New CD showcases budding Berkshire talent
By Seth Rogovoy

(GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass., March 16, 2001) - Sandwiched in between the already well-known, young Berkshire recording artists Meg Hutchinson and Eric Underwood on the new "Berkshire Music Project" CD are a dozen lesser-known performers who hope to become better known with the help of this compilation album showcasing new Berkshire talent.

The brainchild of producer Gabe Klavun, who recorded the CD in his home studio in Egremont, "Berkshire Music Project" showcases 13 solo artists and one duo, many of whom were discovered at the Sunday open-mike at Club Helsinki, and most of whom have never before performed or recorded professionally.

Klavun founded the Berkshire Music Project last year as a way to give exposure to budding musicians who lack the resources or wherewithal to make their own recordings.

"The purpose of the Berkshire Music Project is to record, produce and promote local music," said Klavun in a recent interview. "This includes artists of all levels, although new musicians are strongly encouraged to get involved, since this is set up as an opportunity for musicians just getting started who know they want to get involved but … don't know where to start." Performers on the CD range from high school senior Caleb White, who attends the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School, to Fred Schane, perhaps best known on the local scene as a DJ at WSBS who actively promotes local performers on his broadcasts. The bulk of the musicians on the CD are in their 20s, with a few musicians in their 30s and early 40s.

Klavun said that White is typical of the performers on the album in that he has written a few songs but not enough for a complete album. "The Berkshire Music Project began with a mission to target these people so that they could have a chance to be recorded and produced while still early in their musical lives," said Klavun. "Through this I hoped to encourage them to continue to write music and show that there was support for this type of endeavor.

"Caleb is continuing to write songs and is excited about performing at our first concert. In addition, through the encouragement he gained from this project, he told a lot of his friends, also in high school, to get in touch with me. A number of them have already called me and I'll be recording them for possible tracks on the next album."

Chris Neumann, who contributes a lively, punk-folk rewrite of the blues murder ballad, "Stagolee," to the album, has been a regular at Helsinki's open mike night, and has opened for a few bands that have played there. "He is a very prolific songwriter with wonderful material and I'm currently working on recording a complete album of his music," said Klavun. Anna Kelly's spirited "Passion Play" is another highlight of the album, a miniature folk epic that jumps off the CD with its dynamic energy and Kelly's unusually delicious phrasing.

Kelly Hagan's "Sleep" is more typical of the material on the album, which tends to mellow, introspective singer-songwriter material. Hagan, who tends bar at the Union Bar and Grill, also came to Klavun's attention at Helsinki's open mike.

"Most of the people I recorded I met through regularly attending the open mike at Club Helsinki," said Klavun. "At some point I invited them to come over and record a song or two in my home studio. The intention was to allow them to hear how good they were, because as a musician, it's hard to really have a sense of what you sound like unless you can hear it played back to you from a recording.

"Through this I hoped to encourage them to keep honing their talents, because I believe this world can never have too many great musicians."

Klavun isn't limiting the BMP to acoustic singer-songwriters, either. The alumnus of the Rudolf Steiner School and Simon's Rock College, who contributes his own tune, "We All Need Someone," to the CD, has an interest in electronic music, which he studied in graduate school. Klavun says he hopes to include electronic and classical music on upcoming efforts by the BMP.

The Railroad Street Youth Project, a community activist organization which encourages youth-generated activities that "build intergenerational communication, responsibility and self-worth", arranged for funding for the first BMP album. The liner notes credit several area banks and the Children's Health Program/Community Health Center of the Berkshires as sponsors of the recording.

Railroad Street is also co-sponsoring two upcoming showcases of BMP artists at the Schneider Youth Building on Bridge Street in Great Barrington, the first of which will take place on March 30 and feature Meg Hutchinson, Fred Schane, Anna Kelly, Michaela Kuzia, Caleb White and Paul Boden. The second showcase on April 6 will feature Eric Underwood, Chris Neumann, Kelly Hagun, Jim Misseldine, Lisa Wooster Anderson and Klavun. Both shows are scheduled for 7 p.m.

Beyond the first CD and these shows, Klavun's plans include more compilation albums of local musicians and live shows showcasing Berkshire artists. Klavun says the BMP also plans to create a Berkshire Music Fund, to help musicians produce their own CDs, concerts and websites. The Berkshire Music Project CD is available at local stores. More information is available at www.berkshiremusicproject.com.

Humming

They call their music "disco-folk," which may just be an unfortunate way of saying "catchy pop," which from the sound of their three-song "Cannonball" EP, is what Vermont quartet The Humming is all about. The group, which performs tomorrow night at 9 at Bogie's in Great Barrington, combines harmonies out of Squeeze and Crowded House with bouncy, world-pop influences from Paul Simon.

[This column originally appeared in the Berkshire Eagle on March 16, 2001. Copyright Seth Rogovoy 2001. All rights reserved.]