The War and Treaty. The name itself represents the pull between trauma and tranquility, music inspired by darkness and despair that ultimately finds a higher spiritual purpose. A rising act in the Americana field, are a married duo comprised of Michael and Tanya Trotter, which have received comparisons to Ike and Tina Turner. Separately and together, they’ve tried on numerous stylistic identities and artistic approaches. Long before she met Michael, Tanya (nee Blount) dueted with Lauryn Hill in Sister Act 2 and recorded sultry, mid-’90s R&B slow jams in a Toni Braxton vein. Michael sang in church, and during a tour of duty in Iraq, was dealt the singular sacred duty of paying tribute to fallen comrades in song, before striking out as a smoothly seductive R&B singer-songwriter. After teaming up in life and music, the pair dabbled in sleek soul updates under their combined surnames. But they also drew inspiration from voices embraced as touchstones across generations and genres — Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash and Nina Simone among them — and ultimately settled into a rootsy aesthetic animated by the range of their musical experiences.
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The Colonial Theatre Presents: The Capitol Steps
“An oasis of good-natured ribbing in a fiercely partisan world” —The Washington Post
The Capitol Steps are a troupe of Congressional staffers-turned-comedians who travel the States satirizing the very people and places that once employed them. The Steps perform over 500 shows a year all over the country.
The Capitol Steps were born December, 1981 when three staffers for Senator Charles Percy were planning entertainment for a Christmas party. Their first idea was to stage a nativity play, but in the whole Congress they couldn’t find three wise men or a virgin! So, they decided to dig into the headlines of the day, and created song parodies & skits which conveyed a special brand of satirical humor that was as popular in Peoria as it was on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ronald Reagan was President when the Steps began, so co-founders Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss and Jim Aidala figured that if entertainers could become politicians, then politicians could become entertainers! Most cast members have worked on Capitol Hill, some for Democrats, some for Republicans, and others for politicians who firmly straddle the fence. No matter who holds office, there’s never a shortage of material. Says Elaina Newport, “Typically, the Republicans goof up, and the Democrats party. Then the Democrats goof up and the Republicans party. That’s what we call a two-party system.”
Although the Capitol Steps are based in Washington, DC most of their shows are out-of-town or for out-of-town audiences. Whether it’s the National Welding Supply Association, a University audience, high schoolers, or State Legislators, people love to laugh at the foibles of Jerry Falwell (“Loonies of the Right”) or even Bill Clinton’s new office (“In the Ghetto”). In fact, the Capitol Steps have performed for the last five presidents (six if you include Hillary). The only complaints the Steps seem to get are from the politicians and personalities who are NOT included in the program!
The Colonial Theatre Presents: Bombino
For centuries, the desert town of Agadez has served as a converging point for the great camel caravans driven by the Tuareg that link West Africa with North Africa and the Mediterranean. Born in 1980 at a nomadic camp near this dusty outpost, the young guitarist and songwriter Omara “Bombino” Moctar was raised during an era of armed struggles for Tuareg independence and violent suppression by government forces. Bombino’s electrifying jams capture the spirit of resistance and rebellion while echoing with guitar riffs reminiscent of fellow Africans Tinariwen and Ali Farka Touré not to mention rock and blues icons such as Jimi Hendrix, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page.
Ghost of Paul Revere & Jason Spooner Band at The Colonial Theatre
“We grew up listening to Radiohead and the Beatles and Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd,” says Griffin Sherry, guitarist/singer in The Ghost Of Paul Revere. “Everyone assumed we were a bluegrass band because we were playing these traditional instruments, but we weren’t writing traditional music. We were just writing songs with the instruments we had.”
The result is a sound that the Portland, Maine-based band describes as “holler folk,” not because it involves a lot of hollering, per se, but because it invokes the rich communal tradition of field hollers, with their call-and-response melodies, sing-along hooks, and densely layered harmonies. That sense of musical camaraderie is essential to everything The Ghost of Paul Revere does.
“The Monday before Newport we got a message saying to pack our bags and come on down,” remembers Sherry. “We hadn’t played much outside of Maine or started opening for any big acts yet at that point, and it was a hugely inspiring moment.”
Word began to spread about the rowdy pickers from the north. The Boston Globe raved that they “create the type of music for which festivals are made,” while No Depression said they “prove that superior roots music can come from anywhere,” and Dispatch Magazine wrote that they possess not only “the chops, but the heart to reach their audience and leave an undeniable impression.” Hitting listeners straight in the feelings has been the band’s M.O. since its inception in 2011, and they’ve used their powerful stage show to convert the masses at every stop along their long and winding journey, which has included shared stages with artists like The Avett Brothers, The Travelin’ McCourys, Brown Bird, The Revivalists, the Infamous Stringdusters, and more.
The Jason Spooner Band: The ingredients behind northern New England’s Jason Spooner Trio read like a bizarre musical science experiment. Start with a prolific, singer/songwriter (Jason Spooner) with heavy roots, folk & blues influences. Then mix in a classically trained bassist (Adam Frederick) with foundations in jazz and a knack for serious pocket grooves. Lastly, shake things up with a rock-solid drummer (Reed Chambers) with deep-seeded roots in funk, soul & reggae and you’ve begun to scratch the surface of this unique, energetic band.
Pat Metheny Solo at the Colonial Theatre
Winner of 20 Grammy Awards, 36 Grammy Nominations, 3 Gold Records, DownBeat Hall of Fame.
PAT METHENY was born in Kansas City into a musical family. Starting on trumpet at the age of 8, Metheny switched to guitar at age 12. By the age of 15, he was working regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the-bandstand experience at an unusually young age. Metheny first burst onto the international jazz scene in 1974. Over the course of his three-year stint with vibraphone great Gary Burton, the young Missouri native already displayed his soon-to-become trademarked playing style, which blended the loose and flexible articulation customarily reserved for horn players with an advanced rhythmic and harmonic sensibility – a way of playing and improvising that was modern in conception but grounded deeply in the jazz tradition of melody, swing, and the blues. With the release of his first album, Bright Size Life (1975), he reinvented the traditional “jazz guitar” sound for a new generation of players. Throughout his career, Pat Metheny has continued to re-define the genre by utilizing new technology and constantly working to evolve the improvisational and sonic potential of his instrument. METHENY’S versatility is almost nearly without peer on any instrument. Over the years, he has performed with artists as diverse as Steve Reich to Ornette Coleman to Herbie Hancock to Jim Hall to Milton Nascimento to David Bowie. Metheny’s body of work includes compositions for solo guitar, small ensembles, electric and acoustic instruments, large orchestras, and ballet pieces, with settings ranging from modern jazz to rock to classical.
It is one thing to attain popularity as a musician, but it is another to receive the kind of acclaim Metheny has garnered from critics and peers. Over the years, Metheny has won countless polls as “Best Jazz Guitarist” and awards, including three gold records for Still Life (Talking), Letter from Home, and Secret Story. He has also won 20 Grammy Awards in 12 different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive Grammies for seven consecutive albums.
St. Kieran Arts Presents: Ken Kolodner Trio
Three top-of-the-list instrumentalists on Hammered Dulcimer, Fiddle & Banjo – the Ken Kolodner Trio is Ken & Brad Kolodner, with Rachel Eddy.
The dynamic father-son duo Ken & Brad Kolodner weave together a captivating soundscape on hammered dulcimer, banjo and fiddles, pushing the boundaries of the Old-Time tradition into uncharted territory. Regarded as one of the most influential hammered dulcimer players and Old-Time fiddlers in North America, Baltimore’s Ken Kolodner has joined forces with his son Brad Kolodner, a rising star in the claw hammer banjo world. Together, they infuse their own brand of driving, innovative, tasteful and unique interpretations of traditional and original fiddle tunes and songs. They perform tight musical arrangements of original and traditional old-time music with a “creative curiosity that lets all listeners know that a passion for traditional music yet thrives in every generation.” They perform on occasion with multi-instrumentalist Rachel Eddy (fiddle, banjo, guitar and vocals), a former member of the Old-Time supergroup Uncle Earl.
Tickets: $15.00 (adults) and $10.00 (under 18)
St. Kieran Arts Presents: House of Hamill
The House of Hamill presents versatility of Irish fiddle music in a modern context: talented & engaging .
Rose Baldino and Brian Buchanan met 10 years ago, late one night backstage at a theatre in rural Pennsylvania.
Brian’s band Enter the Haggis and Rose’s group Burning Bridget Cleary were sharing a stage that evening, and the two bonded over a love of Irish fiddle tunes, Radiohead, and 4 a.m. whiskey. Their paths crossed a dozen times over the next decade on the road, but it wasn’t until the Folk Alliance 2014 conference in Kansas City that they finally became musical collaborators. Burning Bridget Cleary’s guitarist and drummer had their flights canceled at the last minute, and Rose (in desperation) asked Brian to grab a guitar and join her onstage. The two performed with virtually no rehearsal for over an hour, and their connection was powerful and immediate. A few months later Brian moved from Canada to Philadelphia, and as a tribute to the first tune Rose ever taught Brian, House of Hamill was born.
Whether House of Hamill is playing songs from their debut album “Wide Awake” (September 2016) or stomping through a set of original jigs and reels from their follow-up “March Through Storms” (2018), their chemistry onstage is always engaging and often hilarious. In the summer of 2018, their quirky all-violin cover of “Sweet Child Of Mine” went viral, amassing over 15 million views and more than 400,000 shares on Facebook in just a few weeks, and was picked up by publications all over the world. House of Hamill is on the bleeding edge of a new generation of traditional musicians.
Brian and Rose are both accomplished traditional fiddle players and classical violinists, and despite being young, have over 25 years of writing and performance experience between them. Together, they write unusual new fiddle tunes and exciting, unpredictable original songs while also breathing new life into traditional and contemporary songs. Both are confident and unique lead vocalists, and the blend of their two voices in harmony is hypnotic and irresistible.
Tickets: $15.00 adults and $10.00 under 18
Pianist Andrew Willis to Perform Bach Partitas at Medallion Opera House
On Tuesday, April 9th, at 7 pm, one of the world’s most thrilling pianists, Andrew Willis, will be returning to the Medallion Opera House, Gorham Town Hall, with a Baroque forte-piano in the Florentine tradition. The celebrated pianist will perform three of the six Partitas of J. S. Bach. Five years ago Andrew Willis played at the Medallion, delivering a memorable concert which brought the enthusiastic audience to its feet, begging for more. The concert, which is co-sponsored by Music in the Great North Woods, will be offered by donations at the door. Donations will help fund this summer’s Big Moose Bach Fest which is in its tenth year.
Andrew Willis performs in the United States and abroad on pianos of every era. Keenly interested in the history of the piano, he is a past president of the Southeastern Historical Keyboard Society and a Trustee of the Westfield Center for Historical Keyboard Studies. Willis has recorded solo and ensemble music for the Albany, Bridge, Claves, Centaur, and CRI labels, notably with Malcolm Bilson and other colleagues in the first complete Beethoven sonata cycle recorded on historical pianos. His recording of Op. 106 was hailed by The New York Times as “a ‘Hammerklavier’ of rare stature.”
Andrew Willis has appeared at the Boston Early Music Festival, and numerous others across the country. A Professor at the University of North Carolina Greensboro School of Music, Willis teaches performance on instruments ranging from harpsichord to modern piano, and for over a decade has directed the biennial “UNCG Focus on Piano Literature” symposium. Willis received the Doctorate in Historical Performance from Cornell University, where he studied fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson, the Masters from Temple University under the guidance of George Sementovsky and Lambert Orkis, and the Baccalaureate in Piano from The Curtis Institute of Music, where his mentor was Mieczyslaw Horszowski.
For more information, visit Music in the Great North Woods, www.musicgnw.org or the Medallion Opera House, www.medallionoperahouse.org.
Celtic Musicians Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas at Rialto Theatre
The musical partnership between consummate top Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and dynamic Californian cellist Natalie Haas returns to the North Country on Tuesday, April 9, when the duo performs in concert at the Rialto Theater in Lancaster.
“For music fans worldwide, Alasdair Fraser has set the gold standard of Scottish fiddling,” said Charlie Jordan, President of the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts. “His teaming up with cellist Natalie Haas has taken this genre of Celtic music to new, previously uncharted heights.”
The GNWCA, which first brought Fraser and Haas to northern New Hampshire in 2013, has been fortunate to have corralled this globe-trotting duo for one night in their busy schedule for their first show ever at the Rialto.
They continue to thrill audiences internationally with their virtuosic playing, their near-telepathic understanding and the joyful spontaneity and sheer physical presence of their music.
Alasdair Fraser has a concert and recording career spanning over 30 years, with a long list of awards, accolades, radio and television credits, and feature performances on top movie soundtracks (”Last of the Mohicans” and “Titanic” among his credits). In 2011, he was inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame.
Natalie Haas, a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music, is one of the most sought after cellists in traditional music today. She has performed and recorded with a who’s who of the fiddle world including Mark O’Connor, Natalie MacMaster, Irish supergroups Solas and Altan, Liz Carroll, Dirk Powell, Brittany Haas, Darol Anger, Jeremy Kittel, Hanneke Cassel, Laura Cortese and many more. The GNWCA has brought Natalie to Colebrook on two recent occasions as one quarter of the super group Duo Duo.
The seemingly unlikely pairing of fiddle and cello is the fulfillment of a long-standing musical dream for Fraser. His search eventually led him to find a cellist who could help return the cello to its historical role at the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music, where it stood for hundreds of years before being relegated to the orchestra. The duo’s debut recording, “Fire & Grace,” won the coveted the Scots Trad Music Album of the Year award, the Scottish equivalent of a Grammy. Since its release, the two have gone on to record four more critically acclaimed albums that blend a profound understanding of the Scottish tradition with cutting-edge string explorations. In additional to performing, they both have motivated generations of string players through their teaching at fiddle camps across the globe. In northern New England, they won over legions of new fans by their annual appearance as headliners at the N.H. Highland Games each September.
Tickets are $20 and available at the Rialto box office at 80 Main St. in Lancaster, at Fiddleheads, 110 Main St., Colebrook, online at www.gnwca.org or at the door on the night of the show.
For more information on this and other GNWCA shows, find the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts on Facebook, visit www.gnwca.org or you can call 246-8998.
Fiddling, Step Dancing Searson Sisters Perform in Colebrook
For over a decade now, Searson has toured the world with a unique blend of high-energy fiddling, passionate vocals and intricate step dancing. The band will be bringing its musical mix to the Colebrook Country Club on Sunday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in a show presented by the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts and co-sponsored by Brown Lab Technologies.
At the core of Searson are Colleen and Erin Searson, two sisters who hail from the Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada. Their spirited live shows feature Colleen on fiddle and Erin on piano and tenor guitar, interspersed with the incomparably rich sounds of sibling vocal harmonies, and both sisters “pounding the boards” with Ottawa Valley step dancing.
Rounding out their band is bass/guitar player Fraser Gauthier, who has studied at Humber College and Capilano University, gradually gravitating towards roots music, and Dave MacDougall, a drummer and percussionist who brings creativity and groove to a variety of styles of music.
In the past 10 years, Searson has toured throughout Canada, the United States, Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Switzerland and the Caribbean. They have brought hundreds of fans with them on various bus tours while performing throughout Ireland.
Tickets are $15 and available at Fiddleheads, 110 Main St., Colebrook, online at www.gnwca.org or at the door. For more information on this and other GNWCA shows, find the Great North Woods Committee for the Arts on Facebook, visit www.gnwca.org or you can call (603) 246-8998.