The Buttonwood Tree Hosts Hartt School Alums, New Jersey's Jeremiah Birnbaum and Ben Rabb This Weekend

This weekend TBT will host musicians from around the tri-state area including West Hartford native, Ben Rabb and several guest musicians who will join Jeremiah Birnbaum on Saturday night. Tonight's full band will keep our toes tapping. Student suggested donation only $7. Light refreshments are available as always.

Showcasing music from their debut record “Best Friends”, this is a great opportunity to see Ladyhips in an acoustic, scaled back vibe at this intimate venue.



Ladyhips began as a duo project between bassist and vocalist Sean Rubin, and guitarist Mike Dipanfilo. Upon meeting in 2009, the two Hartt School students quickly found a unique chemistry, and began exploring their sounds while living together the following school year. After further developing their sound, the two searched for more members to not only flesh out their ideas, but to bring new, unique personalities and styles to the table. The search ended when they met drummer Sam Horan and keyboardist Paul Philippone, who also studied at Hartt.

Throughout the short amount of time the group has been active, Ladyhips have played all over the Hartford and New England, while making their way to the five boroughs. Most recently, they released their first album titled “Best Friends”, which is a compilation of seven songs that were written over the summer in 2011. Influences of the group range from James Brown to Charlie Parker, from Bob Dylan to J.S Bach. Always looking for an interesting collaboration, the group has collaborated with visual and performing artists of all sorts, from inner city MC’s to modern dancers. Being versatile improvisers, each member of Ladyhips work as dance accompanists over at the Handel Performing Arts Center (University of Hartford), improvising and interpreting the dancers as they see fit.

Though still humble rookies on the bandstand, Ladyhips are certainly on the up and coming list on Connecticut’s “locally grown”. With their versatile sound and hunger for opportunities, the end result is a performance that is guaranteed to keep the audience guessing while keeping their feet moving the whole time.
$10 Suggested donation
SUGGESTED  STUDENT PRICE  $7.

http://ladyhips.bandcamp.com/

Saturday night's concert starts at 8 pm, $10 suggested donation. TBT policy: we never turn anyone away for lack of funds.



A Jersey boy with a Southern heart, Jeremiah Birnbaum is a “rootsy, soulful troubadour” (Time Out, London) whose sweet, gritty voice and skillful, effortless guitar work makes you believe every word he sings, whether about sunshine or blood.
The son of a rabbi and an architect, Jeremiah grew up in the all-American town of Maplewood, New Jersey, with his parents’ LP records at hand and a great encouragement to be who he wanted to be. Thusly armed, by age 17, he was working in New York City recording studios and making his own music by any means necessary.
Since then, traveling well beyond his home turf, Jeremiah has created music and (mis)adventure along the way, gathering ample fuel for stories told with voice and expressive picking. A dedicated songsmith, Jeremiah writes new tunes weekly, a practice honed through longtime attendance at the storied Jack Hardy Songwriters’ Exchange in New York.
http://www.jeremiahbirnbaum.com/

BEN RABB:

New York-based singer/songwriter Ben Rabb loves to tell a story. Whether it’s true, partially true, or completely false is for the listener to surmise.  Fusing organic soul with folk melodies, Rabb’s fluid angst and distinguished passion absorbs audiences from coast to coast.  He regularly performs throughout the Northeast – from NYC to Providence, RI, as well as the Midwest- from Omaha, NE to Austin, TX.  Additionally, he has performed during an interview while appearing on WCCT-TV in Connecticut, and has received radio play in cities from St. Louis, MO to Charlotte, NC.
http://www.benrabb.com/

BTW, Our good friend and talented artist, Pierre Sylvain, has put together an art show to raise funds for Haiti. Pierre has great vision and I encourage you to support his efforts by seeing this show and watching for his future endeavors. (Find him on Facebook) Pierre strives to raise the consciousness of individuals and our community as a whole to realize the value of having art around us. Toward this end he has put his colorful vision on recycling barrels which can be found along Main Street, Middletown.  Tonight is the closing reception, from 6 to 10pm, at Hartford Artspace, 555 Asylum Ave.