Music

Music section

Bandwagon Summer Series Kicks Off with High-Energy Global Grooves from Shokazoba and Zikina – May 24 at Putney Inn Field

by hahrenholz | Music

PUTNEY, VT — The Bandwagon Summer Series returns with a powerful opening night on Saturday, May 24 at 6:00pm at the scenic Putney Inn Field (57 Putney Landing Road), featuring two powerhouse bands that promise to get audiences dancing, connecting, and celebrating: Shokazoba and Zikina.

Presented by Next Stage Arts, the Bandwagon Series brings music and community together all summer long at outdoor venues across southern Vermont. This year’s season launches with a global, groove-rich evening that blends afrobeat, funk, East African rhythms, and soul-lifting dance music.

Pamyua to Perform at Next Stage Arts in Putney on May 3, 2025

by hahrenholz | Music

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, acclaimed Inuit music and dance group Pamyua will take the stage at Next Stage Arts for a special performance at 7:30pm. The quartet, known for blending traditional Inuit melodies with contemporary R&B vocals, promises an unforgettable evening of cultural celebration and music that transcends boundaries.

Founded in 1995 by brothers Phillip and Stephen Blanchett, Pamyua has grown into a world-renowned ensemble that seamlessly blends the soulful rhythms of Inuit drum and dance with modern vocal arrangements. Over the years, the group has traveled the world, sharing their unique sound and Indigenous knowledge through music, song, and dance. With a commitment to cultural preservation and celebration, Pamyua’s performances honor their Alaskan roots while embracing modern influences.

Stephane Wrembel, the “Living Face of Gypsy Jazz,” to Perform at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents Stephane Wrembel, the “living face of Gypsy jazz,” at Next Stage on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 pm. 

Stephane Wrembel stands as one of the world’s most celebrated guitarists. Originally from Fontainebleau, France, Wrembel is renowned for his masterful blend of jazz, gypsy swing, and world music, enchanting audiences worldwide with his distinctive sound.

Persian Kamancheh Player Mehrnam Rastegari Returns to Putney

by hahrenholz | Music

Virtuoso Kamancheh player Mehrnam Rastegari, who opened last year’s Bandwagon summer series with retro-Mediterranean surf ensemble Habbina Habbina, returns to Putney on Friday, April 18 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage. Tickets are $20 Advance / $25 At the Door / $10 Livestream.

Mehrnam Rastegari is a distinguished Persian musician, award-winning film score composer, singer, violinist, and virtuoso Kamancheh player. Renowned for pushing the boundaries of Persian music, she blends traditional sounds with rock and modern fusion elements, offering fresh interpretations that resonate with global audiences. Her innovative approach to Persian microtonal music aims to bridge the gap between tradition and contemporary styles, capturing the attention of listeners worldwide.

Mike Block Trio: A Fusion of American Roots, Classical, and Contemporary Music at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

The Mike Block Trio will perform live at Next Stage Arts on Saturday, April 5, at 7:30 pm, bringing their unique blend of American roots music and contemporary international influences to the stage. The trio, led by the pioneering cello player, singer, and composer Mike Block, will feature the virtuosic talents of Joe K. Walsh on mandolin/vocals and Zachariah Hickman on bass/vocals. The performance will take place at 15 Kimball Hill in Putney, with tickets available in advance for $20, $25 at the door, or $10 for the livestream.

Nani Brings Her Powerful Ladino Music to Putney for a One-Night-Only Performance

by hahrenholz | Music

Nani, the world’s first millennial Ladino songwriter, will bring her distinctive fusion of Flamenco drama, world music, and the endangered Ladino language to Putney for an unforgettable concert at Next Stage Arts on Friday, March 28 at 7:30 pm.

With a ship’s-horn powerful voice and an irresistible stage presence, Nani defends and revitalizes Ladino, the ancient language of the Sephardic Jews, which she learned from her Moroccan grandmother in hiding. Her music, which blends the sounds of the marketplace with socially poignant lyrics, celebrates migration, gender, and female empowerment. Nani’s unique soundscape captures the essence of the Mediterranean through raw, flamenco-like vocals, mariachi guitar, choral trombone, and a rich combination of piano and percussion.

Song for Homeless People in Vermont

by Cris Ericson | Music

(Town Meeting Day is March 4th, will homeless people attend?)

Song for Homeless People in Vermont, by Cris Ericson (C)(P) 2025

I never believed you would be sleeping
on a park bench at night
but you lost your job and couldn’t pay rent
and shelter beds were full that night.

Sol y Canto and The Soubrettes Set to Perform at Next Stage Arts on March 15th

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts is thrilled to present a special evening of live music on Saturday, March 15, 2025, featuring two dynamic and highly acclaimed musical groups: Sol y Canto and The Soubrettes. The concert will take place at Next Stage Arts, 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT, starting at 7:30 PM.

Tickets are available now:
$22 in advance / $25 at the door / $10 for livestream access.

Sol y Canto: A Celebration of Pan-Latin Sound

Sol y Canto is an award-winning, Pan-Latin ensemble led by Rosi Amador (Puerto Rican/Argentine singer and percussionist) and Brian Amador (New Mexican guitarist, singer, and composer). For over 30 years, this innovative duo has brought Latin rhythms, soulful vocals, and evocative lyrics to audiences across the country and beyond.

Putney Community Song-Along at Next Stage Arts – A Night of Music and Celebration

by hahrenholz | Music

Get ready to sing your heart out at the Putney Community Song-Along on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 7:15 PM at Next Stage Arts in Putney, VT. This fun-filled evening of music is part of the March Putney Community Supper and invites everyone to join in for a lively sing-along experience!

Led by local musician Rich Grumbine, the song circle will feature a wide variety of well-known tunes, ranging from folk and gospel to Beatles hits, golden oldies, classic pop and rock, children’s songs, and even show tunes. With over 100 songs in the digital songbook, audience members will take turns choosing their favorites, and the lyrics will be projected on a screen so everyone can sing along.

Sons Of Town Hall and Alice Howe & Freebo at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present folk music duos Sons Of Town Hall and Alice Howe & Freebo on Friday, March 7 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage.

Sons of Town Hall, the transatlantic folk duo of American songwriter/author David Berkeley and British songwriter/producer Ben Parker, is creating an entirely new performance genre. Part live concept album, part performance art, they conjure their timeless mythic universe under the aliases Josiah Chester Jones and George Ulysses Brown, 19th-century vagabonds who travel the world in a hand-built boat to escape troubled pasts and search for adventure and love. Designed as a live companion experience to their gorgeous radio-theater podcast “Madmen Cross The Water,” The Sons weave their wild and hilarious stories between their heartbreaking and rousing songs, taking audiences on a deeply imaginative trip every show. Both the Sons of Town Hall concert and the podcast offer escapes from the everyday, temporary relief from the woes of the modern world. Listeners and concertgoers alike are left transfixed and transformed, in awe of Sons of Town Hall’s harmonies, and drunk on adventure and the tragic beauty of the human condition.

Vermont Slide Guitarist Joel Veena Releases New Album CARDINAL

by ragajoel | Music

Joel “Veena” Eisenkramer has released his latest album of original and traditional music played on the 20 stringed Hindustani slide guitar on February 7 on his website, JoelVeena.com, and through Bandcamp. “CARDINAL is a sonic journey I designed to be listened to from beginning to end. I’m inspired by the popular albums of my youth and I think it’s meaningful to try placing traditional music in new contexts that new listeners can relate to.” says Eisenkramer.

Featuring 8 original tracks (plus one bonus track for those who purchase online), CARDINAL is a self-produced labor of love several years in the making. It opens with a sung poem and then launches into Eisenkramer’s original fusion track ´Resistance´, which melds the Indian slide guitar with electronic drums and deep bass. From there, listeners are taken through original music composed within the traditional idiom of North Indian raga progressing towards a full, multiple movement treatment of the traditional evening raga Bageshree. Eventually wrapping up with a Hindi version of the opening poem, composed and performed by Eisenkramer’s spouse, cultural arts curator Vidhi Salla.

Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards, plus Emily Margaret at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present roots music trio Laura Cortese & The Dance Cards, plus singer/songwriter Emily Margaret, on Friday, February 28 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage.

Laura Cortese is a prolific songwriter, vocalist, and fiddler who artfully blends American roots music with indie, electronic grooves, and pop powerhouse vocals – all the while appealing to a broad audience from millennials to seasoned folkies. Along with Laura, Valerie Thompson and Isa Burke feature a nearly symphonic hybrid of countless traditions and influences, full of rich interplays of virtuosic string instrumentation. Drawing upon their combined decades of experience in a rich variety of styles, the trio uplifts songs with orchestral string arrangements and layered vocal harmonies.

Glen David Andrews Dance Party Coming to Putney: A Night of Explosive New Orleans Funk and Soul

by hahrenholz | Music

The vibrant sounds of New Orleans are coming to Putney this Valentine’s Day! Glen David Andrews, a native son of the legendary Treme neighborhood, will bring his electrifying performance to Next Stage Arts on Friday, February 14th at 7:30 pm. Known for his commanding voice, fierce trombone sound, and unforgettable stage presence, Andrews will light up the night with a powerful blend of jazz, funk, gospel, and rock that will have you dancing in the aisles.

With a career that spans across genres and continents, Andrews has earned his reputation as one of New Orleans’ most dynamic musical forces. Whether collaborating with iconic acts like Galactic, Trombone Shorty, Rebirth Brass Band, and Allen Toussaint, or headlining major festivals like the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Andrews’ music transcends boundaries and captures the heart and soul of New Orleans culture. Expect a high-energy, feel-good show that blends explosive brass sounds, soul-stirring grooves, and the infectious energy that only a true New Orleans legend can bring.

É.T.É and Yann Falquet with Emily Troll and Eric Boodman at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present an evening of Québécois music from Canada and the US by two trios – É.T.É and Yann Falquet with Emily Troll and Eric Boodman – on Saturday, February 8 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage.

É.T.É transforms the nostalgia of a kitchen party into an unforgettable concert experience that celebrates the joie de vivre of Québécois culture. With soaring vocal harmonies, a deep groove, step-dancing, and rich instrumentation, the trio creates their own trad universe with original compositions and unique arrangements of Québécois and Acadian repertoire. Since winning the OPUS prize for “Discovery of the Year 2017-2018,” Élisabeth Moquin (fiddle, step-dancing, vocals), Thierry Clouette (bouzouki, podorythmie, vocals), and Élisabeth Giroux (cello, vocals), have shared their original, lively take on Québec traditional music with audiences worldwide.

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present New England’s acclaimed folk/roots quartet Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem at Next Stage on Saturday, February 1 at 7:30 pm.

Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem feature 4-part vocal harmonies, indelible songs, fiddle, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, and a homemade percussion kit of cardboard boxes, tin cans, caulk tubes, packing-tape tambourines, bottle-cap rattles, Mongolian jaw harps, and a vinyl suitcase. Over the past 20 years, the quartet has toured its uplifting, healing performances to concert halls, festivals, and residency engagements across North America, and has released seven CDs on Signature Sounds. From the Newport Folk Festival to California World Music Festival and beyond, this band’s steadfast brew of wit, camaraderie, and musicality leaves audiences everywhere humming and hopeful, spirits renewed.

New Music for the New Year – OH NO

by cgrotke | Music
OH NO cover

Greetings! I thought I’d share a new local musical project with you – my new solo EP called “OH NO” is now available.

It’s not for all ears, of course, but if you like quirky, funky, dance-y music, protest funk, and satirical commentary on the present times this just might be what you are looking for to lift your day.  Or 18 minutes of it, at least. 

Firas Zreik Performs Original Compositions in the Arabic Maqam Tradition at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents a concert of original compositions in the Arabic Maqam tradition, featuring Kanun player Firas Zreik on Saturday, January 25 at 7:30 pm.

Kanun player and composer Firas Zreik has transformed global perception of the Kanun (Mediterranean harp). His treatment of the instrument preserves its identity as a vital part of the Maqam tradition, and stretches its potential as a cultural chameleon enhancing a range of fresh, evolving sounds. The Palestine-born New Yorker views the Maqam’s improvisation-driven legacy as a vessel for unbound creative expression across musical styles. His nuanced approach translates the Kanun’s resonant depth of emotion, with a mastery of microtonal soundscaping. In live performance, Zreik conjures a complexity of emotion that shape-shifts throughout his sets. He enters fragile places and sits inside them. This commitment to stark exploration has sent him around the world, performing at storied venues, intimate clubs and international festivals.

The Gaslight Tinkers – Dance Party at Next Stage

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present a dance party with roots and world music quintet The Gaslight Tinkers at Next Stage on Friday, January 24 at 7:30 pm. Blending African, Caribbean, Funk, Reggae, and Latin grooves with traditional fiddle music, the quintet creates the genre-bending future of the music of the past.

The Gaslight Tinkers’ mix of global rhythms creates a joyous world beat sound around a core of traditional New England old time and celtic fiddle music, merging boundless positive energy with melody and song. Drawing from their extensive musical backgrounds in traditional folk, Caribbean, old time, Celtic, and rock, I-Shea, Clara, Garrett, Elie, and Peter craft a sound that brings world traditions together.

Cellist Mike Block & Kora Player Yacouba Sissoko at Next Stage Arts

by hahrenholz | Music

Next Stage Arts presents a special duo collaboration between cellist Mike Block and master kora player Yacouba Sissoko on Saturday, January 18 at 7:30 pm at Next Stage.

Mike Block is a Grammy-winning multi-style cello player, composer, singer, and educator, with a passion for cross-cultural collaborations. Hailed as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene” by Gramophone, he was acclaimed by the New York Times for his “vital rich-hued solo playing”, and “a true artist… a sight to behold” by Salt Lake City Deseret News. In addition to his solo performances and touring bands, since 2005 Mike has been a member of the Silk Road Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma, with which he has been featured as a cello and vocal soloist, contributed arrangements and compositions, and earned a 2017 Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album.