Oct
22
Mon
Hayley Reardon CD Release @ Passim
Oct 22 @ 3:30 am – 6:00 am
Dec
3
Mon
Hayley Reardon: A Solo Performance @ The New England Folk Music Archives
Dec 3 @ 4:30 am – 6:00 am

Hayley Reardon: A Solo Performance

Coming off two sold out performances at the legendary Club Passim this is a show not to be missed.

A portion of the proceeds from this concert will benefit the New England Folk Music Archives. Produced by Last Dance Productions.

Only 40 seats will be sold for this very intimate concert!

Since her showcase at the International Folk Alliance in February 2010, Hayley Reardon has exploded onto the stage of folk music. In addition to being featured in the recently released “For the Love of the Music” Club 47 documentary and producing her first full length LP, she has developed an in-school performance program, “Find Your Voice,” to encourage peer empowerment through self-expression. Hayley’s new release, “Where the Artists Go,” is, in her own words, the product of the “focus on what I wanted to say with my arts sense of freedom that folk empowers me to say it the way I want to.”

“Reardon is taking the folk scene by storm.” WBUR

“She is certainly a bright star on the horizon, a glorious addition to the future of acoustic music.” Performer Mag

“Reardon definitely has an old soul, and her dedication to her art shows in Where the Artists Go, an impressive debut.” Candor News

“Where the Artists Go can be cast as coming of age thoughts riding on a sea of song. There is a unique world view and an everyman way of describing the scene that makes these songs sing.” The Alternate Root

Tickets Here:

Jul
18
Thu
A Conversation and Performance with Bill Staines @ The New England Folk Music Archives
Jul 18 @ 6:00 am – 9:00 am
A Conversation and Performance with Bill Staines @ The New England Folk Music Archives | Somerville | Massachusetts | United States

Anyone not familiar with the music of Bill Staines  is in for a special treat.

Last Dance Productions is pleased to welcome Bill Staines to one of the great listening rooms in town, the New England Folk Music Archives.  The event takes place on on Wednesday, July 17th at 7pm.  We’ll have a conversation with Bill recording his thoughts about the Folk Scene in New England over the past years that will be deposited into our growing oral history collection.

After the conversation we’ll be treated to a performance by Bill Staines.

For more than forty years, Bill Staines has traveled back and forth across North America, singing his songs and delighting audiences at festivals, folksong societies, colleges, concerts, clubs, and coffeehouses. A New England native, Bill became involved with the Boston-Cambridge folk scene in the early 1960′s and for a time, emceed the Sunday Hootenanny at the legendary Club 47 in Cambridge. Bill quickly became a popular performer in the Boston area. From the time in 1971 when a reviewer from the Boston Phoenix stated that he was “simply Boston’s best performer”, Bill has continually appeared on folk music radio listener polls as one of the top all time favorite folk artists. Now, well into his fifth decade as a folk performer, he has gained an international reputation as a gifted songwriter and performer.

Dec
29
Sun
Tom Rush, The Kweskin Jug Band, Patty Larkin In Concert @ Boston Symphony Hall
Dec 29 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Tom Rush, The Kweskin Jug Band, Patty Larkin In Concert @ Boston Symphony Hall | Boston | Massachusetts | United States


Singer-Songwriter and folk icon Tom Rush will return to Symphony Hall with the next of his series of Club 47® concerts on Saturday, Dec 28th at 8:00pm. As is traditional with these shows, Tom will bring together different generations of musicians to share the music. This Holiday Season show will feature the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, with Bill Keith, Geoff Muldaur and Maria Muldaur; Massachusetts favorite Patty Larkin; and (relative) newcomers Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion.

In 1981 Tom Rush assembled the first of a series of concerts named for the fabled Cambridge coffee house where many of the legendary artists of his generation got their start. His Club 47 shows played at venues across the country, including New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Last year, Tom renewed the tradition with a sold-out show at Symphony Hall marking his 50th year on stage.

“These shows are fantastic musical events,” said Tom Rush. “Having a mix of fabulous performers from different generations, sharing the stage, collaborating , exploring each other’s music — it’s a recipe for magic. ‘Honoring the past, celebrating the future,” is the Club 47 slogan, and we try to live up to it.”

The Jim Kweskin Jug Band got their start at the Club 47 in Cambridge and were the original “Americana” band, playing everything from classic blues to hillbilly country, ragtime, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll. Their imitators were legion, including a San Francisco jug band that became the Grateful Dead and a New York jug band that became the Lovin’ Spoonful, but their loose, exuberant style was uniquely theirs.

“Boston was the home of our Jug band, and our first gig as the Jim Kweskin Jug Band was at Club 47,” Kweskin remembered. “It is fitting that the last performance of our 50th anniversary be performed in Boston. We thank Tom Rush (who started in Boston about the same time we did) for inviting us to join him at Symphony Hall.”

The individual members of the original Jug Band also have made indelible marks on American music. Maria Muldaur is perhaps best known for her 1974 mega-hit Midnight at the Oasis, but her career can best be described as a long, adventurous odyssey through American roots music, including 40 solo albums and multiple Grammy nominations. Geoff Muldaur is one of the great voices and musical forces to emerge from the Cambridge scene. He composes scores for film and television, and his definitive recording of Brazil provided the seed for – and was featured in – Terry Gilliam’s film of the same title. Bill Keith introduced his own melodic approach to the banjo, now called the “Keith-style,” and as member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys and later collaborations, revolutionized the way the banjo is played.

Patty Larkin redefines the boundaries of urban-folk music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising vocals and lyrics. She has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly) and “drop dead brilliant” (Performing Songwriter). Patty has called Boston home since her studies at Berklee College of Music where she holds an Honorary Doctorate of Music and is currently an Artist in Residence. Patty and Tom’s friendship was kindled nearly 28 years ago when she was on his Maple Hill Artists’ booking roster, and occupied the “Newcomer” slot at several of Tom’s Symphony Hall Club 47 shows.

“Tom Rush has an iconic connection to the singer songwriter movement of which I am a part. His performances continue to be fresh, full of humor and heart, Larkin said. “I’m pleased to be returning to the Symphony Hall stage to join Tom and his esteemed musical guests.” Her 13th album, Still Green, has just been released.

Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion embody the spirit of the Club 47 tradition. Guthrie— the daughter of Arlo and the granddaughter of Woody— grew up in a musical family rich in the American folk tradition. She and her husband Johnny Irion have been playing together as a musical duo for over thirteen years. They just released their fourth album, Wassaic Way, produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Pat Sansone.

“It’s the kind of night I love,” Tom Rush concludes. “To be on stage with some of my favorite players and favorite people, mixing it up, having fun … it doesn’t get much better than that!”

Apr
25
Sat
The Healing Garden Music Fest @ French American Victory Club
Apr 25 @ 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
The Healing Garden Music Fest @ French American Victory Club  | Waltham | Massachusetts | United States

This year’s event will feature of the best of voices and musicians from Canada and the US.

The Music
The Lucky Sisters (Allison Lupton, Rosemary Phelan, and Tannis Slimmon) have brought their individual talents (from their own solo careers) to comprise this exquisite and ethereal vocal harmony group. From Cambridge, Toronto, and Guelph, Ontario, they’ll be making their first U.S. appearance.

We’re tremendously lucky to have Paul Mills, who has produced many hundreds of masterful recordings, and is a folk icon in Canada, make the trip southwards for the night. Paul, who is producing The Lucky Sisters upcoming album, will accompany the gals as well as others through the night.

Healing Garden stalwart and fave Kelli Trottier will bring her singing, fiddling, and stepdancing self down from Kingston, Ontario for her fifth Waltham appearance.

Rebecca Hosking, hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, will be unveiling her latest CD at our special event. Scott Neubert, another Nashville resident (and Healing Garden staple) will accompany Rebeca and others in the show.

We’re also delighted to present local artist Angela Simonneli for her first Healing Garden special Guest appearance. You may be familiar with Angela from her Red Line Radio rock group. It wouldn’t be a HG fest without Mr. Versatility and Dependability, Matt Leavenworth to provide his accompaniment. We’ll be enjoying the night of festive music at the French Club in Waltham.

Event Sponsor Patio Records
Patio Records of Waltham, MA is dedicated to the mission of building healing gardens at Hospital treatment centers. These gardens are designed to aid patients’ well-being during their times of receiving cancer treatments. While working with local hospitals towards patio construction, a concurrent pursuit is the universalization of the concept of having such a facility be part of an overall treatment plan for those unfortunate to be so afflicted.

Jun
5
Fri
Patty Larkin, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion and Tumbling Bones @ The Regent Theatre
Jun 5 @ 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Patty Larkin, Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion and Tumbling Bones @ The Regent Theatre | Arlington | Massachusetts | United States

PATTY LARKIN

Patty Larkin redefines the boundaries of folk-urban pop music with her inventive guitar wizardry and uncompromising vocals and lyrics. Acoustic Guitar hails her “soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her “evocative and sonic shading.” She has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly) and a “drop-dead brilliant” performer (Performing Songwriter).

“Larkin’s shows are celebrations of song, guitar and voice coming together in perfect unison with a perfect blend of skill and humility. Patty Larkin would never tell you that she’s a great guitarist, but she’ll show you all night long.”_CityBeat

Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion

“Moves seamlessly from Beck-meets-Beatles rock to soundscapes, folk-roots and Beach Boys summertime rock… [with] a sincerity that is undeniable.” (RELIX)  “baroque folk with a quietist edge” (Nashville Scene)

Tumbling Bones
Tumbling Bones is a trio of young men inspired by old music. They play a mix of original compositions and traditional material drawing on bluegrass, pre-war folk, and a bit of the contemporary rock ‘n’ roll the guys were reared on.

“Take one listen to Loving a Fool and you’ll feel like you’re front and center at the Grand Ole Opry.  Yes, they’re that good.”
– Kathy Sands-Boehmer, (No Depression)

FOLK New England
Founded by Betsy Siggins in 2009, FOLK New England’s mission is to document, preserve, interpret and present the ongoing cultural legacy of folk music in all its forms, with emphasis on New England’s contribution to the enrichment of North American life.

FOLK New England creates a dialogue between the history of folk music and the future of folk, through robust collections development, multi-disciplinary education, and engaging entertainment programs for the public.

Produced by Last Dance Productions.

Feb
4
Sun
The Jim Kweskin Extravaganza @ Regent Theatre
Feb 4 @ 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
The Jim Kweskin Extravaganza @ Regent Theatre

The Jim Kweskin Extravaganza is a live concert that will honor and celebrate Jim’s legacy and his contributions to the music industry over the past 60-plus years.

Jim Kweskin is the founder of the legendary 1960s Jim Kweskin Jug Band with Fritz Richmond, Geoff Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, Mel Lyman, and Bruno Wolfe. During the five years they were together, they successfully transformed the sounds of pre-World War II rural music into a springboard for their good-humored performances. Their imitators were legion, including a San Francisco jug band that became the Grateful Dead, a Los Angeles jug band that became the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and a New York jug band that became the Lovin’ Spoonful. No other group attained their unique blend of youthful energy and antiquarian expertise, tight musicianship, loose camaraderie, and infectious swing.

The concert will feature songs from Jim’s soon-to-be-released recording on StorySound Records, Never Too Late:  Jim Kweskin, Duets with My Friends, which will be released on Friday, January 26, 2024.  The show will also feature artists and songs from Jim’s storied career, including the renowned and influential Jim Kweskin Jug Band.

Scheduled to appear along with Jim Kweskin, are Maria Muldaur, Geoff Muldaur, Samoa Wilson, Annie Raines, Paul Rishell, Juli Crockett, Suzy Thompson, and Matthew Berlin.  Additional artists appearing will be announced soon.

More Last Dance Productions events here.