Jon Campbell

Unlike most folk artists who look to far off places for the inspiration behind their music, Rhode Island songwriter Jon Campbell writes from a strong sense of place. His music reflects on the uniqueness of life in coastal New England, and is brought forth from his personal experience and great familiarity with his subject matter. At times humorous, at times poignant, these songs are a glimpse into life as it is lived where the sea and land meet. Increasingly, his material is being performed and recorded by singers from Cape Cod to Cape Disappointment, and beyond to Ireland, and he himself has taken these songs to stages as far away as Alaska. Jon has been a recognized Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Folk Artist since 1982, and he has been involved in a large number of recording projects both as performer and producer.

Rory Raven is a mentalist with 20 years of experience reading minds and astonishing audiences. Neither a psychic nor a magician, he offers a compelling kind of entertainment unlike anything audiences have ever seen. With a few simple props (paper and pencil, a pack of playing cards, some paperback books, and the thoughts of volunteers) Rory involves the audience in a highly unusual – and unusually entertaining – experience. Thoughts are revealed, predicitions come true, and perhaps even the spirits are summoned… FAQs: Okay, let’s start with that title – what’s a mentalist? A mentalist is a theatrical mind-reader… a performer who, using a variety of techniques, is able to produce results that would only seem possible by psychic or paranormal means. And those techniques would be…? They range from a knowledge of subtle psychological principles and the quirks of human behavior, to quick thinking and a good memory. Rory is also interested in things like suggestion, non-verbal communication, and the so-called trance state. And he doesn’t hesitate to borrow ideas from the stage magician, either! So is he psychic or what? No. Not everyone believes him when he say that, but there’s not much he can do about it. People who believe in the paranormal will believe no matter what he tells them, and those who don’t believe won’t believe no matter what he shows them. Always a great evening … why not see what YOU think!

Call in your reservations for our January 26 show with Kim Trusty and Kerri Powers to 401-725-9272.

Kim Trusty hails from Media, Pennsylvania. Her foray into songwriting started at a young age and eventually brought her to New England to study songwriting at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., where she was referred to as “the girl with the golden voice.” She has spent the last three decades residing in Providence, refining her musical skills, crafting and branding her own style of Jazz, R&B, Blues and original music. She has performed as an actress playing the role of Rosue in When Mahalia Sings from 2010-2012. She is currently is working with a screenwriter to tell her amazing story as a black lesbian artist, educator, stroke and cancer survivor. Through it all, Kim has carried on, rising from each fall a little stronger to bring us music that inspires and heals.

 

Jeremy Kittel is an award-winning fiddler, violinist, and composer. The Compass Records recording artist is a master in Celtic, classical, jazz, and bluegrass traditions, and is gifted in fusing and revitalizing these diverse styles. Jeremy was a member of the Turtle Island Quartet for five years and has also worked with Mark O’Connor, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Paquito D’Rivera, and My Morning Jacket. He has been a guest artist with several symphony orchestras, was twice featured on A Prairie Home Companion, and has performed around the world at venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Bonnaroo and the Celtic Connections Festival in Scotland. Named “the future of the mandolin” by Mandolin Magazine, and dubbed “one of the most important young improvisers on the acoustic scene today” by mandolin grandmaster David Grisman, Josh Pinkham has established himself as a striking performer, composer and recording artist. He continues to push his mandolin into new and old territory, excelling in Bluegrass, Newgrass, Jazz and Classical music. Although Quinn Bachand plays a range of styles that include jazz and bluegrass, it is his talents in the world of Celtic music that draw the most attention. His unique harmonies, hard-driving strumming, inventive chord voicing and powerful rhythmic effects make even the most well-worn tunes seem new and exciting. He performs with his sister Qristina and has also toured nationally and internationally with Canadian fiddling icons Ashley MacIsaac and Natalie MacMaster.

Call in your reservations for our February 1 show with The Gnomes to 401-725-9272.

The Gnomes special brand of World-Folk-Fusion always gets an audience on their feet and dancing! The band features Phil Edmonds, Cathy Clasper-Torch, Mike Fischman, Peter Breen, and Matt Demick. Together they combine their varied musical backgrounds into arrangements that have been described as “exotic, fresh, and unique.” Instrumentation includes fiddle, Irish whistles, er-hu, accordion, guitar, mandolin, bass, percussion, keyboard, and vocals. Their spirited music takes you around the world, encompassing Celtic, klezmer, Scandinavian, Carribean, Asian and Latin styles. The Gnomes are 2019 and 2018 Motif Music Award Winners in the World Music category! There will be a short set before The Gnomes play their second set by The Broad Street Fiddlers led by Cathy Clasper-Torch … Always a great time! 

*All ticket prices include a $1.00 per ticket restoration charge

 

Bruce Molsky, “one of America’s premier fiddling talents” (Mother Jones) and a Grammy-nominated artist on fiddle, banjo, guitar and song is delighted to bring his new group, already on tour in the U.S., to Blackstone River Theatre. Bruce’s previous collaborations, with Anonymous 4, was released to rave reviews and was on the top 10 Billboard charts for weeks. He is also a special guest on legendary guitarist Mark Knopfler’s latest CD and is working on his 3rd album with Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny’s supergroup Mozaik. Molsky is also Berklee College of Music’s Visiting Scholar in the American Roots Program. Allison de Groot combines virtuosity with a passion for old-time music. With her own bands The Goodbye Girls and Oh My Darling, she has played Trafalgar Square in London, Newport Folk Festival, Stockholm Folk Festival and more. Like Bruce, Allison loves collaborating and bringing new ideas to old music, and brings a fresh approach to the trio. Boston-based Stash Wyslouch is one of bluegrass’ great young genre-bending pioneers. He got his start as a guitarist in metal bands before immersing himself in roots music as a member of The Deadly Gentlemen. Stash is a veteran festival performer, having played at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Rockygrass, Merlefest, Savannah Music Festival and others. Says WBUR (Boston NPR), “It is no exaggeration to say that Bruce Molsky is one of the greatest American fiddlers of all time. His playing is mesmerizing and transporting, and best experienced live…” 

The mission of keeping a rare musical flame alight is a noble and often challenging one, but the Bohemian Quartet is more than up to the task. In this case, the acclaimed Rhode Island-based ensemble featuring violin, viola, cello, and bass specializes in music of the “Romani” or “Gypsy” tradition, along with related Eastern European folk styles. The Bohemian Quartet was formed in 2005. Violinist Stan Renard, a composer and virtuoso player with an impressive list of credentials, assembled the group with the idea of preserving the tradition and indulging in the virtuosic playing of classic gypsy music. Renard recruited like-minded and ambitious friends: Christine Harrington on cello, Nancy Richardson on viola, and Dave Zinno on upright bass. Together, they’ve made a commitment to the genre, and aspired to performing it with both reverence and adventure. Indeed, like every good curator, the ensemble embraces tradition, and still wanders off in newer, unpredictable directions. The name “Bohemian Quartet” was borrowed from the original Bohemian Quartet (also known as the Czech Quartet after 1918), a string quartet of international repute that was founded in 1891 and disbanded in 1934. Both groups share a passion for the deep-rooted authenticity of the Romani tradition, as well as the ability to play that historic repertoire with extraordinary joie de vivre. Tonight will be the CD release of their 3rd project called “For You.”

Patrick Ball, one of the premier Celtic harp players in the world and also a captivating spoken word artist, will present a harp-filled, dramatic performance based on the life and works of Ireland’s greatest poet, William Butler Yeats. In playing the ancient brass-strung harp of Ireland with its crystalline, bell-like voice, and in performing marvelous tales of wit and enchantment, Ball not only brings new life to two cherished traditions, but blends them to create a richly theatrical performance. Patrick Ball has recorded nine instrumental and three spoken word albums which have sold well over one-half million copies internationally and won national awards in both the music and spoken word categories. Ball has been awarded grants for his work by the California Arts Council and is the recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Association. Whether in the stronghold of a Galway chieftain in the years before history began or yesterday in the snug corner of a pub in Dublin, the Irish have always delighted in storytelling. Their passion for eloquence and wordplay, their deep devotion to their mythical past, their ability to find joy and humor in a dark world, and their belief that the supernatural world could appear between one breath and the next made their stories and the telling of them unrivaled in the world of the oral tradition. And always, amidst the storytelling, there was music. Jigs, reels and haunting airs graced the spaces between the tales. And first among Irish instruments, and the most honored, was the legendary Celtic harp. In “Come Dance With Me in Ireland: A Pilgrimage to Yeats Country” Patrick Ball rekindles the fire and wonder of an evening of Irish music and storytelling.

Skipper’s Alley are a modern Irish folk band with an old-school approach. Their influences range from folk revival bands such as Planxty and The Bothy Band to rare, experimental solo players like Tommie Potts and Séamus Ennis. Once described as “a young Irish ensemble who look like a punk band and sound like The Chieftains” Skipper’s Alley specialize in gritty, high-octane Irish dance tunes on uilleann pipes, whistles, fiddle, bodhrán, bouzouki, flute, and harp with occasional detours into the dark melodies of the Irish song tradition. Since forming in 2013 Skipper’s Alley have garnered wide critical praise, appeared on national and international TV, and toured on four continents. Write-ups include The Irish Times (★★★★), The Living Tradition, Folk Radio UK, Folk World, and Celtic Music Radio (★★★★★). In 2014, Skipper’s Alley’s released their acclaimed self-titled debut album under the production of Trevor Hutchinson (Lúnasa, The Waterboys). This exciting six-piece band from Dublin features Fionnán Mac Gabhann, Patrick Cummins, Macdara Yeates, Seán Gavin, John Flynn and Ultan O’Brien. Don’t miss their Rhode Island debut!

North Sea Gas is a folk band from Scotland who have been performing their blend of poignant and rousing songs and high-energy instrumentals for 35 years. With a combination of fiddle, guitar, mandolin, bodhran and bouzouki, complementing strong three-part vocal harmonies and a keen sense of humor, an entertaining evening is always guaranteed. North Sea Gas has now recorded 19 albums and played to audiences all over Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, the U.S. and Canada. This marks their 13th appearance at BRT as they tour behind their newest CD, “When We Go Rolling Home.” A previous project “The Fire And The Passion Of Scotland” won the 2013 Album of the Year award from Celtic Radio in the U.S. as well as first place in the “Jigs and Reels” category for a set of tunes on the album. The band is led by founder Dave Gilfillan on lead vocals, guitar and banjo, well-known for his tongue-in-cheek humor. Ronnie MacDonald on lead and harmony vocals, guitar and bouzouki is joined by Grant Simpson on high-energy fiddle and vocals.