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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. March 22, 1996
Just one year ago, the Berkshire concert scene was moribund. With only a few exceptions, there were no folk, jazz or rock concerts here last spring, and even the summer didn't offer much to whet the appetites of pop music fans.
Fortunately, these things tend to run in cycles, and we are now on the upswing. Thanks primarily to the Night Shift Cafe and the folk series at North Adams State College, the next few weeks and months will offer a menu of live shows nearly unprecedented in the non-summer months.
As reported in the Eagle last week, the Night Shift kicks off its spring season with a concert by alternative folksinger Ani DiFranco on April 14. Dr. John brings his current road band to the Night Shift on April 26, along with the James Montgomery Band, representing a homecoming for the former Berkshire bluesman, who hasn't been seen or heard in these parts since the 1980s. Other Night Shift shows are expected to be announced shortly.
Over at North Adams State College, student promoter David Nickerson will continue to present top New England folk talent three times a week when school is back in session, starting on April 6 with a performance by Max Cohen. The Saturday night "CC's Cafe" series continues on April 13 with Patty Griffin, who is about to release her major-label debut, much-touted Boston singer-songwriter Martin Sexton on April 20, Flathead on April 27, Ray McNiece on May 4 and Oscar Butler on May 11.
The Tuesday night-Wednesday lunch series starts up again on April 9- 10 with Cheryl Hoenemeyer, followed by Don White on April 16-17, Kevin So on April 23-24, Chris Trapper on April 30-May 1, and Lynn Saner on May 7-8. All these shows are free, and offer listeners an incredible opportunity to check out the best performers on the Boston coffeehouse scene right here in the Berkshires.
The Cactus Cafe in Lee continues to present its successful Sunday night series, "Musica y Mas," featuring acoustic performers from the region. Randy Fischer and Jeff Leibowicz perform this Sunday night, followed by Gail King and Bob Ouelette on March 31, Eric Garrison on April 7, Rick Tarquinio on April 14 and Ed Kohn on April 21.
Opportunities for local bands to showcase their original material are few and far between, so a handful of musicians are joining forces to present the first annual Berkshire Groove Festival at Woody's Roadhouse in Washington on April 5. The bands, most of whom have new recordings available, include the newly named Lord Hill, formerly known as Xavier, the Rev. Tor Band, the East Creek Band and Skillet.
Jazz fans won't have to wait until Tanglewood's Labor Day Weekend festival to hear some swinging sounds. In fact, the weekend of April 26-27 brings a veritable jazz festival to Williams, with the Sue Terry Quartet, along with the Williams Jazz Ensemble , kicking things off on the evening of April 26, followed by an all-day festival of college bands from throughout New England -- including groups from Amherst College, U-Mass, MIT, Westfield State, Skidmore College and the College of Saint Rose -- performing on April 27.
Dos Amigos in Great Barrington has been quietly featuring some world- quality jazz ensembles every six weeks or so. Recent performers have included Gladys Carbo, Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, and sidemen from bands led by Paquito D'Rivera, Tito Puente, Carlos Santana, Jackie McLean, Archie Shepp, Freddie Hubbard, Betty Carter and Pat Metheny. The Steve McCraven Trio, with pianist Tom McClung and bassist Nat Reeves, is up next at Dos Amigos, on April 5. Gladys Carbo returns on May 26, when she will be joined by a number of Brazilian players along with Satoshi Takeishi, seen recently in these parts accompanying pianist Laszlo Gardony at the Berkshire Museum.
Beyond the county's borders there's always lots of music from which to choose. Over in Troy, N.Y., the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall presents Scottish balladeer Jean Redpath, accompanied by "Morning Pro Musica" host Robert J. Lurtsema, tonight at 8, followed by bluegrass/jazz banjoist Bela Fleck and the Flecktones tomorrow night. Traditional Irish folk ensemble Altan, considered the premiere outfit in its field, plays Troy on March 28, along with The McKrells, a Saratoga-based group that blends Celtic, folk and bluegrass influences. Saxophonist Joe Henderson offers a tribute to the late Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim on March 31, and jazz at Troy continues with trumpeter Maynard Ferguson on April 13 and saxophonist Sonny Rollins on May 11.
Albany's Empire Center at the Egg has been presenting a series of roots-music performers, which continues on March 29 with an Acoustic Country Festival featuring Northern Lights with the Medicine Hat String Band and Joanne Redding, blues pianist Pinetop Perkins on April 26, and Livingston Taylor on April 27.
The Palace Theatre in Albany hosts Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies on April 12 and Tori Amos on May 10, and the Knickerbocker Arena presents a contemporary R&B festival featuring R Kelly, Xscape, LL Cool J and Solo on April 14.
Happy concertgoing!
Those Mark Knopfler-like guitar licks on the title track to Arlo Guthrie's new CD, "Mystic Journey," were incorrectly attributed in last week's review to Tim Sears, who played rhythm guitar on the track. The lead licks were courtesy of veteran guitarist Steve Ide.
(This column appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on March 22, 1996. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 1996. All rights reserved.)
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