Saturday, January 01, 2011

GLORIA'S MUSIC BLOG #32 (updated 01/22/2011)

I AM DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE BELOW CONCERTS/EVENTS - EITHER COORDINATING OR PRODUCING . THANKS A MILLION FOR YOUR PAST & FUTURE SUPPORT FOR HELPING KEEP THIS MUSIC ALIVE AND FLOURISHING. IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE EMAIL NOTICES OF "MY" CONCERTS, PLEASE SO ADVISE.

MY CONTACT INFO CAN BE FOUND AT THE TOP OF THE CONCERT PAGE AT THE UU CHURCH OF TAMPA WEBSITE. GO TO WWW.UUTAMPA.ORG & CLICK ON CONCERTS.

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A. CONCERTS IN THE UU DOME, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF TAMPA (UU DOME), 11400 MORRIS BRIDGE RD, TAMPA, FL 33637, INFO: 813-988-8188. WWW.UUTAMPA.ORG(CLICK ON CONCERTS.) PLEASE NOTE. YOU CAN PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE VIA THE CHURCH WEBSITE.
B. SOUTH TAMPA HOUSE CONCERTS (WESTSHORE/GANDY AREA) . RSVP'S NECESSARY. TO RSVP, EMAIL ME AT GSHOLLOWAY AT EMAIL DOT COM

C. AZALEA PARK (ORLANDO) HOUSE CONCERT. I'M PLANNING ON HOSTING OCCASIONAL CATCH AS CATCH CAN CONCERTS AT MY MOM'S HOUSE IN ORLANDO. WE HAD OUR FIRST ONE IN NOV 2010. MET SOME MIGHTY NICE FOLKS WHO SEEMED TO ENJOY THE CONCERT. DONT HAVE ANY ADD'L ONES SCHEDULED FOR NOW - BUT STAY TUNED AS MORE IN THE WORKS.

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A. CONCERTS IN THE UU DOME

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.February 27, Sunday, 3pm. $20 advance. $25 door.

THE LIMELITERS http://www.limeliters.com/ @ THE UU DOME

For 50+ years The Limeliters have entertained standing-room-only crowds with their incredible musical talent and zany sense of humor. With different configurations over the years, they have preserved their signature vocal sound. The original trio consisted of: Louis Gottlieb (bass), Alex Hassilev (baritone), and Glenn Yarbrough (tenor). Their success was immediate. Only two days after their professional debut, they received offers from three recording companies. In early 1959, they released their first album on Elektra. Soon after they signed with RCA and a string of best selling albums followed, making "The Limeliters" a household name.

The current trio consists of: Mack Bailey (tenor) guitar, banjo; Andy Corwin (bass, baritone) bass; Gaylan Taylor (baritone) guitar. The Limeliters' trademark sound, harmonies, and sense of fun endure. Now more than ever, the surging vocals and wonderful sense of humor of this unique trio continue to earn them their title as "THE FABULOUS LIMELITERS!"


March 6, Sunday, 3pm. $12 advance. $15 door.

RICK NORCROSS ( Solo Acoustic ) http://www.rickandtheramblers.com/about.html @ THE UU DOME

Rick, who is in his 5th decade as a singer-songwriter and guitarist, is also a humorist and entertainer. For many years Rick has fronted the Vermont based Rick & The Ramblers Western Swing Band. In addition to performing with his band, he also does occasional solo shows and will be solo at the UU Dome. Although he’s from Vermont, he has strong ties to Tampa. In the 60s he started attending USF (where he was the Fine Arts Editor of the Oracle). In 1972 he graduated from USF with a journalism degree. In 1967 and 1968 he owned and operated the 18th String Coffee House & Music Emporium near USF where he himself performed, and where he also featured not only national-level folk musicians, but also “great Florida characters” such as Will McLean and Gamble Rogers. Rick performed at the 1984 Budweiser Super Bowl Party near the Tampa Stadium. The following weekend he performed at a Burt Reynolds’ party inside the Tampa Stadium for a crowd of 40,000. It was during this party that the starting lineup for the Tampa Bay Bandits was announced. Rick has also performed several times at both the Florida State Fair and the Florida Folk Festival. From 1969 to 1974, Rick was the music writer for the Tampa Times.

Rick is looking forward to returning to his old stomping grounds and not only performing for and reconnecting with old friends/fans but also performing for and making new friends/fans.

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March 13, 2011, Sunday, 3pm. $15 advance. $20 door.

RICHARD SMITH & JULIE ADAMS @the UU Dome

www.richardsmithmusic.com

Richard is a world-renowned guitarist. His wife Julie is one of the most diverse cellists on the music scene today. Not only are they jaw-dropping instrumentalists – they also are very personable and are wonderful entertainers. This concert promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Presales are underway as we speak . This concert is endorsed by the Tampa Bay Fingerstyle Players Club. This will be the 2nd time that Richard & Julie have been featured. Trust me. They brought the house down last time. Not only are they very entertaining with their chit chat & presentation, they are outstanding world class musicians.

PER CHET ATKINS: "[RICHARD SMITH IS] THE MOST AMAZING GUY I KNOW ON THE GUITAR. HE CAN PLAY ANYTHING I KNOW, ONLY BETTER." PER TOMMY EMMANUEL: "IF YOU LIKE MY PLAYING … YOU SHOULD HEAR RICHARD SMITH! Thurs Apr 28, 2011. Tentative. BILL STAINES @ either the UU Dome or South Tampa House Concert. Venue TBA. Info re Bill's impressive background is included below in the South Tampa House Concert listings.

March 26, 2011, Saturday. PEGGY SEEGER IN A DOUBLE HEADER @ THE UU DOME

IN CELEBRATION OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

www.peggyseeger.com

Peggy’s 2-hour lecture/program is from 3 – 5pm. Peggy’s evening concert begins at 7:30 pm. COSTS: Lecture/Program $12 advance. $15 door. Concert $15 advance. $20 door. Both $25 advance. $30 door

Please refer to the concert page at the church website for additional information. www.uutampa.org

www.peggyseeger.com




Peggy will conduct an AFTERNOON LECTURE/PROGRAM (with music); plus she will be featured in an EVENING CONCERT. The lecture/program is entitled “ A Feminist View of Anglo-American Traditional Songs.” Per Peggy: “The roles that women play in our folktales and songs are part of the long story of oppression of women. These roles are expressed both subtly and blatantly and singers often disseminate messages in song that they would not dream of passing on in conversation or prose... This program appeals to both sexes and is very entertaining. “ The 2-hour lecture/program is from 3 – 5pm.

The evening concert begins at 7:30 pm. (There might be a song circle taking place on the church grounds between the two events – details tba. )

About Peggy: Born in 1935, Peggy's family connections are well-known in folk and classical music circles. She is Pete Seeger's half-sister, Mike Seeger’s sister, Ruth Crawford Seeger's daughter; partner to the late Ewan MacColl, who wrote “First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” for her. Her best-known songs are “Gonna Be an Engineer” and “The Ballad of Springhill."

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Additional Concerts in the UU Dome in the works. Stay Tuned.


B. SOUTH TAMPA HOUSE CONCERTS (STHC) WESTSHORE/GANDY AREA.

1. THURS JAN 13, 2011. BILL MIZE ACCOMPANIED BY BETH BRAMHALL.

www.billmize.com

BILL'S MUSIC WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN THE KEN BURNS DOCUMENTARY "THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA." WHEN NOT ON THE ROAD, BILL DIVIDES HIS TIME BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS OF TENNESSEE AND MONTANA.

HE'S A PAST WINNER OF THE WINFIELD NATIONAL GUITAR COMPETITION. WHAT'S MORE, HE RECEIVED A GRAMMY AWARD FOR HIS COLLABORATION WITH DAVID HOLT ON THE RECORDING STELLALUNA .

BETH BRAMHALL WILL ACCOMPANY BILL. SHE IS AN ACCORDIONIST, PIANIST AND COMPOSER . HER MUSIC CAN BE HEARD IN THE 2002 EMMY WINNING PBS DOCUMENTARY “SUN RIVER HOMESTEAD,” AND ON NAMMY AWARDS RECORD OF THE YEAR, “STICK GAMES” BY JIM BOYD.

2. Wed Jan 19, 2011. WALTER STRAUSS. ( Contemporary Singer-songwriter. Spectacular guitar!!!) www.walterstrauss.com

If you're a Burns Sisters fan, you're probably familiar w/Walter. He used to play guitar with them. Quite spectacular guitar at that! But not only is he a guitarist, he's a songwriter & a singer. To wit: "...... an amazing guitarist, composer, stylist, and humorist, he made the 350+ seat theater seem like a very special private show in his living room." - Eric Taber, Artistic Director, Margate Performing Arts Center, Margate,NJ. This is Walter's 2nd South Tampa House Concert. To say he wowed us last time is an understatement.

3. JAN 24. MON. 2011. ERIC TAYLOR. www.bluerubymusic.com

ERIC RETURNS FOR HIS ANNUAL FLA TOUR. YIPPEEE! ERIC'S SONG-WRITING, STORIES, PRESENTATION, IE, THE WHOLE ENCHILADA, IS MASTERFUL. Eric tours internationally and is a favorite everywhere he goes. He has appeared at various venues, festivals, and on radio & tv, etc, including the David Letterman show & Austin City Limits (where he mentioned that he enjoyed performing in Tampa at a concert series that I organize - which surprised & delighted me when I heard it) Always a big treat to have Eric back in the house.

4. 1/26 – Wed. HARD RYDE BLUEGRASS BAND http://www.hardryde.ca/ - These Canadian musicians are heading our way for a Florida Tour & & are to be based out of Odessa part of the time. They knocked on my door about playing at the house . I explained that the concert room isn’t all that “roomy” & not exactly an ideal setting for a band . They said “No matter. We’re to be in the area. We’ve got some spare time to fill. We’d like to do it.” So I thought, “What the heck, why not?”

5. JAN 27. THURS. 2011. COSY SHERIDAN. WWW.COSYSHERIDAN.COM

OH BOY. TWO GREAT SINGER-SONGWRITERS IN the SAME WEEK. FIRST ERIC. THEN COSY.

Cosy Sheridan has been called “one of the era’s finest and most thoughtful singer/songwriters.” She can also more than hold her own in the guitarist category - to wit: " Sheridan's masterful guitar style is a testament to years of honing her craft (she was a student of Guy Van Duser and Eric Schoenberg).."

A past winner of the Kerrville Folk Festival NewFolk Songwriting Contest and The Telluride Bluegrass Troubadour Contest, she has played everywhere from Carnegie Hall and The Jerry Lewis Telethon to the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Her songs have appeared in best-selling author Robert Fulghum’s book Third Wish and in the documentary Lines Across The Sand.

Per Sing Out Magazine: “Cosy Sheridan possesses an eccentric muse, or perhaps it possesses her.... Thru her storytelling and music, she weaves children’s stories into stories of modern adulthood: The Little Engine That Could talks with Ferdinand The Bull about achievement versus contentment..."

Per The Cornell Folksong Society: “Sheridan is frank, feisty, sublimely and devilishly funny. She fuses myth with modern culture; Persephone with Botox.”

Spending an evening with Cosy in the intimacy of a South Tampa House Concert. What a deal!

6. Thursday Feb 3, 2011. BUTCH ROSS. voice, mountain dulcimer, loop pedal. occasionally plays guitar as a drum. www.butchross.com

Butch Ross can't do anything right. He plays the mountain dulcimer. He plays it standing up like a guitar. He holds it upside and strung backwards. And Butch Ross plays rock n roll on it. "Young, irreverent, funny, talented." -Robin Hoffman, Robin's Nest House Concert Series.


7. FRIDAY FEB 11, 2011. JENI & BILLY. WWW.JENIANDBILLY.COM

THEIR MUSIC HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS “NEW OLD MUSIC.”

Duet partners Jeni Hankins and Billy Kemp bring impressive measures of inspiration, artistry, and austerity in their minimalist collection of old-time ballads, heartsongs, and spirituals. Per Bob Allen in Bluegrass Unlimited (Sep 1, 2010): Jeni & Billy were not only a landmark success with the audience at the 33rd Annual Fox Valley Folk Music & Storytelling Festival, but also had nearly all of our veteran performers and volunteers raving as well. I had many of our national and regional performers tell me that Jeni & Billy's music was their most exciting discovery in quite some time.

Per Lee Smith, award-winning author from North Carolina: ".... Theirs is the sparse folk sound of the mountains and backwoods folk, god fearing, hardworking, scraping a living but finding joy in family and friends. The pair play guitar, banjo and mandolin while Jeni Hankins carries the vocals with Billy Kemp adding counterpoint. Together they create a warm, honest sound as natural as flowers in a field. With a mixture of traditional and original songs they sing of drunkards, jilted lovers and ruined lives. Half of these songs could be turned into tear-stained movies, “The Ballad of Sally Kincaid” tells of a girl seduced by a thieving preacher who hangs himself leaving her to end her days in shame... "

Jeni & Billy recordings have been getting airplay on WMNF, especially during Mr Ethnic's old-time music show. After being treated to their recorded music, I'm looking forward to experiencing a live concert.


8 WED FEB 23, 2011 JOHN WORT HANNAM. WWW.JOHNWORTHANNAM.COM

I was in the audience at the 2010 Woody Guthrie Folk Festival during John's set where he received a much deserved Standing Ovation. Please take a look at some of the awards that have been bestowed upon John Wort Hannam & then give me a shout with your RSVP for the concert.

2010: Canadian Folk Music Award Winner - Contemporary Album of the Year; Western Canadian Music Award Nominee; Juno Award Nominee - Roots & Traditional;

2009 Grand Prize Winner - Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition ; 2008 North American Folk Alliance Award Nominee; 2007 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Winner; 2007 Two-time Western Canadian Music Award Nominee; 2007 Grand Prize Winner - Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition; 2006 Best Performance - Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition; 2006 Smithsonian Folkways Recording Artist. And the least goes on!


9 Mon Feb 28, 2011. CHRIS BRASHEAR & PETE McLAUGHIN: http://chrisbrashear.com/duo.html

Bluegrass and beyond. Peter McLaughlin is a past National Flatpicking Guitar Champion. Both Peter & Chris are current Artists in Residence with the Arizona Commision on the Arts. Chris has performed in Italy as violinist with the Maurizio Geri Swingtet . Peter & Chris' performances include sibling like vocal harmonies, intricate arrangements and stunning instrumental virtuosity. Though steeped in bluegrass tradition, they perform many original songs and draw from a deep repository of acoustic roots music. They perform on a variety of instruments including fiddle, mandolin and guitar.


10 Tues Mar 8. 2011. BOB CHEEVERS

http://www.bobcheevers.com/

Songwriting Troubadour Extraordinaire. For almost 4 decades Bob has been living out his dream as a songwriting troubadour. Re his songs, he says: "I don't know if these stories are true, but they happened to me." His accomplishments are nothing to sneeze at: To wit::

Two Euro Americana top ten CDs; Two CDs charted Top 20 Americana; Euro Americana top 10; Johnny Cash tour opener; Winner of prestigious Kerrville New Folk Competition; Winner of Napa Valley Folk Festival Songwriting Award; Emmy Award for Music Video of "Big City Gambler;" Sang theme song to Love American Style as member of Peppermint Trolley Company; and the list goes on.

We're looking forward to welcoming Bob to a South Tampa House Concert. It promises to be quite a night!


11 Thurs Mar 10, 2011. Spider John Koerner http://www.mwt.net/~koerner/

Per Blueswire: "Alone among the young blues revivalists, Koerner had a sound that was completely idiosyncratic and personal. From the first guitar riff, there was never any doubt about who was playing. Today the material has changed but the sound is intact...spare and funky, with lots of open spaces between oddly placed notes, all of it held together with his impeccable timing."
Per Bonnie Raitt: His music set me on the artistic path I've followed to this day. They just don't make anybody like Spider John anymore. They broke the mold."


12 Wed Mar 16, 2011. ARVEL BIRD http://arvelbird.com

Fans worldwide call legendary violinist and Native American Artist of the Year Arvel Bird, “Lord of the Strings” for his powerful talent and artistic passion that draws audiences to his unique fiddling style. Classically trained, Bird calls on his Native American and Celtic heritage to create a repertoire that ranges from classical, new age, Celtic, and folk, to jazz, blues and fusion. Not only is Arvel an award-winning violinist, he's also an award winning flutist and storyteller, weaving stories of Native American spirituality with haunting melodies to give vision to his music. He speaks of Native American wisdom, the sacredness of Mother Earth, the environment and the sacred totems of the animals with whom we share this planet.


13 Wed Apr 13, 2011. JIMMY CROWLEY & MARLA FIBISH: Irish & Irish. http://www.jimmycrowley.com/c-f.htm


Jimmy and Marla are a compelling combination. Their sound evolves from their shared love for mandolin family instruments. They take delight in the playful dialogue between their instruments, filled with happy harmonies, frivolous fills and colorful counterpoint. Jimmy sings from his amazing song repertoire and Marla pulls out her favorite jigs, reels, and party pieces to deliver a variety of traditional music together on mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, mandocello and guitar.

Per Micheal O Sulleabhain, Irish World Centre, University of Limerick: Jimmy is a musical icon in Irish tradition. He sings out from his own ground to a world of listeners and the lift and lilt of his voice is the listeners’ joy." Per Dirty Linen: An unCorked bottle of delight overflowing with good spirits, effervescent vocals and brimful of good bouzouki and guitar playing.

Marla Fibish is a San Francisco native and a long-time feature of the SF Bay Area Irish music scene. Per Dennis Cahill: Some of the best mandolin playing in Irish music. Per Kevin Carr, Folkworks: Marla is a wonder on the mandolin; rhythmic beyond imagination, clear as a bell tone, great invention, lovely ornaments at just the right times and places, and a sureness and ease that allows the listener to relax and be carried away.


14 Thurs Apr 28, 2011. BILL STAINES http://www.acousticmusic.com/staines/

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Per the Washington Post: "A craftsman who has cobbled together evocative details, pithy aphorisms and singalong melodies into a trunkful of unassuming, marvelous songs." Over the decades, we have heard Bill singing on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, HBO's award winning series Deadwood, and Public Radio's Mountain Stage. Additionally, his music has been used in a number of films including Off and Running, with Cyndi Lauper, and The Return of the Secaucus Seven, John Sayles' debut as a writer- director.

Bill's music is a slice of Americana, reflecting with the same ease his feelings about the prairie people of the Midwest or the adventurers of the Yukon, the on-the-road truckers, or the everyday workers that make up this land.

Many of Bill's songs have appeared in grade school music books, church hymnals, and scouting campfire songbooks; he is one of only a few songwriters to have eight songs published in the classic song collection, Rise up Singing. Composer David Amram describes Bill as "a modern day Stephen Foster…his songs will be around 100 years from now."

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C. AZALEA PARK (ORLANDO) HOUSE CONCERT. I'M PLANNING ON HOSTING OCCASIONAL CATCH AS CATCH CAN CONCERTS AT MY MOM'S HOUSE IN ORLANDO. We had our first one in Nov 2010. Met some mighty nice folks who seemed to enjoy the concert. Dont have any add'l ones scheduled for now - but stay tuned as more in the works.

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