“Beyond A Simple Folk Song” Concert 2024
July 28
“Beyond a Simple Folk Song” was conceived in 2009 to be an annual concert of music that challenges acoustic singer/songwriters and musicians to venture out of their comfort zones and stretch their craft beyond the constructs and scope of a song.
For this year’s concert, join us for our headline act with the Piedmont Blūz Acoustic Duo, comprised of the Country Blues duo Valerie and Benedict Turner. Our opening act features Kurt Henry & Cheryl Lambert, followed by a chamber piece composed by Kevin Becker and performed by Melissa Holland and Linda Bresnahan. Our MC for the afternoon is Steve Allen.
The Stissing Center,
July 28, 2024, 2pm-4pm
2950 Church St, Pine Plains, NY 12567
General admission tickets are available on line at the website – www.thestissingcenter.org
$20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Piedmont Blūz Acoustic Duo
The Piedmont Blūz Acoustic Duo, comprised of Valerie and Benedict Turner, are ambassadors of Country Blues music and the Piedmont style of fingerpicking. Their mission is to help bring awareness to this unique aspect of African-American culture, and to the contributions of early blues artists, through performing and teaching.
They have been entertaining audiences both domestically and abroad and are much loved wherever they go. As 2018 inductees into the New York Blues Hall of Fame, this husband-and-wife duo feel that “there are stories to tell, people to remember, and things that must be said” so, in addition to tickling your ears with delightful music, they weave a bit of history into the presentation of each song.
A Piedmont Blūz concert isn’t just music – it’s an experience as they transport you back to the 1920s and 1930s, the hey-day of acoustic Country Blues music. In addition to performing songs from that time-frame, they introduce each piece with an interesting anecdote about either the composer, the time period, or the song itself.
HVFG Opening Acts:
Kurt Henry and Cheryl Lambert
Kurt Henry and Cheryl Lambert, a dynamic guitar/harmonica duo, always surprise and delight people with the diversity of their repertoire, both covers and originals. Kurt’s popularity as a guitarist is due in part to the range of styles he displays, while the duet taken as a whole–guitar, harmonica, percussion and harmony vocals–seems like more than two busy musicians, making for a compelling performance.
Planned set list:
“Driving Wheel” by David Wiffen: In 1967 I bought my first high end flattop guitar and met Stephen J. Altman, called “Pete,” who managed Israel G. Young’s The Folklore Center, which was New York City’s Mecca for folk music and expert repair by Ed Diehl. Pete taught me fingerpicking and different tunings.
“Shadowbride”: Pete also introduced me to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. He wrote the melody to Tolkien’s poem of the same name. He taught me travis picking and gave me fingerpicks that I mostly lost or stepped on. This has been a real aid to me in getting a softer finger pick style. All that follow “Shadowbride” are original.
“The Hammer and the Cross”: In 1971 I discovered William Morris, considered by many to be a 19th C. renaissance man. I became a life member of the William Morris Society and began amassing a library devoted to that great man. Morris, among other things, created the fantasy novel. “The Hammer and the Cross” is a song about medieval genocide. It uses the symbols of oak and pine to represent the suffering of old (oak) and young (pine).
“The Grain in the Whiskey”: Here is a simple folksong about love and loss—just because. (Maybe I’ll dedicate it to Ian and Sylvia, who exemplified urban folk music.)
“On a Summertide” is an homage for the Byrds for whom I opened for the first time in 1969 or 1970. This was the roster that featured country-rock guitarist, Clarence White, who swept me away! Clarence exemplified using guitar amps to bring modern, grittier guitar tones to country music. Wow! It’s also an homage to the sixties, a time I am glad to have experienced with its unique music.
The Julia songs: The Julia songs (“Julia in Running Shoes” “Julia the Compleat Angler” (sic.)) are beyond a simple song in their playfulness around the subject of—dare I say it—S-E-X!, all well enough disguised.
“Over the Mountain” is a short suite that shows many of the techniques both Cheryl and I have worked on separately and together. Cheryl has grown immensely as a harmonica player. We both play harmonicas and enjoy working out harmonica parts (and vocal harmonies) together. During the covid epidemic we—together—used Facebook to bring live music to people’s living rooms in safety. We donated CD sales to our local food pantry. We still perform our Nine Mile Swamp shows to people all over the country and around the globe.
————————————————
“Folk Themes and Variations”
Composed by Kevin F. Becker
Kevin Becker has composed a chamber piece entitled, “Folk Themes and Variations”, which is a unique blending of folk and classical music. Playing the piece will be two very fine musicians: Melissa Holland on flute, accompanied by Linda Bresnahan on piano.
A three movement piece for flute and piano that is based on the folk songs “Yankee Doodle” and “Shenandoah.” There is also a modern technique, an atonal tone row, that gets integrated in each of the movements periodically throughout the piece.
-
- 1st movement – classic theme & variations with snippets of “Yankee Doodle” and instances of the 12-tone row integrated within a tonal base.
- 2nd Movement – a theme and variations based on the folk song, “Shenandoah”
- Variation 1 – Counterpoint melody to “Shenandoah”
- Variation 2 – Melodic & harmonic changes
- Variation 3 – Minor, representing the difficulties inherent in a mixed marriage of the day (w a brief appearance of the tone row to prepare for the final variation)
- Variation 4 – “Grande”
- 3rd movement – Rondo
- A – Main theme is the first 8 notes of the 12-tone row but completed as a tonal tune
- B – “Yankee Doodle” in Minor mode
- A – Main theme
- C – “Shenandoah” tune in the flute with a ragtime piano accompaniment
- A – Main theme, that ends with material from the 1st movement.
The Stissing Center
This year marks the second year the venue for our concert is The Stissing Center. In rural and historic Pine Plains, it is easily reachable via main routes (Taconic State Parkway, 44, 82, 199), making it an ideal destination for a scenic Sunday afternoon drive. Located in a brick building dating back to 1915, The Stissing Center features a main concert hall that is a beautiful, rustic-chic performance space with a glass entryway. The Center is air conditioned and ADA-accessible.
Please note that the parking lot is closed this year, but on the street parking is free, plentiful, and convenient. In addition, there will be a “drop off” area directly in front of the entrance to the theater for those who need it. There will also be two volunteers to assist with parking and pointing people to the municipal parking area directly behind the Millbrook Bank at the corner of Rte 199 and Rte 82..