To be honest, when we started this thing we never considered the possibility that we'd have musicians of this renown and repute on the stage.
Welcoming established performers and presenters was always part of the plan because their participation helps bring attention to others still getting their foot in the door — it supports our mission to give local arts and smarts a boost by documenting performances and presentations from our regional community members in front of a live audience to share downstream on radio, TV, and the web.
But this... these three diverse listening events featuring highly regarded performers alongside emerging but equally top-drawer acts all happening during the same week... we never expected this. We're thrilled. We're intimidated. And we present these opportunities to be part of the intimate filming audience for your delight and pleasure:1. Draa Hobbs and John Stowell2. Willa Mamet & Paul Miller with Dayna Kurtz3. Lake Superior with I Love You!Details for each follows.
On Sunday, September 23, Black Sheep Radio and Stage 33 Live present an afternoon of world-class jazz, including a workshop and concert, with guitarists
Draa Hobbs and John Stowell
.
The Los Angeles Times
says, “Guitarist John Stowell’s style with standards is a delightful departure from the road well traveled. He transcends the label of jazz guitarist.” Stowell, based on the West Coast, was influenced as much by pianists and horn players as he is by guitar players, and his original take on harmony, chords, and improvisation sets him apart. He has taught internationally for over 40 years in every educational setting.
Hobbs grew up in Chicago and has made his home in Southern Vermont since 1980, where he teaches private music lessons and at the Vermont Jazz Center and the Putney School. He studied music with the legendary Jimmy Raney, Attila Zoller, Gene Bertoncini, and Peter Lietch. Hobbs has enjoyed an active life performing in NYC, Burlington, Maine, and points in-between for the past 30 years and has shared the stage with many notable musicians including Don Friedman, Ron McClure, Eliot Zigmund, and Vic Juris.
Hobbs and Stowell will perform as a duo playing jazz standards and classic compositions by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Dave Brubeck, and others. The concert begins at 4:00 p.m. at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, and includes a cash bar and light snacks by Athens Pizza, and a raffle to benefit Stage 33 Live and Black Sheep Radio.
Preceding the concert, John Stowell will lead a workshop for guitarists seeking to further develop their improvisational skills. Topics covered will be melodic and harmonic minor modes, triads, voicings, comping, etc., and attendees will receive follow-up materials. The workshop begins at 2:30 p.m.
Admission to the performance is $10 in advance, or $12 at the door. For the performance plus the workshop, admission is $40. Tickets are available at Village Square Book Sellers on the Square in Bellows Falls, and online at
or
All ages are welcome, and 33 Bridge Street is an accessible space.
Stage 33 Live welcomes two headlining acts in one intimate early-evening listening event on Thursday, September 27, 2018, at 33 Bridge Street in Bellows Falls, Vermont. Doors open at 5:00, show starts at 6:00. Admission is by a suggested $10 minimum donation.
See the notice of limited seating below.
The event will be recorded and filmed.
Dayna Kurtz
has shared stages with Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson, Mavis Staples, Rufus Wainwright, B.B. King, Dr. John, Richie Havens, Chris Whitley, and the Blind Boys of Alabama. Norah Jones and Bonnie Raitt are fans of her sultry blend of jazz, folk, pop, and blues. She was named Female Songwriter of the Year by the National Academy of Songwriters. She’s been an invited performer by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Lincoln Center, and other prestigious venues and festivals. She’s been on E-town, Mountain Stage, World Cafe, and NPR. Local fans will remember her steamy set at the Roots On The River festival in 2017. She also played a leg of Roots On The Rails. She’s a thinking, powerful performer and writer.
Official:
Listen:
Watch:
Willa Mamet + Paul Miller
write and perform songs of rare beauty and strength of soul that range from soaring to searing. Willa Mamet’s voice has been described as “heartbreaking, musical, contemporary and ancient” by Patti LuPone (two-time Grammy and Tony winner, and American Theater Hall of Fame inductee). Paul Miller is known for his 40 years with acts like Coco and the Lonesome Road Band, Bluebird, Andy Shapiro, Breakaway, and the Bluegrass Gospel Project. They’ve known each other since Willa was a youngster, and Paul a family friend; they discovered that time stands still when they perform music together. This is a chance to share the intimate magic they make with two voices and a guitar. (And, for this show only, a vintage Rhodes electric piano.)
Official:
Listen:
Watch:
Important note!
Stage 33 Live has seating for 40, plus standing room. Because of the likelihood that we’ll run out of chairs for this show, we’ll accept a limited number of $10.52-per-person donations made in advance at
that will reserve a chair and meet the recommended minimum $10 donation per person at the door (plus Paypal’s service fee). All donations go to the performers. We’ll only accept as many advance donations as there are chairs available: as soon as there are no chairs left to be reserved, no more advance donations will be accepted. This is the only way to reserve a chair.
If you want to chance not making an advance donation to reserve a chair, or if the chairs are already all reserved, it’s OK to bring your own.
The reserved chairs will be held until 10 minutes before showtime, so don’t be late because you’ll lose your seat. The reserved chairs won’t be assigned, just reserved; arrive early for your choice. Doors will open at 5:00, show starts at 6:00.
We’ll keep a list at the door of people who made advance donations; check in when you arrive (at least 10 minutes before showtime or someone else will be able to fill your seat) and we’ll give you some sort of ticket or hand-stamp to show that you’re a bona fide chair-reserver in case there are any questions or confusions.
You don’t need a Paypal account to make a donation in advance to reserve a chair, just a credit or debit card.
All donations go to the performers. Whether or not you make an advance donation, the $10 recommended minimum is wicked cheap for two headliners in such an intimate venue. You’re warmly encouraged to to drop a little more cash into the jar to support these artists, if you can — they deserve it.
Stage 33 Live invites the public to listening events of music performances and spoken word presentations that are recorded for radio, TV, and the internet. Stage 33 Live is not a bar, club, restaurant, or venue with regular hours. Its mission is to help local and regional talented and knowledgeable people reach wider audiences on multiple platforms; the door is also open to established performers and presenters, as their participation helps bring attention to others still getting their foot in the door. Stage 33 Live allows only original material.
This one is presented in conjunction with the excellent folks from
.
Lake Superior
is a trio that sounds like a ’60s garage-rock band but with modern songwriting and gritty slide. Pete’s guitar wields blues influences from Mississippi Fred McDowell, Jr. Kimbrough, and Hound Dog Taylor – but with the wildness of The Sonics. Jeff’s heavy-hitting drums bring Detroit-phat-backed rhythms. Jason’s Motown bass locks everything down. The band is named after the lake that doesn’t give up her dead back in Pete and Jeff’s hometown of Detroit. They're based in Montpelier. Look at this:
I Love You!
is still a new band but already making lots of buzz with their amalgam of melancholy and orphic drive, infectious melodies, and haunting lyricism. Echo Mars, Lu Racine, Jamie Soph, and Aggy are bringing their Brattleboro Queer Post-Punk and we can’t wait. Listen:
Show starts at 6:00 sharp, doors open at 5:00 and that’s when we’re going to debut our new
Unusual Indie Swap Shop
. It’s been seeded with a bunch of great early-punky DIY-days underground vinyl (12″ and 10″) and zines, courtesy Ron Schneiderman who doesn’t want any credit for doing it. Oops. Darn. See his Discogs listings at
for a taste of his taste. Oops. Darn. The best and highest use of the Unusual Indie Swap Shop is to inspire you to create something delightful – a zine or a CD or a t-shirt or something – and make a trade. It’s also part lending library (take something home and then bring it back), and part open swap (take a thing and leave a thing whether you made it yourself or not). If all you’ve got to swap is dollars, that’s OK – you can take a thing plus get a free feelgood in exchange for making a commensurate fair donation to help Stage 33 Live keep doing.
All ages. $5 suggested minimum donation at the door. Bad snacks and soda by donation as well. Stage 33 Live is an intimate venue with seating for 40, plus standing room. The shows are filmed for broadcast and web, you’ll be in a studio audience and might incidentally get filmed. Check with your witness-protection handler.