Tag Archive for: New England Folk Music Archives

Bill Staines

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, 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.

For more than forty years, Bill 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.

Ticket and more information here

Amy Speace

Amy Speace

Amy Speace and The Sea, The Sea To Perform Benefit Concert for The New England Folk Music Archives

April 17, 2013 at 7pm

For Tickets and More information click here

Produced by Last Dance Productions

The New England Folk Music Archives is delighted to welcome Amy Speace and The Sea,The Sea to one of the great listening rooms in town at 191 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA

AMY SPEACE

Amy Speace has been quietly but steadily making waves in the Americana/folk world for a few years now, and in the journey, gaining support from the likes of Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Guy Clark and other icons in the songwriting community. A self-described ‘late bloomer’ to songwriting, Speace landed in New York City after college to pursue a life in theater. She studied acting at The National Shakespeare Conservatory, toured the US with the National Shakespeare Company, started her own theater company to direct and produce the plays she had written, and in the midst of her early 20′s, picked up a pawn shop guitar, wrote her first songs, and found herself with steady gigs at such storied venues as The Bitter End and The Living Room.

On April 16, Wind Bone Records/Tone Tree will release “How to Sleep In A Stormy Boat” an 11 song album, produced by Neilson Hubbard, with collaborations with John Fullbright, Mary Gauthier and Ben Sollee.

Nice interview with Amy here

 

 

The Sea The Sea

The Sea The Sea

THE SEA, THE SEA

The Sea The Sea weave their many voices into one. Since the Fall of 2011, Chuck e. Costa and Mira Stanley have been touring the country, making new friends and evolving their sound. Now a playful mix of old and new, acoustic and electric, raw and graceful, TSTS has created an inspired trove of harmony-rich, lyric driven songs. Dynamic and sincere, simple and true, their live shows will leave you stirring.

No Depression Says:
Last night, inside a cold Dobbs Ferry church with the snow falling outside, I sat and listened to a young couple who just this week recorded their first album together. If their performance is any indication, the April release will bring a welcome relief to a cold winter. To say I was taken with Chuck E. Costa and Mira Stanley who perform as The Sea The Sea would be an understatement. On top of well-crafted songs, commanding stage presence and instrumental abilities, their voices in close harmony evoked for me a sound landing somewhere between Bowling Green and Bakersfield.

Tickets here

Cheryl Wheeler, Hayley Reardon and Chris Smither perform for The New England Folk Music Archives at the Somerville Armory.

What a week for Last Dance Productions! Three great shows in 8 days. New England Folk Music Archives presented Cheryl Wheeler on December 1st at the Somerville Armory. Arts at the Armory showcases a wide range of visual arts, dance, theater and musical performances. Last Dance Productions was delighted to present Cheryl Wheeler. After the show we all met downstairs at the Archives Gallery for a VIP reception. A wonderful night.

Cheryl Wheeler signing CD's after her Concert

Cheryl Wheeler signing CD’s after her Concert at the Somerville Armory (Photo by Melissa Totten)

Hayley Reardon performed on Sunday December 2nd for one of the “Gallery Sessions” at the Archives. Hayley is making her mark on the acoustic singer/songwriting scene and this show was no exception. Hayley performed songs from her recent CD “Where The Artists Go” and the audience was also treated to new material. One of the highlights was a cover of “Fishing Blues” by Henry Thomas. Written in the 1920’s, Hayley’s version was closer to Taj Mahal’s interpretation. She certainly is a student of the music.  Hayley was recently featured in the Boston Herald.

The third concert Sunday December 9th, featured the great Chris Smither! We were treated to songs from Chris’s latest CD Hundred Dollar Valentine.

Thanks to all who made it possible especially the volunteers. The New England Folk Music Archives and Last Dance Productions plan to have several more events at the Armory, so check back here for more information.

Nice performance of Chris here, thanks WFUV!