Culture

When vocalist Karrin Allyson steps to the microphone, you can’t predict what style or language she’ll be performing in. The best part is, it doesn’t matter.

Allyson is referred to as a jazz vocalist, and has climbed to the pinnacle of the genre since recording her debut album, I Didn’t Know About You, in 1992. She is now regarded among the top vocalists in jazz. Releasing her 13th album last year, Allyson has put together a career that has brought her to top stages around the world, performing at major jazz festivals in Brazil, Japan, Australia and Europe, as well as the most legendary venues in the United States, including regular appearances at New York’s Blue Note and Birdland. Along the way, Allyson has garnered four Grammy Award nominations, most recently for her 2012 album ‘Round Midnight.

Twilight Music presents Pennsylvania-based, acoustic folk trio The Stray Birds, plus traditional singer/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Keith Murphy at Hooker-Dunham Theater & Gallery on Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 pm.

When The Stray Birds take the stage, the spotlight falls on three voices raised in harmony above the raw resonance of wood and strings. It is a sound drawn from the richness of American folk music traditions, spun with a stirring subtlety and grace. Maya de Vitry, Oliver Craven and Charles Muench’s performances speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs and their embrace of the experience of live music. Reveling in the energy of each room, a connection to the audience is the essence of their show. 


Last weekend’s performance was the Who from 1970, when they were in the midst of a run of highly successful albums that included Tommy (’69), Who’s Next (’71) and Quadrophenia (’73).

By 1977, the year before this weekend’s concert takes place the Who’s formidable energies were tied up in legal wrangling over royalties.

Finally, one night in March of that year Pete Townsend, the group’s guitarist and principal song writer and in this instance, negotiator walked out of an 11 hour meeting with a seven figure check in his hand.

He headed to a bar called the Speakeasy where a couple of his protégés were playing (John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett). He got drunk on only two shots of whiskey.

On Wednesday, March 20th at 7:00 pm, Kurn Hattin Homes for Children welcomes the public to attend its 21st Annual Choral Invitational. The event is in celebration of “Music in Our Schools Month” and will feature performances from seven area choral groups and conclude with an audience sing-along of “America, The Beautiful.” Kurn Hattin Co-executive Director, Tom Fahner, will be Master of Ceremonies.