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Alexander Turnquist is a guitarist/composer who uses his 12 string acoustic fingerstyle guitar approach in creating very dramatic and emotionally engaging music. Patience, endurance, and a melodic sensibility are interwoven with the minimalist repetitions of modern day classical music influences. Turnquist is currently based in New York's Hudson Valley. He has been writing and recording since 2004 and has two full length solo albums out on VHF records as well as various limited edition titles and compilations. His recent full length album "As the Twilight Crane Dreams in Color" released in July of 2009 has garnered critical acclaim far and wide and has been prominently displayed on several year end best lists including the #6 spot on both the Textura and Silent Ballet's best albums list of 2009.
Visit alexanderturnquist.com
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Led by Composer and Software instrument engineer Christopher Tignor, Slow Six was recently described by the New York Times as "Artful Rock". Two violins, electric guitar, rhodes piano, software instruments and a drum kit creating music that is nothing short of otherworldly. Alexander Turnquist's shape shifting 12 string guitar based compositions have been called hypnotic and transporting. Rapidly finger- picked walls of sound gradually evolve through dramatic melody changes coupled with piano, vibraphone, and violin to make his music an emotional experience in acoustic harmonic explorations.
Visit slowsix.com
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Friday, September 10
9:00 pm
A Variety Show with Special Guests
"The group brings exuberance and intensity to these vintage styles" - The New Yorker
GamVille is a variety concert, hosted by The Wiyos and featuring numerous special guests. The Wiyos take their name from the toughest gang to prowl the streets of old New York (The Why'os, circa 1890).
Gam (gam) n. When whale ships of the old Hudson port met on the high seas, they usually held a "gam," an exchange of visits. a social time of trading, party, and song.
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"...like Dylan they [The Wiyos] display a knack for hammering archaic musical traditions into new directions... the result sounds like a synthesis with a genuine future, something of a rare accomplishment." - Americana UK
They have spent eight years touring extensively in the States, Canada, France, The Netherlands and The United Kingdom, and are featured in the BBC television documentary, "Folk America - Hollerers, Stompers and Old-Time Ramblers."
In 2009, The Wiyos were hand-picked by Bob Dylan to tour for seven weeks with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp, as the opener of the Bob Dylan Show. Their 2009 release, Broken Land Bell, sat in the top 20 of the AMA charts for 14 weeks.
The Wiyos' unique charisma transcends typical social boundaries. They appeal to everyone from young hipsters to seasoned music connoisseurs, and have emerged as a hallmark band in the resurgence of traditional American music over the past decade.
"Fabulously skilled and inspired kooks." - Los Angeles Times
Visit thewiyos.com
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Giving a home to many a swing dance enthusiast in Columbia County, Swing Night At Helsinki is a local community collaboration of musicians, dancers and dance enthusiasts. It is open to the public.
The evening starts with a lesson for all levels of dancers, no partner necessary, followed by musicians playing classic swing tunes.
The Leisure Class:
Conjuring a unique blend of ragtime Dixieland and red hot gypsy jazz, the Leisure Class is the hardest relaxing band in show business. Formed in the Berkshire Mountains, born to play old-school jazz influenced by their diverse backgrounds in Americana, Folk, Country, Bluegrass, Rock and Roll, and Opera, The Leisure Class debuted at Joe’s Pub in New York City in late 2009. Featuring members of The Two Man Gentleman Band, The Hunger Mountain Boys, The Hot Sardines and the Blue Ribbon Boys, the Leisure Class are soulful and funky yet eternally humble interpreters of song.
A little about some of the players:
The Everyman: Jazz, tango and classical violinist Jonathan Talbot, founder of the Music Coalition of Columbia County, the music director of Walking the Dog Theater, and member of local Ska outfit Mother Fletcher. He has studied composition with Joan Tower.
The Bassist: Sauerkraut Seth Travins. Seth tours with the Wiyos and is the leader of the Blue Ribbon Boys, a dance band who played four New Years Eve's in a row at Club Helsinki. His other musical projects include the Minivans, Chops and Sauerkraut, and the Russet Trio. When not playing music Seth makes a line of organic fresh sauerkrauts at Hawthorne Valley Farm in Harlemville, NY.
The Guitarist: Jon Suters is a Berkshire legend. He grew up in a musical family and began studying the violin and piano at age 9. Jon's studied privately with the greats: Ed Flower, Richard Provost and Ben Verdery.An in-demand bass player, he recently worked with Charles Neville (The Neville Brothers), Ed Mann (Frank Zappa), Eugene Friesen (the Paul Winter Consort) and Paul Halley (Paul Winter Consort). He has appeared on numerous albums, played
on Broadway and off Broadway musicals and toured the U.S. and Germany.
The Drummer: Scott Clark hails from Yonkers, and is one of the finest drummers around.
Period.
The Stride Pianist: Evan Palazzo is an actor known for his band the Hot Sardines, and the Leisure Class.
The Instructor:
Paul Rix has been swing dancing since 2003. He began dancing in Phoenix, then relocated to San Diego where he danced with Radioland Rugcutters Dance Troupe. Recently moved to the Berkshires, Paul is dedicated to establishing a thriving Swing Dance Community. He teaches private lessons, small groups, progressive workshops, and weekend intensives in East Coast, Lindy Hop, Charleston and Balboa.
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Friday, September 17
9:00 pm
Ameri-ska-na
Local faves, Mother Fletcher weave an eclectic and unique mix of ska, rock and reggae. Their well-culled blend of music brings together sounds and styles from all over the world; with the creative use of such instruments as the harmonium out of the far east, to the sardonic sounds of the violin. Mother Fletcher takes it to the next level by layering on top notch percussion, free style beat box, trumpet, and an array of dubbed out crazy sounds.
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With lyrics that convey lost love, loneliness, regret and the hope of new beginnings, Mother Fletcher keeps it surprisingly upbeat and extremely danceable bringing their audiences to an insatiable frenzy and leaves them wanting more.
Say hello to the evolution of a new subgenre: Ameri-ska-na.
Visit Mother Fletcher's Facebook Page
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The Inbetweens began one hot summer 2002, collectively weaving melodies and vamps into intricate spiderwebs of rhythm that circle each other like predators seeking the same prey. Their brand of improvisational progressive jazz fusion, matched with a solid pedigree has garnered rave reviews from the career making The New York Times to the quintessential All About Jazz. Before they were the tweens in Brooklyn, they lived in Boston, each spending time gigging and studying jazz at the New England Conservatory of Music with gurus such as Bob Moses, George Garzone, John Lockwood, and John Abercrombie. The trio, Mike Gamble (guitar), Noah Jarrett (bass), and Conor Elmes (drums) have long been touring the northeast, Midwest, and New Orleans and The Inbetweens have two self-released albums and a recent third record, Quantum Cowboy, on Madison Wisconsin’s Layered Music.
Visit myspace.com/theinbetweensmusic
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Saturday, September 25
9:00 pm
In Support of WGXC Community Radio
Join the legendary Meshell Ndegeocello and her collaborators to celebrate the live launch of WGXC 90.7 FM. In the midst of WGXC's "Radio Barnraising", a community media extravaganza involving three days of workshops, station building and performances, Meshell will grace the stage of Club Helsinki to play a benefit concert for Columbia and Greene counties very own brand new community radio station.
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Meshell Ndegeocello has given up trying to explain herself. After 20 years in an industry that has called her everything from avant garde to a dying breed, what unquestionably remains is the fearsome bassist, prolific songwriter and the creativity and curiosity of an authentic musical force. With that, she has earned critical acclaim, the unfailing respect of fellow players, songwriters and composers, and the dedication of her diverse, unclassifiable fans.
A bass player above all else, Meshell brings her signature warm, fat, and melodic groove to everything she does and has appeared alongside the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, James Blood Ulmer, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tony Allen, John Medeski, Billy Preston, and Chaka Khan. As for her own bass-playing influences, she credits Sting, Jaco Pastorius, "Family Man" Barrett, and Stevie Wonder. Meshell was the first woman to be featured on the cover of Bass Player magazine and remains one of few women who lead the band and write the music. A variety of musicians will join her for this very special show.
Visit meshell.com
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Saturday, October 2
8:00 pm
TANGO meets Classical
Columbia Festival Orchestra (CFO) makes its debut at Club Helsinki with an exciting series of classical concerts called ClaverackLanding. Music enthusiasts are in for a real treat hearing world-renowned musicians perform a classic art form in a dynamic, intimate club atmosphere.
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ClaverackLanding features award-winning CFO musicians, guest ensembles, and emerging artists. Founded in 1988, the CFO has presented numerous concerts throughout the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires, and has performed in New York City and at Tanglewood's Ozawa Hall.
Tango Meets Classical introduces rising star Katie Hyun, violinist, performing Astor Piazzolla's "The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires" with thirteen string players, conducted by Gwen Gould. The program also includes Osvaldo Golijov's "Last Round" and Arvo Paert's "Fratres."
Prominent string players join ClaverackLanding for this special inaugural evening.
Concertmaster Sheila Reinhold has performed as soloist with Zubin Mehta and Andre Kostelanetz; and in chamber music with Jascha Heifetz and Gregor Piatigorsky. Violist Ljova (Lev Zhurbin) is internationally-acclaimed and hailed as "one of New York's fastest-rising composers and instrumentalists," Billboard. Other CFO members join us from prestigious affiliations such as the American Symphony, Mostly Mozart, Aspen Music Festival, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Exceptional musicians performing brilliant classical works. A night of passionate tango, not to be missed.
Visit columbiafestivalorchestra.org
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Whether he is performing his own compositions or drawing on a seemingly endless repertoire of American popular music, it is all filtered through a sensibility and aesthetic entirely his own. Fishman's performances combine the exuberance and spontaneity of jazz with a storyteller's sense of drama, emotional depth and play. The All-Music Guide has called him "an important force in creative music," and The New York Times has written that his work "transcends time and idiom."
Visit http://www.howardfishman.com
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Multi-instrumentalist and classically trained guitarist Chris Swicegood is a rock and roll Renaissance man. He's studied classical guitar with famous Argentinian guitarist Jose Luis Merlin in Spain, received two degrees from Texas Christian University and plays bass, drums, piano and 6 and 12 string steel guitar.
Swicegood married his college sweetheart, Lolly, whose own voice packs an equally powerful punch. Lolly, who learned to sing harmony in a barber shop group in Oklahoma City, is a vocal throwback to a time of smoky jazz clubs and all-powerful girl groups: Amy Winehouse without the drama. Lolly lends her sultry voice to several tracks. Live, Chris and Lolly perform a fascinating encyclopedia of classic covers from the Beatles to the Allman Brothers, from jazz standards to contemporary hits.
Visit chrisswicegood.com
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Those who have been following critically acclaimed singer/songwriter/musician Carrie Rodriguez throughout her career will find Love & Circumstance, her latest effort an album of covers, an exciting addition to her oeuvre, new fans will get a glimpse of the rising star's influences; both will revel in the sterling musicianship and heartfelt interpretations of new and classic songs.
"Hailed by Lucinda Williams, recruited by Alejandro Escovedo, and nurtured by Lyle Lovett, singer-songwriter Carrie Rodriguez has rapidly emerged as one of the most compelling new voices on the roots-rock scene."
- The Boston Globe
Visit carrierodriguez.com
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Multi-faceted and multi-talented performer, Jim Lauderdale has balanced success in both country and bluegrass music. A two time Grammy winner, Lauderdale has a near cultish following and is at the top of Nashville's A list of go to songwriters. Jim’s songs have been recorded by a wide range of artists from Patty Loveless to George Strait and The Dixie Chicks. He's toured with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Elvis Costello. Jim has won several awards from the Americana Music Association and he has hosted the event for the past seven years.
"Jim Lauderdale is a musician's musician, an artist's artist, a songwriter's songwriter." - Country Music Pride
Visit jimlauderdale.com
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Trust in the fact that even if you don't know that you've heard Chuck Prophet, you've heard Chuck Prophet.
He's written with a wide range of artists from Dan Penn to Alejandro Escovedo, laid down tracks on sessions for everyone from Warren Zevon to Kelly Willis and taken the stage with Jim Dickinson, Lucinda Williams and Aimee Mann. Perhaps you've seen him on TV? Prophet's been on Austin City Limits, Letterman and Carson Daly, most recently as the closing track on a recent episode of True Blood.
That's the comforting part about Prophet, he's solely his own musician, but his music offers a comfort that you intimately know from the first chord. Backed by the weight of his band, guitarist Tom Ayres, bassist Rusty Miller and drummer Ernest "Boom" Carter (who supplied Springsteen the beat for "Born To Run") and producer Greg Leisz (Wilco, Beck, Emmylou Harris). You know Chuck Prophet.
Visit chuckprophet.com
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Upcoming Artists
8:00 pm
Woodstock
Comes to Helsinki
September 13
LOVE EAT SLEEP
Americana Roots Rock
September 20
MY SHIP
Artful Trip Hop
September 27
MAYA LOVE COPPOLA
Passionate, explosive and psychedelic
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