Ithaca Festival 2009 Parade Photo Album The SEVENTH year of photos from the Ithaca Festival on Ludgate Farms website! I’ll confess; my initial motivation for this was because my son, Bryan and daughter, Megan were stilt walkers in previous years … see previous photos (way) below … (this year Megan was on a uni-cycle again). But the parade is such fun and involves so many local folks - I now try to capture images of the whole procession to share each year. Thanks to the unicycle club members at F.L.O.W. for teaching my kids and Raylene to Uni-cycle (Keith, Robbert, Brendan, Lesley) Sorry, if I missed anybody. These images are low resolution so they will load over the web fairly quickly - if you have a favorite and want a hi-res image send me an email request, I’ll try and accommodate. -Mike :-)

Here is a link to a new website from my friend Dave Ruch that features, among other things, lots of info and tunes from traditional Adirondack fiddlers from northern NY (www.adirondackmusic.org).  For every fiddle tune on the site (several dozen), there is downloadable sheet music that goes with it, transcribed directly from the playing of each fiddler.

“Feel free to print some of these tunes out and share them at your jams.  It’d be great to see/hear people playing them again.” — Dave Ruch

Mark you calendars! We have just booked Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike for a house concert at Canaan Road Thursday June 18. Concert 7:00 to 9:00 pm followed by a bluegrass jam. Valerie and her band are world class bluegrass musicians. We expect this one to sell out. Concert $15- She will be traveling with award winning fiddler Becky Buller http://www.beckybuller.com/ there is an option of private lessons or an intimate workshop late afternoon before the concert: any interest in that? Let us know! Lesson or workshop fee will be additional … DETAILS forthcoming! FORUM THREAD HERE http://canaaninstitute.org/mikesmusic/viewtopic.php?p=2607#2607

RSVP’s expected email Mike for directions and to reserve a seat  michael@canaaninstitute.org?subject=rsvp_house_concert_June18

Website http://www.valeriesmithonline.com/
MySpace http://www.myspace.com/valeriesmithamplibertypike
Videos http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Valerie+Smith+and+Liberty+Pike
Becky Buller http://www.beckybuller.com/

Thanks,

Mike and Raylene

======================================

About Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike

As the twig is bent, so grows the tree. And when that tree is anchored in the fertile hills and dales of west Missouri, you can bet it will be strong enough to withstand a sudden prairie storm, yet beautiful enough to take away your breath when silhouetted by a vivid sunset.

This metaphor aptly describes the music of Valerie Smith as it has seasoned, firmly rooted in the musical soil of her Missouri childhood. One listen to the conviction of Valerie’s voice as she delivers a tune lets you know that she is no hot-house flower, but was raised in a real world of both hardships and joys. Valerie’s delivery can range from the force of a prairie twister to the gentle softness of a spring rain.

Music has always been there for Valerie. It’s the lifeblood that flows through her veins and is part of her earliest memories. No stranger to hard work, her family raised tobacco, potatoes and corn, while her father worked in an auto assembly plant. The child of musical parents, Valerie showed talent at an early age, and soon began singing rousing Baptist hymns in church, and later began to accompany her parents to play her fiddle and sing with local country and bluegrass musicians in her hometown of Holt and the surrounding area. Not only did Valerie learn to sing in front of an audience, but she learned to be an entertainer as well, a skill which has endeared her to thousands of fans across the world.

Missouri is the musical crossroads of the nation, and Valerie heard western music drifting in from the high plains, jazz wafting along the Big Muddy from Kansas City, and the clarion call of bluegrass from the east. A strong desire to learn more and to teach others prompted Valerie to attend the University of Missouri Conservatory of Music in Kansas City, where she received her B.A. in vocal music education and further broadened her musical horizons. While attending school, Valerie was to meet her future husband, Kraig Smith; and as fate would have it, a chance opportunity led Kraig to a job in Nashville shortly after they were married. By then, Valerie had been teaching school in her hometown for two years, and even though she knew she would miss teaching, she felt fate was pulling her toward Tennessee. In 1992 they arrived and settled into their new life.

It didn’t take Valerie long to get into the Nashville music scene, even while holding down a job with an advertising agency, and then teaching middle school music. She formed the acoustic country group “Fresh Cactus” and played extensively in Nashville while honing her songwriting and performance skills. Valerie’s love for bluegrass music never waned, and while attending a festival in Franklin, she met old time musicians Junior and Betty Parker. The Parkers quickly adopted Valerie, and invited her to play with them in the tiny Tennessee hamlet of Bell Buckle. It was here that Valerie met local entrepreneur J. Gregory Heinike, owner of the Bell Buckle Café. Valerie, J. Gregory, and Kraig Smith founded Bell Buckle Records and Valerie recorded her first highly acclaimed CD, “Patchwork Heart” and formed her band, Liberty Pike.

Since then, Valerie’s music has taken her from coast to coast and around the world. She has become an ambassador of bluegrass music and has entertained music lovers in New York, London, Berlin, Dublin, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and hundreds of other venues throughout the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe. She has been the recipient of IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) awards and has been nominated for a Grammy Award as part of the Ralph Stanley “Clinch Mountain Sweethearts” project, and she has appeared on the famous Grand Ol’ Opry as guest of hall of famer Charlie Louvin.

Valerie, her husband Kraig and daughter, Josie now reside in their adopted hometown of Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

Corning NY — Valley Folk Music is thrilled to present guitar virtuoso and singer Beppe Gambetta (from Italy) for a workshop and concert SATURDAY JULY 11, 2009 Drake House Studio Theater at 171 Cedar Arts Center 171 Cedar St. Corning, NY 14830 Guitar Workshop 3:00 PM $25 per person [pre-registration reccomended] Concert 7:30 PM $10- DETAILS INFO POSTER http://canaaninstitute.org/mikesmusic/viewtopic.php?p=2643#2643

Cornell Concert Series 2009-2010 season brings some of the most dedicated and engaging artists of our times to Bailey Hall

Ithaca, NY - Drawing from the ancient Japanese capital of Nara to the breezy platform at President Obama’s inauguration, the Cornell Concert Series 2009-2010 season brings some of the most dedicated and engaging artists of our times to Bailey Hall. The new season opens on Sunday, September 20th when Gabriela Montero – perhaps most familiarly known worldwide as the “inauguration quartet” pianist in fingerless gloves – presents a solo recital featuring live improvisations in classical style. The Series continues to highlight the classical, with Haydn and Mozart symphonies performed by the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg in October. This concert is in honor of Herbert Gussman Professor of Music Neal Zaslaw’s 70th birthday, thus also celebrating Cornell’s own tradition of scholarly distinction in 18th-century music studies.

The Cornell Concert Series remains committed to Western classical programs but also encompasses a broader spectrum of art musics, On Sunday, October 4th, the jazz superstars Dave Holland, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Chris Potter and Eric Harland make a rare appearance together as the Monterey Quartet, bringing the thrill of live performance and the dynamic sounds of the Americas to Bailey Hall. From the other side of the globe, the taiko ensemble Yamato arrives in November with a full array of traditional Japanese drums, and in April 2010, Zakir Hussain and the Masters of Percussion come with their instruments. Spring 2010 also features Armenian-Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian, French pianist Alexandre Tharaud, and bassist Christian McBride and Inside Straight.

Subscription and Ticket Information
Series subscriptions are now being accepted by the Cornell Concert Series office. The deadline for priority seating is May 31; after that date, seating arrangements from previous seasons cannot be guaranteed. Tickets for individual events will go on sale in August 2009. More information - including complete concert listings, dates, ticket prices, and more - is available at www.CornellConcertSeries.com or by calling the administrative office at 607-255-5144 to request a season brochure.

–
CORNELL CONCERT SERIES
classics from the world to you…
101 Lincoln Hall, Ithaca NY 14853

CCS has been bringing great performances to Ithaca, NY since 1903. Originally featuring Western classical artists, the series now encompasses a broad spectrum of the world’s great art musics.
www.CornellConcertSeries.com

Ithaca NY — Primitive Pursuits Day — Ancestral skills, Nature Awareness and Sustainability Festival — Saturday May 16th from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at 4-H Acres 418 Lower Creek Rd. Ithaca, NY - FREE! with Activated Ticket! — Join us for a rocking day of music, survival skills and family fun at the 8th annual Primitive Pursuits Festival. Music from the Urban Horse Thieves, Who You Are, Nate Silas Richardson and The O’Shanigans will keep you dancing while Wilderness Skills Instructors from across Central N.Y. will keep your hands busy with all day workshops for kids and adults. This event is FREE but a ticket is required and available at Green Star Coop, Eastern Mountain Sports, Ludgate Farms, and Cornell Cooperative Extension. DETAILS on Outdoor Forum http://canaaninstitute.org/bikeski/viewtopic.php?p=1295#1295

Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=61316508650

As many of you may know the ABC Cafe will be closing its doors forever by the end of June. The ABC Cafe is the first place I was ever booked for a solo musical performance eight years ago and I know the same is true for many other acts in the greater Ithaca area. It is truly a remarkable place and I know it is hard to believe that The Cafe is really closing forever. For the past thirty years owner Ken Hallet has worked  relentless 80 to 90 hour weeks to keep the ABC in our community but the time has come for him to move on and follow other passions. Many of you may be unaware that Ken is also a talented singer song writer; on Saturday May 16th Ken and myself will share the stage performing our original tunes together. The show starts around 9:30 pm and will end around mid-night. All proceeds will go directly into Ken’s pocket to help him with the closing costs of the ABC Cafe. It’s going to be a great show so I hope to see you all there!

Thanks,

Jiamie Pyles

Facebook Event http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=98245446296

The Phelps Mansion Museum presents the award-winning trio Simple Gifts in concert at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 10 – with a workshop on how to play the spoons at 4:45, and a jam following! Three women plus twelve instruments equals one good time when Simple Gifts takes the stage at the Phelps Mansion Museum, 191 Court Street, Binghamton, NY, on Sunday, May 10, 2009. The afternoon will start with Simple Gifts in concert at 3:00 p.m., followed with their popular how to play the spoons workshop at 4:45 pm, before concluding with a jam following the concert at approximately 5:00 p.m.– players of all levels, and of all instruments, are invited to bring their instruments and join in! For more information on the concert, please call 607.797.3822. MORE INFO HERE http://canaaninstitute.org/mikesmusic/viewtopic.php?p=2606#2606 HERE IS A REALLY NICE POSTER. PLEASE PRINT AND POST! http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/SGtrioPhelps 2.pdf

The Big Tent Cultural Center, 2659 Main Street, Whitney Point, New York will present a series of Open Song Circles on Thursday May 21, Thursday June 18, and Thursday July 16 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Led by traditionally-influenced a cappella singer Pamela Goddard, the Big Tent Open Song Circle welcomes singers of all levels, experience and backgrounds. Come and sing together for the love of it. Bring an open heart, a willing voice and a song to share.$5.00 minimum donation.

Pamela Goddard lives in Ithaca, New York. For the past 30 years she has learned traditional songs from both sides of the Atlantic and now focuses on the songs of New York State and New England. Her latest CD is called “Quietness.” Visit www.pamgoddard.com for purchase information (or, visit Ludgate Farm Market!).

For more information about Big Tent Open Song Circles, contact 607-692-2005 or e-mail events@bigtentculturalcenter.com.

Sunday, May 17, 2009; Workshop 3-5pm, Concert at 7pm

A workshop and concert by Pamela Goddard & Colleen Cleveland

Ticket information: $10 for the workshop, $5 for the concert.

A musical tour through the landscape of New York, touching song roots in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Colleen and Pamela will talk about what traditional songs and ballads are, compare and contrast actual songs, swapping versions of some of the most common and popular. During the workshop Colleen and Pamela will talk about family traditions and how they came to learn and promote these songs. There will also be opportunities for audience/workshop participation - singing on choruses and refrains, maybe learning a short ballad/song. Theconcert will present much of the same material, but with more singing of the songs and less chat. The concert is also a Syracuse release of Pamela’s second CD, “Quietness.”

Colleen Cleveland of Brant Lake is a descendant of Scottish and Irish settlers to northern New York and her family’s music and stories includes ancient ballads or story-songs, for which the Scots are known. Colleen’s grandmother, Sara Cleveland, was a nationally famous ballad singer of her generation. After Sara’s death in 1987, Colleen and her father, Jim, began singing the family’s songs in public. In addition to about 400 songs of the 
British Isles, the family repertoire includes songs from a variety of other popular sources. Like her traditional counterparts in Scotland and Ireland, Colleen usually sings unaccompanied. Some of the family’s very old ballads are unique variants that have not been collected from any other North American source.

Pamela Goddard of Danby has been passionate about folk songs ever since she sang along with her father as a 6-year-old. For her, songs are historic documents that describe the peculiar quality of  the land and the life of the people who live there. “They water my roots,” she says, “and are dedicated to my grandparents from  coastal New England, from the coal fields of Pennsylvania, and from the hills of Tennessee.” Pamela performs ballads in traditional fashion, usually a cappella or accompanying herself on a lap dulcimer. She also calls dances regularly throughout the Finger Lakes region. Pamela has two CDs of her singing. The first of these, As Time Draws Near, was released in 2005. Her new CD, Quietness, will be released at the May 17 show at ArtRage.

ArtRage Gallery
505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse, New York   
315-218-5711
HOURS: W, Th, F 2-7pm & Sat. 12-4pm
info@artragegallery.org 
www.artragegallery.org 
ArtRageous art for peace & social justice
ArtRage is handicapped accessible
Off street parking at 404 & 414 Lodi Street