Friday night February 22, will be the debut performance of the “Americana Sensation” Harpeth Rising. This group of young classically trained musicians is making an impact not quite as strong as the Russian meteor, but close. With a banjo and fiddle and cello, and hand drums rounding it out they create a new sound- a little bit bluegrass, a little bit folk, a little bit classical, and whole lot of original. They are a band to watch, and watch and listen you can do, here, in a lovely listening room. What the hell does Harpeth mean anyway? asks someone in the crowd.
Saturday night February 23, all by his Lonesome Bill Camplin, the guy who can switch hats, from chef to performer, from councilman to citizen, from knob to philosopher, leaving you gasping- who is that man, and why does he have so many hats?
Next week Thursday February 28 another debut, Ari and Mia Friedman, Boston’s Americana sister act. They are a soulful and spirited acoustic duo exploring the traditions of Southern Appalachia, Northeastern fiddle music, and the realm where their own compositions cross paths with older traditions. Add Owen Marshall on guitar, and they would rightfully be called a trio.
“…Like their slightly older contemporaries, Crooked Still, Ari and Mia mix cello with Appalachian-folk-influenced music with clawhammer banjo, sometimes Gospel-like textures, and throw in jazz and even classical influence. Sometimes, their music can remind me of classical composer Aaron Copeland’s approach to traditional American folk music. The result is eminently listenable and quite appealing.” -George Graham, from The Graham Weekly Album Review on WVIA-FM.
Friday March 1 finds our stage open, waiting for you to fill it.
Saturday March 2 kill the blues with the hair of the dog provided by acoustic folk-blues singer-songwriter John Stano playing finger-style guitar and mouth-style harmonica. Also that night is yet another debut, Brett Newski, back in the US after world-traveling and letting Saigons be bygones. Of his CD recorded all over Asia during his travels: “Coined the “Homeless in Asia Tour”, “[Between] ..Exits” captures the liberating highs and loneliest lows of solo wanderlusting.” -YPR