Music at The Mansion Rain Date

You may remember the buckets of rain that fell the night that Doo-Wop DeVille started to play on the back patio of The Wadsworth Mansion (July 12, I believe).  The Music at The Mansion series rain date is usually the week after the final concert and should have been August 2.  But the band, based in Massachusetts, could not return until the second Wednesday in August, which is tomorrow August 9.  Actually, that's good because last Wednesday, the Middletown area had quite a storm. But it is also kind-of-bad because tomorrow is Motorcycle Mania on Main Street Middletown.

courtesy of Doo-Wop DeVille

So, you have a choice on what looks will be a beautiful afternoon and evening in Central Connecticut.  You can go downtown and ogle all the fine motorcycles that make the trek to town or head to the Mansion for some sweet music.  Chances are, you can do both.  Motorcycle Mania runs from 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. while Doo-Wop DeVille hits the patio stage around 6:30 p.m.  Both events are free and open to the public.  Have fun, on matter what you choose to do!

Take a listen:

Watcher of the Skies (Wadsworth Mansion)

The picture on the left shows just part of the contingent that the U.S. Coast Guard Band (the nonet in the photo is known as the Masters of Swing) will bring to the Wadsworth Mansion tonight (7/08) for the 6:30 p.m. concert on the back lawn of the Estate.

As a member of the Mansion Music Committee, I am of the people who decide "yea" or "nay" if the weather is threatening (decided wrong last week).  Therefore, I fret about the atmospheric conditions most of the day and, judging by what WFSB is saying (as of 6:30 a.m.) -

"A cold front will push into this humid air mass today and the result will be more showers and thunderstorms.  Once again, heavy downpours will be a problem in parts of the state.  Like yesterday, some towns could receive a few inches of rain in a short period of time.  If some thunderstorms get stronger, we may have to deal with gusty winds as well.  High temperatures will be in the 80s as sky conditions vary from partly to mostly cloudy." - I have reason to fret.

Stay tuned (as they say).  In the meantime, here's the USCGB at work performing a piece by its saxophonist Cedric Mayfield (that's him paying the fine soprano sax solo at the 8-minute mark).

Music at The Mansion Postponed

Tonight's concert, the first in the Music at The Mansion July 2015 series, with Avenue Groove has been postponed due to worries about the weather. The worry is not rain as much as it is the fear of lightning  Anyhow, the sextet will now perform the last Wednesday in July (7/29).

Next Wednesday, the Mansion hosts the US Coast Guard Band.  The grounds open at 5:30 p.m. with the ensemble playing its first notes at 6:30.  For more information, go to www.wadsworthmansion.com.
 

Wadsworth Mansion Concerts: Goza Goes On

The final concert in the 2014 Wadsworth Mansion "Music at the Mansion" series is, actually, the first concert.  Well, the July 2 concert featuring guitarist David Giardina's fine Latin music band Goza was rained out - the skies opened at the close of the second song and lightning was streaking in the distance and the Music Committee  cancelled the rest of the show.

Although the sky is filled with puffy clouds this afternoon, today is the "rain date" for the concert series so it's really the final show of this season. Grounds open at 5:30 and the music should start at 6:30.

Check www.wadsworthmansion.com for more information.  

Music Out of Doors This Week

Looks like tonight (Tuesday, August 6) will be a glorious night on Middletown's South Green and the City of Middletown Summer Sounds series.  The Phil Rosenthal 4 will perform at 7 p.m.  Phil Rosenthal, a native of Guilford, has been a fixture on the New England Folk (and international) scene since the 1970s when he worked The Seldom Scene.  For the past quarter-century, he has dedicated himself to running the American Melody recording label, writing songs and performing (most often) with his family. In fact, for tonight's 7 p.m. concert on the Green, he'll be joined by his son Daniel, a trumpeter who lives and works in Boston, performing with his own Quartet and in the horn section of the Either/Orchestra.  Also onstage tonight will be Phil Zimmerman (mandolin, banjo, autoharp) and Pete Kelly (acoustic bass).  For more information go to arts2go.org.

The final concert in the Music at The Mansion series, held on the spacious back lawn of the Long Hill Estate, features the blues-rock sounds of Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood with The Jeffettes.  Pitchell, a Connecticut native, has played in venues around the US, gigging with B.B King, Bo Diddley, J Geils, NRBQ, James Cotton and many more.  His guitar playing blends the fire of Otis Rush and Stevie Ray Vaughan with the rhythmic subtleties of Steve Cropper.  His top-notch band also plays with great fire and style and, when you add the soulful sounds of the 4 Jeffettes, the Mansion grounds will rock!  The music is set to start at 6:30 p.m. - for more information, go to www.wadsworthmansion.com.  To get a taste of Jeff Pitchell's music, go to www.jeffpitchell.com.

That's the front of the Middlesex County Historical Society, 151 Main Street in Middletown, looking all proper and upstanding. Saturday evening (August 10), the lovely backyard garden will resound with music, thanks to Middletown native and drummer Mike Augeri. He's presenting the Mike Augeri Jazz Project at 6 p.m. as a fundraiser for the MCHS - he's bringing quite a group, including Sinan Bakir (guitar), Paul Fuller (bass), Orice Jenkins (keyboards), Rich Tortorigi (percussion), Jim Bosco (saxophone) plus special guests Paul Brown (bass) and vocalist Kitty Kathryn.  Mr. Brown has been a fixture on the Hartford jazz scene as both a musician and educator - he created the Monday Night Jazz in Bushnell Park series in 1967 and helped to found the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz in 1992.  Ms. Kathryn, a native of North Carolina, has been performing for over 5 decades, working with Count Basie, Lena Horne, Paul Brown, Jay Hoggard and was a founding member of the Hartford Jazz Society.

For more information, go to www.middlesexhistory.org or call 860-346-0746.

Outdoors for Music and Theater

The City of Middletown is in the midst of its annual "Summer Sounds" series and this Tuesday (7/23) presents the Caribbean Soca sounds of Moto at 7 p.m. in Union Park on South Green.  In case of rain, the concert moves inside of South Congregational Church, across the Green on Pleasant Street.  For more information, go to arts2go.org.

Music at the Mansion continues Wednesday at Long Hill Estate, 421 Wadsworth Street in Middletown, with Gail Wade & Turning Point playing a pleasing blend of folk, blues, bluegrass and country musics, what we now call "Americana."  Singer/songwriter/guitarist Gail Wade has been performing for over 2 decades and has performed throughout New England as well as releasing 2 CDs.  Turning Point - Dan Menzone (banjo), Peggy Ann Harvey (fiddle, saxophone, harmonica), Rob Rainwater (acoustic bass) and Tim St. Jean (drums) - makes a joyful noise in support of Ms. Wade.

The grounds open at 5:30 p.m. and music begins at 6:30 p.m.  In the instance of electrical storms, the show will be cancelled.  For more information, go to www.wadsworthmansion.com.

Marcella Trowbridge ("Beatrice") and Brian Jenkins ("Benedick") lead a spirited ensemble through the ARTFARM production of "Much Ado About Nothing" which enters its second 4-day run on Thursday in the Grove at Middlesex Community College, Training Hill Road.  The proceedings begin at 6 p.m. with a musical act - this week, you can see and hear Lorena Gray (Thursday), Noah Baerman & Friends (Friday), Stacy Phillips & Paul Howard (Saturday) and Rani Arbo (without daisy mayhem on Sunday). Mr. Shakespeare's play commences at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket, a picnic, chairs, and enjoy this fine production with its most excellent set!  For more information, go to www.art-farm.org.

Music at the Mansion Postponed

The second concert in the "Music at the Mansion - 5 in July" series, scheduled for tonight at 6:30 p.m., has been postponed until Wednesday August 7. Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood + the Jeffettes will now bring their energetic blend of blues, soul, r'n'b and rock to the back lawn of the Mansion as the final show of the 2013 season.

Next week (7/17), Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem return to the Long Hill Estate, 421 Wadsworth Street - that should be a fun evening with Rani, Andrew Kinsey, Anand Nayak and Scott Kessel with the "Drumship Enterprise!"

Filling out the month of Wednesdays will be Gail Wade & Turning Point (7/24) and Quartetto Vivo (July 31).  For more information, go to www.wadsworthmansion.com.

Hot Times in the Old Town This Week Part 1)

The weathermen are promising temperatures in the 90s this week but that won't stop the plethora of concerts, theater productions and more from occurring (torrential rain certainly will but that's a hit-or-miss proposition around these parts.)

Tuesday afternoon into evening, you should make your way to the monthly North End Night Market.  Sponsored by the North End Action Team, you'll find plenty of locally grown products (many of them organic), food vendors, a Kid Activity Area and live music from Buru Style (in the picture.) The event takes place from 5 - 8 p.m. All this takes place on the corner of Main and Liberty Streets - for more information, call 860-346-4845.  

After you partake in that fun, meander down to South Green/Union Park to enjoy folk singer Phil Rosenthal and Family in concert, part of the Middletown Commission on the Arts "Summer Sounds" series.The Guilford resident is well-known around these parts for his fine music and musicianship.  The show is free and open to all. In case of inclement weather, the concert moves indoors to South Church.

Wednesday, the Music at the Mansion series at the Long Hill Estate welcomes the Michael Cleary Band for a free show at 6:30 p.m.  Last week's show with the Hartford Jazz Orchestra was, sadly, cut short by the 45-minute cloud burst that sent folks scurrying for the trees or their cars. Anyway, the grounds open at 5:30 for those who wish to stake out a good spot for the lawn chairs and picnic suppers. The MCB will get people up and dancing to its blend of blues, rock, classic rock and more. 

Later in the week, ARTFARM returns to the Grove at MxCC for 4 more shows of "Shakespeare's Argument" (with live music preceding each performance), the Trey McIntyre Project brings modern dance to Wesleyan's CFA Theater, and Jocelyn Pleasant brings her drums and Trio to the Luis Lopez Herb Garden Concerts.  More on this and other events in the next column.