.

In December of ‘08, Nuummioq’s producer, Mikisoq H. Lynge, learned that his film was accepted into the World Cinema Dramatic competition at the prestigious annual Sundance Film Festival hosted in Park City, Utah. Only thirteen films out of more than a thousand entries were chosen in this category.

In celebration of the inspiring trajectory of the first Greenland/Inuit produced film, a post-premiere concert has been scheduled at the Sundance ASCAP Music Café on Sunday, January 24 from 9pm-midnight in Park City. A handful of musicians from the soundtrack will take the stage. Emily Arin will be among them.

“When You Knew Me When” (produced by Chad Crumm) has not been officially released, but is available for purchase as part of Arin’s Impossible Fleet project (www.impossiblefleet.com). $1 buys Slipstream, a 4-song EP that includes the song.

In addition to songwriting and performing, Emily Arin currently works as the Literacy Volunteer Coordinator of Schuyler County, New York—a component of the Economic Opportunity Program headquartered in Elmira, New York.

EMILY ARIN’S SONGWRITING BIO
With her plaintive, at times delicate voice, singer/songwriter Emily Arin weaves tales concerned with the heavy graces of being human. She explores experiences where shadows and light converge and transformation is offered as a possibility. Deep in the bones of Arin’s songs, one can trace the wide-ranging mix of influences from Hank Williams and Memphis Minnie to Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake, Caetano Veloso, Tom Waits, Sybille Baier and Gillian Welch.

“The most talented solo artist to emerge in Ithaca in recent years, Emily Arin writes with profound emotional intimacy and honesty and has an exquisite voice to boot,” said Luke Z. Fenchel of the Ithaca Journal. “Her talent is on par with early Gillian Welch, Jana Hunter and Nina Nastasia.”

In late summer of 2007 Arin moved from her native Los Angeles to Schuyler County, NY to focus on developing her songwriting skills without the distractions of the big city. Since relocating to the Southern Tier, she has expanded her body of work, performed regularly in Ithaca and New York City, debuted in Austin, Texas and been joined by a stellar backing band.

“Songwriting for me is a process of distillation,” explains Arin. “My aim is to arrive at an essence—to repeatedly filter an idea/emotion until lyrics, melody, and rhythm combine to form an honest vehicle for sharing life’s poignancy, playfulness and mystery.” Whether autobiographical songs of love and longing, or third person waltzes and ballads, Arin’s inventiveness with language and melody hold court.

This past year, her songs have captured the affection of radio luminary, Vin Scelsa (Idiot’s Delight, WFUV), and garnered praise from Kim Ruehl on No Depression’s website where she was named one of the “top five unknown artists you love.” Her song “When You Knew Me When” was recently selected for the soundtrack to Greenland’s first international feature film “Nuummioq” alongside work from Giant Sand, Howe Gelb, Matt Bauer and Nive Nielson.

Other 2009 highlights include opening for John Darnielle (The Mountain Goats) at Ithaca College and working with Greg Weeks (Espers, Language of Stone) to record her first full-length studio album slated for release in early 2010. Emily Arin will also be appearing on albums by Artanker Convoy (Social Registry) and Jennie Lowe Stearns in early 2010.

ABOUT NUUMMIOQ
The most ambitious film ever to emerge from Greenland, and the first Greenland/Inuit–produced feature, Nuummioq tells the story of a young man’s odyssey from mundane existence into an acute sense of the sacred. Like most regular guys in the tiny capital city, Malik works, cavorts with buddies, and fools around—toggling between Danish and Kalaallisut languages. All at once, when he discovers he’s very ill, mortality intrudes. Keeping the news to himself, Malik accompanies his cousin on a boat trip. What begins as an unremarkable outing becomes a transcendent journey at the edge of the world as he grapples with his elusive past and tunes into the present.

So breathtaking and luminous is Nuummioq’s landscape that you can almost feel the brisk air oxygenating your lungs. The tender play of shadow and light on the characters’ faces seems to suggest that we’re only a flicker in nature’s vast radiance; but during our short time here, there’s family, tradition, and maybe even love.

Experience a January thaw at the Sixth Annual “Dance and Dessert Potluck” hosted by Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca, Saturday, 16 January, Women’s Community Building in Ithaca (100 W. Seneca St., opposite Dewitt Mall). Contra dancing, 7:30-10:30 pm, is followed by a fabulous dessert potluck and schottisches, hambos, and waltzes, 10:30-11:30 pm. Step lively and you just might balance your caloric intake and output! Music is by the witty, high-energy Contradictions: Laurie Hart on fiddle, Rick Manning on fiddle and mandolin, Tom Hodgson on guitar, Dave Davies on bass, and the sparkling Vikki Armstrong calling. Their irresistible fiddle harmonies and imaginative, hot rhythms will drive the cold winter away, at least for one night. Having performed together for a decade, they’re revered for tight playing; nary a contradictory note. Their peppy mix of Appalachian and Irish jigs and reels, bluegrass, driving French Canadian tunes, lilting Swedish couple dances, 1930s and Texas swing, and sophisticated tango-waltzes from Venezuela has brought joy to dancers from the Saratoga Dance Flurry, the Brattleboro Dawn Dance, and Ashokan, to the Finger Lakes!

Beginners are welcome, with a workshop at 7:15 to teach the simple steps. No need to bring a partner, but please bring clean, soft-soled shoes and something yummy to share for the grand dessert finale. Hot beverages will be provided. This celebration is a great time to bask in the warmth of our dance community.

Admission: $8 for HFDI members, $10 for nonmembers. For more information, call 607-539-3174 or visit www.hands4dancers.org.

– Margaret Shepard

The O’Shanigans contra dance band is on tour of the contra dance halls of Central New York — Jan 17th Owego,  Jan 22nd Syracuse, Feb 13th Dance Flurry (some of us: Tim is performing!), Feb 20th Binghamton, March 5th back to Bethel Grove, May 14th location TBA!! O’Shanigans is Tim Ball on fiddle, Mike Ludgate on mandolin and tenor banjo and Phil Robinson on guitar. Tom Hodgson will be sitting in for Phil at some of these events. FULL STORY http://www.canaaninstitute.org/oshanigans.html

Fri Jan 08 — ITHACA NY — The O’Shanigans return to Bethel Grove. The astounding Peter Blue from Oneonta NY will be calling the dances! O’Shanigans return for a Contra Dance at Bethel Grove Community Center at 1825 Slaterville Road (Rt 79 about 4 miles east of Ithaca) Ithaca NY from 8-11 pm. Admission $6- Don’t miss them this time! This is an authentic old New England style venue with a newly refinished dance floor! Bring clean shoes, a water bottle and YOUR FRIENDS! All dances taught, No partner needed.

O’Shanigans is Tim Ball on fiddle, Mike Ludgate on mandolin and tenor banjo and Phil Robinson on guitar. Tom Hodgson will be sitting in for Phil at this event.

BAND WEBSITE http://www.canaaninstitute.org/oshanigans.html
VENUE WEBSITE http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com?key=US_NY_ITH_TCCD
VENUE’S POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/TCCD_Insert_current.pdf
BAND’S EVENT POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/docs/OshanigansJan08poster.pdf
FACEBOOK EVENT http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192128344102

WALTZ JAM — This particular contra dance will be preceded by the monthly event, “Dancing to a Waltz Jam”. Generally the first Friday of the month, for one hour 7-8 pm, there is an open band that plays waltzes as a warm-up to the contra dance. The waltz event is free. The contra dance admission is $6- WALTZ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltz

TOM HODGSON — Tom Hodgson played folk guitar as a teenager, and has gone on to accompany some of the great fiddlers of the Irish, New England and Midwest dance scenes, including Randy Miller, Laurie Hart and Martin Hayes. He has traveled extensively with a Vermont dance performing group, the Green Mountain Volunteers. http://web.mac.com/lauriehart/Contradictions/The_Contradictions.html

DIRECTIONS to this DANCE – http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayVenue.com?key=US_NY_ITH_BG Bethel Grove Community Center 1825 Slaterville Road (NYS Rt.79) (from Ithaca take State Street east to Rt. 79, about four miles from the Ithaca Commons; a few hundred yards past the Bible Church)

FROM THE DANCERS AND MUSICIANS about O’Shanigans – “Super dance on Friday! You guys were peppy, and there were some imaginative arrangements that made even old, familiar tunes sound fresh. Hooray for the O’Shanigans!” “We would love to have O’Shanigans play music for our wedding!” “It was invigorating music, great company and fun caller!” “Do play for us again!” “It was fun dancing and even more so to the tunes of O’Shanigans!” “It was great!” “Mike, you and Phil and Tim were SOLID! I had a blast and my daughter had fun too! Thanks for playing, and thanks Ray for the goodies!” “We’ve heard great stuff about you guys: We’d love to have you play at our dance!” “Wow! I have not seen that kind of energy at the Friday Dance in long time, you guys were great!” “That was the most amazing medley … was there something Middle Eastern in there?” “You guys were way out there like in Hungary or somewhere? … then you brought it back home with that old-time tune … the best version of that I have ever heard!” “The band was absolutely wonderful last night!”

About Contra Dancing: WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR FIRST DANCE Contra dancing is easy to learn. It’s so easy to learn that you don’t take lessons. Just show up at a dance and by the end of the first night you’ll have learned Contra dance in Ithaca NYall the dance moves and you will be able to enjoy the next dance even more. People are friendly and welcoming to beginners. The age range is from kids to folks that have been around for a while. Both singles and doubles come to contra dances and women as well as men ask people to dance. It is usual that you change partners after every dance. You will meet people in a relaxed, pleasant, smoke and alcohol free atmosphere. The patterns of the dance can be a tad confusing at first but remember everyone had a first time and that other dancers will help you. Listen to the caller and the music and go with the flow of the dance. Some people find they get dizzy at first. Looking directly at the person you are dancing with eliminates this sensation. For many, the music is what keeps them coming back as it is exciting and lively. People come to dance, hear the music, socialize and have a good time.

WHAT TO WEAR? Wear smooth soled shoes and comfortable light weight clothing. Some halls require non-street shoes so make sure the soles of shoes aren’t bringing grit onto the dance floor. Most people bring a bottle of drinking water. Contra dancing is joyous so it’s important that you bring a smile. Adapted from http://www.greatmeadowmusic.com/music.html

More information About Contra Dancing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance
http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayDance.com/US_NY_ITH_TCCD
http://hands4dancers.org/
http://www.syracusecountrydancers.org/
http://contra.binghamtondance.org/contra_calendar.htm

On Sunday, December 13, at 3pm, Andrew and Noah Van Norstrand will return to Danby at the Town Hall with their high-energy mix of Celtic, Appalachian, Scandinavian, Bluegrass, and World Beat music. If you have only heard the brothers playing for contradances, this will be a great chance to experience the extra dimensions the Van Norstrands can bring when they are not bound to 32 measures.

When they last performed in Danby, five years ago, the brothers had just gained national attention via the Talent from Twelve to Twenty contest on public radio’s Prairie Home Companion. Since then, their repertoire has exploded with original songs and tunes and explorations into a host of musical styles and rhythms. Expect the place to be rocking.

The concert is free, since the Danby Community Council’s concert series has the support of NYSCA Decentralization Grant, administered by the Community Arts Partnership.

The Danby Town Hall is six miles south of Ithaca on Route 096B.

The Cornell Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Ensemble is already extremely fortunate to work under the leadership of the well-known Armenian-American violinist and record producer, Harold Hagopian. For their Fall concert, on December 6th (7.30 pm, The Carriage House, Stewart Avenue), the Ensemble will be joined by Harold’s father and a living legend, Richard Hagopian. Richard has been a musician since childhood, learning to play the violin and clarinet at only nine years old. He started playing the oud at age of 12. He studied Eastern (Ottoman Classical) music theory and oud under the internationally famous Armenian artist Kanouni Garbis Bakirgian. Hagopian gained fame in the 1960s and 70s with the Kef Time Band, formed originally as the band for a Las Vegas show called the Cleopatra Revue, which ran at the Flamingo Hotel from 1963-1967. Hagopian has performed throughout the United States and taught a master class at the Manhattan School of Music, as well as teaching as artist-in-residence at California State University. .

For Sunday night’s performance, the band will also be joined by the fine Turkish percussion player Engin Gunaydin. The concert is supported by Near Eastern Studies, the Music Department and the Mediterranean Studies Initiative of the Cornell Institute for European Studies.

Hands Four Contra Dance with Contrapasso and Sarah VanNorstrand — Saturday, Dec. 5, 8-11 pm at Beverly J. Martin School, 302 W. Buffalo St., Ithaca

Even if winter blows into town by December, here’s an event to warm you: energetic caller Sarah VanNorstrand, who danced here while she was at Ithaca College and now calls with her husband’s band, Great Bear Trio, teams with Contrapasso, the Ithaca-based, mellifluous fiddle/piano duo of Tim Ball and Roberta Truscello. Contrapasso is in high demand for spirited contra and English country dances. Both Tim and Roberta are classically trained, with a passion for traditional dance, great playfulness, versatility, and soul. Tim Ball graduated with a major in music from Ithaca College, where he played in chamber and jazz ensembles and the symphony orchestra. In the contra world, he has pooled his talents with a growing roster of fine musicians including Roberta Truscello, David Kaynor, Jane Knoeck, Tom Hodgson, Tunescape, and the O’Shanigans. Tim’s fiddle swoops in graceful, imaginative improvisation and he has penned some remarkable tunes. These days, he doesn’t seem to get much time off between gigs! Roberta Truscello began music lessons at age five and studied piano and cello into her teens, but then got the dance bug. Since 1993, she has played for English country and contras in NJ, PA, MA, and NY and has founded a host of bands, including The Free Radicals, Drosophila’s Maggot, and Lost in Austen. She also sings and plays accordion for The Grateful Deadlines in D.C., a rock band of research administrators. With Contrapasso, the timing is perfect and the sound sublime.

Newcomers are always welcome to contra dances; the steps are simple and each dance is quickly taught. No need to bring a partner, but please bring clean, soft-soled shoes. Admission $8 for members of Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca, $10 for non-members. Info: 607-539-3174 or http://hands4dancers.org. Many dancers may also wish to support the benefit concert for Shaleshock; both events were booked for the same time before we realized the overlap. The two venues are only a few blocks apart, so it’s possible to participate in both.

–Margaret Shepard

The Kitchen Theatre opens a play this week called Last Train to Nibroc, by Arlene Hutton.  In addition to being a beautiful, romantic play performed by two stellar actors, it’s a wonderful chance to hear some great old style music by local musicians.

The main musical theme, entitled “Home”, was composed by Ithaca College student Rob Dietz in the style of an early bluegrass waltz.  Dietz is the conductor of Ithacappella, IC’s award-winning male a cappella group. Joining Dietz at Rep Studio to record the music for Last Train to Nibroc was Harry Nichols, guitar, Stephanie Jenkins, banjo & vocals, and Rosie Newton, fiddle & vocals.  Harry is a member of Ithacappella and plays with Rob in a folk/blues duo called Passing Through (http://www.myspace.com/musicpassingthrough).  Stephanie and Rosie play together locally as The Pearly Snaps (http://www.myspace.com/thepearlysnaps).  Both duos are great–so musical and tight.  Bringing them together was a blast. They created a gorgeous sound pretty much instantly.

Tracy Grammer, Cornell Folk Song Club Concert - Saturday, November 7, 8:00 PM 165 McGraw Hall, Cornell Arts Quad

Tracy Grammer is a musician of rare courage and grace. Her partnership with Dave Carter was electrifying and deserved its meteoric rise in the folk world. After Dave’s sudden death in 2002, Tracy made a commitment to keeping his unique songs alive, and has created remarkable music of her own. The Boston Globe lauds her as “One of the finest pure musicians anywhere in folkdom.” Tracy herself writes, “Music for me is a language like no other; it is my channel of authenticity. I know I’d only be telling half the truth without it..”

Her repertoire includes well-chosen songs by other artists and her own originals, all performed with simple virtuosity. Dave Carter’s work, some never recorded, remains a focus. His strange yet familiar journey-songs possess a vision both old-time and postmodern. Andrew Calhoun declares, “No one sings Dave Carter songs better than Tracy.” Her warmly expressive voice is a perfect medium for his songs “from the deeper realms of myth, sound, and dream,… from a place where we’re all the same.” Tracy Grammer is an old soul: fragile and tough, intelligent and intuitive. With her sweet and wild fiddling and vocals, and textured guitar and mandolin work, it is clear that she runs deep, both as muse and creative musician. Tracy was last in Ithaca in 2005; at that time, her highly acclaimed recording Flower of Avalon was described as “a bold, rewarding, and transcendent love letter to the world.” Since then, she’s been busy touring, earning awards, and producing another three fine recordings, including American Noel and One-Horse Town (with Jim Henry); Book of Sparrows is due out in December. The Cornell Folk Song Society was lucky to book her, so catch her live!

Tickets: $15 advance/$17 door; $3 rebate for members, seniors, teens. Cornell students $10/$12. Children 12 and under free. Tickets at Ludgate’s, Ithaca Guitar Works, Small World Music, Bound for Glory, online <http://www.cornellfolksong.org/>. Info: website or 607-279-2027.

–  Margaret Shepard

MARIA MULDAUR & HER GARDEN OF JOY JUGBAND *** Good time music for hard times ***  Live at CASTAWAYS in Ithaca **Sat. Nov. 7 8 pm ** A joint ROOTABAGA BOOGIE—DAN SMALLS Production

“Maria Muldaur spices her music with passion and a voice that’s scintillating, brazen and lightly burnished….Gospel, jazz, blues, folk and country music all mingled in the air Muldaur breathed in Greenwich Village during the 1960s. She headed south and bunked with Doc Watson and his family to learn to play fiddle, sat cross-legged at the feet of the Rev. Gary Davis, and Victoria Spivey was her personal vocal tutor. Stints in The Even Dozen and Jim Kweskin Jug Bands led her to the old recordings of Memphis Minnie and a musical foundation.” –-BLUES REVUE

“She’s spent much of her career as a musical hobo, riding the rails from jazz to bluegrass, gospel to Appalachian folk, blues to Tin Pan Alley. At times, she excavates a hoarse growl that echoes Janis Joplin, but she never loses the sassy, teasing sexuality that has always served as her calling card. This sly, come hither wink distinguishes her…as does the passion (born of experience) with which she attacks the lyrics; both qualities make even ancient song styles sound surprisingly fresh and vital.” –Critic’s Choice

American roots-music heroine MARIA MULDAUR is returning to her jug band days, having just recorded a new album that features (among others) former EVEN DOZEN JUG BAND members DAVID GRISMAN and JOHN SEBASTIAN.

While two recent recordings have earned her Grammy nominations, Maria remains best known for her big ‘70s hit, Midnight At The Oasis. Her musical roots run as deep and varied as the Greenwich Village she grew up in. In the ’60s, she joined John Sebastian & Steve Katz to form THE EVEN DOZEN JUG BAND (which also featured David Grisman, Stefan Grossman, and Ithaca’s own Peggy Haine). Soon after, Maria joined THE JIM KWESKIN JUG BAND, appearing on five albums with the group. After a couple of recordings with her husband Geoff, she went solo, releasing the gold record Midnight At The Oasis. (It’s been said the song was probably responsible for the conception of more children than any other song of the ‘70s.)

Returning to her own musical roots with this newly configured GARDEN OF JOY JUG BAND, Maria’s reunited on the new recording with some alumni of the legendary Even Dozen, including John Sebastian, who went on to found The Lovin’ Spoonful, and new-grass pioneer David “Dawg” Grisman, acclaimed for his own fusion of jazz, bluegrass and gypsy music. Hipster Dan Hicks also makes an appearance on the new disc. Joining these jug band veterans are Muldaur’s newest discovery, a young west-coast jug band, The Crow Quill Night Owls.

“Initially I just wanted to have some fun with my old bandmates, but I realized that this was actually a very timely project,” says Muldaur. “There’s a whole new jug band revival going on out there. I’ve heard of bands recreating this music from Toronto to Timbuktu. Somebody told me there were 150 jug bands in Tokyo!”

“Who knew?” Muldaur laughs, with a mixture of amazement and surprise. “Jug band music, which tends to be lighthearted, humorous and zany, emerged out of a period of hard times as a way of lifting people’s spirits. Once again, good time music for hard times! Everything old is new again.”

Maria Muldaur & Her Garden of Joy will be the fourth in a series of CDs of classic American music Maria Muldaur has recorded for Stony Plain Records. Two of the others, Richland Woman Blues and Sweet Lovin’ Ol’ Soul, were nominated for Grammy Awards.

Maria Muldaur & Her Garden of Joy jug band begin their international tour in October in the Pacific Northwest, on into Canada, continuing across America, and stopping in Ithaca, Sat. Nov. 7 at Castaways, 415 Old Taughannock Blvd. It’s an 8 pm show and the first 150 advance ticket purchasers WILL BE GUARANTEED SEATS for the show, which is a collaborative venture between ROOTABAGA BOOGIE PRODUCTIONS and DAN SMALLS PRESENTS.

ADVANCE tickets are $24; get yours online at www.dansmallspresents For more info, contact Tracey Craig, Rootabaga Boogie Productions, rootabagaboogie@lightlink.com

Additional press quotes:
“Once upon a time, in a record business far, far away, musicians were free to dip into whatever genres they pleased without too much fear of commercial catastrophe….Best known for her seductive 1973 chart-topper “Midnight At The Oasis,” Muldaur was more that a one-sexy-hit wonder. The original jam-band hippie queen applied her lithe, sassy-waitress voice to everything from jug-band music to jazz, gospel and blues.” –Entertainment Weekly

“Within one’s lifetime, there will only be only a few rare vocalists who hit the peak of success, remain there for decades, and produce works that last eternally. Maria Muldaur is such an artist.” –Jazz Elements

“Best known for her seductive ’70s pop staple ‘Midnight at the Oasis,’ Maria Muldaur has since become an acclaimed interpreter of just about every stripe of American roots music: blues, early jazz, gospel, folk, country.” –All Music Guide

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