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David Lamb has been playing music under the name Brown Bird since 2003. Beginning in Seattle as a quiet, introspective songwriter, Lamb has since toured across the country, experiencing life changes and musical revelations, and come to settle, for now, in Rhode Island. The journey is illustrated by Brown Bird’s four released albums, two of them featuring banjo, accordion, cello and vocals by Jeremy and Jerusha Robinson (South China) as Brown Bird’s main members. The third was released as a solo album, and the latest, The Devil Dancing (Peapod Recordings, 2009) introduces Brown Bird’s current lineup: Lamb (vocals, guitar, banjo, percussion), his partner MorganEve Swain (vocals, fiddle, cello, upright bass), and friend Mike Samos (dobro). As a trio, the group draws influences from outlaw country, early American folk, blues, roots rock, Eastern European and Gypsy music, creating a sound described as both familiar and stunningly original. Brown Bird writes songs with a tendency towards the dark side, bringing harmonized voices, haunting lyrics and diverse rhythm and instrumentation into surging waves that often swell into high-spirited, foot-stomping madness. Since the release of The Devil Dancing, Brown Bird has toured along the Eastern coast of the US, and joined The Low Anthem for a European Tour in 2009. Currently the group is working on a fifth album, to be released in the coming year, while touring extensively in the North East.

New England has long had a rich tradition of Celtic-inspired music. Looking forward to their 27th anniversary in 2010, Pendragon has embraced that tradition and created a timeless sound of its own, performing roots music with an unmistakable contemporary edge. Pendragon’s music celebrates the lives and lore of generations of New Englanders who brought traditions from Ireland, Scotland, French Canada and other distant shores to the banks of the Blackstone River.

In 1972, Aztec Two-Step, whose name comes from a poem by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, burst upon the scene with their self-titled debut album on Elektra Records. Since then Rex Fowler and Neal Shulman have spent a lifetime making music together as the folk/rock duo Aztec Two-Step. Their first album, along with their subsequent albums for RCA Records were staples of progressive FM and college radio and helped to bring the music of the 1960s into the 70s.

As their recording career continued, so did the critical acclaim. Image of Rex and Neal Live In 1987 Living in America, received the New York Music Award for Best Folk Album and was named in Billboard’s year-end critic’s poll. They have been praised in countless major US newspapers and magazines, including Rolling Stone, and have appeared on numerous TV and radio shows, such as the David Letterman Show, the King Biscuit Flour Hour, and World Café Live. In 1999 they were the subjects of the documentary, No Hit Wonder, which was aired on PBS.

Christine performs concerts all over the US, Canada, and points beyond, and hosts knitting circles backstage prior to each show.  Songs of hers have been performed by artists as diverse as Broadway stars Betty Buckley, Sutton Foster, and David Burnham, cabaret divas Andrea Marcovicci. Barbara Brussell, and Colleen McHugh, the college a cappella Dartmouth Decibelles, and The Accidentals, winners of the National Harmony Sweepstakes championship.

The Gnomes each bring an enormous wealth of musical knowledge, musicianship, creativity, and fun to their performances. Their live shows are upbeat and never fail to get folks on their feet, moving and grooving! They’ll go from a traditional tune into a tango, or a piece of music that makes you feel like you just stepped off a dirt road in Ireland to a sidewalk cafe in France. The Gnomes concerts also have plenty of songs interspersed with their instrumental music. Pete Breen wails on everything from Reggae to Gospel while playing his bass; Otis Read, a gifted singer-songwriter plays rhythm and lead guitar; Cathy Clasper-Torch is a fiddler, pianist and Harmony Queen; Phil Edmonds, a master Irish whistle-player and button accordion, also writes much of The Gnomes’ original music; while Ron Schmitt is a a phenomenal World Beat and dance percussionist.

Lissa Schneckenberger:

“World class fiddler… far from just offering one dance tune after another, simple settings allow the true beauty of the music to shine through” – Sing Out

The traditional music of New England can be as warm and comforting as a winter fire or as potent and exhilarating as a summer thunderstorm. Fiddler and singer Lissa Schneckenburger is a master of both moods, a winsome, sweet-voiced singer who brings new life to old ballads and a skillful, dynamic fiddler who captures the driving rhythm and carefree joy of dance tunes old and new.

Bethany Waickman:

Bethany Waickman comes from a musical family and started playing the piano at an early age. One of her first ventures into traditional music was attending Meadowlark music camp. It was there that she was inspired to take up the guitar. Bethany formed the contra dance band, Anadama, with Amelia Mason and Emily Troll while working at Pinewoods in 2007, and they have gone on to delight dancers throughout the northeast. Bethany started performing with the Lissa Schneckenburger band in 2008, and can be seen with Lissa in tours throughout the US and Europe.

Sol y Canto is the nationally-touring and Boston Music Award winning Pan-Latin ensemble led by Puerto Rican/Argentine singer and bongo player Rosi Amador and New Mexican guitarist and composer Brian Amador. Featuring Rosi’s crystalline voice, Brian’s lush Spanish guitar, and virtuoso musicians from Uruguay, Perú, Panamá and Argentina on piano, winds, bass, and percussion, the sextet has established a reputation for their quirky original compositions that address matters of the heart, social and global aspiration, and for their unique and driving interpretations of contemporary Latin music.

Christmas In The Valley 2010

Thanksgiving weekend

November 26, 27, 28 2010

This annual event takes place in early winter and features a variety of artisans selling their creations.

Foster Country Club, 67 Johnson Road, Foster, RI 02825

For more information on this event, or to become a vendor, contact Nancy Putnam at nancy323@mac.com

or Elwood Donnelly at 401-392-1322 or elwood@notaol.com

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