Post by Dennis M. Kelly on Jan 13, 2006 15:53:29 GMT -6
JANUARY 14 - FEBRUARY 8, 2006;
FEATURING 60 GUITARISTS, 20 CONCERTS, 7 VENUES,
WORLD PREMIERES OF COMMISSIONED WORKS,
AND BROADCASTS/PODCASTS.
Concerts and Recordings Continue to Raise Money for Music Education,
Putting Guitars in the Hands of New York City Public School Students,
and Building Awareness of the Guitar's Diverse Repertoire.
NEW YORK, NY - As a universal instrument-perhaps the only instrument
to have successfully crossed over to the world's vast number of
musical traditions-the guitar holds a special significance to people
of all cultures, genders, and ages. Following the success of its first
five seasons examining the many aspects of the guitar's musical
personality, and with rave reviews in The New York Times, The Wall
Street Journal, and Jazz Times, the New York Guitar Festival announces
its sixth season of concert performances, January 14 though February
8. The festival boasts over 20 performances, by some 60 exceptional
guitarists of jazz, classical, rock/pop, traditional and avant garde
styles. Participating venues will include Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall,
Merkin Concert Hall, Joe's Pub, the 92nd Street Y, the World Financial
Center's Winter Garden, Flushing Town Hall, The American Youth Hostel
Concert Chapel, and The Monkey. Featured artists will include Daniel
Lanois, Bill Frisell, Jorma Kaukonen, Vernon Reid, Taj Mahal, Pepe
Romero, Eliot Fisk, Toshi Reagon, Sonny Landreth, Rory Block, Cindy
Cashdollar, Jesse Harris, David Tronzo, Bill Morrissey, Laura
Cantrell, Brandon Ross, Gary Lucas, Chocolate Genius, Alvin Youngblood
Hart, The National, Mark Eitzel, Dan Zanes, Martha Wainwright,
Michelle Shocked, among many others. Concerts will range from an
all-day Guitar Marathon focusing on the guitar's history in Spain, to
eclectic tributes to Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Elizabeth
Cotten, Charley Patton, and Bruce Springsteen, to multi-media
performances combining film, animation and live music.
The New York Guitar Festival, a not-for-profit arts organization, was
founded in 1999 by musician and producer David Spelman, who serves as
its Artistic Director. The Festival's goal is to broaden the public's
appreciation for the guitar by fostering emerging talent, supporting
innovative collaborations among outstanding artists, and commissioning
new works. In addition to producing eclectic concerts and radio
broadcasts, its Guitar Harvest series of recordings supports outreach
programs in New York City public schools. The Festival is presented
with support from Apple Computer, The D'Addario Foundation for the
Performing Arts, Avalon Guitars, WNYC Radio, WFUV Radio, WBJB-90.5 The
NIGHT, Guitar Player Magazine, Frets Magazine, Relix Magazine,
flavorpill.net, Guitar.com, and Brooklyn Brewery.
"The original idea behind the Festival was to put guitars into the
hands of New York City school students with no strings attached," says
Spelman, "We're proud to have started that process in partnership with
the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center. Because the guitar is used in
so many genres of music and by so many cultures, it has a unique
potential to bring together disparate communities. The New York Guitar
Festival was established to raise money to fund scholarships to
provide guitars and musical training free of charge. In the process,
we aim to encourage hope and inspiration through music making at a
time when arts education has fallen prey to so many budgetary
cutbacks." The beneficiaries of the New York Guitar Festival's
scholarship programs are young students enrolled at an innovative
elementary school on Manhattan's upper west side.
CONCERT SCHEDULE:
World Financial Center's Winter Garden
Battery Park City, bordered by West Street, the Hudson River, Vesey
and Liberty Streets. Tickets and information: (212) 945-2600 /
www.worldfinancialcenter.com.
Saturday, January 14, 8:00pm - FREE OPENING NIGHT CONCERT
The Nebraska Project: Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the classic
Bruce Springsteen album. All new interpretations of Springsteen
classics performed by Laura Cantrell, Dan Zanes, Vernon Reid, The
National, Mark Eitzel, Martha Wainwright, Jesse Harris, Michelle
Shocked, Kevn Kinney, Lenny Kaye, Gary Lucas, Harry Manx, and more to
be announced soon. This distinctive roster of singer-songwriters,
bands and instrumentalists will perform their own arrangements of the
album's ten songs, in original album order, plus several instrumental
interludes. Nebraska, praised as one of the Boss' greatest
achievements, recounts melancholy tales of killers and cops, truck
drivers and people who have been driven to such a degree that they can
no longer navigate their way through the quagmire they find themselves
swimming in. The genius of the album is unmistakable though - with
just an acoustic guitar and howling harmonica, these songs are sung in
the first person, giving them an intimacy that is rarely felt from an
album.This opening night event is free, with general admission
seating, but a limited number of benefit tickets will be available
that include VIP seating, and a post-concert meet-the-artists
reception to benefit the NYGF's educational outreach program. More
information will be posted on www.newyorkguitarfestival.org. Presented
in association with WFUV Radio and broadcast on 90.7 FM. www.wfuv.org
Thursday, January 26, 12:30 PM
Cindy Cashdollar & Friends - FREE
A free lunchtime concert in lower Manhattan. What makes steel guitar
and Dobro player Cindy Cashdollar's musical journey stand out is a
combination of restless creativity and an uncanny ability to
understand and add to a wild array of styles. She has worked with the
likes of Leon Redbone, Graham Parker, Bob Dylan (on his Grammy winning
"Time Out Of Mind" CD), Jorma Kaukonen, Peter Rowan, and the stellar
Cajun group BeauSoleil. As the steel guitarist for eight years with
western swing kingpins Asleep At The Wheel, she logged many road miles
and won five Grammy Awards. cindycashdollar.com.
92nd Street Y
Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street
Tickets and information: 212-415-5500 / www.92Y.org
Sunday, January 15, 2 pm and 7pm, with a break at 5pm.
The Guitar Marathon: 450 Years Of Spanish Guitar. Featuring Pepe
Romero (the Marthon's co-curator), Eliot Fisk, Bill Kanengiser, Paul
O'Dette, Hopkinson Smith, Martha Masters, Jason Vieaux, Ana Vidovic,
Gyan Riley, Dominic Frasca, Bryce Dessner, and others. Our 3rd
biannual Guitar Marathon. In this edition, the guitar's rich history
in Spain will be explored, from renaissance and baroque, to classical
and flamenco repertoire. The programming will also include three world
premieres, all commissioned by the NYGF. The three young composers,
Gyan Riley, Dominic Frasca, and Bryce Dessner will perform their own
works. Tickets $30/Each or $50 for Both Concerts
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall
57th Street at 7th Avenue
Tickets and information: (212) 247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org
Sunday, January 29, 8:30pm
Bill Frisell's 858 Quartet featuring Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind
Kang (viola) and Hank Roberts (cello), with special guests Ron Miles
(trumpet) and Greg Tardy (tenor sax and clarinet). The Grammy
Award-winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell performs new work
for his string ensemble & special guests plus the world premiere of a
new, short multi-media piece created in collaboration with visual
artist Jim Woodring. Deceptively mild-mannered and soft-spoken, Bill
Frisell has been described by Spin magazine as the "Clark Kent" of
electric guitar who "coaxes and slams his hovering split-toned ax into
shapes of things to come." Jim Woodring has been called everything
under the sun, but we like "Nuts" and "Genius" the best.
billfrisell.com | jimwoodring.com Tickets $30/$35
Friday, February 3, 8pm
Daniel Lanois' "Silvio" Project: The New York premiere of a new
experimental film by Daniel Lanois
Celebrated guitarist, singer, songwriter & producer Daniel Lanois
brings his music and experimental film images to NYC for the first
time. Glorious pedal steel guitar playing and innovative sonics will
make for an electrifying night. Lanois will be joined by dummer Brian
Blade, and other guests, TBD. Of his last NYGF performance, The New
York Times wrote: "In a rare performance playing solo pedal steel
guitar, Mr. Lanois, who has produced albums by U2 and Bob Dylan, used
the instrument for hovering meditations. Liquid chords welled up
behind folky melodies, making music that was expansive yet humble, as
if contemplating wide-open spaces." www.daniellanois.com. Tickets
$30/$35
Merkin Concert Hall
Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street
Tickets and information: 212-501-3303 • www.kaufman-center.org
Wednesday, January 18, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Mississippi John Hurt.
Featuring Jorma Koukonen, Bill Morrissey, Brandon Ross, and the Jen
Chapin Trio. Mississippi John Hurt (1893-1966) was an amazingly
lyrical and refined fingerpicking guitarist, who sang with a warmth
and gentleness unique in the field of blues. Classic songs such as
"Frankie," "Louis Collins," "Avalon Blues," "Candy Man Blues," "Big
Leg Blues," and "Stack O' Lee Blues" were highly influential on
subsequent generations of musicians. Tickets $35
Wednesday, January 25, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Skip James. Featuring:
Sonny Landreth with Cindy Cashdollar, Gary Lucas, Chocolate Genius,
and Alvin Youngblood Hart. Among the earliest and most influential
Delta bluesmen to record, Skip James (1902-1969) influenced everyone
from Robert Johnson to Eric Clapton. Tickets $35
Wednesday, February 1, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Charley Patton. Featuring:
John Hammond, Rory Block, Dave Tronzo, and Toshi Reagon. A giant in
the field of Delta country blues, Charley Patton (1887-1934) was an
acknowledged celebrity and seminal influence on musicians throughout
the Delta. His music embraced blues, ballads, ragtime, to gospel, and
his influence can be heard in the music of Howlin' Wolf, John Lee
Hooker, Son House, and Robert Johnson. Tickets $35
Wednesday, February 8, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Elizabeth Cotten.
Featuring: Taj Mahal, Mike Seeger, Jolie Holland and Marvin Sewell.
Elizabeth Cotten (1895- 1983) was a true original and among the most
influential guitarists to surface during the roots music revival era.
Turning her instruments upside-down to play them left-handed, she
developed a truly distinctive guitar style and sound. Her song
"Freight Train" has become a fingerpicker's classic. Tickets $35
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, Queens.
Tickets and information: (718) 463-7700 ext 222, www.flushingtownhall.org
Saturday, January 21, 8pm
"The Goddess" + "Lotus Blossom" featuring the world premiere of two
new film scores by Leni Stern and Brandon Ross. Guitarist/composer
Leni Stern (whom The New Yorker described as "Fleet and Lyrical" and
LA Weekly classified "one of the world's most fully realized
songwriters and guitarists") performs live music to accompany a
screening of the 1934 silent film "The Goddess." Written/directed by
Yonggang Wu, the films stars legendary actress Ruan Lingyu, who plays
a single mother whose only hope for supporting her son is to submit to
a life of prostitution. Guitarist Brandon Ross, and bassist Stomu
Takeishi, will perform music to accompany the surviving reel of "Lotus
Blossom" from 1921. lenistern.com Tickets $20
Saturday, January 28, 8pm
"A Story of Floating Weeds" + "A Page of Madness" featuring the world
premiere of two new film scores by Alex de Grassi and Henry Kaiser.
Guitarist/composer Alex de Grassi ("The level of de Grassi's
accomplishment is astonishing" wrote Jazziz Magazine) performs music
to accompany the 1934 silent film "A Story of Floating Weeds."
Celebrated Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu weaves a tragic tale of
rekindled love, showing how it profoundly changes the lives of a
retired actor, his present girlfriend, his ex-lover and the son he
never knew he had. Henry Kaiser, the highly innovative
guitarist/improviser/producer, performs music to excerpts from
Kinugasa Teinosuke's 1926 film "A Page of Madness." degrassi.com |
henrykaiser.net Tickets $20.
The Monkey
37 W. 26th Street
Tickets and information: (212) 481-1601, www.themonkeynyc.com
Last year, guitarist/composer Dominic Frasca opened The Monkey, a
boutique state-of-the-art surround sound performance space which seats
just 40 people per show. "I wanted to create the ultimate boutique
performance space," says Frasca. "A space that is all about the music,
the sound and the visuals, not about selling drinks: I was tired of
going to clubs to play or hear music in sonically hostile
environments."
Thursday, January 19, 8pm
Andre LaFosse. Andre LaFosse calls his live performance style
?turntablist guitar': a cutting-edge cut-up of hip-hop, avant-garde,
funk, and left-field dance music... which just happens to be played
completely live with only a guitar, an Echoplex, and a tiny smattering
of effects. Andre will be returning to both the NYGF (where he shared
a bill with David Torn in 2004) and The Monkey (where he presented a
highly successful run of shows in March ?05) for a one-night
performance, exploring his concepts for the role of a six-string
electric guitar in a non-linear, post-DJ world. altruistmusic.com.
Tickets $15
Friday, January 20, 8pm
Dominic Frasca. Guitarist Dominic Frasca, winner of the First Annual
Guitar Player Magazine Guitar Hero Competition, will perform an
evening of original compositions for solo 6-and-10-string
electro/acoustic guitar. Time Out New York wrote, "Fans of classical
minimalism, the hypnotic counterpoint of early 80's King Crimson, and
the peerless techniques of the late Michael Hedges will find much to
admire in his rich, propulsive, polyphonic works. It's like New Age
music for people who grew up listening to Black Sabbath."
dominicfrasca.com. Tickets $15
Sunday, January 22, 7:30pm
The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo
Guitarists Laura Oltman and Michael Newman have received acclaim for
their 10 CDs and have been featured widely in the national media.
Their concert tours and collaborations with such artists as fiddler
Eileen Ivers (Riverdance), Turtle Island String Quartet, and Pulitzer
Prize-winning author Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes), have taken them
to forty-nine states and five continents. They will perform new duets
they have premiered in the past few years by Roberto Sierra, Augusta
Read Thomas, Dusan Bogdanovic, Lowell Liebermann, Rami Vamos and
Randall Avers. guitarduo.com. Tickets $15
Thursday, February 2, 8PM
Stephen Griesgraber. Guitarist/composer Stephen Griesgraber will
present Redhooker, an evening of music for guitar and live
electronics. Inspired by his interest in hypnagogia and the altered
auditory experiences reflected in various dream states, Stephen will
perform music for solo guitar, guitar with live electronics and
samples, as well as music for guitar and ensemble. The work will be
representational as well as interpretive in its exploration of states
of semi and unconsciousness. Tickets $15
Saturday, February 4, 7pm
Kevin Gallagher. Kevin Gallagher, winner of both the 1993 Guitar
Foundation of America Competiton and the 1997 Francisco Tarrega
competition, will premiere his new "avant-pop" group, Electric
Kompany. The group arranges, composes and commissions music for rock
quartet. For this concert, they will perform compositions by Arvo
Part, Jacob Ter Veldhuis, Marc Mellits, and others. guitar69.com.
Tickets $15
Sunday, February 5, 4pm
Michael Nicolella. Praised by Gramophone for his "stunning technical
skill and unfailing musicality" and characterized by Classical Guitar
magazine as "a fully enlightened musician of our time," Michael
Nicolella is recognized as one of America's most innovative and
eclectic classical guitarists. He will perform music for classical and
electric guitar, including works by Steve Reich, J.S. Bach, Hans
Werner Henze, Jimi Hendrix and himself. www.nicolella.com Tickets $15
Joe's Pub
Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street
Info: 212-539-8770 • www.joespub.com Tickets: 212-239-6200 • www.telecharge.com
Dates & Programs TBD...
American Youth Hostel Concert Chapel
891 Amsterdam Ave. (@ 103rd Street)
www.nyccgs.com
Sunday, January 22, 3pm
Flamenco in the City Featuring Dennis Koster, Jose Ramos, and Ivan &
Juan Gomez. A celebration of the flamenco soul with some of New York's
finest guitarists and dancers, presented in partnership with the New
York City Classical Guitar Society. denniskoster.com Tickets $25 and
$20 for NYCCGS members.
PODCASTING INITIATIVE:
Thanks to the generosity of Apple Computer and the New York Guitar
Festival artists, podcasts of live concert recording, artist
interviews, commentary, readings, and previously unreleased tracks by
festival artists will be available for free download on the iTunes
Music Store. Full information and links will be posted on the festival
website.
GUITAR HARVEST CD SERIES:
WNYC Music Director John Schaefer and NYGF founder, David Spelman,
have produced an exclusive compilation CD entitled Guitar Harvest, to
promote the New York Guitar Festival and raise money for it's
scholarship fund. Echoing the educational emphasis of the festival,
the theme of the disc is "Teachers, Mentors & Inspirations." Acoustic
guitarist Alex DeGrassi plays a tune by guitar icon Jimi Hendrix; the
Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo pay respect to their Cuban mentors in a
rendition of Isaac Albeniz's "Cuba," while eclectic jazzman Bill
Frisell actually plays a duet with his former guitar teacher, Dale
Breuning. Ralph Towner (Oregon) contributes a multi-tracked duet in
tribute to the German lutenist Sylvius Leopold Weiss, while gifted
young acoustic guitarist Richard Leo Johnson honors the Delta blues
tradition with "The New West Helena Blues." Gary Lucas's addition
fondly remembers his late songwriting partner Jeff Buckley. Other
guitarists represented on Guitar Harvest include Andy Summers (The
Police), Pierre Bensusan, David Patterson (New World Guitar Trio),
Benjamin Verdery, Vernon Reid (Living Colour, Black Rock Coalition),
the California Guitar Trio, Henry Kaiser, and others. Full CD liner
notes, and information on how to order the recording is available on
the festival website.
www.newyorkguitarfestival.org/
FEATURING 60 GUITARISTS, 20 CONCERTS, 7 VENUES,
WORLD PREMIERES OF COMMISSIONED WORKS,
AND BROADCASTS/PODCASTS.
Concerts and Recordings Continue to Raise Money for Music Education,
Putting Guitars in the Hands of New York City Public School Students,
and Building Awareness of the Guitar's Diverse Repertoire.
NEW YORK, NY - As a universal instrument-perhaps the only instrument
to have successfully crossed over to the world's vast number of
musical traditions-the guitar holds a special significance to people
of all cultures, genders, and ages. Following the success of its first
five seasons examining the many aspects of the guitar's musical
personality, and with rave reviews in The New York Times, The Wall
Street Journal, and Jazz Times, the New York Guitar Festival announces
its sixth season of concert performances, January 14 though February
8. The festival boasts over 20 performances, by some 60 exceptional
guitarists of jazz, classical, rock/pop, traditional and avant garde
styles. Participating venues will include Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall,
Merkin Concert Hall, Joe's Pub, the 92nd Street Y, the World Financial
Center's Winter Garden, Flushing Town Hall, The American Youth Hostel
Concert Chapel, and The Monkey. Featured artists will include Daniel
Lanois, Bill Frisell, Jorma Kaukonen, Vernon Reid, Taj Mahal, Pepe
Romero, Eliot Fisk, Toshi Reagon, Sonny Landreth, Rory Block, Cindy
Cashdollar, Jesse Harris, David Tronzo, Bill Morrissey, Laura
Cantrell, Brandon Ross, Gary Lucas, Chocolate Genius, Alvin Youngblood
Hart, The National, Mark Eitzel, Dan Zanes, Martha Wainwright,
Michelle Shocked, among many others. Concerts will range from an
all-day Guitar Marathon focusing on the guitar's history in Spain, to
eclectic tributes to Mississippi John Hurt, Skip James, Elizabeth
Cotten, Charley Patton, and Bruce Springsteen, to multi-media
performances combining film, animation and live music.
The New York Guitar Festival, a not-for-profit arts organization, was
founded in 1999 by musician and producer David Spelman, who serves as
its Artistic Director. The Festival's goal is to broaden the public's
appreciation for the guitar by fostering emerging talent, supporting
innovative collaborations among outstanding artists, and commissioning
new works. In addition to producing eclectic concerts and radio
broadcasts, its Guitar Harvest series of recordings supports outreach
programs in New York City public schools. The Festival is presented
with support from Apple Computer, The D'Addario Foundation for the
Performing Arts, Avalon Guitars, WNYC Radio, WFUV Radio, WBJB-90.5 The
NIGHT, Guitar Player Magazine, Frets Magazine, Relix Magazine,
flavorpill.net, Guitar.com, and Brooklyn Brewery.
"The original idea behind the Festival was to put guitars into the
hands of New York City school students with no strings attached," says
Spelman, "We're proud to have started that process in partnership with
the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center. Because the guitar is used in
so many genres of music and by so many cultures, it has a unique
potential to bring together disparate communities. The New York Guitar
Festival was established to raise money to fund scholarships to
provide guitars and musical training free of charge. In the process,
we aim to encourage hope and inspiration through music making at a
time when arts education has fallen prey to so many budgetary
cutbacks." The beneficiaries of the New York Guitar Festival's
scholarship programs are young students enrolled at an innovative
elementary school on Manhattan's upper west side.
CONCERT SCHEDULE:
World Financial Center's Winter Garden
Battery Park City, bordered by West Street, the Hudson River, Vesey
and Liberty Streets. Tickets and information: (212) 945-2600 /
www.worldfinancialcenter.com.
Saturday, January 14, 8:00pm - FREE OPENING NIGHT CONCERT
The Nebraska Project: Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the classic
Bruce Springsteen album. All new interpretations of Springsteen
classics performed by Laura Cantrell, Dan Zanes, Vernon Reid, The
National, Mark Eitzel, Martha Wainwright, Jesse Harris, Michelle
Shocked, Kevn Kinney, Lenny Kaye, Gary Lucas, Harry Manx, and more to
be announced soon. This distinctive roster of singer-songwriters,
bands and instrumentalists will perform their own arrangements of the
album's ten songs, in original album order, plus several instrumental
interludes. Nebraska, praised as one of the Boss' greatest
achievements, recounts melancholy tales of killers and cops, truck
drivers and people who have been driven to such a degree that they can
no longer navigate their way through the quagmire they find themselves
swimming in. The genius of the album is unmistakable though - with
just an acoustic guitar and howling harmonica, these songs are sung in
the first person, giving them an intimacy that is rarely felt from an
album.This opening night event is free, with general admission
seating, but a limited number of benefit tickets will be available
that include VIP seating, and a post-concert meet-the-artists
reception to benefit the NYGF's educational outreach program. More
information will be posted on www.newyorkguitarfestival.org. Presented
in association with WFUV Radio and broadcast on 90.7 FM. www.wfuv.org
Thursday, January 26, 12:30 PM
Cindy Cashdollar & Friends - FREE
A free lunchtime concert in lower Manhattan. What makes steel guitar
and Dobro player Cindy Cashdollar's musical journey stand out is a
combination of restless creativity and an uncanny ability to
understand and add to a wild array of styles. She has worked with the
likes of Leon Redbone, Graham Parker, Bob Dylan (on his Grammy winning
"Time Out Of Mind" CD), Jorma Kaukonen, Peter Rowan, and the stellar
Cajun group BeauSoleil. As the steel guitarist for eight years with
western swing kingpins Asleep At The Wheel, she logged many road miles
and won five Grammy Awards. cindycashdollar.com.
92nd Street Y
Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street
Tickets and information: 212-415-5500 / www.92Y.org
Sunday, January 15, 2 pm and 7pm, with a break at 5pm.
The Guitar Marathon: 450 Years Of Spanish Guitar. Featuring Pepe
Romero (the Marthon's co-curator), Eliot Fisk, Bill Kanengiser, Paul
O'Dette, Hopkinson Smith, Martha Masters, Jason Vieaux, Ana Vidovic,
Gyan Riley, Dominic Frasca, Bryce Dessner, and others. Our 3rd
biannual Guitar Marathon. In this edition, the guitar's rich history
in Spain will be explored, from renaissance and baroque, to classical
and flamenco repertoire. The programming will also include three world
premieres, all commissioned by the NYGF. The three young composers,
Gyan Riley, Dominic Frasca, and Bryce Dessner will perform their own
works. Tickets $30/Each or $50 for Both Concerts
Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall
57th Street at 7th Avenue
Tickets and information: (212) 247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org
Sunday, January 29, 8:30pm
Bill Frisell's 858 Quartet featuring Jenny Scheinman (violin), Eyvind
Kang (viola) and Hank Roberts (cello), with special guests Ron Miles
(trumpet) and Greg Tardy (tenor sax and clarinet). The Grammy
Award-winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell performs new work
for his string ensemble & special guests plus the world premiere of a
new, short multi-media piece created in collaboration with visual
artist Jim Woodring. Deceptively mild-mannered and soft-spoken, Bill
Frisell has been described by Spin magazine as the "Clark Kent" of
electric guitar who "coaxes and slams his hovering split-toned ax into
shapes of things to come." Jim Woodring has been called everything
under the sun, but we like "Nuts" and "Genius" the best.
billfrisell.com | jimwoodring.com Tickets $30/$35
Friday, February 3, 8pm
Daniel Lanois' "Silvio" Project: The New York premiere of a new
experimental film by Daniel Lanois
Celebrated guitarist, singer, songwriter & producer Daniel Lanois
brings his music and experimental film images to NYC for the first
time. Glorious pedal steel guitar playing and innovative sonics will
make for an electrifying night. Lanois will be joined by dummer Brian
Blade, and other guests, TBD. Of his last NYGF performance, The New
York Times wrote: "In a rare performance playing solo pedal steel
guitar, Mr. Lanois, who has produced albums by U2 and Bob Dylan, used
the instrument for hovering meditations. Liquid chords welled up
behind folky melodies, making music that was expansive yet humble, as
if contemplating wide-open spaces." www.daniellanois.com. Tickets
$30/$35
Merkin Concert Hall
Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street
Tickets and information: 212-501-3303 • www.kaufman-center.org
Wednesday, January 18, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Mississippi John Hurt.
Featuring Jorma Koukonen, Bill Morrissey, Brandon Ross, and the Jen
Chapin Trio. Mississippi John Hurt (1893-1966) was an amazingly
lyrical and refined fingerpicking guitarist, who sang with a warmth
and gentleness unique in the field of blues. Classic songs such as
"Frankie," "Louis Collins," "Avalon Blues," "Candy Man Blues," "Big
Leg Blues," and "Stack O' Lee Blues" were highly influential on
subsequent generations of musicians. Tickets $35
Wednesday, January 25, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Skip James. Featuring:
Sonny Landreth with Cindy Cashdollar, Gary Lucas, Chocolate Genius,
and Alvin Youngblood Hart. Among the earliest and most influential
Delta bluesmen to record, Skip James (1902-1969) influenced everyone
from Robert Johnson to Eric Clapton. Tickets $35
Wednesday, February 1, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Charley Patton. Featuring:
John Hammond, Rory Block, Dave Tronzo, and Toshi Reagon. A giant in
the field of Delta country blues, Charley Patton (1887-1934) was an
acknowledged celebrity and seminal influence on musicians throughout
the Delta. His music embraced blues, ballads, ragtime, to gospel, and
his influence can be heard in the music of Howlin' Wolf, John Lee
Hooker, Son House, and Robert Johnson. Tickets $35
Wednesday, February 8, 8pm
Blues Fallin' Down Like Rain: The music of Elizabeth Cotten.
Featuring: Taj Mahal, Mike Seeger, Jolie Holland and Marvin Sewell.
Elizabeth Cotten (1895- 1983) was a true original and among the most
influential guitarists to surface during the roots music revival era.
Turning her instruments upside-down to play them left-handed, she
developed a truly distinctive guitar style and sound. Her song
"Freight Train" has become a fingerpicker's classic. Tickets $35
Flushing Town Hall
137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing, Queens.
Tickets and information: (718) 463-7700 ext 222, www.flushingtownhall.org
Saturday, January 21, 8pm
"The Goddess" + "Lotus Blossom" featuring the world premiere of two
new film scores by Leni Stern and Brandon Ross. Guitarist/composer
Leni Stern (whom The New Yorker described as "Fleet and Lyrical" and
LA Weekly classified "one of the world's most fully realized
songwriters and guitarists") performs live music to accompany a
screening of the 1934 silent film "The Goddess." Written/directed by
Yonggang Wu, the films stars legendary actress Ruan Lingyu, who plays
a single mother whose only hope for supporting her son is to submit to
a life of prostitution. Guitarist Brandon Ross, and bassist Stomu
Takeishi, will perform music to accompany the surviving reel of "Lotus
Blossom" from 1921. lenistern.com Tickets $20
Saturday, January 28, 8pm
"A Story of Floating Weeds" + "A Page of Madness" featuring the world
premiere of two new film scores by Alex de Grassi and Henry Kaiser.
Guitarist/composer Alex de Grassi ("The level of de Grassi's
accomplishment is astonishing" wrote Jazziz Magazine) performs music
to accompany the 1934 silent film "A Story of Floating Weeds."
Celebrated Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu weaves a tragic tale of
rekindled love, showing how it profoundly changes the lives of a
retired actor, his present girlfriend, his ex-lover and the son he
never knew he had. Henry Kaiser, the highly innovative
guitarist/improviser/producer, performs music to excerpts from
Kinugasa Teinosuke's 1926 film "A Page of Madness." degrassi.com |
henrykaiser.net Tickets $20.
The Monkey
37 W. 26th Street
Tickets and information: (212) 481-1601, www.themonkeynyc.com
Last year, guitarist/composer Dominic Frasca opened The Monkey, a
boutique state-of-the-art surround sound performance space which seats
just 40 people per show. "I wanted to create the ultimate boutique
performance space," says Frasca. "A space that is all about the music,
the sound and the visuals, not about selling drinks: I was tired of
going to clubs to play or hear music in sonically hostile
environments."
Thursday, January 19, 8pm
Andre LaFosse. Andre LaFosse calls his live performance style
?turntablist guitar': a cutting-edge cut-up of hip-hop, avant-garde,
funk, and left-field dance music... which just happens to be played
completely live with only a guitar, an Echoplex, and a tiny smattering
of effects. Andre will be returning to both the NYGF (where he shared
a bill with David Torn in 2004) and The Monkey (where he presented a
highly successful run of shows in March ?05) for a one-night
performance, exploring his concepts for the role of a six-string
electric guitar in a non-linear, post-DJ world. altruistmusic.com.
Tickets $15
Friday, January 20, 8pm
Dominic Frasca. Guitarist Dominic Frasca, winner of the First Annual
Guitar Player Magazine Guitar Hero Competition, will perform an
evening of original compositions for solo 6-and-10-string
electro/acoustic guitar. Time Out New York wrote, "Fans of classical
minimalism, the hypnotic counterpoint of early 80's King Crimson, and
the peerless techniques of the late Michael Hedges will find much to
admire in his rich, propulsive, polyphonic works. It's like New Age
music for people who grew up listening to Black Sabbath."
dominicfrasca.com. Tickets $15
Sunday, January 22, 7:30pm
The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo
Guitarists Laura Oltman and Michael Newman have received acclaim for
their 10 CDs and have been featured widely in the national media.
Their concert tours and collaborations with such artists as fiddler
Eileen Ivers (Riverdance), Turtle Island String Quartet, and Pulitzer
Prize-winning author Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes), have taken them
to forty-nine states and five continents. They will perform new duets
they have premiered in the past few years by Roberto Sierra, Augusta
Read Thomas, Dusan Bogdanovic, Lowell Liebermann, Rami Vamos and
Randall Avers. guitarduo.com. Tickets $15
Thursday, February 2, 8PM
Stephen Griesgraber. Guitarist/composer Stephen Griesgraber will
present Redhooker, an evening of music for guitar and live
electronics. Inspired by his interest in hypnagogia and the altered
auditory experiences reflected in various dream states, Stephen will
perform music for solo guitar, guitar with live electronics and
samples, as well as music for guitar and ensemble. The work will be
representational as well as interpretive in its exploration of states
of semi and unconsciousness. Tickets $15
Saturday, February 4, 7pm
Kevin Gallagher. Kevin Gallagher, winner of both the 1993 Guitar
Foundation of America Competiton and the 1997 Francisco Tarrega
competition, will premiere his new "avant-pop" group, Electric
Kompany. The group arranges, composes and commissions music for rock
quartet. For this concert, they will perform compositions by Arvo
Part, Jacob Ter Veldhuis, Marc Mellits, and others. guitar69.com.
Tickets $15
Sunday, February 5, 4pm
Michael Nicolella. Praised by Gramophone for his "stunning technical
skill and unfailing musicality" and characterized by Classical Guitar
magazine as "a fully enlightened musician of our time," Michael
Nicolella is recognized as one of America's most innovative and
eclectic classical guitarists. He will perform music for classical and
electric guitar, including works by Steve Reich, J.S. Bach, Hans
Werner Henze, Jimi Hendrix and himself. www.nicolella.com Tickets $15
Joe's Pub
Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street
Info: 212-539-8770 • www.joespub.com Tickets: 212-239-6200 • www.telecharge.com
Dates & Programs TBD...
American Youth Hostel Concert Chapel
891 Amsterdam Ave. (@ 103rd Street)
www.nyccgs.com
Sunday, January 22, 3pm
Flamenco in the City Featuring Dennis Koster, Jose Ramos, and Ivan &
Juan Gomez. A celebration of the flamenco soul with some of New York's
finest guitarists and dancers, presented in partnership with the New
York City Classical Guitar Society. denniskoster.com Tickets $25 and
$20 for NYCCGS members.
PODCASTING INITIATIVE:
Thanks to the generosity of Apple Computer and the New York Guitar
Festival artists, podcasts of live concert recording, artist
interviews, commentary, readings, and previously unreleased tracks by
festival artists will be available for free download on the iTunes
Music Store. Full information and links will be posted on the festival
website.
GUITAR HARVEST CD SERIES:
WNYC Music Director John Schaefer and NYGF founder, David Spelman,
have produced an exclusive compilation CD entitled Guitar Harvest, to
promote the New York Guitar Festival and raise money for it's
scholarship fund. Echoing the educational emphasis of the festival,
the theme of the disc is "Teachers, Mentors & Inspirations." Acoustic
guitarist Alex DeGrassi plays a tune by guitar icon Jimi Hendrix; the
Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo pay respect to their Cuban mentors in a
rendition of Isaac Albeniz's "Cuba," while eclectic jazzman Bill
Frisell actually plays a duet with his former guitar teacher, Dale
Breuning. Ralph Towner (Oregon) contributes a multi-tracked duet in
tribute to the German lutenist Sylvius Leopold Weiss, while gifted
young acoustic guitarist Richard Leo Johnson honors the Delta blues
tradition with "The New West Helena Blues." Gary Lucas's addition
fondly remembers his late songwriting partner Jeff Buckley. Other
guitarists represented on Guitar Harvest include Andy Summers (The
Police), Pierre Bensusan, David Patterson (New World Guitar Trio),
Benjamin Verdery, Vernon Reid (Living Colour, Black Rock Coalition),
the California Guitar Trio, Henry Kaiser, and others. Full CD liner
notes, and information on how to order the recording is available on
the festival website.
www.newyorkguitarfestival.org/