ITHACA NY — Yes, there are six live Bound for Glory broadcasts this and every summer.  Phil Shapiro, host of WVBR’s Bound for Glory since its inception in 1967, announces the Summer portion of the 44th year of this Central New York musical tradition.

WVBR’s Bound for Glory, North America’s longest running live folk concert broadcast, broadcasts live from  the Cafe at Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell, on Sunday nights.  Bound for Glory brings central New York another series of free folk concerts, on WVBR-FM, 93.5 and 105.5, and streaming on line at http://wvbr.com.  We promise some excellent acoustic music, presented by long-time host Phil Shapiro.

The show runs Sunday nights from 8 to 11, with live sets at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.  All three sets are different.  Come to as many sets as you wish.  Admission in the live audience at the Cafe at Anabel Taylor Hall, is free and is open to everyone in the area.  Kids are always welcome.    Refreshments are available.   For further information, call Phil Shapiro at 607-844-4535, or e-mail at pds10@cornell.edu.

Find out about upcoming Bound for Glory shows, and about how you can help, through the Friends of Bound for Glory, by looking up http://wvbr.com on the Web.  Everyone can listen to Bound for Glory on line.  The website tells you how.

JUNE 26     ROD MacDONALD.  Rod MacDonald is a long time Bound for Glory favorite.  He’s a social commentator with a sense of humor, but that humor’s got a bite to it.  He’s a storyteller in songs, and he’s a strong, and fun, performer.  He comes to us from Florida these days.  Welcome him back.  http://rodmacdonald.net

JULY 3     ANDREW CALHOUN.  Andrew Calhoun is a powerful songsmith, a quiet and sly performer, and a fine traditional singer as well.  He’s been researching the old American folk songs, and putting them back together the way they once were.  He’s fascinating and unpredictable.   In from Illinois.  http://andrewcalhoun.com

JULY 10         NORTH WATER.  The duo North Water plays pre-bluegrass, early bluegrass, and old country songs.  They come down from the North Country, and they’ll probably bring some friends with them.  Good harmonies, and harmonica, too.  Full of surprises.

JULY 17         MAC BENFORD.  Mac Benford is one of America’s foremost clawhammer banjo players, and a fine, if quirky, singer of really old Appalachian songs.  He radiates magic and good humor.  At this stage we don’t know if he’ll be solo or with friends.  He’s a musical treasure, and he doesn’t live very far away.  Welcome him back.  http://macbenford.com .

JULY 24 PETER SIEGEL.  Peter Siegel calls what he does Radical Roots Music.  He’s a social commentator.  And a singer of old songs, folk, pop, and jazz.  He’s a bundle of energy, who puts songs together in unusual combinations, and really gets the audience involved.  Much fun.  http://petersiegel.com

JULY 31    FRANKIE ARMSTRONG.  We end our summer season, and our 44th year, with glorious British singer Frankie Armstrong.  For forty five years she has been performing the old British ballads, and newer songs that fit with them.  She’s still got a big voice, and the ability to reach out to the audience, making these old stories live again.   A wonderful show. http://frankiearmstrong.com .

From AUGUST 7th through the 21st, Bound for Glory will be Albums from the Studios, as Cornell resumes its Summer Break, and  the Cafe at Anabel Taylor is closed.  Give Phil a call at 607-273-2121.  The 45th year of WVBR’s Bound for Glory starts on August 28th.

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ANNE HILLS WINS BEST OF BOUND FOR GLORY AWARD

Between sets of the October 18th live broadcast of WVBR’s  Bound For Glory, host and founder Phil Shapiro announced that the excellent Pennsylvania based singer, songwriter, and song sharer ANNE HILLS has won the Eleventh Annual Best of Bound for Glory Award.  The award recognizes fans’ favorite from the recently concluded 42nd season of this Sunday night Ithaca, NY staple.  Bound for Glory is North America’s longest running live folk concert broadcast.  It is broadcast live on WVBR-FM 93.5 and 105.5, on line at http://wvbr.com

The members of the Friends of Bound for Glory have honored a well beloved veteran of the North American folk scene this year.  Anne Hills’ career started in Chicago in 1976, and she never looked back.  Anne Hills couples a crystal clear voice with an ear for a great song.  She’s a fine writer as well, and a wonderful performer, with a great sparkle and smile.

Host Phil Shapiro says “Anne Hills has a subtle magic.  She grabs your attention completely, and a while later you’re amazed to find that a whole set has gone by.” She is widely recognized as a solo performer, and also as one third of the well known, occasional folk trio of Herdman, Hills, and Mangsen, three women of great skill and amazing harmonies. “Anne Hills has been on Bound for Glory several times over the decades, though it’s been a while”, Shapiro said.  “This past June 21st, I realized that Anne would be nearby, so I jumped at the opportunity to offer her a show, and was so please when she agreed to come back.”
Shapiro caught Hills on the road in Indiana.  She pulled over and talked to him by cell phone.  When told that she had won the Best of Bound for Glory award, she said “Oh that is so thrilling.  Thank you so muchŠ When you get weary on the road, knowing that people really appreciate what you do makes ALL the difference.  That’s why we do this music.”

Shapiro added that “we do 33 live folk concert broadcasts every year.  This year, 31 of the 33 shows got votes for the Best of Bound for Glory award.  I think that means that we’re doing something right.  The members of the Friends of Bound for Glory have excellent taste.  Every one of the 11 award winners is just remarkable.”

Phil Shapiro brought the concept of a live folk concert broadcast with him when he moved to Ithaca in 1967, putting folk and acoustic musicians on the air almost immediately.  The format, a folk concert in three sets with a live audience held on 33 Sundays every year, has been creating magic well into it’s 43rd year.  These concerts have featured some of the most renowned voices in American, Canadian, and European folk music.  This year’s Best of Bound for Glory winner joins the illustrious ranks of Jack Williams, Bill Staines, Garnet Rogers, Le Vent du Nord, Chris Smither, Y*ALL, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Tanglefoot, Mustard’s Retreat, and Small Potatoes.  Taken together the winners highlight the quality and diversity of top notch performers on the folk music scene.

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The current show at the Kitchen Theatre is called ARCHAEOLOGY.  It is a world premiere by playwright Rachel Axler.  Axler’s day job is writing for tv - she was until recently the only woman writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and is now writing for a new NBC sitcom, Parks & Recreation, featuring Amy Poehler.  But she started out in theater and is interested in that medium as well.

ARCHAEOLOGY features the youngest cast we’ve had at the Kitchen in a while.  Two actors are in their early twenties, and the other two are Ithaca College theater students.  It’s a funny, weird & wacky story that involves time travel and mathematics but is at the heart a story about 20-somethings finding themselves.

There’s not a whole lot of music in the show, though Ithaca College student Ben Truppin-Brown has made a cool soundscape for the play.  There was, however, a music video made!  Two of the characters in the play have a garage band, and they mention lyrics to one of their songs.  It just so happens that Jake Paque, an actor in the play, is also a musician, and he took it upon himself to write the song!  It’s a really infectious, fun tune, and it only seemed right that it should have a music video to go with it.  So we assembled the cast on the set, brought in a mannequin that features prominently in the play, and filmed a video.  It has pretty much nothing to do with the play, but it was a lot of fun to do and it does gives a sense of the young actors and zany world of the play.  You can take a look at it http://kitchentheatre.org/IWannaExplore.html and read more about the play at http://kitchentheatre.org/Archaeology.html.

Emily Arin has recently been invited for two radio interviews. The first is on Out of Bounds Radio with Tish Pearlman airing this Thursday, Jan 15 at 7pm (EST) on WEOS-FM. If you don’t live in the Ithaca area, you can listen to the live stream at weos.org. The interview will be rebroadcast on Sunday, Jan 18 at 11:30am on WSKG-FM.

The second interview is on “the legendary free-form radio show” WFUV Vin Scelsa’s Idiot’s Delight. If you live in NYC, the dial is 90.7FM … otherwise, you can listen to the live stream at wfuv.org. This interview will air next month on Saturday, February 7. The show is from 8pm to midnight.

Alizé (pronounced ah-lee-ZAY) is a trio based in Ithaca, New York, whose focus is the traditional music of Brittany (the Celtic region of France) and Central France. They have just released their first CD, Le Canard perdu.

Alizé’s member’s are: Gordon Bonnet on flutes, recorder, percussion and vocals, Laurie Hart on fiddle, French hurdy gurdy (vielle à roue) and Swedish keyed fiddle (nyckelharpa) and Julia Lapp on guitar, percussion and vocals

From driving dance tunes and sweet Breton airs, to songs in French poignant or humorous, Alizé brings the centuries-old traditions of France to life, occasionally tossing an Irish reel or Spanish waltz into the mix.  Alizé is available to play concerts, for French or couple dancing, and to lead music and dance workshops.

Gordon Bonnet is a wind player and singer from Trumansburg, New York.  Born in Louisiana of French and Acadian heritage, he has played concert flute for thirty years, and received classical training in Seattle, Washington.  He has always had an interest in diverse styles of folk music, and was part of the Celtic quartet Tarradiddle from 1983 to 1992.  He was the flutist and lead vocalist on Tarradiddle’s 1989 recording By Roses Circled Round, and performed with that group at the Seattle Folklife Festival five years in a row.  In addition, he has given private instruction in classical flute and Celtic penny-whistle.  Since moving to New York, he has expanded his repertoire into Balkan and French music, and has incorporated the recorder, Irish (wooden) flute, and penny-whistle into his performances.  He has performed locally as part of the quartet Shepherd’s Pie, playing songs and tunes from the Celtic lands and Eastern Europe.  His latest project is learning the bagpipes!

Julia Lapp started playing violin in Corning NY as a child.  Since then she’s had a variety of musical incarnations. In Fairbanks, Alaska, she played fiddle with the contra dance band Celtic Confusion, and travelled the state with a Cajun band called Rouxbaboo.  In Portland, Oregon, she focussed her attention on her first love, guitar, and played electric guitar and bass with the all-female rock band June Cleavage, as well as Euro-folk with the Selkies.  While in Portland she discovered the music of Brittany, and on returning to Ithaca was thrilled to find musical soul-mates in Gordon and Laurie.  Her latest project is learning the accordion!

Laurie Hart specializes in Celtic, Québécois, Scandinavian, French and American dance music, and she also plays Swedish nyckelharpa and Norwegian Hardanger fiddle. She has performed since 1986 at contradances, concerts, festivals and dance weekends across the U.S. and Canada. Her fourth and latest recording is Cobbler’s Dream / Le Rève du cordonnier, with Québec guitarist Paul Marchand.  Laurie collected tunes in Québec in the 1990s, and wrote a book about the fiddle and accordion tradition, Danse ce soir!, published by Mel Bay.  She was the recipient of a 2002 Fulbright Award to study the music and dance of Norway and Sweden, and wrote extensively about Norwegian music for Fiddler Magazine.  Laurie attended Eastman School of Music as a violin major, and began teaching fiddle in 1990. She is now in demand as a fiddle teacher for children and adults, and has taught at Ashokan Northern Week and at Suzuki institutes around the Northeast.  Her latest project is learning the French hurdy gurdy!

ADAPTED FROM http://web.mac.com/lauriehart/Alize/Alize.html
SEE ALSO http://wvbr.com:9010/index.php?page=bfg

JACK WILLIAMS WINS BEST OF BOUND FOR GLORY AWARD

Between sets of the October 19th live broadcast of WVBR’s Bound For Glory, host and founder Phil Shapiro announced that the excellent Southern singer, songwriter, and guitarist JACK WILLIAMS has won the Tenth Annual Best of Bound for Glory Award. The award recognizes fans’ favorite from the recently concluded 41st season of this Sunday night Ithaca, NY staple. Bound for Glory is North America’s longest running live folk concert broadcast. It is broadcast live on WVBR-FM 93.5 and 105.5, on line at http://wvbr.com .

The Friends of Bound for Glory have honored a newcomer to Ithaca this year. Jack Williams’ first and only trip to Ithaca was his Bound for Glory performance of last May. Williams hails from West Fork, Arkansas, and most frequently travels the Southern and Western states, with only an occasional foray into the Northeast. But his reputation travels before him. Host Phil Shapiro says “Jack Williams is one of the most eclectic singer songwriters going. You can hear both the white and black musical traditions in his writing. You can hear country, you can hear blues, you can hear jazz. He’s a poet who knows how to write simply. And he’s a remarkable, magical performer, with graceful good humor, and a hot guitar style.

I wanted to get Jack Williams on the Bound for Glory show for several years. I’d ask other folk music presenters the question ‘Who’s Good?’, and it was amazing how many times Jack Williams’ name came up. So I got ahold of some of his music, and, you know, they’re right.”
Shapiro caught Williams at home in rural Arkansas, on a rare quiet day, right before his departure for a long tour to the Pacific coast and back. When told that he had won the Best of Bound for Glory award, he said that he was glad he hadn’t known that he was in a contest. “Well, I’m thrilled. That’s just great”, he said. “I’m so glad they enjoyed the music that much.”

When told about the voting, and that the winners of the Best of Bound for Glory award read like a Who’s Who of the North American folk music world, Williams added “Well, I’ve seen who has played for you in the past and I’m thrilled to be in that company.”

He also offered “I’ve come away telling people about your show, and tell ‘em they should at least seek you out somewhere, whether it’s internet radio or in person.”

Jack Williams’ musical career dates to the 1950’s, when he played in both jazz and rock bands. His career as a folk singer-songwriter slowly took over, and he has been touring ever since. He is especially fond of doing House Concerts, playing up close and personal in someone’s living room to a gathering of friends.

Shapiro added that “we do 33 live folk concert broadcasts every year. This year, 26 of the 33 shows got votes for the Best of Bound for Glory award. I think that means that we’re doing something right. The members of the Friends of Bound for Glory have excellent taste. Every one of the 10 award winners is just remarkable.”

Phil Shapiro brought the concept of a live folk concert broadcast with him when he moved to Ithaca in 1967, putting folk and acoustic musicians on the air almost immediately. The format, a folk concert in three sets with a live audience held on 33 Sundays every year, has been creating magic well into it’s 42nd year. These concerts have featured some of the most renowned voices in American, Canadian, and European folk music. This year’s Best of Bound for Glory winner joins the illustrious ranks of Bill Staines, Garnet Rogers, Le Vent du Nord, Chris Smither, Y*ALL, Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Tanglefoot, Mustard’s Retreat, and Small Potatoes. Taken together the winners highlight the quality and diversity of top notch performers on the folk music scene.

Bound for Glory’s 42nd year continues on October 26th with Ithaca’s own Alize, playing the music of Brittany and France. On November 2nd, Bound for Glory presents none other than Phil Shapiro himself and his musical partner Carrie Shore. Upcoming shows include Sparky and Rhonda Rucker on November 9th, Jack Hardy and David Massengill on November 16th, and past winners of the Best of Bound for Glory award Small Potatoes on November 23rd. The final live show of the season is December 7th with Lissa Schneckenburger and her Band.

For more information about the Best of Bound for Glory award, the Friends of Bound for Glory, or other upcoming Bound for Glory events view their web site at wvbr.com, email bfg@wvbr.com, or phone Phil Shapiro at 607-844-4535. For more information about Jack Williams, try jackwilliamsmusic.com .

Annie and the Hedonists are four fascinating musicians who are equally comfortable with an old Bessie Smith tune, a country song, or a folk song.  They have a fascinating and extremely eclectic repertoire, and Annie’s got a great voice. We’re delighted to welcome them back to Bound for Glory. WVBR’S BOUND FOR GLORY happens Sunday nights from 8 to 11, with live sets at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.  Admission at Anabel Taylor Hall on the Cornell Campus Ithaca NY is free and is open to everyone in the area.  Kids are always welcome. Refreshments are available. http://wvbr.com

Annie and the Hedonists honor their folk-music roots with a sense of humor, and a new CD “Good Old Wagon” excerpt from an article by By Glenn Weiser:

“Several years ago at the Gottagetgon, a small annual folk festival held at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds on Memorial Day weekend, a knot of musicians had gathered by the snack bar for the evening picking session. As I walked up to them, I heard a blonde woman whom I’d never seen before singing Ernest Tubb’s 1965 country classic “Waltz Across Texas.”

She sounded like the young Bonnie Raitt, and her sweet, sultry vocals were so exquisite—dead-on pitch, free of strain, and full of yearning—that I was captivated. This had to be one of the performers, I figured, but as a lifelong fan and player of acoustic music, how come I didn’t know her name? I turned to someone I knew and asked who she was. He identified her as Annie Rosen, and no, she wasn’t on the bill, either.

It turned out that Annie and her guitarist husband Jon, the current director of safety and health for the New York State Public Employees Federation, had formed a rootsy acoustic quartet with Steve and Betsy Fry. (Disclosure: In the early 1980s I was in the short-lived Apocalypso String Band with Steve Fry, a mandolin-playing practical joker who named his daughter Amanda Lynn.) The four Baby Boomers called themselves Annie and the Hedonists after a time at a banquet when they ate Baked Alaska with their fingers, the silverware having by then been removed.

With their smorgasbord of early blues, bluegrass, country, Celtic, Tin Pan Alley tunes and contemporary acoustic music, they resist easy categorization. Critics are not faulting them for this, though: Writing about their second CD, Moonglow on the Midway (also reviewed in Metroland on Sept. 14, 2006), the folk journal Sing Out! said, “This Albany-area quartet swings their way through their sophomore release with style, energy and respect for these great old tunes.” Dirty Linen agreed in their February-March 2007 issue, saying, “Annie and the Hedonists have bottled an essence of bohemianism.””

ENTIRE REVIEW HERE http://jonny.aberman.org/hedonist/metro3.htm

The legendary banjoist and folk musician Pete Seeger will be a guest on the David Letterman Show on CBS tonight at 11:30 PM with Tao Rodriguez (Seeger’s grandson), Ruth Ungar Merenda (Jay Ungar’s daughter), Guy Davis and Jacob Silver. He’s scheduled to discuss his new CD being released tomorrow.