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Boston Bluegrass Union Announces Joe Val Showcase Stage Lineup
The 27th Joe Val Bluegrass Festival is just around the corner, February 17-19, 2012 at the Sheraton Framingham, in Framingham, MA. In addition to the main stage bands, we'll also have a "Showcase Stage" downstairs featuring a broad variety of bands. Patterned after the famed late night "After Hours Showcases" at the IBMA World Of Bluegrass convention, the BBU has put together a performance series you won't want to miss. A selection of new bands and some established favorites will present their music in the intimate setting of the Carlisle room in the hotel's lower level. Please join us, you are sure to discover some new favorites. Some bands will have merchandise for sale, and all of them will be happy to talk to you about future performances.FRIDAY
7:00pm Manic Mountain Boys & Friends (New England)
BBU is pleased to announce the kick-off to the Showcase Stage with a Friday night performance by the Manic Mountain Boys and Friends. The Manic Mountain Boys are the late Tom Monahan's friends who have camped and played together at bluegrass festivals for over 30 years. Tom was a quick-witted storyteller, songwriter, and a good-natured mischief-maker. He was most proud of The Manics and his self-appointed position as their Chairman for Life (CFL). Tom's songs have become standards for this wide-ranging group of musicians. The "MMB" have put together a CD project of Tom's songs in his honor "The Manics pick on Monahan: An Irreverent Musical Tribute to Tom Monahan." This variety- show style performance will feature many "Manic Mountain Boys" and friends, and perhaps a few special guests, performing songs from this project. All proceeds from sales of the CD benefit the Compassionate Care ALS organization. http://www.ccals.org/monahan-manic.php
8:30pm The Get Down Boys (Los Angeles, CA)
Mostly Berklee graduates, five musicians from all over the US form the LA-based Get Down Boys. They perform traditional and original Bluegrass and gospel music, along with other modern classics. Their straight ahead renditions of 1st and 2nd generation bluegrass classics will delight you.
Andy Keathley (G), Zach Ostgaard (M), Etienne Cremieux (F), Matt Bruer (Bj), Evan Winsor (B).
SATURDAY
10:30am Southern Rhode (Rhode Island)
Southern Rhode playing a mix of bluegrass and newgrass, consists of veteran musicians from the New England bluegrass scene.
Mike Kropp (Bj), Alex MacLeod (G), Greg Badigian (G/F), Monty McClanahan (M), Tom Bowman (B).
11:15am Wide Open Spaces (greater Worcester, MA)
Wide Open Spaces is bluegrass without borders! with a sound that is sometimes bold and bluesy, other times warm and introspective, and a repertoire that's - "Wide Open."
Marie 'Mud' Rocheleau-Demers (G), Peter Anick (F/M), Glenn Nelson (Bj), Matt Carlen (G), Chris Dombrowski (B).
12:00noon Big River Stomp (Rhode Island)
Rhode Island’s Big River Stomp likes to keep one foot in the old and one in the new. They include some original songs in their special mix of bluegrass.
Jesse Burdick (Bj), Jeff Budzinski (M), Jim Studley (G), Matt Dipinto (B)
12:45pm Still River (central MA)
Still River serves up an eclectic mix of bluegrass, featuring their own touch on tunes not often done in bluegrass. Over the past 5 years vocal harmonies and creative arrangements have become the band's signature.
Joan Eliyesil (Bj), Marion Webster (M), Bruce Pacheco (G), Allen Pratt (B)
1:30pm Rawhide (New Jersey)
Rawhide is a hard driving traditional bluegrass band from New Jersey, playing music where tight harmonies and hot instrumentals are the order of the day.
Josh Werner (G), Jeff Propert (M), Joe Fili (F), Tommy Stevenson (Bj), George Koserowski (B), Paul Unkert (D)
2:15pm Old Country Road (western MA)
"The golden age of country music" - maybe you remember it, maybe you don't. Old Country Road presents some of the best vintage Country music around!
Ron Jackson (G), Peter McLean (D), Danny Pilachowski (G), Dan Helman (G/M), Dave Helman (B).
3:00pm Michelle Canning & Rough Edges (eastern MA)
Michelle Canning has been receiving awards for her banjo playing since she was eleven years old, most recently receiving 1st Place at the Lowell Banjo and Fiddle Contest. This eastern Massachusetts band, Michelle Canning & Rough Edges, will entertain you with fast-driving bluegrass tunes, soft, sweet ballads, and everything in between.
Michelle Canning, 2009 New England Banjo Champion, David Atwood (M), Bob Dean (G), Zoel Sawyer (F), Cosmo Cavicchio (B).
3:45pm Railroad House (Boston metro-west)
Railroad House hosts of a bi-weekly jam Stone’s Public House in Ashland, MA. Railroad House lays down an exciting sound of bluegrass with swing and country influences.
Jonathan Campbell (M), Rich Piccarreto (G), Mike Foster (B), Randy Batson (G), Charlie Downey (Bj), Larry DeJong (F).
4:30pm Three Tall Pines (Cambridge, MA)
Three Tall Pines is an award winning quartet playing bluegrass and Americana from the heart of New England. They transcend their diverse musical backgrounds to achieve soulful harmonies and sensitive performances that draw audiences in and leave plenty of space for the story to shine through.
Conor Smith (F), Gian Pangaro (B), Dan Bourdeau (G), Joe Lurgio (M).
5:15pm A Bluegrass Invitation Band (southern New England)
This group of southern New England multi-instrumentalists play a mixture of acoustic roots based Folk, Gospel, Cajun and Celtic music to create A Bluegrass Invitation Band.
Pete Gallant (M), Frank Bouchard (Bj), Joel Greene (F), Charlie Santos (B)
6:00pm Too Blue (NY/CT)
Spanning the genres of bluegrass, celtic, country, jazz and swing, a Too Blue performance features "Smooth harmonies, adventurous musicianship, and eclectic material... Ah, music for grown-ups." (- Eric Gibson)
Joan Harrison (Bj), Betsy Rome (G), Michael Sassano (M), Jamie Doris (B), will be joined by former Alaska State Fiddle Champion Kalia Yeagle (F).
6:45pm Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys (Albany, NY)
"Jim Gaudet could be called a folksinger... - but without all the microscopic self-examination... Mostly, he's a storyteller." Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys play original, driving "Americana Grass" with special emphasis given to the old-timey 3-part vocal harmonies.
Jim Gaudet (G), Sten Isachsen (M), Bob Ristau (B), Mat Kane (F).
SUNDAY
11:00am Five in the Chamber (New Haven, CT)
Five in the Chamber is a high-energy, fun-loving, rollicking bluegrass band, performing originals and tunes from Bill Monroe to Gillian Welch to the Rolling Stones. With tight arrangements and unique harmony vocals, they bring a fresh and exciting twist to the bluegrass repertoire.
Ken McEwen (G), Andrea Asprelli (F), Dave Casali (B), Pete Kaufman (Bj), Sean Mack (M).
11:45am Sleepy Hollow String Band (Westchester county, NY)
The Sleepy Hollow String Band from Westchester County, NY, is an acoustic bluegrass band covering a wide range of American traditional "roots" music. Their influences range from Flatt and Scruggs to Johnny Cash, George Jones, Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie.
Ben Freed (Bj), Mike Sassano (M), Kalia Yeagle (F), Ethan Kende (B)
12:30pm Joe's Truck Stop (Boston)
These musicians combined their talents at Berklee College of music to form Joe's Truck Stop a hot band playing "Old-time hillbilly dance music." They placed 8th among hundreds in the prestigious Galax Old Fiddler's Convention, in Galax, VA, oldest and largest fiddler's convention in the world.
Lucy Cochran (F), Melissa Wright (G), Ben Walters (Bj), Joe Macheret (M), Lucas Poole (B)
1:15pm Monadnock (New Hampshire)
New Hampshire-based Monadnock has been performing in New England since 2003. They play traditional bluegrass with a few contemporary and original tunes thrown in.
Bob Pope (G), Craig Engel (M), Keith Hillyard (BJ), Elise Laflamme (F), Roland Young (B).
2:00pm Flatt Rabbit (greater Boston)
Regular performers at Sally O'Briens and The Burren in Somerville, and The Cantab Lounge in Cambridge. Flatt Rabbit plays straight-ahead, traditional bluegrass, combining strong instrumental picking with their own high, lonesome Rabbit harmonies.
Grace Van't Hof (Bj), Frank Drake (M), Dan Africk (G), Alan Kaufman (F), Andy Katz (D), Tom Fitzgerald (B).
2:45pm Reunion Hill Band (New Hampshire)
The New Hampshire based Reunion Hill Band performs thoughtful originals and puts a fresh spin on familiar bluegrass and roots songs. Influences include folk music and the 1960s.
Kevin O'Connor (Bj), Rick Horton (M), Rich Schleckser (G), Dave Ward (B).
3:30pm Kids Open Mic Bluegrass Showcase with The Korey Brodsky Band (Newtown, CT)
Come hear some of the most accomplished and talented kids in the BBU community. In the final set on the showcase stage on Sunday they will have an opportunity to play with the backing of The Korey Brodsky Band. The set will be kicked off by 13 year old Korey followed by several other young players from the Kids Academy Advanced Band and beyond. Expect to be amazed and delighted by their musicanship.
The Korey Brodsky Band features Korey, who won 1st place for the second year in a row at the 2011 Roxbury Pickin and Fiddlin contest, and with his father Rick again won first place in the band competition. Recently Korey was featured at the Fabulous Guitar Night in New Haven in a set with Betsy Rome and Dan Carlucci. You can expect to hear both originals and traditional bluegrass from the band as well as an appearance by Korey's sisters for some trio harmony. Korey Brodsky (G), Dick Neal (M), Josh Cohen (Bj), Andrea Asprelli (F), Rick Brodsky (B)
Note, if you know of a young bluegrass player who would be ready to take the stage, encourage them to participate in this opportunity by contacting Rick Brodsky at
rdbrodsky@gmail.com, by February 12th please.