Pioneer Valley Folklore Society Happenings

January 2004
 
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Contents

  • Balladeer April Grant will join January 9 Song & Story Swap
  • Valley music alums in the movies
  • People's Music Network Winter Gathering — Jan. 23-25
  • Lou's Reviews — Works in progress
  • Calendar

April Grant will be January 9 Song & Story Swap guest

Please come share in an evening of music and stories at the January Pioneer Valley Folklore Society SONG & STORY SWAP.

April Grant -- January 9 at the Black Sheep!Friday, January 9, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Black Sheep Café, 79 Main St., Amherst, Mass.

Guest performer at the January 9 Song & Story Swap will be balladeer April Grant. A Northampton native, April is a lover of old songs from American folklore — songs that have sprung up in the States and ancient ballads that have traveled and changed on the way.  She seeks out the local roots in New England balladry and brings to light their history and drama.  Interested in the uncanny, she has a broad collection of songs of the supernatural. Her repertoire also includes British and Irish songs, as well as recently written pieces in the tradition, humorous songs, chorus songs and scary or funny stories and poems.

April Grant has led workshops for the New York Folk Music Club and Pinewoods Folk Week, and performed at the New England Folk Festival and NOMAD Festival, as well as numerous regional coffeehouses. She was formerly fiddler for the Celtic band Gan Ainm.

The warm-up theme this month is Togetherness.

The PVFS Song & Story Swap happens the 2ND FRIDAY of every month.  For information contact Paul Kaplan, (413)-253-9484 or Jeff Lee, (413)-256-0433 or visit http://www.filbert.com/pvfs.

Valley music alums in the movies

Cold MountainSome familiar names are being featured in the credits of a couple current blockbuster movies.

Cordelia's Dad frontman Tim Eriksen, now living in Minnesota, was recruited for his expertise in shape note singing to advise on the music selection for the Civil War period piece Cold Mountain.  Eriksen led director Anthony Minghella to Liberty Baptist Church in Henegar, AL where local singers recorded two shape note hymns for the film.  He also contributed a song of his own, "I wish My Baby Was Born," and provides the singing voice for the character Stobrod.

Former Sundog fiddler Craig Eastman has worked on several of movie composer Hans Zimmer's projects since moving west, most recently soloing on the soundtrack for The Last Samurai.  Eastman also taught actor Billy Bob Thornton how to play fiddle for scenes in the upcoming release The Alamo.  When Thornton's instrument was roughed up during filming, it was shipped to Stamell Stringed Instruments in Amherst for repairs.

People's Music Network Winter Gathering — Jan. 23-25

People's Music Network Winter GatheringThe People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle has twice-yearly gatherings, to sing and enjoy each other's company. These events draw an interesting mix of musicians who write their own songs and people involved in peace and social justice efforts.  The group meets once in the summer in a rural setting, and once in the winter in a city. This year the get-together is nearby, in Lawrence Massachusetts, on January 23-25.  The theme is the Spirit of Resistance.

For more information check the PMN Winter Gathering web page at http://www.peoplesmusic.org/Winter_2004/Winter_2004.htm.

Lou's Reviews — Works in progress

Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1Lou Wigdor is preparing to release a review of an album he calls one of the best of 2003 — The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1.

He also has several other music articles in progress including a piece on Patty Larkin and her recent performance at the Hilltown Folk Series in Shelburne Falls, and his third annual list of picks for the best CDs of the past year.

Watch the Lou's Reviews page — http://www.filbert.com/pvfs/LousReviews.         

Western Mass. Folk Calendar

  • Jan. 9 - PVFS Song & Story Swap with guest April Grant.  Black Sheep Café, 79 Main St., Amherst, MA.  7:30pm.  413-253-9484.
  • Jan. 9 - Erin McKeown with Brie Sullivan, Larry Berger & Flora Reed.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 9 - Lucy Chapin/Gordon Stone Duo.  People's Pint, 24 Federal St., Greenfield, MA.  10pm.  413-773-0333.
  • Jan. 9 - Savoy Brown's Kim Simmonds Unplugged.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 9  - Walter & Valerie Crocket.  Wachusett Inn, Rt. 2, Westminster, MA.  6:00pm.  978-874-2000.
  • Jan. 10 - Rona Leventhal.  Eric Carle Museum, 125 West Bay Rd., Amherst, MA.  413-658-1000.
  • Jan. 10 - Erica Wheeler, Stephen Biegner.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 10 - Don White, Richard Berman.  St. James Coffeehouse, 8 Church Street,  Greenfield, MA.  7:30pm.  413-772-2213.
  • Jan. 10 - Natalie MacMaster.  Calvin Theatre, 19 King St.,  Northampton, MA.  8pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 10 - Apparatticus, The Grift.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 10 - Rock the Vote - Court Dorsey & Suzy Polucci, Charlie King & Karen Brandow.  Memorial Hall, 51 Bridge St.,  Shelburne Falls, MA.  7:30pm.  413-625-2580.
  • Jan. 10 - Geoff Bartley.  uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series, 245 Porter Lake Dr.,  Springfield, MA.  8pm.  413-562-3990.
  • Jan. 10 - Matt Haimovitz.  Full Moon Coffeehouse, Town Hall,  Wendell, MA.  7:30pm.  978-544-8339.
  • Jan. 11 - Jackson Gillman.  Stone Soup Cafe, Bob Blue's, 170 E. Hadley Rd.,  Amherst, MA.  2pm.  413-256-8784.
  • Jan. 13 - Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 15 - Courtney Robbins, Cynthia Shelton & Shane Shayers-Couzyn.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 16 - Marjorie Thompson.  Stone Soup Coffeehouse, Bob Blue's, 170 E. Hadley Rd.,  Amherst, MA.  7:30pm.  413-256-8784.
  • Jan. 16 - Paul Kaplan, Norman Schell.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 16 - Zoe Darrow and the Fiddleheads.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 16 - Almost Speechless.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  10pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 17 - Meredith & Chris Thompson.  Coffee & Soul Coffeehouse, All Soul's Church, 399 Main St.,  Greenfield, MA.  6:30pm.  413-773-5018.
  • Jan. 17 - Lucy Kaplansky, Jeffrey Foucault.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 17 - The Klezmatics.  Berkshire Museum, 39 South St.,  Pittsfield, MA.  8:00pm.  413-443-7171.
  • Jan. 17 - Peter Mulvey.  Hilltown Folk & Jazz, Shelburne Falls Yoga, Deerfield Ave.,  Shelburne Falls, MA.  7:30pm.  413-625-2580.
  • Jan. 18 - Christian McBride Band.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 21 - Tommy Castro.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 22 - The Waybacks.  Club Helsinki, 284 Main St.,  Great Barrington, MA.  8pm.  413-528-3394.
  • Jan. 22 - Rubyhorse, Flynn.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 23 - Eliot Bronson, Polly Fiveash & Anand Nayak.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 23 - Rickie Lee Jones.  Calvin Theatre, 19 King St.,  Northampton, MA.  8pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 23-25 - People's Music Network Winter Gathering.  Council on Aging, 155 Haverhill Street, Lawrence, MA.  978-474-0606.
  • Jan. 24 - Spanish for Hitchhiking, School for the Dead.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 24 - The Moth: An evening of Storytelling with Andy Borowitz.  Mass. MoCa, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, MA.  9pm.  413-662-2111.
  • Jan. 26 - My Morning Jacket.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  8:30pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 29 - Beth Amsel, Christopher Williams.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 29 - Population You.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  8:30pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 30 - Rachel Bissex, Zoe Lewis.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Jan. 30 - John Coster, Marsia Shuron Harris.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Jan. 30 - Garnet Rogers, Rachel Davis.  Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown, MA.  8:00pm.  413-458-2303.
  • Jan. 31 - Antibalas.  Mass. MoCa, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, MA.  8pm.  413-662-2111.
  • Jan. 31 - Rise Up Singing with Harmony - Group Singalong.  Bodman Lounge, Helen Hills Hills Chapel, 76 Elm St., Northampton, MA.  6pm (potluck), 7pm (singing).
  • Jan. 31 - Mark Erelli, Royer's One Man Band.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 1 - Catie Curtis.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 1 - Silver Chord Bowl - A Capella Groups.  John M. Greene Hall, Smith College,  Northampton, MA.  2pm.  413-587-1269.
  • Feb. 4 - Inner Visions.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  8:30pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 4 - Dave Burrell - Freedom Songs Revisited.  Campus Center 208, Smith College, Northampton, MA.  7:30pm.
  • Feb. 5 - LadySmith Black Mambazo.  Calvin Theatre, 19 King St.,  Northampton, MA.  8pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 6 - Girlyman, We're About 9.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Feb. 6 - Cheryl Wheeler.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 6 - Second to Mecca, Josh Noone.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  10pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 7 - Jeree Small.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Feb. 7 - Jose Gonzalez and Criollo Clasico.  Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Rd., Holyoke, MA.  7pm. 413- 545-3671.
  • Feb. 7 - The Holmes Brothers.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 7 - Evan Dando.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  10pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 7 - Michael Jerling.  Common Grounds Coffeehouse, First United Methodist Church, 55 Fenn St.,  Pittsfield, MA.  8:00pm.  413-499-0866.
  • Feb. 7 - Mamadou Diabate / Walter Strauss.  Hilltown Folk & Jazz, Shelburne Falls Yoga, Deerfield Ave.,  Shelburne Falls, MA.  7:30pm.  413-625-2580.
  • Feb. 7 - The Pangeans.  Full Moon Coffeehouse, Town Hall,  Wendell, MA.  7:30pm.  978-544-8339.
  • Feb. 8 - Sisters of the South - Women's Blues.  Academy of Music, 274 Main St.,  Northampton, MA.  2pm.  413-587-1269.
  • Feb. 8 - Matt Nathanson.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 9 - Rona Leventhal.  Amherst Women's Club, 35 Triangle St., Amherst, MA.  1:30pm. 
  • Feb. 12 - People's Poetry Theatre featuring Arjuna Greist, Gooselove and Lenelle Moise.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Feb. 12 - Arlo Guthrie.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 13 - PVFS Song & Story Swap with guests Boys of the Landfill.  Black Sheep Café, 79 Main St., Amherst, MA.  7:30pm.  413-253-9484.
  • Feb. 13 - Edie Carey with Chris Pureka.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Feb. 13 - Arlo Guthrie.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 14 - Barenaked Ladies.  Mullins Center, UMass,  Amherst, MA.  7:30pm.  413-545-0505.
  • Feb. 14 - Zoë Darrow and the Fiddleheads.  White Church Community Center, Memorial St., Deerfield, MA.  7:30pm.  413-848-1401.
  • Feb. 14 - Brooks Williams.  St. James Coffeehouse, 8 Church Street,  Greenfield, MA.  7:30pm.  413-772-2213.
  • Feb. 14 - Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen.  uNi Coffeehouse Concert Series, 245 Porter Lake Dr.,  Springfield, MA.  8pm.  413-562-3990.
  • Feb. 15 - Fab Faux - Local Bands Cover the Beatles.  Academy of Music, 274 Main St.,  Northampton, MA.  2pm.  413-587-1269.
  • Feb. 15 - Stacey Earle & Mark Stuart.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 16 - Habib Koite & Bamada.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 17 - Future Man, The Isaiah Williams Project.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 17 - Chris Whitley.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  9:30pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 18 - Leon Russell.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 19 - Guster.  Calvin Theatre, 19 King St.,  Northampton, MA.  8pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 19 - Ferron, Pamela Means.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 20 - Lonesome Brothers.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  8pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Feb. 20 - Tarbox Ramblers.  Club Helsinki, 284 Main St.,  Great Barrington, MA.  9pm.  413-528-3394.
  • Feb. 20 - Tony Vacca & World Rhythms.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 20 - Patty Larkin, Bernice Lewis.  Clark Art Institute, 225 South St., Williamstown, MA.  8:00pm.  413-458-2303.
  • Feb. 21 - Randal Bays & Daithi Sproule. CD Release Party. Unitarian Society, 121 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA.  8pm.  413-210-0471.
  • Feb. 21 - Vance Gilbert, Bobby Darling.  Coffee & Soul Coffeehouse, All Soul's Church, 399 Main St.,  Greenfield, MA.  6:30pm.  413-773-5018.
  • Feb. 21 - Dougie MacLean.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 21 - Black Rebels.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  10pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 21 - Tom Rush.  Berkshire Museum, 39 South St.,  Pittsfield, MA.  8:00pm.  413-443-7171.
  • Feb. 22 - Celtic Fiddle Fest - Kevin Burke, Christian Lamaitre.  Memorial Hall, 51 Bridge St.,  Shelburne Falls, MA.  4pm.  413-625-2580.
  • Feb. 24 - Mark Erelli, Nanci Griffith.  Calvin Theatre, 19 King St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 26 - Villa Jidiots hosting Improv Comedy Jam.  Pioneer Arts Center of Easthampton, 41 Union St.,  Easthampton, MA.  7:30pm.  413-527-3700.
  • Feb. 26 - Moya Brennan (formerly Maire Brennan of Clannad).  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 27 - David "Fathead" Newman with The Bruce Katz Trio.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 28 - Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer.  Mass. MoCa, 87 Marshall St., North Adams, MA.  8:00pm.  413-662-2111.
  • Feb. 28 - Stephen Kellogg, David Berkeley.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.
  • Feb. 29 - Lui Collins, Polly Fiveash & Anand Nayak, Tim Van Egmond, Tom Neilson.  Montague Grange, 34 Main St., Montague, MA.  7pm.  413-628-0197.
  • Feb. 29 - Really Big Show - Various Artists.  Academy of Music, 274 Main St.,  Northampton, MA.  2pm.  413-587-1269.
  • Feb. 29 - Bill Morrissey, Tom Juravich.  Iron Horse Music Hall, 20 Center St.,  Northampton, MA.  7pm.  413-586-8686.

If there is a folk event you'd like included in the calendar, please forward information to pvfolk@yahoo.com.

If you'd like to be removed from this mailing list, please send an email to pvfolk@yahoo.com with the word REMOVE in the subject.

Pioneer Valley Folklore Society, Amherst, Mass.
Web site - http://www.filbert.com/pvfs/
Newsletter archives - http://www.filbert.com/pvfs/news/
Email - pvfolk@yahoo.com
Director/Host: Paul Kaplan
Webmaster: Jeff Lee
January 4, 2003