GREG GREENWAY

& JOHN FLYNN

Saturday, September 20, 8pm

Clarendon Hill Prebsbyterian Church

155 Powder House Blvd, Somerville

$15

$10 Tufts students with ID

http://www.greggreenway.com/

http://www.johnflynn.net/

Reservations suggested - notlobmusic@gmail.com

Artist information

MIKE & RUTHY MERENDA

with very special guest LYN HARDY

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Notlob Parlor Concerts are presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music. Run by volunteers, 100% of the donations go towards series expenses and artist compensation.

Notlob’s 28^th and final production of the 2007-2008 season is MIKE & RUTHY MERENDA with very special guest LYN HARDY.

Ruthy, along with Aoife O’Donovan (Crooked Still) and Kristin Andreassen (Uncle Earl), performed at the very first Notlob Parlor Concerts on June 2, 2007, and returned one week later with Mike to perform the second concert. Since then Mike and Ruthy have been very busy, producing both a baby and the critically acclaimed “The Honeymoon Agenda”. To celebrate both their return and the series’ one year anniversary, very special guest Lyn Hardy, who happens to be Ruthy’s mom, has agreed to perform.

MIKE & RUTHY MERENDA

When Mike met Ruthy he'd already written a hundred songs - some of which he no longer remembers. When Ruthy met Mike she'd already decided against being a musician like her parents - a rebellious stance that quickly faded in the musical excitement.

A mutual friend had the bright idea that they should sing together, and one very late evening, down in the tiniest factory/apartment building in New York City's looming financial district, they first combined their talents over cheap beer and not much else. The results were magic.

Since that first night in 1998, their writing, singing, and musicianship have grown to match their enthusiasm. And some of Mike's very old songs are working their way back into the setlist - along side Ruth's sparkling versions of soul and folk classics, and their new and original creations that hint at love, pain, and beauty.

When not touring as “Mike and Ruthy”, they can be heard and seen as part of the “Ungar Family Band” (with Jay Ungar (Ruthy’s dad) and Molly Mason) and “The Mammals” (with Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Chris Merenda and Jacob Silver).

LYN HARDY

Lyn Hardy Has Performed Folk, Rock, Blues And Country Music In The United States, Canada And Europe Since 1965, performing with: Jay Ungar, The Putnam String County Band, Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys, David Bromberg, Rude Girls, Abby Newton (Celtic Crossing) and toured and recorded with them all. She currently performs with Tom MacKenzie and Ann Whiting (Clogger) at local festivals.

She helped to form RUDE GIRLS, an eclectic all woman band renowned for their beautiful, outrageous and humorous music. RUDE GIRLS took the Festival Scene by storm in the mid eighties and it wasn't long before they had a FLYING FISH (now ROUNDER RECORDS) record contract. AWARD WINNING ALBUM (NAIRD) for INDEPENDENT LABELS' BEST STRING BAND RECORD for their first Album, "RUDE AWAKENING". They went on to record one more album, "MIXED MESSAGES". Lyn wrote most of Rude Girls original material.

Lyn is a gifted singer and songwriter and solo performer. Her song, "THE BALLAD OF FRANCINE HUGHES" has been chosen by the Smithsonian Institution for a 4 CD collection of "New" folk songs called, "FOLK SONG AMERICA, A 20th CENTURY REVIVAL" . Lyn and David Hornungs’, "GIRL IN THE RED VELVET DRESS" has been recorded by Ronnie Gilbert on her album, "LOVE WILL FIND A WAY".

Lyn's singing has been described as rich, honest, strong, stirring and straight from the heart. She is known for her rock solid rhythm guitar playing having played for square, contra and swing dances for more years than she would like to admit!

Her performances draw from a vast and varied repertoire of music. She can touch your heart with a country song, make you laugh the next minute and then reach into your soul with a sultry blues number. Lyn loves to sing and her joy is infectious, whether it's a concert, coffeehouse, festival, workshop, or a children's show, she gives her all!

Artists: MIKE & RUTHY MERENDA with very special guest LYN HARDY

Artists’ websites: http://www.myspace.com/mikeandruthy

http://www.myspace.com/michaelmerenda

http://www.michaelmerenda.com

http://www.myspace.com/ruthungar

http://www.ruthungar.com

http://www.myspace.com/76978728

http://www.themammals.net

http://www.lynhardy.com/

Date: Saturday, June 28, 2008

Doors: 7:30pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Suggested minimum donation: $20 + $1 LG House preservation fee.

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Notlob artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for reservations.

Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lots located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away, and at the intersection of Centre and Harris Streets, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

Thank you for supporting live music in Jamaica Plain.

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS

AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS

FLYNN

Friday, June 20, 2008

Notlob Parlor Concerts are presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music. Run by volunteers, 100% of the donations go towards series expenses and artist compensation.

PRESS

"An intoxicating combination of Celtic and techno is what you'll find on An American Wake, the latest offering from Flynn. On "Alive" he sings, "You make 9 to 5 feel like a sunny afternoon," his rich baritone detailing the beauty of a lover as electronic drums mix with guitar and banjo. New England folk favorite Ellis Paul stops by to sing backing vocals on "Father of Mine," a tune sure to bring a tear to the eye of even the toughest tough guy. But other than Paul and a few other friends on isolated songs, what you hear is all Flynn. The multi-instrumentalist has written, arranged and performed all songs on the album. While this technique can sometimes result in a homogenous sound, Flynn proffers such a unique combination of instrumentation and musical styles that the album shines with all the brilliance of Irish emeralds under a flashing strobe light"
- Mare Wakefield, Performimg Songwriter

"Reflecting wisdom and heart, this passionate voice, woven into a rich, resonant sound texture, calls back memories of Bono and the mellower side of U2. His lyrics- and even more so, his voice- are so upfront and honest that you'll be helplessly moved, uplifted and motivated to go do something incredible. There is real meat and intelligence to these musical bones. Don't miss this talented and genuine artist."
- CD Baby

"He has made a gem of an album with Boston producer Flynn...It's a passionate album, vigorously sung by Paul, who seems ready to take the next step in his career"
- Steve Morse, Boston Globe

"And if you don't go to www.flynnmusic.com and order Flynn's new disc “Let the Show Begin” you're missing one of the best rising artists in the business. The first track, “Human” would be a No. 1 hit if small labels were allowed to be aired, “Pompei, Time to Move On” and “Sleep with Angels” are all very, very good."
- Peter Gammons, ESPN

"One of Boston's best upcoming singer/songwriter, rockers"
- Steve Morse, Boston Globe

Flynn is an amazingly talented and passionate Boston-based musician originally hailing from Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland.

With his guitar in one hand and suitcase in the other, Flynn set off to America to pursue his musical dreams in the fertile Boston music scene. Flynn quickly set out to making his dreams a reality when he co-founded the band "Cliffs of Dooneen". The band rapidly gained notoriety amongst thousands of Boston bands garnering several high profile Boston Music Awards including "Best Rock Band" and "Best Album" while selling out every venue in town. A major label record deal soon followed with a smash debut album, "The Dog went East and God Went West" (BMG/Critique). The first single, "Through an Open Window" became an immediate radio hit landing in the Top 10 of Billboard's Modern Rock charts. The band's exciting ride included constant MTV exposure, floods of national press, and cross-country tours playing all the famous rock stages across the country including sharing the stage with the likes of Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins.

Flynn's music career path seemed to derail when a near fatal fall from a ladder put him in the hospital for weeks followed by months of rehabilitation to regain feeling and movement in his arms and legs; more importantly to Flynn, his ability to play music. Flynn kept his musical passion and desire intact; and amazingly wrote and produced his first solo CD "On Your Way" which was released 2 years to the date of his accident. This release would earn him another Boston Music Award for "Outstanding Debut Album of the Year", quite a feat in Boston, one of the most highly competitive American music scenes. The Boston Globe touted Flynn as "one of Boston's best upcoming singer/songwriter, rockers… The recent Boston Music Award winner is certainly deserving of that accolade."

Flynn's subsequent self produced releases included "Let The Show Begin", "An American Wake", and "The Answer’s Not Enough" (Black Wolf Records) all garnered critical acclaim and commercial success. His latest releases reflect Flynn's American journey, love, and fatherhood with an honest and emotionally powerful view of life.

Flynn's career has since taken many interesting paths from his major label rocker days. Flynn worked with the Hollywood icon Cher and Grammy Award winning producer David Kahne (Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett) to record his song "Human" for the Farrelly Brothers movie "Stuck on You". The movie starred Greg Kinnear, Matt Damon, and Cher. Director Peter Farrelly handpicked the song as performed by Flynn and Cher for the film's end credit song. On Broadway, Flynn's music compositions were featured in "Super-Man Live!”. This spectacle graced stages across the U.S. including Radio City Music Hall in NYC, The Kodak Theater in LA. and Boston's "Wang Center".

Recently, Flynn has been in demand composing music for a variety of films including: "The Legend of Lucy Keys" (with Julie Delpy), "Racing Against The Clock" (Uncommon Productions), "Flying Downhill: The Bode Miller Story”, and the award winning documentaries "True Guts", "Dream: The Movie", and "Color Blind". Numerous songs from Flynn have been placed on major network shows such as "All My Children", "The Young and the Restless", "One Life to Live", "Haunted", MTV's "Road Rules”, and NECN's "Be A Bruin" which earned Flynn an Emmy nomination for his musical score.

From Flynn's recording studio he has engineered, produced, and played on a variety of projects including three of Ellis Paul's releases: "American Jukebox Fables", "Essentials" (Rounder/Philo Records), and "The Dragonfly Races" (Blackwolf Records). He also produced songs by Antje Duvekot, including the song "Merry Go Round" used in Bank of America's national TV ad campaign.

Flynn is a musician coming into his own. He is in high demand with a steady stream of TV and film projects both as a composer and songwriter. Along with his solo and band performances, Flynn's compelling live show has been affirmed by sharing the stage with acts ranging from The Allman Brothers and Simple Minds to The Saw Doctors and Ellis Paul. Whether it is in the recording studio, concert halls, or intimate coffeehouse settings, Flynn combines his uncanny ability to reach people through song; drawing from the wisdom and insight that comes from surviving a life-changing event.

DISCOGRAPHY

The Answer’s Not Enough

An American Wake

Let The Show Begin

On Your Way

Artist: FLYNN

Artist’s website: http://flynnmusic.com/

Date: Friday, June 20, 2008

Doors: 7:30pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Suggested minimum donation: $15 + $1 LG House preservation fee.

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Notlob artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for reservations.

Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lots located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away, and at the intersection of Centre and Harris Streets, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS

ALASTAIR MOOCK

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Notlob Parlor Concerts are presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music. Run by volunteers, 100% of the donations go towards series expenses and artist compensation.

Biography

There was a time in America when folk music was relevant, edgy, even dangerous — a tool of personal and political expression, at once raw and beautiful. That spirit lives on in the music of Alastair Moock.

Moock sometimes performs with a band or accompanist, but you're most likely to find him alone on a stage, sitting in a low chair, stomping a booted foot, picking his beaten guitar, and growling out some of the most beautifully crafted songs you're ever likely to hear. Those songs have won Moock top honors at many of the country's most prestigious contests, including those at the Falcon Ridge, Sisters, and Great Waters folk festivals. In 2007 he was nominated for a Boston Music Award for Outstanding Singer/Songwriter of the Year. The Boston Globe calls him “one of the town's best and most adventurous songwriters” and The Washington Post says “every song is a gem.”

Moock's writing style is often compared to those of John Prine and Woody Guthrie. Like them, he tends to stick to simpler harmonic forms and tight rhyming patterns that emphasize his lyrical dexterity and natural talent for storytelling. His songs have the smooth, clean lines of American classics — a timelessness reinforced by his whiskeyed voice and muscular fingerpicking. But this is not museum music. Moock frequently tackles contemporary subject matters, examining the changing world around him. The songs are observant, heart-wrenching, funny, and defiant — often all at once.

As a performer, Alastair engages audiences with a style of humor and insight that Americana Radio chart-topper Slaid Cleaves describes as “masterful.” Not content to simply serve up a laundry list of tunes, he mixes his own songs with spoken word pieces, stories from the road, and even a bit of American history, providing context for the traditional blues and ballads he includes in every show. His ability to connect with audiences has earned Moock the opportunity to open for an impressive roster of national acts over the years, including Arlo Guthrie, Taj Mahal, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Greg Brown, Kasey Chambers, Jay Farrar, Patty Larkin, and Marshall Crenshaw.

Moock started performing in 1995, moving from his home outside New York City to the folk haven of Boston, Massachusetts. After honing his skills on Boston's innumerable open mike stages and working his way up through the local coffeehouse and club circuit, he began touring around the U.S. By 2002, he had already traveled extensively throughout the East and Midwest, performing at many of the top listening rooms and outdoor events in the country, including the Newport and Boston Folk Festivals, The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, The Birchmere in Washington D.C., and The Bluebird Café in Nashville. In 2003 he made his first trip to Europe, where he performed at the prestigious Bergen Music Fest in Norway. Since then he has made numerous trips across the pond with appearances in the UK, France, Netherlands, and Scandinavia.

In 2005, Alastair signed with international roots label CoraZong Records, which released Let it Go, Moock's fourth CD. The album charted for fourteen consecutive weeks in the Roots Music Report Folk Chart's Top 10 and cracked the Americana Music Chart's Top 40 in February, 2006. Worcester Magazine calls it “one of the best roots music records to come out of New England in recent memory” and Daniel Gewertz of The Boston Herald included it in his Top 10 list for the year, saying “Moock has become simply one of the top songwriters in the region.”

This spring CoraZong will release Fortune Street, Moock's latest effort. The album, which includes nine new original tunes and one traditional cover, is Moock's most intimate and mature to date. Two of the tracks were recorded solo; the other eight feature the stripped down roots ensemble of David Goodrich, Lou Ulrich, and Mike Piehl (all former members of the seminal Boston rock band Groovasaurus), joined by guests Kris Delmhorst, Michael Dinallo (The Mercy Brothers), and Sean Staples (The Resophonics).

It seems no young musicians want to be labeled “folk” anymore. Everyone's passing through on their way to somewhere else — alt-rock, alt-pop, alt-country. Alastair Moock plays folk music. Old-school, powerful, intimate folk music. You may be surprised to hear what it sounds like.

Awards

• Nominee, 2007 Boston Music Award, Outstanding Singer/Songwriter of the Year
• Finalist, 2006 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition
• Winner, 2004 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist Contest
• Winner, 2004 Great Waters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
• Winner, 2004 Sisters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
• Finalist, 2004 South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Contest
• Honorable Mention, 2004 Telluride Troubadour Competition
• Award Winner, 2004 Great American Song Contest
• Finalist, 2002 USA Songwriting Competition

Selected Appearances

• 2008 Celtic Connections Festival (Glasgow, UK)
• 2005, 2002, 1999 Boston Folk Festival (Boston, MA)
• 2005 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Hillsdale, NY)
• 2005 Sisters Folk Festival (Sisters, OR)
• 2005 Susquehanna Folk Festival (Columbia, MD)
• 2003 Bergen Music Fest (Bergen, Norway)
• 2002 Newport Folk Festival (Newport, RI)
• Billy Block's Western Beat (Nashville, TN)
• The Birchmere (Alexandria, VA)
• The Bluebird Café (Nashville, TN)
• Caffe Lena (Saratoga Springs, NY)
• Club Passim (Cambridge, MA)
• The Focal Point (Maplewood, MO)
• The Iron Horse Music Hall (Northampton, MA)
• The Madison Folk Music Society (Madison, WI)
• The Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago, IL)
• The Outpost in the Burbs (Montclair, NJ)
• The Philadelphia Folksong Society (Philadelphia, PA)
• The Ram's Head Tavern (Annapolis, MD)
• Sanctuary Concerts (Chatham, NJ)
• The Towne Crier Café (Pawling, NY)

Selected Openings and Shared Bills

• Ray Bonneville
• Greg Brown
• Peter Case
• Kasey Chambers
• Slaid Cleaves
• Marshall Crenshaw
• Dick Dale
• Guy Davis
• Jonathan Edwards
• Cliff Eberhardt
• Ramblin' Jack Elliott
• Jay Farrar
• Mary Gauthier
• Arlo Guthrie
• Patty Larkin
• Adrian Legg
• Taj Mahal
• David Mallett
• Lynn Miles
• Bill Morrissey
• Peter Mulvey
• Carrie Newcomer
• Ellis Paul
• Kelly Joe Phelps
• Utah Phillips
• Willy Porter
• Garnet Rogers
• Bill Staines
• John Stewart
• Susan Werner
• Brooks Williams

Artist: ALASTAIR MOOCK

Artist’s websites:

http://www.moock.com/

http://www.myspace.com/alastairmoock

Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008

Doors: 7:30pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Suggested minimum donation: $12.50 + $1 LG House preservation fee.

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason.

Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lots located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away and the Mellon bank, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS

AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS

TRIPPING LILY

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Notlob Parlor Concerts are presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

Notlob’s twenty sixth production of the 2007-2008 season is TRIPPING LILY! If the patrons are plentiful and well-behaved, they will be treated to selections from the forthcoming album "Getting Good at This Thing”.

THE BACK-STORY
Tripping Lily's acoustic folk pop sounds were formed long before they made their move from Nashville to Boston. Their edgy, unique sound took shape when Monica and Demetrius starting writing and recording more than five years ago. With a strong intent to improve upon their craft, Tripping Lily made the move to Boston. Whether they're exploring new music genres or soaking up popular literature and art, Tripping Lily has found their home on the East Coast.

A group of musicians who draw their inspiration from within, with Demetrius Becrelis (guitar/mandolin/vocals), brother Alex Becrelis (guitar/mandolin/vocals), Monica Rizzio (fiddle/vocals), and Laird Boles (upright bass), Tripping Lily blends a unique sound of traditional and contemporary genres.

Touted as fresh, energetic, and alive, Tripping Lily's pop-rock groundwork is cross-fertilized with folk music and cutting edge vocal harmonies. The band's unique ability to absorb traditional music while speaking to the here and now is proof of their versatility as contemporary musicians. Tripping Lily seeks to exploit the empty space of the canvas. They unravel everything they've known and in turn, end up in a better place.

The band has truly claimed their own place in the world of music.

Instrumentation
Alex Becrelis - mandolin, tenor banjo, guitar and voice
Demetrius Becrelis - ukulele, guitar and voice

Monica Rizzio – ukulele, fiddle and voice
Laird Boles - upright bass

Discography
"The Couch Sessions" Sept 06

(tentative title) "Getting Good at This Thing", release date Summer 2008.

TRIPPING LILY is currently being played on indie/college radio stations nationwide

Visit www.myspace.com/trippinglily to see on YouTube!

Links

BOSTON GLOBE - Scott Alarik - Feb 1, 2007

Equal parts sassy bluegrassers and moody urban songwriters, jazzy jammers and sighing torch singers, Tripping Lily is nearly a genre unto itself. The folk-pop quartet formed in Nashville, but calls Boston home now, and its sound appeals to neotrad and alt fans alike. Guitars, mandolins, and fiddles prance behind airy, quirky melodies that feel both rootsy and modern. The harmonies lull like lullabies, then jolt as if shot through jumper cables.

CLUB PASSIM

Tripping Lily is one of the most fun and exciting new bands coming through the scene right now.

WUMB FOLKWAVES

Boston Folk Radio

WUMB has consistently helped young or up and coming local artists get airplay and recognition. Some of them have become or on the way to becoming- household names such as Lori McKenna or Josh Ritter. Another good example is a group from Cape Cod called Tripping Lily. They released their first CD in November. Within several weeks they hit the Number Three spot on the list of most played songs on WUMB for that week.

(Tripping Lily “For Five Years or More” number 1 on WUMB Top TEN Playlist Airplay.)

THE JOURNAL NEWS

Band with Mount Kisco roots plays Armonk

By SAMANTHA SPECTOR
(Original Publication: March 16, 2007)

Tripping Lily, the quartet - three of whom are barely of out college - make the kind of music most artists shy away from. The name of the band gets it just right: from jazz-inspired folk to bluesy traditional melodies, the songs off their first album, the live-recorded "Couch Sessions," literally trip through the genres.

"We found people were coming up to us after the shows and asking what kind of music we play," says Demetrius Becrelius, who plays guitar, mandolin and bouzouki (a member of the mandolin family) for the band. "This was pre-name, of course. And we'd say, "Well, you tell us." And we heard the same term over and over again - that we trip over different genres - so we ended up using it in the name.

"The reason that it fits us so well is that we really do trip. Not to the point that you can't recognize what the music is and what it falls under, but we capture a really large bracket. We also have the James Taylor and other artist influences that come through, but really we combine everything to make it our own."

The anomaly of Tripping Lily doesn't end at the music. Although they remain unsigned, "Five Years Or More," one of the tracks from the album, has been number one on WUMB 91.9 and is in regular rotation on various other stations throughout Massachusetts.

"We recorded the first album by ourselves," says Monica Rizzio, who plays fiddle and sings in the band.

"We are definitely going to do another album, probably with that same live feel again. We weren't capturing the sound we create [in a regular recording studio] because our music is so physical and interactive that it's hard to do on a multi-track recording."

Tripping Lily - whose other members include Becrelius' brother, Alex (mandolin/guitar/vocals) and string bassist Laird Boles - will bring their high-energy set to The Hillside Church in Armonk tonight. The show is somewhat of a homecoming for Rizzio, who grew up in Chappaqua and attended Fox Lane High School in Mount Kisco.

The intimate setting suits the band's own performance philosophy perfectly.

"We try to separate the gap that seems to be between the audience and the stage," says Demetrius. "There's always that fine line between the way we would act around our own house or family and now we try to keep that feeling and bring it onstage.

"If Alex does something to humor me or bother me, I don't wait until I get offstage to bring it up. We take the opportunity to play into that and invite the audience into it. It seems to work for us because it relaxes us. We get compliments on the music but a lot of people seem to appreciate the formula. It feels good to hear that the fans feel comfortable when we perform."

Adds his brother: "We have a responsibility to be entertaining but also send them home feeling like they know you, not just musically. We try to talk to as many people after the show as possible"

Tripping Lily bring the same mentality to the music they perform. Inspiration for music can come at any time to the members of the band and none of them seem to try to stop the process.

"We each write our own songs and each lyric is individual," says Alex. "The person singing is the one who wrote it but we collectively get together and put the music together."

Demetrius jumps in: "We kind of look around. Part of the song may be about me or I might write it about someone else. We take different pieces and try to make sense of something though our songs. 'Nothing Goes Right,' [a track off of "The Couch Sessions"] was written by Alex and is completely fiction, but it also was inspired by a movie and other things surrounding him."

The band also draw on a host of musicians for inspiration when writing their original music. Their influences range from James Taylor and The Police to traditional jazz and Celtic tunes.

"I listen to a lot of music," says Demetrius. "A lot of jazz. Laird is a real jazz musician and shares it with us. Some of the newer stuff that we haven't recorded seems to be a little more positive, more upbeat. I hear more swing in there, with a little rock and pop in it as well.

WOMR- Bradford Street Bluegrass Radio Hour

Tripping Lily’s sound is cutting edge: soothing sounds with outstanding vocals and an almost magical blend of acoustic instruments,” Jim Hughes DJ and host of WOMR, 92.1 said. “They have a sound and style that will appeal to all types of musical tastes, a band with many good things in store for them in the future.

Brunkalla Violins

Martin Brunkalla

When you roll jazz, Celtic, bluegrass, pop, folk (and more) all into one, add some solid acoustic rhythm, refreshingly creative harmonies, and polished musicianship, you have Tripping Lily,” Martin Brunkalla owner of Brunkalla Violins.

Nameless Coffeehouse

Maureen LeBlance, Nameless Coffeehouse

Sure-fire musicianship and smart, incisive lyrics give

Tripping Lily their breezy yet complex style. Multi-instrumentalists

Monica Rizzio, Demetrius and Alex Becrelis, and bassist, Laird

Boles, have honed a distinctive, memorable sound!

~ Maureen LeBlanc, Nameless Coffeehouse, Cambridge, MA

Artist’s websites:

http://www.trippinglily.com

http://www.myspace.com/trippinglily

Date: Saturday, May 3, 2008

Doors: 7:30pm

Concert: 8:00pm

Suggested minimum donation: $15, + $1 LG House preservation fee.

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason.

Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lots located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away and the Mellon bank, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

NOTLOB PARLOR CONCERTS

AT THE LORING-GREENOUGH HOUSE PRESENTS

HUNGRYTOWN

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Notlob Parlor Concerts are presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

Notlob’s twenty fourth production of the 2007-2008 season is HUNGRYTOWN, the award-winning songwriting team of Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson. Married since 1994, Rebecca and Ken have toured thousands of miles over the last few years, earning their keep playing gigs throughout the United States and Europe. Their music has been greatly enriched by the places they've traveled, as evidenced by the broad range of styles on this album, which brings together bluegrass, classic country and soul, Celtic folk, old-time balladry and retro pop styles.

Rebecca Hall, who has a knack for penning tunes that sound like time-tested classics, wrote most of the songs on the album. She has been dubbed "a new folk classicist" by the Boston Herald, and her composition “Hungrytown Road” won second prize at the Minnesota Folk Festival's New Folk Songwriting Contest in 2005. That same year, legendary Nashville songsmith David Olney, who has written for Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris and Linda Rondstadt, included his version of Rebecca’s “O Lord” on his highly-acclaimed 2005 release, Migration. Her clear, haunting alto has prompted Roger McGuinn to rave, “I love the sound of Rebecca Hall’s voice. There’s a sweetness, and a worldly wisdom, in perfect balance.”

Ken plays multiple instruments, including drums, B3 organ, harmonica, bass and guitar as well as harmonizing in the duo’s elaborate vocal arrangements. His distinctive production style is the result of an eclectic musical education, performing in countless garage, soul and 60s-style pop bands in New York City and elsewhere. The result is no purist folk album, but a recording that demonstrates a reverence for American songcraft spanning many shades and decades. Lately, Rebecca and Ken have been combining their writing talents, and their co-written ballad, "Lucille, Lucille," won third prize at the Great Waters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest in 2007.

Hungrytown was recorded in 2007 up and down the east coast, between gigs, by way of their mobile studio, Song Catcher Recording, recalling the semi-fictionalized film about musical folklorist, Olive Dame Campbell. Rebecca and Ken believe in bringing the studio to the musician, and as a result, the album’s recording spaces include a converted barn in New York’s Catskills, a double-wide in the Blue Ridge mountains of central Virginia, and an old brick and wood meeting house on a Vermont hillside. Among the many guest players on Hungrytown are Michael Merenda and Ruth Ungar Merenda (banjo and fiddle), who comprise the core of the celebrated folk supergroup, the Mammals, as well as Zack Deming (banjo), Charles Frazier (guitar), Donnie Shifflett (bass) and Jeff Vogelgesang (guitar and mandolin), who make up one of the south’s top bluegrass bands, the Virginia Ramblers.

Rebecca and Ken tour the country in the famous Blue Meanie. This remarkable, fuel efficient, solar paneled and, well, blue customized camper van was designed by Ken to serve as a fully-equipped, four-season home, office, studio and Conestoga wagon for their instruments and sound system–-all in under 22 feet! When they're not kicking up dust, Rebecca & Ken live in a remote cottage deep in the hills of southern Vermont.

"Hungrytown is American folk music at its zenith....retro yet shiny and new, like a freshly minted copper penny. If you’ve been craving folk music of substance, head off to Hungrytown."

Rachelle Nones - Feminist Review

"On this self-titled debut release, the band’s lauded songwriting strength is evident. Folky balladry, upbeat country, bluegrass and even a bit of rock ’n’ roll are all featured on the album. This eclecticism serves the band well and gives the production an engaging dynamic. Hungrytown recalls a number of performances past and present — shades of Judee Sill, Emmylou Harris, Neko Case and The Byrds....It is both haunting and pleasant, delicate yet arresting. Hall and Anderson have cultivated a wonderful musical rapport that will endear them to many as they continue to tour and record."

Herb van der Poll - Seven Days (Burlington, VT)

"Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, better known as Hungrytown, have combined a personal and professional relationship for more than 14 years. They’ve also traveled thousands of miles not only across America but overseas, and become one of the more celebrated acoustic duos in the country. The 12-song disc features Hall’s soothing, enticing alto on several haunting, superbly performed numbers like “One Morning in May,” “Rose Or the Briar,” “Every Day,” “Solid Ground” and “On The Other Side....[and] spotlights the sweeping harmonies and close musical ties between Hall and Anderson, plus Anderson’s impressive command of numerous instruments."

Ron Wynn - Nashville City Paper

Hungrytown is the husband and wife duo of singers and multi-instrumentalists Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson. Like the fantastic folk updaters of the late 1960s/early 1970s Pentangle and Fairport Convention, they create new but ancient-sounding deceptively simple masterpieces that include carefully chosen modern elements. Hall’s voice, as clear and beautifully suited to this plainspoken music as Joan Baez and Judy Collins were in the 1960s (and all decades since) or Karen Carpenter in the 1970s, is also a remarkable blend.

Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

"Honest-to-goodness, down-home folk songs with an authentic old-time flair. Cast with fiddles, mandolins, banjos, bluegrass, and balladry, [Hungrytown's] self-titled debut boasts a rustic back porch feel that evokes the sounds of traditional Americana....the couple sows organic authenticity at every opportunity."

Lee Zimmerman - Miami New Times

"Hungrytown is the husband-and-wife duo of Ken Anderson and Rebecca Hall, who tour the country in a converted bus that also serves as a mobile recording studio. So it's no wonder that a rural Everywhere is the setting for many of the songs on this album. These songs speak of Home and mean so many places....Rebecca and Ken's songs are well-composed and feel as if they could belong to an earlier generation. Thus, Hungrytown is a beautifully simple album; sparse production allows the instruments and clear, sweet voices to speak for themselves."

Rebecca Lay - Signature Sounds

"This accomplished duo's style is their own, with beautiful harmonies and wonderful arrangements expertly played. Rebecca's outstanding vocals are strongly supported by Ken's fine musicianship."

Gotfolk.com

“I love the sound of Rebecca Hall's voice. There's a sweetness and a worldly wisdom, in perfect balance.”

Roger McGuinn

We've been told that this is a terrific review.

Hatena Diary (Jan 19, 2008)

"Rebecca Hall is a true rarity: a new folk classicist."

Boston Herald

“Rebecca Hall claims inspirations ranging from Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music to alt-country and Nick Drake. Her second album spotlights her superb songwriting craft and does honor to her varied influences.”

Sing Out!

“New York neo-folk ballad singer and writer Rebecca Hall has been winning compliments from fellow musicians Laura Cantrell and even Roger McGuinn for her updated take on mid-to-late 1960s pop/folk sounds. Sunday Afternoon, her second album, recalls in style the acoustic guitar and string arrangements heard first on Judy Collins' In My Life, then on lusher turns from Leonard Cohen, and on Brit folk-rock productions from Joe Boyd.”

Barry Mazor - No Depression

"Rebecca's songs are straightforward without being simplistic. They have depth and maturity without pretentiousness.They have an innocent quality that is without any of the usual moralistic posing. In her songwriting and in her performance of those songs, Rebecca maintains a perfect balance of art and artlessness.”

David Olney

"Rebecca Hall presents one of the most enjoyable vocal performances that we have ever heard here at Roots Music Report. Her style is smooth and warm and she presents the songs she wrote with such grace and style that her emotions seem to just pour from each track. Sunday Afternoon is no run of the mill release, this album is very compelling."

Roots Music Report

“It is the story-telling that is the main attraction, as well as the delicate accompaniments and Rebecca's sweet, contemplative, lonesome tones. ‘Sunday Afternoon' would make a welcome addition to any record collection, but especially one with the likes of Nick Drake, Alex Chilton or early Byrds records in it; a special artist who deserves a lot more attention.”

Mark Phillips - Americana-uk.com

Hall and Anderson are a traveling duo based in Vermont. They bill themselves as “retro folk,” and with their impeccable turtlenecks, thick-rimmed glasses, and vintage equipment, it’s clear they enjoy looking the part. But doll it up however you want–this pair makes some amazing music. Hall’s voice lilts from hallowed to twangy and back again. Anderson plays harmonica while plucking an electric bass that sounds more like a stand-up, and frequently offers backup harmonies that make the songs even more verdant. They’re impressively well-read in folk literature, to the point that Hall’s murder ballads and sing-alongs sound like they could have been handed down by a generation or three.

Dan Barry - Hartford Advocate

“Hall has created songs that sound timeworn and classic straight off the page. . . . What makes songs traditional, is how well they resonate with the listener. Each song on this album hits that resonance perfectly. These are songs that beg to be learned by heart, hummed during the chores and passed on through families. In sorrow or exaltation, Hall's clear voice carries an almost spiritual clarity that still leaves room for the songs to be shaped by other voices. Classic and unique Rebecca Hall Sings! promises to become a tradition in its own right.”

Sarah Meador - Rambles

“Rebecca Hall's songs are uncannily like the timeless traditional songs that inspire her. Indeed, Hall's debut brings to mind recordings of the late-‘50s and early-‘60s, with its spare, heart-felt simplicity.”

- Sing Out!

“Delicately brooding and filled with muted passion, Sunday Afternoon showcases an accomplished singer-songwriter and an impeccable arranger/producer doing what comes naturally. The result is a durable testament to the power of a good song.”

Casey Rea - Seven Days

“How refreshing it is to find an artist who still believes in the power and beauty of a well-written song, and who puts total focus into making that song as effective as possible. Rebecca Hall is that kind of an artist."

Michael Lynch - Fufkin.com

There's always a tinge of uncertainty when a great traditional performer begins to develop on her own work. In the case of Rebecca Hall's Sunday Afternoon, that uncertainty vanishes in the bright perceptions of the opening "Come Around," to be replaced with a new doubt. It's hard to believe these are modern songs; it seems more plausible that they are traditional classics that have somehow never been heard before. . . .Few artists ever create songs that might reasonably survive beyond their own memory. Not a track on Sunday Afternoon couldn't survive on its own."

Sarah Meador - Rambles

“With but two exceptions, all of ‘Sunday Afternoon’ is penned by Hall herself, though they all sound as though they’ve been fermenting in a lost Woody Guthrie notebook, or one mislaid by Davey Graham. . . . Hall understands folk, while her singular voice is surely on loan from an Archangel.”

Gillian Nash - Logo

“. . . I settled back to listen. Within twenty minutes, I had visited a Greenwich Village folk club in 1964, a Virginian mountain shack porch and a Tennessee speakeasy, transported by the purity and simplicity of Rebecca Hall's glorious and haunting traditional American sound.”

Tom Sheriff - Comes With a Smile

Artists: HUNGRYTOWN

Artists’ websites:

http://hungrytown.net

http://www.myspace.com/winslowhealthandhygieneseries

Date: Saturday, April 19, 2008

Doors: 7:00pm

Concert: 7:30pm

Suggested minimum donation: $12.50 at the door ($10 if reservation is made at least 24 hours in advance).

Notlob website: http://notlobmusic.googlepages.com

Artist information: http://www.myspace.com/notlobparlorconcerts

Reservations: As seating is limited to 40, reservations are recommended. Email notlobmusic@gmail.com Reservations expire 15 minutes before concert time, when unclaimed seats will be released to walk-ins.

Venue & accessibility: Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, the large yellow house at the intersection of Centre and South Streets, across the street from the Civil War monument. Handicap accessible; call 617-524-3158 for more information. Please do not call the venue for any other reason.

Directions: http://www.lghouse.org/information.htm

Parking: The Loring-Greenough House lot holds 12 cars, gates are closed when full. Parking is also available on the street and in the public lots located behind Blanchard’s liquors, one block away and the Mellon bank, two blocks away.

MBTA: Take #39 bus from either Back Bay Station or Forest Hills Station to the Monument stop, directly in front of the Loring-Greenough House, at the intersections of Centre and South Streets.

Dining: There are several fine restaurants on Centre Street within 2-3 blocks, with on street parking and a large public parking lot behind Blanchard’s. At Centre Street Café – http://www.centrestcafe.com/ - (669A Centre Street, 617-524-9217), show proof of your reservation and get 10% off. More information at http://groups.google.com/group/notlobmusic/web/centre-street-cafe-becomes-a-notlob-restaurant-partner

Coffee, tea, water and pastries are available for a donation.

Presented at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130. Built in 1760, the venue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and has been an historic house museum since 1926. Its beautiful period decor and intimate size make it an ideal setting for acoustic music.

FEATURE – CHRIS MERENDA

Chris follows brother Mike and sister-in-law Ruthy Ungar Merenda, who appeared at Notlob Parlor Concerts in June, 2007. Just like family!

Chris Merenda got his start in the music business in 1993 as a drummer/vocalist in New England's most well hung Ska band, Skarotum. The band found success in the Northeast playing with Ska favorites, The Toasters and Burning Spear – along with personal favorites such as Bim Skala Bim and The Pilfers. Then in 1996 Merenda founded Chewbacca, a garage rock band comprised of only two other fellow Skarotum members, and it acted as a formative vehicle for Chris to exercise his songwriting/guitar playing/band fronting abilities. As he evolved, so did the band, and eventually it would come to be comprised of its current members and be renamed Chewy by late 1998. Chewy went on a tear for the better part of the following five years (chewyrocks.com) producing two potent releases: the Super Spin Punch EP (1999) and the full length Chew thousand Chew (2002). Eventually the band came to a point where a hiatus was required for a brief time though. In the interim, Merenda continued maturing as a songwriter and musician as he produced two impressively diverse solo records, The Regimen in 2003 - and more recently – Hello Freedom in 2005, both featuring his expanded musicality and broadened palette influenced from concurrently touring as the drummer for "subversive acoustic traditionalists..." The Mammals during the same timeframe. Touring with The Mammals since 2004, Merenda won the opportunity to share his unique music with audiences around the country and also had the benefit of being a band member of not only the Mammals, but of Arlo Guthrie’s backup band during the Alices Restaurant 40th anniversary Masacree Tour. He played in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and enjoyed opening for musical icons such as Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos, and Nickel Creek. As Merenda wound down the remainder of the Mammals 2007 tour schedule this summer, he looked to the future in working on new Chewy demos and a new solo record. Select Chewy and Chris Merenda shows are planned for the Winter of ’08. The rest is yet to occur… stay close.

CO-FEATURE – ADAM SWEENEY

Adam is a Notlob Parlor Concert veteran, having participated in the August, 2007 Dave Carter Tribute.

"Adam Sweeney is a promsing young folksinger... he combines intricate acoustic guitar hooks with powerful lyric storytelling."
--Passim, January 2007

"Drawing comparisons to Dave Carter and Gillian Welch, as well as folk revival poets like Paul Simon and Cat Stevens."
--Northeast Performer, November 2006

"Adam Sweeney is one of the more talented young west coast songwriters."
--Tom May, River City Folk, WFMT Fine Arts Radio

"Adam Sweeney's sincere songwriting mixes impressionistic imagery, religious iconography and the kind of strikingly personal observations that seem lifted from a letter to a friend. That lyrical blend is delivered through appealing melodies and expressive singing, with a hint of grain to it that sometimes suggests a violin bow drawn tenderly over his vocal cords."
--Willamette Week (Portland, OR)

"A true folksinger... he weaves his words together telling stories of the times."
--The Southeast Examiner (Portland, OR)

"Great voice! Powerful, provocative."