Katie Bull Group Project at The Buttonwood

Singer, songwriter, improvisor, and poet Katie Bull will be in Middletown this Friday night to perform in the cozy performance space of The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street.  She and the Katie Bull Group Project will present the entirety of her new CD, "All Hot Bodies Radiate" (Ashkokan Indie). The 13-song, 65-minute collection features all original material save for a lovely reading of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "If I Loved You" and a somewhat off-center reading of "Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead." The musicians on the CD are the ones who'll be onstage and they include Landon Knoblock (piano, electronics, vocals), Jeff Lederer (tenor and soprano saxophone), plus the very active rhythm section of bassist Joe Fonda (pictured above with Ms. Bull) and drummer George Schuller.

The album, Ms. Bull's 5th as a leader or a co-leader, blends poetry, wordless vocals, "free jazz", swing, folk and so much more. The musicians swirl, wail. rock, and add so much support. The variety of sounds the quintet creates is quite impressive and the music often moves in unexpected directions. Knoblock's keyboard is inventive and forceful while the saxophone work of Lederer can go just about anywhere at any time.

The music starts at 8 p.m.  For more information, go to buttonwood.org. To find out more about Ms. Bull and her many projects, go to www.katiebull.com. Here's the Katie Bull Group Project in action from last summer's Monday Night Jazz Series in Hartford's Bushnell Park:



(A version of this post appears on steptempest.blogspot.com.)

Funk to Punk to Bebop to Free to Poetry

Buttonwood Tree Friday and Saturday - 605 Main Street, plenty of parking at It's Only Natural parking lot just steps away.

JOE FONDA with Special Guest: Lilly White and Trio Generations

Friday, May 27th, 2011
8pm
$10

The Music of Trio Generations is a combination of compositions and musical
influences of its three members.

Tonight we welcome a special guest: Lilly White on saxophone

From Funk to Punk to Bebop to Free
improvisation this is the musical ground on which we stand . http://www.myspace.com/triogenerations

Michael Jefry Stevens – Piano

Emil Gross from Austria – Drums

Joe Fonda – Bass

Riverwood Poetry Series “Poetry on the Grill” with Opening musical performance by Cameron Blake

Saturday May 28th, 2011
6:30pm

Donations accepted

Poetry on the Grill

Opening performance by Cameron Blake

Come roast and toast your favorite poetry and songs as Riverwood Poetry Series closes its 2011 season with a mega-open mic of poetic homages or parodies, paeans or satires, and general metaphoric mayhem. What better way to start the barbecue season than by raking Wordsworth over the coals? If you’d rather toast Teasdale, or other favorite poets, bring some of their poetry, or some they’ve influenced of your own.

Cameron Blake is a classically-trained Baltimore-based singer/songwriter with an eclectic style variously described as “art house folk rock,” “experimental” and “melodic folk.”
www.cameronblakemusic.com

The artistry and charisma of Cameron’s live performances have enabled him to perform in numerous venues throughout the East Coast, Texas, Michigan and even Paris, France. Known for constantly changing the arrangements of his songs in concert, Cameron has collaborated with various musicians from the Peabody Conservatory, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and local rock, country, and Dixieland performers. Performances have earned him accolades including the 8×10 Club’s August 2008 Artist of the Month in Baltimore’s City Paper and 1st place among 36 competitors in Philadelphia’s renowned World Café Live ‘Philly Rising’ Open Stage.

Buttonwood Buzz

The Buttonwood Tree was a buzz Sunday with a full day of art music and food. Some arrived in time for the delicious lunch prepared by Food Not Bombs and left after the last note was played, some nine hours later! FAITH McCANN described her art exhibit, "Dreaming" and mingled with patrons who came to see the paintings for the Artist's Reception. One could get lost imagining all the possibilities when looking at her work, which will be up through the end of November. Then JOE FONDA took the stage at 7 along with MIKE MUSILLAMI, RICKY ALFONSO, AL "ABU" CARTER AND TOM MONAGHAN for some jazzy musicand they were blazin' hot! The 5 of them were so tight and together it just worked incredibly. They jammed, jazzed, rocked, lifted us up and spun us around! The energy in the room was buzzing as the notes were flying and the musicians just kept pouring their all into their instruments, filling the room with gorgeous sounds never heard before! Joe played both the flute and his bass and I think plucked or tapped every square inch of that bass before the night was over. His grandchildren and the other children in attendance were engrossed in the show and Ricky's trumpet playing got them inquisitive so he spent some time talking with them after the show. Tom's family, including his grandmother and grandfather were thrilled with the performance too, once again delighting audiences of all ages. The room was packed and some stood outside peering in or through the windows, as the music was so enticing people came in off the street to watch. Some left shaking their heads, amazed at what they had just witnessed, and I heard from more than one person, "This was the best jazz I've ever heard" and I have to agree!