Janet Muse & Mike Dunn on Sunset Road

Friday, December 30 ● 6 pm

WTJU 91.1 FM/Streaming at wtju.net

In advance of their performance at this year's First Night Virginia, Janet Muse and Mike Dunn will stop by Sunset Road this Friday for conversation and live performance.  They are bound to play a few off their 2011 release, Sunday in Greenwood.

Mike Dunn and Janet Muse are equally comfortable in the worlds of folk and classical music. Mike and Janet have performed together for the past several years, and each has extensive experience playing for contra, English and Scottish dances. They have also played for weddings and other special events.

Mike began playing violin at the age of nine, studying for many years with Ilse Mann in Raleigh, NC, He attended Duke University on an AJ Fletcher music scholarship, studying viola with George Taylor. For the past several years, his focus has been on Celtic and dance music.

He has been on staff at the Charlottesville Fall Dance Festival (VA), and at Scottish Weekend (WV).

He has also performed several times at First Night Virginia, and Monticello. In addition, he played viola for many years with the Sugar Ridge Quartet.

Janet began studying classical piano at the age of five.

She has played in contra dance bands over the past 25 years, including the nationally known group, Caledonia. As part of Caledonia, she headlined Feet Retreat, Spring Dance Romance, Charlotte Dance Gypsies Weekend (NC), and Chesapeake Dance Weekend (MD). She has also been on staff at Augusta Heritage Arts Irish Week (WV), Charlottesville Fall Dance Festival (VA), and several all-night dances.

Janet has also performed at the Prism Coffeehouse (VA) and First Night Virginia.  She has been a choir and solo accompanist, church organist, orchestra violinist, and accordionist for Morris teams.

First Night began in Boston in 1976 as a way to bring neighboring communities together in celebration, while providing an alternative way of ushering in the New Year. Charlottesville’s First Night Virginia was only second in the nation to begin the tradition of First Night in 1983, and has since served as a model for the more than 130 First Night celebrations worldwide.  Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people have attended this fun-filled celebration of the arts on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall.  From fire dancers to rock n’ roll, ballet to jugglers, there’s something for everybody.

Submitted by Peter Jones, WTJU Folk

Chanukah Celebration on Atlantic Weekly I

Kassia Arbabi

Saturday, December 24 ● 9-10 am (est)

WTJU 91.1 FM/Streaming at wtju.net

Fiddler Kassia Arbabi will stop by during the second hour of Atlantic Weekly, Part I, to celebrate Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights.  A founding member of the Vulgar Bulgars, Kassia has traversed the US playing klezmer and more.  These days, she blends her love of music with owning and operating the Alexander House; a business whose driving passion is to contribute positively to our local and global community.

Submitted by Peter Jones, WTJU Folk

Crys Matthews LIVE on the Eclectic Woman Show

Thursday, December 22 ● 7-9 pm (est)

WTJU 91.1 FM/Streaming at wtju.net

Singer/songwriter Crys Matthews will stop by the Eclectic Woman Show this Thursday for a visit with Rebecca.  Along with a live performance, Crys will also talk about her latest release, Backroads And Driveways.

Although she is constantly referred to as 'the next Tracy Chapman,' Crys Matthews describes herself and her music as: "Imagine Jill Scott and Otis Redding had a daughter and Tracy Chapman was her god-mother... now imagine she spent summers teaching herself piano in Chicago and guitar in the mountains of North Carolina... that would probably sound something like the music I am fortunate enough to call my own." The music is an infusion of Americana/Blues/Bluegrass/Folk/Funk/Jazz, which, as eclectic as it sounds, is reaching people all around the world and causing them to stop and take notice.

Submitted by Peter Jones, WTJU Folk

Cape Breton Celebration on Atlantic Weekly I

Saturday, December 17 ● 8-10 am (est)

WTJU 91.1 FM/Streaming at wtju.net

Thom Pease is the host of the WTJU classical program "The Listening Room," which focuses on contemporary classical music. He's also an avid fan of Celtic music, particularly from the Cape Breton tradition in Canada. Thom attended the week-long 15th annual Celtic Colours International Festival in October.

 

Thom will join Atlantic Weekly host Sandy Goodson to talk about the island, its musical culture, and the festival. He will bring along some recordings to play, and review some of the highlights of the festival.  Thom and Sandy first joined forces to do a program on the music of Cape Breton this past spring, as part of this year's WTJU Folk Fundraiser.

What is Cape Breton Music?
Cape Breton music is usually described as traditional Scottish music. However, it is Scottish music and dance as it was played in the late 1700s and early 1800s when the forefathers of Cape Bretoners emigrated from Scotland. The most common tune types heard in Cape Breton are strathspeys, reels, jigs, with a lesser number of airs, marches, and clogs. Typically the tunes are played in medleys; the number of times a tune is repeated is left to the discretion of the performer, though frequently each tune is heard only once. Each medley tends to center around a single key or tonal area while spanning a variety of tempos, for instance a strathspey accelerating into a reel for a solo step-dance exhibition. -- Reprinted from The Amazing Music of Cape Breton     

Sumbitted by Peter Jones, WTJU Folk 
All photos are posted with the permission of Thom Pease.

Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton live on Sunset Road fri 12/16 at 5pm

Clawhammer banjo player Richie Stearns and fiddler Rosie Newton will be special live guests on Sunset Road friday Dec 16th at 5pm. Later that same evening, Richie and Rosie will be performing at a house concert in Gordonsville, Virginia. Email Alex Caton at ACatonA@aol.com for concert details.


Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton have been performing together in various bands over the past four years. The Duo was conceived after many hours of jamming in Stearns´ kitchen, experimenting with traditional and original songs. Stearns is a legendary banjo player and singer, and has led numerous bands including the Horse Flies and Donna the Buffalo. He has played with countless others, and tours with Natalie Merchant. He is steeped in the traditions of American old-time music, Appalachian folk, blues, African, rock, and country music. This, as well as Newton´s love for Celtic music, is the inspiration for the duo. Rosie Newton is a talented fiddler and singer at the beginning of her music career. She recently graduated  from Ithaca College with a degree in viola performance, and has become an integral part of the Ithaca Old Time music community. She has performed in various bands including her own duo, the Pearly Snaps. Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton take the original fiddle, banjo combination to new levels as they continue to expand the boundaries of this tradition.


Listen to Richie's 'Baghdad Children'  here
Listen to Rosie with The Pearly Snaps here

Listen to the interview live on Dec 16th at wtju.net , or on the tape vault (look for Sunset Road for dec 16th) for two weeks after original airdate.

Posted by Pete Marshall, WTJU Folk

Radio Tropicale Celebrates Our Lady of Guadalupe

Wednesday, December 14 ● 12-2 pm (est)

WTJU 91.1 FM/Streaming at wtju.net

For Mexicans everywhere, a source of strength is a brown-skinned woman cloaked in blue: Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico and symbol of Mexican nationality.  In a country where four out of five people are baptized Catholics, her image is everywhere, watching over all.  She represents many ideas, perhaps the most central to Mexicans being that the Spanish conquistadors and the Indians they conquered became one nation.

The Festival of Our Lady will be on Monday, December 12.  On Wednesday noon, December 14, please join Bruce of Radio Tropicale as he marks this year’s celebration with guests Alma Garcia of the Church of the Incarnation, Rev. James Richardson of St. Paul’s Episcopal, who blogs on ideas surrounding Our Lady and Martha Trujillo of Creciendo Juntos.

More information on Our Lady and some of the many ways she continues to speak to Mexicans and, more broadly, all people of the Americas can be found at these sources:

• Wikipedia Entry
• NY Times Mexican Journal of 2001
• Our Lady of the New World

Submitted By Bruce Penner, WTJU Folk

New (old) videos of Mando Mafia emerge

These videos of my band Mando Mafia (with sadly departed lead mandolin player Kelly Perdue, & Joey Damiano subbing for regular bass player Vaughan Mairs) at Watermelon Park Festival in 2004 were recently posted to youtube:





Enjoy!

Pete from Sunset Road

Andy Falco & Chris Pandolfi (Infamous Stringdusters) LIVE on WTJU

 Friday, December 2 ● 5-7 pm (est)

Andy Falco and Chris Pandolfi, members of The Infamous Stringdusters, will stop by WTJU this Friday for a live performance on Sunset Road.  Performing as The Founding Fathers, they will be part of the premiere Festy Presents Series Saturday night at The Southern in Charlottesville, opening for Larry Keel & Natural Bridge.

In 2011, The Infamous Stringdusters transferred their homebase from Nashville, TN to Charlottesville, VA.   The Founding Fathers is the stage name for the members of The Stringdusters who live permanently in Charlottesville.  While the lineup may evolve, it currently consists of Andy Falco (guitar) and Chris Pandolfi (banjo).  Expect special guests, instrumentals, and vocal performances that may not otherwise be heard from on stage from The Stringdusters.

Submitted by Peter Jones, WTJU Folk

Downbeat Project LIVE on Reggae Vibrations

Friday, December 2 ● 2-4 pm (est)

The Downbeat Project will stop by WTJU's Reggae Vibrations this Friday for a LIVE performance.  The band will be celebrating its new EP, Day By Day, which will be released at their concert the following Friday at the Southern in Charlottesville.

The Downbeat Project consists of five musicians who put their heart and soul, their sweat and tears, their laughs and joys into the music they play. Every beat and word holds a constant strength and unwavering groove that listeners can’t stray away from.  This summer, they have been busy in the studio, continuing to twist and turn their ideas in order to create the natural and essential groove that has become what folks know very well as the Downbeat sound. As monthly, musical residents at Maya on Main St, and having played at venues such as the Southern, the Jefferson and festivals around the area, the Downbeat Project has been hitting it hard, capturing their fans and not letting them go, every time seeing more new faces along with old ones coming back for more.

Clarence Green, the sole songwriter and lyricist for the band, garners attention from many a audience member and critic with his heartfelt and deeply personal songs about love, life and the community that we exist within. Then add a layer of harmony singers and the unique instrumentation of mandocello with Zack Blatter, upright bass with Gerald Soriano, lead guitar with Landon Fishburne, and Rob Hubbard on drums, and you have one sweet bed for Green’s soulful voice and imaginative guitar hooks to lie upon. Lest you forget, all the while, each of their songs making you dance and move yourself around the room.

Guests artists on "Day by Day" include Bobby Read of Bruce Hornsby's Noisemakers, John D'earth on trumpet, Baaba Seth's Mark Maynard on trombone, Billy Cardine on electric resophonic guitar, Robert Jospe on percussion and Jay Starling on keys and pedal steel.

Submitted by Peter Jones, WTJU Folk

Stephen Jacques LIVE on Walk Right In

Tuesday, December 13 ● 12-2 pm (est)

Local singer/songwriter Stephen Jacques will stop by Walk Right In for a visit this December with host Rebecca Foster.  Jacques and his band, Box of Moxie, recently released their debut album, Intrepid Souls.

Proceeds from this CD will also go to the Resources for Inner City Children (RICH), founded by teacher and tutor Paul Penniman of Washington, D.C. Mr. Penniman has been one of the leading forces on the eastern seabord of the U.S. as far as assistance for those living below the poverty line, and the struggles of inner city students.

Submitted by Rebecca Foster, WTJU Folk