As the summer winds down we’re packing in the musical enticements for you to spend an evening in our garden of many delights.
Friday, August 13: Rachel Wearsch and the Beatnik Playboys
This will be your lucky day if you come on out and enjoy the tasty and tasteful ensemble of veterans wringing every last hope and tear out of every standard and original that they humbly and gracefully lay before you. Not this is something artsy. It’s real, authentic songcraft that mixes well with a sizable quantity of food and drink – mostly drink. I’d call this a beer night -Rogue Dead Guy Ale.
Saturday, August 14: Hey Mavis!
Our New World Americana series continues with the return of the nearly-world-renown vocal trio from the bohemian hills of Nohio.
Cuyahoga Calico (audio track)
Hey Mavis was formed in 2008 by nationally-acclaimed fiddler Ed Caner as part of the Artist-In-Residence program in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Hey Mavis is Laurie Michelle Caner (lead songwriter, vocals, banjo), Sarah Benn (songwriter, vocals, bass), and Ed Caner (viola profunda, fiddle, mixmaster). Ed has performed as soloist and sideman with countless artists, including Luciano Pavarotti, Smokey Robinson, Wayne Newton, Michael Stanley and Page and Plant. Laurie and Sarah both have extensive experience as members of the all-women vocal harmony group The Rhondas.
In honor of their big hot, Red Wine, we’ll be imploring you to partake of Karma Red Blend, 2007, from Grand River Valley, Ohio. It hearkens of tobacco, blackberries and sturdy tannins and mixes well with cutting-edge blue grass.
Friday, August 20: Good Things!
Good Things Live, The Band, mixes Afro-Cuban, Brasilian, and Jazz music and totally rocks the house. Plan to dance, sway, tap, and/or bob your tired head uncontrollably and leave happier than you’ve been in a very long time.
Saturday, August 21: Black Gypsy, featuring Barnabas Crosby
Compared to the likes of Bill Withers and Anthony Hamilton, Barnabas blends his melodic voice and smooth jazz chords to take you to another place. A playwright by trade, Barnabas began performing spoken word in high school, before earning a scholarship to study theatre at Ohio University. As an undergrad Barnabas took advantage of every opportunity to be on stage, whether it was acting or spitting rhymes at a poetry slam, Barnabas was drawn to the spotlight. After college Barnabas headed straight for New York where his plays “Hands”, “After the Rain” and “23: Laces on Wire” earned him considerable recognition before returning to Ohio to study Theatre History and Criticism. While back in Ohio Barnaba’s play “Fox Hole” was performed at the Cleveland Playhouse for his Master’s thesis, and set him off like a rocket. “When I left Ohio and moved to Philly, the arts scene was boomin’ like crazy- I had to get involved”, Barnabas says. Ironically, it was in Philadelphia where Barnabas picked up the guitar and penned his first tunes. Despite the lack of experience as a vocal performer, Barnabas uses catchy lyrics, the chops of an experience stage performer and comic wit to keep audiences hanging on his every word. Since returning to New York in 2008 Barnabas has been writing songs for female vocalist and educational music for elementary children.
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/barnabascrosby1
