Nakhimovsky and Bisantz in Concert at Russell Library December 9th

Alex Nakhimovsky and June Bisantz will perform
at Russell Library December 9, at 2:00pm.

This coming Sunday, December 9, at 2:00pm, pianist Alex Nakhimovsky will present several pieces from his repertoire of both classical and jazz. He will also be joined by June Bisantz during a Jazz set which features music from their new CD, Love's Tango. 

After emigrating to the United States from Russia in 1978, Alex studied at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT with Jackie McLean and Luiz Castro among others. He has been a full time faculty member at the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts, and adjunct faculty at the Hartt School of Music since 1999.

Alex's musical accomplishments as a Jazz and Classical artist include musical direction and arranging as well as solo and ensemble performances, visiting over 50 countries and 6 continents. He has performed with Jazz legends Benny Golson, Jackie McLean, Jimmy Cobb, Valery Popnomarev, Sheila Jordan, Curtis Fuller, Victor Bailey and Grammy nominated artists Bill Evans and Carla Cook. 

Vocalist June Bisantz has co-written and produced several collections of original vocal jazz, all our which have received national and international recognition. She has toured internationally and has performed and recorded with distinguished jazz musicians including Steve Swallow, Bob Moses, Paul Brown, Lew Soloff, Jerry Neiwood, Mike Stern & Will Lee.  

This concert is part of Russell Library's Immigrant Artist Series, and is sponsored by The Friends of the Russell Library and the Middletown Commission on the Arts. 

This Weekend: Jazz and Blues at The Buttonwood Tree

605 Main Street / PO Box 71, Middletown, CT 06457

www.buttonwood.org / 860.347.4957

The Charter Oak Jazz Quartet

Friday, February 10 

8 pm $10

Jazz

Charter Oak Jazz woodsheds and plays out in the Hartford, CT area. Straight Jazz classics – keeping the tradition alive, and loving the music! 

The group is currently a Quartet, including Alec McCandless on piano, Stephen Zulli on guitar, Cal McCandless on drums, and John Norton on bass.

https://soundcloud.com/charteroakjazz

Purchase Tickets Here

OR call 860.347.4597 to reserve your seat

Bop Tweed

Saturday, February 11

8 pm $10

Jazz / Blues

Stephen Roane, Jason Apostoleris and Tim Barry a.k.a., BOP TWEED, are very happy to be performing at The Buttonwood Tree again, and will be playing selections from their latest CD – “Flying Fish Sessions”- as well as preview some new songs they’ve been working on along with past favorites from previous CD’s.

Bop Tweed is a jazz/blues trio, comprised of Steve Roane of Madison on guitar and vocals, Jason Apostoleris of East Haddam on percussion and Tim Barry of Stony Creek on bass. They are all seasoned musicians, playing a mixture of original songs and jazz & blues standards.

https://www.reverbnation.com/boptweed

Purchase Tickets Here

OR call 860.347.4957 to reserve your seat

Other Events this Week

Saturday, February 11 @10:30 am

Aligned with Source

Sunday, February 12 @ 2:00 pm

NEAR and Far Storytellers

This is a program of storytelling featuring an open mic opportunity for anyone in the audience during the first half with headliner(s) for the second half. The featured tellers for the 2/12/17 performance will be Carolyn Stearns and Jim Harriman.

Monday, February 13 @ 7:00 pm

Anything Goes Open Mic & Moments of Gratitude

Tuesday, February 14 @ 1:00 pm

Intentional and Empowering Yoga

Thursday, February 16 @ 7:00 pm

Shaking the Tree Gong and Sound Meditation

To learn more about these great events and explore other happenings

 Visit www.buttonwood.org

Celebrating Jay Hoggard

Saturday April 30, which happens to be International Jazz Day, the Center for The Arts at Wesleyan presents the Jay Hoggard Harlem Hieroglyphs Ensemble. The 8 p.m. concert celebrates the music of the vibraphonist and composer, serving as a "CD Release Party" for his new double-album, "Harlem Hieroglyphs".  Joining him on the stage of Crowell Concert Hall will be pianist James Weidman, drummer Pheroan akLaff, bassist Belden Bullock, and saxophonist René McLean. 

The album , funded in part by Wesleyan GISOS (Grant in Support of Scholarship), brings together the many influences on Hoggard's life, from the gospel music he heard in church (including the sacred music of Duke Ellington) to the sounds of African percussion to mentors like the afore-mentioned Lionel Hampton and Milt Jackson to the popular music on the radio and so much more. Messrs. Weidman and Bullock both play on the album along with Yoron Israel (drums), Gary Bartz (alto and soprano saxophones), and, on 6 of the 18 tracks, Nat Adderley, Jr.(piano, organ). Mr. Bartz, who first came to critical notice in the mid-1960s playing  in the Max Roach/Abbey Lincoln group and then moving on to Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, is a welcome addition to this music. It's not just because he's such an inspired musician;  the album marks the first time the vibraphonist has recorded with a reed player since the early 90s.

courant.com

The first disk opens with "If I Were a Bell", the Frank Loesser classic from "Guys and Dolls", which Miles Davis first recorded in 1956.  The group gives the tune a gentle swing, the clear tones of the vibes meshing well with the soft tones of the alto sax.  Moving on to the blues of Hoggard's "Harlem Jazzbirds Swingin' and Swayin'"; the piece bounces sweetly atop Bullock's bass, Weidman's piano chords and Israel's masterly brush work.  Gospel chords from the piano leads the group into "I Am Free", a funky original that also reflects the influence of South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. For this listener, the highlight on disk 1 is the emotionally strong performance of Bernard Ingher's "Everything Must Change", an oft-recorded ballad, most notably by Nina Simone and Quincy Jones with James Ingram. Here, it's the expressive alto saxophone that shares the lead with ringing tones of the vibraphone. Nothing is rushed, the musicians pouring their souls into the song creating a beautiful experience.

Wesleyan CFA

CD 2 opens with the fiery "Sonic Hieroglyphs" with great solos by the leader, Bartz (on alto), and pianist Weidman, all powered by Bullock's walking bass and Israel's high-flying cymbals.  There's a rollicking version of Sonny Rollins' "Airegin" - it's one of the shorter tracks (3:33) but the musicians give their all.  "I Live Because I Breathe" is a lovely ballad with a handsome melody, a splendid vibes solo, and fine soprano sax counterpoint.  An African feel permeates "Mystical Cycles of Skin, Wood, and Metal", the hypnotic rhythms and circular melody, the pulsating vibraphone, Adderley, Jr.'s piano working in tandem with the organ work of Weidman, all creating a musical wonderland.  Hoggard and Weidman (on piano) paint a sublime portrait of Duke Ellington's "My Love", a piece the Maestro wrote for his Third Sacred Concert.  Following that track is a impressionistic solo work "Pleasant Memories." It's one of the two pieces on the album that is over 9 minutes long yet the music moves forward easily and melodically, going through several different moods and sonic variations (there are moments where the vibraphone sound like steel drums and marimbas).

Anyone acquainted with Jay Hoggard knows he's one of the most positive persons you'll ever meet. The music on "Harlem Hieroglyphs" is imbued with joy, hope, and wonder.  His story is not only filled with his history but also his accomplishments and dreams.  This is music that breathes, that swings with ease, soothes the soul, and makes one smile.

For more information about the album, go to www.jayhoggard.com.  To get tickets to Saturday's 8 p.m. concert, go to www.wesleyan.edu/cfa or call 860-685-3355.

Here's "Mystical Cycles of Skin, Wood, and Metal" to whet your appetite and the show:



(A edited version of this review also appears at steptempest.blogspot.com/2016/04/take-jay-train.html.)

September Events at Russell Library

Russell Library is a hub of activity this September.

September marks the start of the school year, and Russell Library is reflecting that same energy. In addition to our children's programming, our reading and writing groups, and the beginning of the monthly Friends' Book Sales, we've got some special events planned!
 
September 12th at 2:00 p.m.:  Jazz Up Close Resonant Motion, Inc. and series curator Noah Baerman presents the third of four installments in the 2015 Jazz Up Close series. Renowned drummer and composer Victor Lewis will be featured in a trio with bassist Henry Lugo and pianist Noah Baerman.

September 15th at noon: We begin the first of our film discussion series. This series is entitled, Pre-Code Hollywood: Sin on the Silver Screen, featuring four films that were made before the censorship system was instituted in 1934. The first film is "One Hour With You" from 1932.

September 15th, 6:30 - 7:45 p.m.: We are privileged to be part of the New England tour of a Mexican puppet company called Facto Teatro. Along with New York City-based Great Small Works and German puppeteer Barbara Steinitz, the troupe will perform Three Toy Theater Tales: A Puppet Show for family audiences. Thanks goes to La Boca Restaurant and Cantina for donating dinner to the performers!

September 17th, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.: Award winning dancer/choreographer Eiko Otake will be performing A Body in a Library as part of her solo series, “The Body in Places” in the public spaces of Russell Library. A discussion with the audience follows the performance. 

 

An Evening of Jazz at MxCC

On Friday, May 1 at 7 p.m., join us for a FREE concert at Middletown Community College’s Chapman Hall and enjoy an evening of jazz, featuring Aja Wilson and Chris Casey. Concert is free and open to the public, but reservations are suggested. Seats can be reserved a thttp://mxcc.edu/concert. This concert is sponsored by Middletown Commission on the Arts and MxCC Student Senate.

The Buttonwood Tree Sizzles Saturday Night with La Hot Jazz

 

 

Last night at TBT the room was filled with music and words of healing energy and vibrations of love, Led by the passionate Margaux Modimo Hayes,  the audience and performers collectively exclaimed, "From your chakra to your mantra, we want the world to heal".  Intentions were of unity for our world, our community and even for this very event. And so it was that Margaux, together with partner Rich McGee III, invited to join them Mixashawn Rozie, Peter Onofrio and from the audience, Abu - Alvin Carter Sr. It was amazing to hear all these talented musicians bringing forth their years of experience in the spirit of unity and love. 

 

We never know what will happen at The Buttonwood Tree shows - often musicians will join us unexpectedly who add to the wonder of the evening. Ah, to be open to the spontaneity of Life - is pure Joy!

Tonight we open our doors to a richly talented group who plays music we are familiar with from the Great American Songbook and other tunes we love. Drop in for a sound bite or stay the evening! Wine, beer, Slambovian coffee, natural soft drinks and snacks are available. Bonus tonight: "Don't whine, do wine"!

La Hot Jazz

Saturday, July 26     8:00 pm - 10:00 pm  ($10 cash or check at the door)

The Buttonwood Tree will be sizzlin’ on July 26, when La Hot Jazz performs with sophistication and style. These seasoned musicians will add a unique flavor and charisma to The Buttonwood Tree’s jazz event. The band performs the Great American Songbook with a lineup of voice, upright bass, saxophone, drums, and piano.  Read more here:  http://www.buttonwood.org/event/la-hot-jazz/

The Buttonwood Tree is located at 605 Main Street, next to It's Only Natural market. www.buttonwood.org 860-347-4957  Doors open at 6:30 to reserve your seat.

Watch Video: Eric Mintel Quartet at The Buttonwood Tree

Last Saturday night brought the Eric Mintel Jazz Quartet to the Buttonwood Tree at 605 Main Street in Middletown. Hailing from Pennsylvania, the Quartet played lively versions of classic jazz tunes like Dave Brubek's 'Take Five' to an enthousastic audience.

To find out about future events, becoming a member, volunteering and more, visit www.buttonwood.org

Sinan Bakir Jazz Trio Tonight at Buttonwood! Art Opening and Carolyn Halsted on Sunday

8 - 10 pm

Sinan Bakir – guitar, compositions

Matt Dwonszyk – bass
Cemre Dogan – drums

Rising jazz guitarist/composer Sinan Bakir made a name for himself in the music scene with his unique, creative and exciting approach on the guitar. Turkish born guitarist is striving for a fresh and clean sound and known for his highly energetic playing style. Bakir’s fresh sounding original tunes are an amalgam of rock & jazz stylings and driven by strong melodies combined with modern jazz harmonies. His all original debut album “On My Way”(2009) with Thomson Kneeland and Mark Ferber received great reviews from many respected jazz publications and music critics all around the world. While the album is having significant Radio and TV airplay Bakir is keeping busy playing Jazz festivals and regular gigs at NY and CT clubs .

REVIEWS

Bakir’s inspired soloing feeds off of the energy coming from his trio mates, with lines possessing laser-like focus.
Dan Bilawsky – All About Jazz

He is definitely on his way to becoming a creative voice in the world of jazz guitar.
John Vincent Barron – Jazz Review.com

Sinan has given us here is a blueprint of his soul, you’ll find eleven songs which embody a variety of shapes and tones.
Rob Young – Urbanflux

A nice mixture of slower-paced and faster material, played well. Bakir does indeed seem to be a young musician “on his way” and I will be interested to see where he takes his talent next.
Brad Walseth – JazzChicago.net

“On My Way” is a solid debut. It’s easy to put this music on and just let it play. The voice of the guitar one hears on the opening cut never wavers or falters throughout.”
Richard Kamins – Courant

$10 suggested donation. Stop by for a sample, or stay the evening - relax in the bookstore ...

SUNDAY, October 2:

In addition to our morning worship services at 10 and 11, and lunch with Food Not Bombs at 1pm, tomorrow we open a new art exhibit: Bill Revill: Land and Sea. Come by between 3-5 and meet the artist! Refreshments :)

7 pm - Carolyn Halsted offers a program of dance music for the piano including works by Chopin, Moszkowski, Brahms and Joplin. $15 suggested donation. All are welome! Refreshments :)

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 - Blibbering Humdingers, the jazz bug, folk, writing, and politics!

submitted by The Buttonwood Tree:

The Buttonwood Tree was filled last night with folks young at heart of all ages! Musicians and fans alike came from Middletown, Canterbury, Trumbull and neighboring states to play, sing and dance to music inspired by J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter books. Never have we heard so much of the audience singing along in perfect harmony - it was glorious! The Blibbering Humdingers, a husband and wife duo from North Carolina, were the headliners, but Bella and Le Strangers, Lauren Fairweather and others also got the crowd to their feet clapping, singing and dancing!

Tonight the Tree won't be filled with bright blue-haired fans and crazy costumes (at least we don't think so), but it may be filled with jazz fans. Usually Saturday night is jazz night at Buttonwood, but this week its Friday, with folk on Saturday. Karen Frisk performs tonight with her jazz band of Kent Hewitt, piano, Genevieve Rose on bass and Jack Varanelli on drums. After studying classical piano and voice at Richard Donohue Studios, Karen was selected to tour Bavaria and perform with the Concordia Youth Choir sponsored through the Boston Conservatory. In her late teens the “jazz bug” bit her… swing, latin jazz and R&B filled her soul and the rest is history. She studied jazz piano with Merrill Doucette at the Hartford Conservatory and then moved on to study jazz/pop vocals and performance with Roberta Peck-Vater, a well known music educator and Capitol Records recording artist.

Saturday night, we are excited to present Diane Solomon as a special guest along with our good friend, Jim Paradis. Diane has an interesting history: she headed four major UK Theater concert tours of her own, toured with Glen Campbell on three European tours, and opened for a major Kenny Rogers’ tour in 1991. She starred in the network primetime series “The Diane Solomon Show” of the late seventies, which was a great success, and she quickly became a regular on British TV, with other specials of her own, and numerous guest appearances, including several Royal Gala Specials. She recorded 5 albums, appeared on countless radio shows, TV hosting, and musical theater productions.

Also on Saturday: Creative writing workshop with Eileen Albrizio at 1 pm and from 3:45 - 5:45: Ben Florsheim and Gabriela De Golia, Wesleyan students and interns with Organizing for America, a project of Democratic National Committee, lead an event to discuss the policy progress of the Obama Administration, our goals for the future, and community organizing strategies that will be crucial as we kick off the 2012 campaign.

For Reservations and more information: www.buttonwood.org Both shows start at 8 and light refreshments are available.

Tonight at the Buttonwood Tree

Sinan Bakir - Jazz Trio
Saturday, April 9th
8pm

$10 / $8 Students

Sinan Bakir – guitar, compositions
Matt Dwonszyk – bass
Cemre Dogan – drums

Sinan Bakir made a name for himself in today’s music scene with his unique, creative and exciting approach on the guitar. The sound that Sinan is striving for described often as fresh, clean and lively yet intense and full with emotion. His focused, laser-like lines and energetic playing derives melodies from his Turkish heritage. He is hailed not only as a virtuoso player, but also a masterful composer. Sinan’s trio album “On My Way”(2009) with Thomson Kneeland and Mark Ferber received great reviews from many respected jazz publications(All About Jazz, Jazz Review, JazzChicago.net) and music critics all around the world.

Sinan’s early musical experience started with mandolin lessons then continued at the Ankara State Opera Children’s Choir. In his early teen years, after attending to a rock concert, he got inspired by the whole experience and find his call.Determined, he took some private lessons both for classical and electric guitar and later he began to unlock the secrets of the instrument by himself. During his college years he was teaching guitar privately and performing with various projects around Turkey. Being open minded and listening a variety of music from classical to avant-garde helped him developing his own sound and a clear vision for his musical direction. By the time he graduated from Hacettepe University with a degree in Engineering he was granted a scholarship from the Hartford Conservatory and moved to United States. He draw attention on the music scene for himself by playing gigs around Connecticut and NY and getting involved with many musical projects. Sinan had many TV & Radio appearances such as Comcast’s TV series “Up and Coming”, “Accent on Jazz” at WWUH, Fox News and had international airplay from Canada through Europe. His album is featured on many radio shows and had notable airplay. Festival appearances include Hartford International Jazz Festival and New Haven International Arts & Ideas Festival.

http://www.sinanbakir.com/

Bakir’s inspired soloing feeds off of the energy coming from his trio mates, with lines possessing laser-like focus.
Dan Bilawsky – All About Jazz

He is definitely on his way to becoming a creative voice in the world of jazz guitar.
John Vincent Barron – Jazz Review.com

Sinan has given us here is a blueprint of his soul, you’ll find eleven songs which embody a variety of shapes and tones.
Rob Young – Urbanflux

“On My Way” is a solid debut. It’s easy to put this music on and just let it play. The voice of the guitar one hears on the opening cut never wavers or falters throughout.”
Richard Kamins – Hartford Courant

Weekend Lineup at The Buttonwood Tree

Tonight's show with Deni Bonet has been postponed until later due to anticipated icy road conditions. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Saturday's show will be a winner for sure, come early to get a seat! Reservations may be made at www.buttonwood.org.

Sunday we have 2 worship services in the morning. Food Not Bombs shares a delicious, free meal at 1 pm and often offers some casual music, and always enlightening conversation.

Sunday afternoon, Elizabeth Thomas will hold Tryouts for Youth Poetry Slam. Come to participate or just listen to these brave young folks share their poems.

Dan Arcamone Jazz!

Saturday, January 22nd, 2011 - @8pm
$10 / $8 students

High energy, rock-influenced jazz!

Dan Arcamone - guitar

Jen Allen - piano

Rich Zurkowski - bass

Joe Palmer - drums

Swinging, soulful, energetic, gifted, flawless, these are just some of the words that have been used by critics to describe Connecticut based guitarist Dan Arcamone. Equally at home as a composer and performer, Arcamone’s powerful yet elegant style has been winning over audiences and critics alike. Drawing influences from the likes of Pat Metheny, John Coltrane, and Michael Brecker, Arcamone has developed a playing style that All About Jazz calls “intellectually stimulating” and “high energy.”

www.danarcamone.com

The 3rd Tryout Slam for the CT National Youth Poetry Slam Team 2011

Sunday, January 23, 2011
Doors open/Sign-up at 2:45pm, Slam starts at 3pm

If you are a poet and like the mic, if you like applause and are between the ages of 13 and 19, you are eligible to try out for the CT National Youth Poetry Slam Team 2011. You should come prepared with at least 3 poems (be familiar with the rules and format) and enthusiasm.

The top 3 (maybe 4) poets from this slam will compete in a FINALS slam (TBD) with top poets from around the state. The eventual top 6 young poets will represent CT at Brave New Voices in San Francisco in July 2011. For more information, log onto www.upwordspoetry.com.

If there is any question regarding a reschedule due to inclement weather, please check www.upwordspoetry.com for more information before heading out.

The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center
605 Main Street / PO Box 71, Middletown, CT 06457
www.buttonwood.org / 860-347-4957

Book Store / Art Gallery Hours – 


During events, by appointment, 
at random times and regularly:

Sundays 1-2 pm

Mondays 10 am – 10 pm

Tuesdays 11 am – 7 pm

Wednesdays 1-7 pm

Thursdays 10 am – 7 pm

Fridays 11 am – 3 pm

Handicap accessible
Light Refreshments available
Reservations can be made online at

www.buttonwood.org

Ongoing Happenings:

Sundays:

Worship Services - 10 am, 11:00am

Food Not Bombs - 1:00pm

Mondays:

Wing Chun Study Group - 6-7pm, $8/Class 5$ for students

Open MIC with J-Cherry - 7:30pm Signup 8:00pm start time -$3-5 suggested donation – pay what you can.

Thursdays:

Kundalini Yoga Class with Kay Lani - 5:15pm - 6:30pm

Fees: Walk-ins: $12

6-class card: $60

12-class card: $98

Discounts also available for senior citizen and student class cards and special offers for first time students

1st Thursdays of the Month:

Open MIC with Bob Gotta - 6:30 sign up - 7:00 start

Suggested Donation $5

2nd Wednesdays of the Month:

Belly Dance Presentation - Show starts at 8:00pm

Suggested Donation $5

I Want My BTV

Pianist-composer Noah Baerman has given his fans a Holiday (and beyond) treat.  If you go to www.noahjazz.com/home.html, you will find information (and an amusing YouTube clip - see below) advertising the arrival of "Know Thyself."  


You may recall the world premiere of the piece held on November 13, 2009, in Crowell Concert Hall at Wesleyan.  The 65 minute piece, played by Noah's Trio augmented by his long-time friends Wayne Escoffery (tenor saxophone) and Amanda Monaco (guitar) plus Erika von Kleinst (saxophones) and Chris Dingman (vibraphone), is filled with melodic strength, great interplay, and a host of strong solos.  At that debut show, the work felt like a culmination of Baerman's influences, his years of studying and absorbing the history of jazz and the reaffirmation of the idea that music is more than just sound, that it has the power to awaken and excite the senses.  


If that sounds like hyperbole, understand that I have watched Noah Baerman play music for over a decade, in performance spaces, restaurants and elsewhere.  He has struggled, at times, with the effects of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (read about that here) which has often limited his "playing" time.  On the night of the Wesleyan show, his climactic piano "rocked" the audience with its lyricism, its scope and, yes, its power.

Nowadays, jazz is considered "fringe" music, viewed by mainstream media as "past its prime" and "commercially defunct." Who wants to sit still for 65 minutes in their living room to really absorb "Know Thyself" (I mean, besides me.)  In the absence of the "star maker machinery", what Noah Baerman has do to get his works heard, is to promote it himself, create the package, sell it to concert halls, performances spaces, and jazz festivals. 



Here's your opportunity to check out the "goods."  Click on the website above where you can listen for free.  Enjoy the video below.  

Arts and Music this weekend

The Buttonwood Tree will be lively tonight with the Bluegrass music of our dear friends of Grass Routes! They'll cheer you up, and lift your spirits!
Come on by for a listen after dinner at one of our fine restaurants. Bring your dinner receipt and get a free CD!

Grass Routes Bluegrass Band

Friday November 5th, 2010
8 pm, $10 suggested donation

Grass Routes Band

Grass Routes is a Connecticut five-piece bluegrass band. Since 1980 they have been delighting audiences with a repertoire ranging from traditional bluegrass standards to folk and contemporary songs all performed in their own unique bluegrass style. Skillful instrumental work and strong vocals give Grass Routes their own characteristic sound. Showcasing especially tight harmonies, vocals include duets to four part harmonies. What make Grass Routes unique is that each member sings lead. With five lead vocalists, Grass Routes presents a different style and material with each vocal arrangement.

Members of the band include Joe Lemeris, banjo and dobro;
Bill Reveley, mandolin and fiddle; Marilyn Toback-Reveley, rhythm guitar; Dave ‘Tex’ Orlomoski, lead guitar; Joe DeLillo, upright bass. Grass Routes has appeared on radio and television and performed at major concerts and bluegrass festivals throughout the Northeast. Grass Routes currently has four recording projects. Their musical style appeals to audiences of all ages.

The band members enjoy each other as friends as well as musicians. Their latest music project, SOMETHING NEW, features a wide range of material from the likes of Bill Monroe, Nickel Creek and James Taylor, all done with that Grass Routes flair.

www.grassroutesbluegrass.com

Dan Pugach Jazz Trio

Saturday, November 6th, 8:00 PM
$10 Suggested Donation

The Dan Pugach Trio is comprised of an international cast of top-level musicians from New York. This group of artists have worked together in various capacities for the past few years and is now focused on performing their original compositions as well as inventive arrangements of the standard jazz repertoire.

Daniel Meron – Piano

Craig Akin – Acoustic Bass

Dan Pugach – Drums

Dan was Born in Raanana, Israel in 1983 and at age 11 began playing the drums. He studied with the finest drum instructors Israel has to offer.

During his musical studies at Metro-West High School he continued to study jazz and in 1999 won the first prize in the Israeli Jazz Performance Competition with his sextet.

Right after he graduated from high school he joined the army, where he was selected to serve as an the official drummer for the Air Force Band. During those 3 years in the army Dan managed to complete a full program at the Rimon School of Jazz, majoring in jazz performance.

In 2003, he won the Rimon Jazz Competition and was chosen to represent the school at the IASJ meeting in Freiburg, Germany. During his studies at Rimon Dan performed with International artists, such as, Airto Moreira and Frank Gambale.

In 2006, after four months of Portugues lessons, Dan traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brasil and studied drumset and percussion with the leading samba musicians, such as Jorginho do Pandeiro, his son Celsinho Silva, Marcos Suzano, Marcio Bahia and Paulinho Braga.

Soon enough, Dan was awarded the Berklee World Scholarship Tour and moved to Boston to begin his studies at Berklee College of Music, majoring in jazz performance. There he studied with Hal Crook, Dave Santoro, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dave Samuels, George Garzone, and Joe Lovano.

Today Dan resides in Brooklyn, New York and is pursuing a career in music. He is a graduate student at the City College of New York, majoring in jazz performance. His recent activities include performances and recordings at venues such as, Blue Note Jazz Club, Zinc Bar, Red Sea Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, BeanTown Jazz Festival, just to name a few, as well as working towards a debut album.

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/danpugach#ixzz0vknJEpwO

www.danpugach.com/

Sherri Bedingfield and Mollie Pilling - Poetry Book Launch

Sunday we have a special POETRY Book Launch - sure to be interesting! Meet new folks and have some refreshments while letting your mind wander and your emotions get all stirred up ... (Sunday November 7th - Free - 3-5 pm)

This will be a book launch for two Antrim House poets, Sherri Bedingfield and Mollie Pilling, each of whom will be reading from her new book. Sherri’s book is entitled Transitions & Transformations, and Mollie’s book is entitled Journeys. A summary of each book follows:

In her first book, Sherri Bedingfield’s transitions and transformations are many. How naturally she moves from joy to deep sorrow and back to hard-earned joy, which she finds in the world of nature and in the dance of love; and how seamlessly she shape-shifts from human to animal existence and back again.This is a poet deeply in tune with psychic and physical mysteries.

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In her first poetry collection, Mollie Pilling draws upon her many years of living, journeying, and teaching in foreign lands. In these intelligent, visceral, sometimes rambunctious, sometimes heart-breaking poems, the author’s journeys are emotional as well as geographical. She glories in the joys of motherhood and all varieties of love, but she also mourns the losses that follow unleashings of the heart.

Anne-Marie Cannata
Executive Director NEAR, Inc. /
The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts & Cultural Center
605 Main Street / Middletown, CT 06457
www.buttonwood.org / 860-347-4957 /