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9 February 2008, 3-5 p.m., Closing Event (tea & coffee): "Be a Villen" at The Nave
Exhibit page
Join us for tea, coffee and desserts. FREE.

24 February-21 March 2008, "Ghost Town Planet" at The Nave
Exhibit page
An installation at the Nave Gallery curated by Martha Friend and Marcella Ann Stasa featuring the work of: Andrew Child, Martha Friend, Alice Grossman, Michael Guertin, Erik Hansen, Gretjen Helene Hargesheimer, Connie Johnson, Adam Scott Miller, Leah Oates, Janie Owen, Thea Paneth, Eli Sidman, Marcella Anna Stasa, Carolyn Wirth, James Zall.

Ghost Town Planet, an installation at the Nave Gallery in Somerville, is a walk-through environment of our mother planet in a process of transformation. Life forms die and decay, creating sustenance for future generations. Civilizations fall, and others emerge slowly over time. Ruination lays bare the underlying structures of a limitless variety of life forms from the animal and plant kingdoms. Ghost Town Planet reveals the remnants of lives that were slowly being swallowed by lives that will be. Nature is a powerful force that consistently through time has succumbed to death and destruction yet prevailed in its insistence on bringing forth new life again. We humans build cities, gather together in villages, create homes, join with nature, defy her, live in awe of nature’s beauty and go to great lengths to annihilate it. Out of this elemental striving and conflict there at times comes a great deal of beauty and an understanding of the ephemeral nature of life as we know it. Fifteen artists come together at the NAVE Gallery to explore ideas of ruination, decay, rebirth, and spirituality.

29 March 2008, 6-7 p.m., Video Showing: Project MUM 2007 Produced by SCAT at The Nave
Event page
Check out this free viewing of last year's dance party under McGrath Highway produced by ARTSomerville.

5 April 2008, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., Flea Market at The Nave
Multiple vendors. For sale: Gently used clothes, books, CDs, records, household items and much much more. Everything priced to sell. Special feature: Vintage dress collection & handcrafted hats by Amatul Hannan. All proceeds go to fund the Nave Gallery.

29 March-26 April 2008, 'Rites of Passage: The Mortality of Time' at The Nave
Exhibit page
This exhibition focuses on contemporary art that explores issues of aging, time, mortality and death in a variety of media. The exhibition will be held at the Nave Gallery. “Rites of Passage” is curated by Kathy Desmond and Lauren O’Neal.

26 April 2008, 7 p.m., Jason Anderson and The Best, The Divorced, Math the Band and Hello Shark at The Nave
Jason Anderson • The Divorced • Math the Band • Hello Shark
Four great New England acts share the stage for a great night of rock and roll!  All-ages!  $5 at the door.

27 April 2008, 3 p.m., Mystic Folk at The Nave

27 April 2008, 8 p.m., OpenSound at The Nave
OpenSound
$7 suggested donation. OpenSound presents the cutting edge in contemporary experimental music:  Bebe Beard, video; James Coleman, theremin; Joe Burgio, movement; Lou Bunk, prepared guitar; Lou Cohen, laptop computer; Walter Wright, laptop with live movement and analog synth. 

2 May 2008, 8 p.m., Celia Slattery, Allyssa Jones and Sandi Hammond: An Evening of Vocal Jazz at The Nave
Celia Slattery • Allyssa Jones • Sandi Hammond
$10 suggested donation. An event celebrating Jazzboston jazz week.

Both classic and a little off-beat, Celia Slattery's music blends pop, jazz, and folk-rock, with a dash of theatrical flair. Her expressive voice is framed by Mark Shilansky's sophisticated arrangements of both originals and covers by artists like Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. In live performance, Celia weaves her music with stories and humor to share perspectives on love, hope, and the state of the world.

>Allyssa Jones was named one of Boston Magazine's "40 Bostonians to Watch" in 2002. Her belief in the movement to add new material to the Great American Songbook is the driving force behind her band's innovation and energy. Popular at both jazz and original music venues, Allyssa Jones is available for shows and promotional events wherever audiences are craving something new.

Singer/songwriter Sandi Hammond first started writing pop songs at age 11. In her late teens she graced the stages of Tanglewood, Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall while performing with several professional choral groups. Now a gifted classically trained singer/songwriter, and a fine musician on keyboards and guitar, she touches audiences with her prolific and impressive repertoire of unique melodic songs.

 

3-4 May 2008, 12-6 p.m., Somerville Open Studios at The Nave
Somerville Open Studios
Participating artists: Susanne Bartz, Seth Berkowitz, Sara Bettencourt, Sarah Dobkin, Richard Gilson, David Kelleher, Caleb King, Les Trois Artistes Sarah Dornin, Jeff Martin, Suzanne Piubeni, and Susan Rice.

3-4 May 2008, 12-6 p.m., Art Cafe at The Nave
Take a break from looking at art! Stop by the Art Cafe for an affordable snack and Equal Exchange coffee. All proceeds benefit the CHCP Building Fund.

3-4 May 2008, 12-6 p.m., MAKE ART, NOT TRASH at The Nave
Also over SOS weekend check out the FishCar parked outside the Nave by sculptor William Turville. Fully drivable, yet exotically beautiful, the FishCar reminds us to protect our fish and our water in the face of encroaching development and technological change, preserving the environment while growth continues.

3 May 2008, 12-6 p.m., Somerville Open Studios Music Festival
Tony the Bookie Orchestra • Jake Hill • Jennifer Greer • Rob Byrd • Choose to Find
This is ARTSomerville's third Music Festival for Somerville Open Studios!
The Tony the Bookie Orchestra, gospel/blues/rock; Jake Hill, singer/songwriter; Eileen Feldman, pianist, plays Hayden and Beethoven; Jennifer Greer, singer/songwriter; Rob Byrd, ambient electonic guitarist; Choose to Find, cinematic jazz/rock

4 May 2008, 1 p.m.-6 p.m., Somerville Open Studios Music Festival
Amber Spyglass • Yael Bat-Shimon • Altschuler-Caplan Duo • Bookmobile
Day 2 of ARTSomerville's third Music Festival coinciding with Somerville Open Studios! Tim Mungenast & His Preexisting Conditions with Michael Bloom and Jon Proudman, guitar rock; Amber Spyglass, electroacoustic, gothic/post punk; Yael Bat-Shimon, experimental, free style violin; The Altschuler-Caplan Duo, classical violin and guitar; Bookmobile, improvised electronic rock.

4 May 2008, 7:30 p.m., Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band: An Evening of Jazz and Circus at The Nave

Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band
$5 suggested donation. An event celebrating JazzBoston Jazz Week.  
Formed from the most talented deadbeats and drifters that could be rounded up, Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band is a group of raucous and rambunctious musicians that will honk, wail, blow, beat, bounce, scream and serenade their way into your hearts. This 11-piece ensemble plays an eclectic repertoire that combines the rich musical history of the circus and the vagabond peoples of Europe with the raw energy of avant-garde jazz and the irreverence and fun of today's Vaudeville for a sound that is somehow familiar yet like no other.

17 May 2008, 7 p.m., The Somerville Community Chorus Spring Concert
Somerville Community Chorus
Suggested contributions are: $15 for adults, $10 for active service people, veterans, seniors and students, and $5 for children under 12. Tickets available at the door. Honoring Armed Forces Day, the SCC will perform Mass in Time of War (1796) "Paukenmesse" by Franz Joseph Haydn, performed with a full orchestra.  

18 May 2008, 7 p.m., Astro Al, Harts Horn and Wisteriax at The Nave
Astro Al • Harts Horn • Wisteriax
$5 admission. A night of Psychedelic, gothic and electronic space rock meyhem with guitars, cello, and more!  

2-25 May 2008, 'Turn On A Dime' at The Nave
Exhibit page
A dime can be in your pocket today and in California tomorrow. Who canimage where else it has been? Join us for this small-change fundraiser andexhibition of work by Susan Berstler, Teresa Dovidio, Todd Fairchild,Katie Hargrave, Greer Muldowney, Erika Sidor, Martin Ulman, V VanSant, Hannah Verlin, Randy Winchester.

1 June 2008, 7 p.m., Ida and Michael Hurley at The Nave
The Critique of Pure Reason • Ida • Michael Hurley
Ida is a band from New York City. They play an idiosyncratic style of minimalist folk rock music that revolves around complex vocal harmonies and sparse (often acoustic) accompaniments. Although Ida has often been identified with labels like "slowcore" and "quietcore", they have always played songs that could be described as "kind of fast", "mid tempo", "kind of loud", and "super loud". Led by songwriters Daniel Littleton, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Karla Schickele, Ida's current lineup includes violinist Jean Cook (Jon Langford, Anti Social Music) and drummer Ruth Keating (Malarkies, Naysayer). Everyone in Ida sings and is a multi-instrumentalist. Since their start in the early nineties, Ida have released seven full length albums, several EPs and a handful of 7" singles with independent labels including Simple Machines, Dark Beloved Cloud, TigerStyle, and their current home, Polyvinyl Records.

Michael Hurley is a  legendary rambler, cartoonist , & "outsider" folk singer. His debut album, First Songs, was recorded for Folkways Records in 1965 on the same reel-to-reel machine that taped Leadbelly's Last Sessions. He had been "discovered" in '64 by blues and jazz historian Frederick Ramsey III, and subsequently championed by his friend from teenage years Jesse Colin Young. Young released his second and third albums on the Youngbloods' Warner Brothers imprint Raccoon in the early 70's. In 1975, Hurley--who'd spent much of  the prior decade living as a hobo, jumping and robbing trains and getting into trouble with the law--moved in with Peter Stampfel of The Holy Modal Rounders, thus beginning 15 years of fruitful if fitfull collaborations. His 1976 LP Have Moicy, a collaboration with the Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffrey Frederick & The Clamtones, was named "the greatest folk album of the rock era" by the Village Voice's Robert Christgau. Hurley went on to release three albums through the Rounder in the late '70's and thereafter self-released consequent releases up until finding a comfy home with Gnomonsong.

12 June-6 July 2008, 'Fanning the Flames' at The Nave
Exhibit page
Evolving Works of Somerville Arts Council Fellowship Recipients. Curated by Sandra Butler and Rachel Mello. In this unique show a small group of visual artists, dancers, filmmakers, and writers who received Somerville Arts Council Fellowship Grants in early 2007, reflect on the evolution in their work over the course of one year. Considering earlier work side-by-side with newest pieces offers the rare opportunity to look into a developing sense of process and direction in a handful of the city’s rich population of dedicated artists.

13 July 2008, 7:30 p.m., Peter Walker at The Nave
Peter Walker • Peter Walker interview with the BBC
$10. Guitarist Peter Walker came up in the Cambridge MA and Greenwich Village folk scenes of the Sixties. He recorded two albums for the Vanguard label in the late Sixties in a style best described as American folk-raga. He studied with Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan, and was Dr. Timothy Leary's musical director, organizing music for the LSD advocate's "celebrations." Peter Walker's 1967 debut album, Rainy Day Raga, features one of the first studio appearances by jazz flautist Jeremy Steig, as well as guitarist Bruce Langhorne, who recorded with Bob Dylan and many others. Rainy Day Raga is a gentle and beautiful fusion of Eastern and Western musical traditions, and one of the earliest examples of a style explored by Sandy Bull several years earlier. A second album, Second Poem to Karmela or, Gypsies Are Important (1969) found Walker going even deeper into Indian instrumentation, playing sarod and sitar. During this time, Peter played or was associated with such musicians as Lowell George, Fred Neil, Tim Hardin, and Joan Baez, among many others. Walker settled in upstate New York in the early Seventies. In more recent years, he has developed an intense interest in flamenco guitar and, through regular trips to Spain, been accepted into the flamenco's exclusive musical elite. Peter Walker just returned from a European tour.

18 July 2008, 8 p.m., Immersions: Water Music and Other Improvisations at The Nave
$5 suggested dontation. Video artist Emile Tobenfeld (a.k.a. Dr. T) performs video improvisations using multiple DVD players,, utilizing his videography, photography and animation.  Joining Dr. T for this performance is an ensemble of musicians featuring Eric Crawley on synth and harpeggi (cross between a guitar and a dulcimer). The free-flowing music and visual improvisations will explore the theme of "The Secret Knowledge of Water." Doctor T--Video Improvisation; Dean (Deknow) Stiglitz  (The Lothars)  Electro Flute; Ramona Herboldsheimer--(The Lothars)  Hammered Dulcimer; Rick Scott (Birdsongs of the Mesozoic) Synth; Eric Crawley  Harpeggi and and Synth

18-19 July 2008, 12-6 p.m., ARTBeat in Davis Square
ArtBeat
Come visit our Project MUM table on 19 July and receive a free temporary tattoo!!

27 July 2008, 7 p.m.,  Emily Smith and Synergy with Anne's Cordial at The Nave
Emily Smith and Synergy • Anne's Cordial
$8. Two Providence-based, female-fronted bands are coming to the Nave to bring you a double-bill of beautiful vocals, passionate songs and distinctive rhythm. The Emily Smith Band and Synergy--vocals, guitar and drums--blends pop and rock with world, electronic and jazz elements, and Annes Cordial--guitar, keyboard and three-part vocal harmonies--combine original folk and jazz songs with reinterpretations of blues, bossa nova and 80s New Wave hits!

2 august 2008, 7 p.m., Five Knaves at The Nave
Chinapainting • Tim Nelson • Dennis Moser • Rob Byrd
$7 suggested donation. Five musicians from literally across the Northern Hemisphere--from Maine and Massachusetts to New York and Oaxaca, Mexico--will gather to perform for an evening of musical exploration and improvisation.

Chinapainting is comprised of Daryl Shawn (Oaxaca, Mexico) and Jim Goodin (Brooklyn, NY). Goodin and Shawn collaborated online and by the Spring of 2007, had released two CDs. That August, they met in person for the first time and played several East Coast venues including Brooklyn's Center for improvised Music and The Space in Hamden, CT. They appeared on a special live radio performance on Scott Raymond's "Secret Music" braodcast on Vassar College's WVKR-FM station. Taking advantage of being together, they spent two daus recording at FlyMax Studios in Woodstock, NY, and performed as featured artists at the 6th Annual International Live Looping Festival in Santa Cruz, CA. They continue to work together online and this appearance in Boston is part of an extended tour for 2008.

Multi-instrumentalist Tim Nelson (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) is another looper who cites eclectic influences ranging from Robert Rich, Terje Rypdal, Brian Eno and Steve Tibbets to his daughter Chloe, Gyorgy Ligeti, Edgar Varese, Arvo Part, and John Coltrane, to name but a few of the many. No stranger to the Boston area, he was a featured performer at Cambridges's Zetigeist Gallery its 2003"Sonic Blender" event ... filmed as part of program that asked "Is Electronic Music the End of the Big Band?" In 1999, TIm co-founded the international, internet-based Chain Tape Collective, a group of experimental musicians who regularly release compilation CDs.

A Massachusetts newcomer, Dennis Moser, aka "usr/sbin", aka "AldoManutio Abruzzo", is proof that Texas is a cultural nation unto itself and capable of many surprises. Growing up on the Gulf Coast, studying trombone, classical guitar, and Renaissance lute, he is the epitome of a non-typical Texas musican. Transplanted to New England and switching to electric, and electronic, guitar he focuses on creating multi-layered improvised soundscapes filled with loops of rich timbres and color. He has appeared at Different Skies (September, 2006), Western New York's Looperpalooza (2007), live in the WVKR-FM studios, as part of Scott Raymond's "Secret Music" show, and at the Open Sound performances (2008).

Rob Byrd has an army, right here in Somerville, MA ... For many years guitar player Rob Byrd has been performing improvised ambient music in a wide variety of settings from the legendary CBGB’s in New York City to the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert. Fascinated by how sounds exist in time and space, he treats electric guitar with various signal processing equipment to spawn sonic pieces that are shaped by the location at which they are being performed and by the energies of those present. The aim is to create a shared experience of reflection and meditation which resonates between performer, venue, and audience, but can also be enjoyed purely on a musical level as well.

8 August 2008, 8 p.m., Jason Anderson, Strand of Oaks, and Gregg Porter at The Nave Gallery
$5. An evening of intimate, uplifting music in a truly beautiful space. Three friends, bandmates and kindred songwriters play their hearts out on this very special Friday night.

"Jason Anderson is an animal. This New Hampshire native lives on the road. He plays more than just another indie rock show. Jason preaches the gospel of rock James Brown style. He shows us the book of partying Andrew W.K. style. His band rips like Springteen's E Street Band rips. He shows us what it means to be alive. What it means to have music course through our veins. He shows us that none of us are too cool to have fun. This is OUR party! Bring your friends, bring your loved ones! Be ready to sing and dance! Believe in yourself. Believe in US!" - Joe DeGeorge of Harry and the Potters

Strand of Oaks: A Hoosier transplanted to the coal highlands of Northeast Pennsylvania, Timothy Showalter has nested in fertile musical
soil. Taking cues from luminaries such as Nebraska-Era Bruce Springsteen and a burgeoning Neil Young, Showalter extends a musical
gesture and searches to find modesty in the midst of confusion, addressing insecurities and settling existential debt with a simple
and beautiful delivery. The personification of a midwestern Grandfather's advice, his songs smack with hard truth and poignant
severity.

Totally timeless and staggeringly beautiful, the songs of Gregg Porter are at once simple, complex and enchanting. With his gorgeous high croon, Gregg sings stories and lullabyes of life, love, and the everyday. Accompanied by cello, vibraphone, banjo and piano, Porter's sound is elegant and dreamy, equally perfect as the first thing you hear when you wake up, or the last thing you hear before drifting off to sleep at the end of the day. Gregg Porter rules!

18 July-17 August 2008, 'The Secret Knowledge of Water' at The Nave
Exhibit page
The Nave Gallery presents, "The Secret Knowledge of Water," a group exhibition curated by Karl Gustafson featuring the work of local and regional artists.  The work chosen illustrates efforts of the participating artists to reveal the secret knowledge of water using wildly different media, including printmaking, photography, oil, interactive media and video. Water is painted, photographed, printed and mapped as its mysteries are explored but never fully solved. Like trying to catch water in your hands, this exhibit entices the viewer to experience the pleasure and challenge of water's many secrets.

 

24 August 2008, 3 p.m., Yael Bat-Shimon at The Nave
yael bat-shimon
$10. The Nave presents violinist Yael Bat-Shimon in a performance of her unique brand of soulful, inventive, sometimes playful improvisations (or "live compositions").  She is joined in several duo improvisations by guest guitarist Ariel Burger, who brings his own imagination and deep sensitivity to the mix.

Yael Bat-Shimon studied violin solo performance in Paris with Mme Miriam Solovieff. She received her BA from Harvard in Literature, specializing in French Feminisms. Yael pursued graduate study in violin performance and contemporary improvisation at the Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore and at the New England Conservatory in Boston. She also holds an MA in Jewish Studies from Hebrew College. Most recently, she has been creating and performing music for choreographers of modern dance as well as exploring improvisation both with musicians from non-Western traditions and with performers from different artistic media. This has led to her founding of the interdisciplinary improvisational performance group "Inter Alia."
 
Ariel Burger is a teacher, artist and musician.  He received his PhD in Theology, Jewish Thought and Social Ethics from Boston University, where he was a student and teaching assistant of Elie Wiesel.  He was taught music by his father, a guitarist and choral composer, and has performed at Carnegie Hall.  Ariel has a special affinity for improvisation, and is especially interested in what happens when different melodies and disparate rhythms intersect.  His playing can be heard on several recordings.

20 September, 8 p.m., Greg Greenway and John Flynn at The Nave
Greg Greenway • John Flynn • NOTLOB Concerts • RESPOND
$15 suggested donation, $10 for Tufts students with ID. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to RESPOND.

Greg Greenway offers a rare combination of instrumental expertise, a soulful and moving singer, powerful poet, and sparkling entertainer. Originally from Richmond, Va., he moved to Boston for its rich folk music tradition and has become one of its most unique and superlative emissaries.

John Flynn sings from the heart. His powerful songs of humanity and hope are deeply rooted in the traditions of Woody Guthrie and Phil Ochs. From barbed political verse to joyous fun-loving lyrics for kids, John paints vivid, lasting images with words and music, drawn from a palate of awareness, irony, humor, and compassion.


27 September, 7 p.m., Goatstock 4 at The Nave
Heifer International • Astro Al • Tim Mungenast • Amber Spyglass • Samarra
$5 suggested donation.  All proceeds go to Heifer International. The 4th annual benefit for Heifer International.  A night of psychedelic fun featuring music by Astro Al, Tim Mungenast & His Preexisting Conditions, Amber Spyglass with belly dancing by Samarra and video projections by Dr T.

8 October 2008, 7:30 p.m., Imaginational Anthem Fall Tour '08, Cian Nugent, Ben Reynolds, George Stavis at The Nave
$7.
Cian Nugent: 19 years old, from Ireland. His debut EP is a CDR (ltd. ed. of 100) with six tracks recorded on a 70's reel-to-reel machine, and the crude nature of it harks back to those early recordings of Davey Graham at Hull University. It even includes a re- working of Buell Kazee's "Wagoner's Lad", famously covered by Bert Jansch. His debut for Tompkins Square is set for the first half of '09.

Ben Reynolds: From Scotland. "Here Toucheth Blues", a highlight of 'Imaginational Anthem vol 3', is lilting and elegiac, a bit surprising as his fans are likely more familiar with his angular, raga-charged works. Ben is building a fantastic catalogue of solo recordings (and a multitude of side projects and collaborations), most recently the Solo Guitar/Inner Hills cassette featuring one side acoustic, the other, electric. His Tompkins Square debut surfaces in early '09.

George Stavis: A shadowy figure from decades past, seemingly undiminished by time and ripe for re- discovery, is the mysterious banjo picker, George Stavis. He recorded one album for Vanguard in 1969, Labyrinths, subtitled Occult Improvisational Compositions for 5-string banjo and percussion. This LP is the oddest and best banjo album of the period, only rivaled perhaps by fellow 5-stringer Billy Faier's 1973 Takoma album - good luck finding an LP copy of either, however Labyrinths is available on CD. Stavis is pictured on the cover wearing a medieval robe and holding a glowing crystal ball. The record is a wonderful devil's brew of ethnic, old-timey and psychedelics. He returns to the stage for the first time in decades.


11 October 2008, 4 p.m., Vocal recital with Rachel Rynick and Eleuthera Sa at The Nave
$5, $10, or $20 Suggested donation.
Mark Loria, accompanist. Works by Purcell, Schubert, Mozart, Dvorak, and Rodrigo.

19 October, 2008, 8 p.m., No Such Animal at The Nave
Tim Mungenast • Ken Field
$5. Four years ago, avant guardian Tim Mungenast arranged the first-ever collaboration between members of Cul de Sac and Birdsongs of the Mesozoic to create the Innova Recordings release "No Such Animal." See the long-overdue reunion of Ken Field (saxophone, flute, percussion), Jon Proudman (drums), Michael Bloom (bass), and Tim (guitar, sitar, bells, pedals) as they open a sonic portal into another world. Featuring a special psychedelic video light show by Emile Tobenfeld (a.k.a. Dr. T).

25 October 2008, 2008 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Flea Market at The Nave
The Flea Market is now the Dollar Sale!
Two hours only!  Join us for some unbelievable bargains!
Items are $5 and under, including books, CDs, clothes, coats, lamps, housewares, pots, handbags, candle holders, belts, and much much more!
Funds raised will go to help cover heating costs this winter in order to keep music events affordable and to help heat the gallery space. 

26 October 2008, 6 - 8 p.m., Artists' talk, 'Kitchen Stories' at The Nave
Exhibit page

29 October 2008, 7 - 10 p.m., Space Party at The Nave
Flyer and More Information

1 November 2008, 8 - 10 p.m., The Folk Brothers at The Nave
The Folk Brothers • NOTLOB Concerts • RESPOND • buy tickets
$15 suggested donation, $10 for Tufts students with ID. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to RESPOND.
NOTLOB ACOUSTIC CONCERT SERIES is proud to present two of the most highly regarded traditional folk artists performing today, Jack Hardy and David Masseng, a.k.a The Folk Brothersiii, a.k.a. The Baloney Brothers.  The concert will be hosted by Naomi Arenberg, host/producer of Folk on WGBH.

When two of America's best songwriters get together the result could be electric, but it is not. It is acoustic. Jack Hardy and David Massengill have known each other since they both moved to New York City in the mid-seventies, Jack from Colorado, David from Tennessee. The Boston Globe has said, "Jack Hardy is one of the most influential figures today in defining the American Folk Song." The same could be said of David Massengill. In this era of pop-driven acoustic music, these two have dual-handedly kept the folk tradition alive in songwriting.
Jack and David have shared many a stage together at clubs and festivals, been members of the weekly songwriters workshop since its inception, and worked on the Fast Folk Magazine together. They have traveled together, boulevardiered together, played softball together, had the occasional adult beverage together. And now they are forming a duo: The Folk Brothers. Move over Simon and Garfunkel and Don and Phil.

David brings the experience of six albums, nine bootlegs and nine books to the mix. Jack brings the experience of fifteen albums and eight plays to the mix. David's songs have been covered by such artists as Joan Baez, Dave Van Ronk, The Roches and Charlie King whereas Jack's songs have been covered by such artists as Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen, Lucy Kaplansky and Joel Rafael.
Their choice of material for this project draws from their own greatest hits such as David's "On the Road to Fairfax County," "Rider on an Orphan Train" and "My Name Joe" to Jacks' "Tinkers Coin," "I Ought to Know" and "The Zephyr" to covering songs of their friends such as Dave Van Ronk, Paul Siebel and Utah Philips, as well as covering traditional songs. David plays the mountain dulcimer (Dave Van Ronk said that "Massengill took the *dull* out of dulcimer") as well as guitar. Jack plays guitar as well as mandolin. They are also noted as being great tellers of tales while introducing their songs.

Their first album as a duo, Partners in Crime, was released in July, with transcendent harmonies, and a great mix of history, tradition, politics and irreverence. Rumor has it there is an alternate name for The Folk Brothers: "The Baloney Brothers," but we have been unable to confirm this rumor.

    
7 November, 2008, 7 - 10 p.m., '200X' Party! Release party of the debut Divorced Album at The Nave
The Divorced • Scary Mansion • Brown Bird • Vanessa Hayes • Event's facebook page
$5. All ages.
Live performances by Scary Mansion, Brown Bird, Ladies and Gentlemen, Vanessa Hayes, and of course, The Divorced. WZBC's DJ Ning Nong will spin records between sets.

The Divorced: Toting an impressive collection of songs about love, loss, and self destruction, The Divorced began creating a sensation in New England during the Summer of 2007. With plans to release their debut this Fall, the band continues to play extensively as critics and fans catch on to the group's lively blend of indie, folk, and pop. The Divorced is John Ryan Gallagher, Matthew Kulik, Scott Chasse, Juliet Nelson, Caitlin Frame, Cat.

Scary Mansion: Leah Hayes, vocals, thunderstick, guitar; Bradley Banks, bass; Ben Shapiro, drums.

Brown Bird: David Lamb introduced the first catalog of songs under the name Brown Bird in the winter of 2002-2003 to friends and family while unemployed and living in Seattle. He returned to New England in 2003, and in the spring of 2004, he was joined by friends and former collaborators, Jeremy and Jerusha Robinson. Their first full-length album, "such unrest", was released in the spring of 2007. In March of 2008 they recorded and released their second full-length album, "the bottom of the sea" on the Portland, Maine based label "Peapod Recordings". Brown Bird is currently David Lamb, Morganeve Swain, Mike Samos.

Vanessa Hayes: "It's no error; there are two musicians in one. Hayes manages to play a short duvet filled with a consoling voice and a sorrowful set of violins ("What I See"). Scary Mansion carries a soft whisper to accompany her band's somber keys. The relationship between the two (other than being siblings) is that both musicians compliment each other in sequence: Where one is dominant, the other is low-key, and it's an uneasy ying-yang pairing that creates an unbelievable manic atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, though, both musicians are impressive and and deserve their solo recognition." ---Review of Vanessa Hayes and Scary Mansion in URB Magazine, September 2007

17 October-15 November 2008, 'Kitchen Stories' at The Nave
Exhibit page
An exhibit illustrating the scenes and stories, personalities and products, activities and artifacts from that room at the back of the house.

14 November 2008, 7:30 p.m., Sandi Hammond, E.S.P. and Eleonora Bianchini at The Nave
Sandi Hammond • E.S.P. • buy tickets
$12
Singer/songwriter Sandi Hammond first started writing pop songs at age 11. In her late teens she graced the stages of Tanglewood, Symphony Hall and Carnegie Hall while performing with several professional choral groups. Now a gifted classically trained singer/songwriter, and a fine musician on keyboards and guitar, she touches audiences with her prolific and impressive repertoire of unique melodic songs. Fans describe her versatile soprano voice as full and emotional. She is most inspired by Joni Mitchell, Bartok, Paula Cole, Annie Lenox and Elton John.
“Gorgeous voice…a melodic, keyboard-based folk-club singer who exists far beyond what’s normally thought of as folk…” - Boston Herald
“Beautiful, haunting…Sandi Hammond uses her voice in a grand manner to powerful effect. Her commanding vocals mixed with lush, atmospheric melodies that sometimes invoke chills…” - INSTANT Magazine

E.S.P. is Boston's newest vocal trio, featuring the diverse talents of Emily Browder, Sandi Hammond, and Patrice Williamson. In collaboration with pianist-arranger Mark Shilansky, E.S.P. delivers original songs and compelling new arrangements of familiar and lesser-known jazz tunes. The trio has captivated audiences at the Regatta Bar, Ryles, Johnny D's, the Acton Jazz Cafe, and other venues in the Boston area with their sensuous blend and savvy musicality. E.S.P.'s members have toured in cities including Singapore, Harare, Toronto, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta.

Originally from Perugia, Italy, Eleonora Bianchini is a young Italian singer who creates a warm and charming atmosphere through the sound of her voice.  She is inspired by many Brazilian and Latin American artists such as Rosa Passos, Djavan, Caetano Veloso, Mayte Martin and Eva Ayllon.They have all greatly influenced her music, and it is thanks to their art, that she has discovered a secret place inside herself where a passion for Latin music has always existed.  She is currently lead vocalist of “Peru Mestizo Project” with band leader Oscar Stagnaro, and she just recorded her first cd, a project that features her own compositions in different South American music styles as well as lyrics in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

15 November 2008, 5 p.m., Geoff Bartley Guitar Workshop at The Nave
reservations
$25. Reservations required.
NOTLOB ACOUSTIC CONCERT SERIES is proud to sponsor Geoff Bartleyi, one of the most highly regarded traditional folk, blues, rhythm and blues and bluegrass artists performing today for a guitar workshop.

Geoff will teach "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out", written by Jimmy Cox in 1923, in the key of C in standard tuning.Eric Clapton's 1992 version from his "Unplugged" album is one of the more recent of a long string of successes for this classic song, which has become closely associated with the Great Depression that began when the Stock Market crashed on Tuesday, October 29, 1929.Long associated also with Bessie Smith, it was her last hit recorded in 1929.  It was also recorded in the 1930s by Eddie Condon and Count Basie, by Lavern Baker in the 1950s, by Sam Cooke, Dave Guard, Jose Feliciano, Odetta and Nina Simone in the 1960s, by Tim Hardin in the 1970s and by Rod Stewart in the 1980s.

Workshop attendees may bring any kind of guitar... steel-string, classical or electric. Geoff will provide lyric sheets and chord diagrams to all Workshop attendees.

15 November 2008, 8 - 10 p.m., Mary McCaslin and Geoff Bartley at The Nave
Mary McCaslin • Geoff Bartley • NOTLOB Concerts • RESPOND • buy tickets
$15 suggested donation, $10 for Tufts students with ID. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to RESPOND.
NOTLOB ACOUSTIC CONCERT SERIES is proud to present two of the most highly regarded traditional folk artists performing today, Mary McCaslin and Geoff Bartley, with a cameo appearance by a very special guest, and hosted by Dave Palmater of WUMB-FM.

Mary McCaslin represents an unbroken link between traditional folksingers and today's "new folk" singer-songwriters. Her music ranges from ballads of the old west to her own songs of the new west and modern times. Regarded as a pioneer of open guitar tunings, and known for her distinctive vocal style, Mary's influences can be heard in many younger folk performers. She is also known for her haunting renditions of pop standards and rock classics, such as "Ghost Riders In The Sky", "The Wayward Wind", the Beatles' "Things We Said Today", and the Supremes' "My World Is Empty". Her versions of the Beatles' "Blackbird" and the Who's "Pinball Wizard" are made more unique by her "clawhammer" banjo accompaniment. Mary's musical influences are as varied as her repertoire: The western ballads of Marty Robbins, the guitar playing of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, the singing and banjo playing of Hedy West, and the vocal inflections of the Beatles and the BeeGees.

Geoff Bartley is a prize-winning acoustic guitarist and a nationally respected singer/songwriter whose songs are grounded in traditional folk music, roots blues and jazz. Some of his songs and co-writes have been performed and recorded by other artists in the US, Nashville, Canada and Ireland. Mr. Bartley has released five CDs available from Waterbug Records in Chicago. He hosts two nights of acoustic music each week at the Cantab Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Both nights have been voted Best of Boston in local entertainment media. Bartley is best known for his elegant blues-influenced guitar style and the archetypal imagery in his writing. His songs address the human longing for meaning in life and are told by average people living in a mysterious world. Running through his material are veins of social consciousness and a recurrent fascination with the “inner terrain”. By bringing images from the natural world coupled with street-level observations of the human condition to the heart of his message, Bartley reveals a love for the mystical in everyday life. His songs are ultimately uplifting and full of promise. A natural performer with plenty of personality, Mr. Bartley brings a liberal sprinkling of humor and offbeat between-song patter to his live shows.

 
4 December 2008, 6 - 8 p.m., Opening reception, 'The December Salon' with Milo Jones at The Nave
exhibit page • Milo Jones
FREE
Part folk, part country, a little punk, and all eccentric, singer/songwriter Milo Jones has been compared to the likes of Lee Hazlewood, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waitts, and even Dracula. Romantic, weird, and haunting, Milo's lyrics, voice and style thrill you and stay with you long after.
"One man, one 3/4 scale guitar, Milo Jones is an ascendant star in the elite pantheon of modern-day crooners. His super sensitive mix of Lee Hazlewood and Leonard Cohen is served up with just a hint of understated irony, while
languidly oozing sincerity and warmth. Weird, but kind of heavy and beautiful, too. Which I guess makes it really weird." Don Bolles - (Club Screwball host, Germs, Psychic TV)

5 December 2008, 6 - 8 p.m., 'The December Salon' at The Nave
FREE

5 December 2008, 7:30 p.m., Allison Crowe's Tidings Concert, a benefit for The Everyday Angels Foundation at The Nave
Allison Crowe • buy tickets • edaf 
$10 advance tickets, $12 at the door.
ARTSomerville Presents Tidings - Allison Crowe's special holiday concert - as a fundraiser for the EveryDay Angels Foundation's Project Warmth.  Come Winter, EDAF volunteers deliver warm clothes and blankets to the homeless. In other seasons, they clean up beaches, and perform a range of community service including partnering with Heifer International.

Tidings stirs together traditional Christmas carols and holiday favourites with an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, gospel and soul.  "The Yuletide find of the year," says The Record. "Be prepared to be amazed," chimes ChristmasReviews.com "Allison Crowe is a stunningly talented performer."

"Ever wonder what it would have been like to listen to a gifted singer/songwriter from Saskatchewan in a small, intimate hall before she became Joni Mitchell? Don't fret the missed opportunity. There's no need to turn back the clock. Check out Allison Crowe." ~ Robert Reid, The Record (Canada)

"The most honest, heartfelt, and directly intimate concert in my entire life." ~ Ross Hocker, WGTE/NPR Radio (USA)

6 December 2008, 2 - 4 p.m., 'The December Salon' with John O'Hara at The Nave
exhibit page
FREE
Singer/songwriter John O'Hara's earliest memories are of his mother reading Frog and Toad books. His bedroom was right next to the Footlight Club and he fell asleep to rehearsals for musicals every night. His musical career began with the Sorry Jar, playing at the Middle East upstairs and CB's Gallery in NYC, among others. He's performed solo at the Somerville lounges--Abbey or P.A.'s--for the past few year and is s-l-o-o-w-l-y recording an album, in his apartment, song by song, instrument by instrument, for a very long collection of spare time. Writing songs about laundry, autumn, and falling in love with mice, Somerville has become his home.

7 December 2008, 2 - 4 p.m., 'The December Salon' with Audrey Ryan at The Nave
exhibit page • Audrey Ryan
FREE
Maine native Audrey Ryan performs solo shows with instruments that include an electric Japanese axe, a vintage Gibson acoustic, a retro 80's era Casio keyboard, and of course, an accordion. Surrounded by a cacophony of musical influences from an early age, this talented musician was inspired to begin playing guitar at the ten and experimented with different genres throughout college. After graduating, Ryan started a band and has been performing and touring ever since.
"Ryan is an intriguing new singer....She is a jazz-pop artist whose influences would appear to range from Joni Mitchell to Edie Brickell. And she has a high-pitched voice with original phrasing and backup that includes her own impressively syncopated work on electric, acoustic, and classical guitars, as well as her standout violin lines, which lift a song when you least expect it... Ryan has a literary sensibility, writing about the isolation of the computer age, overbearing friends, and the nostalgia of childhood." -Boston Globe (Steve Morse)

11 December 2008, 6 - 8 p.m., 'The December Salon'at The Nave
FREE

12 December 2008, 6 - 8 p.m., 'The December Salon'at The Nave
FREE

 

14 December 2008, 2 - 4 p.m., Closing reception, 'The December Salon' with The Milling Gowns at The Nave
exhibit page • The Milling Gowns
FREE
The Milling Gowns showcases the original songs of baritone singer M. backed by darkly elegant piano and viola, punctuated with drums and bass. Their "gloom pop" sound ranges from upbeat with subliminal sadness to slow textured laments. the original songs of baritone singer M. backed by darkly elegant piano and viola, punctuated with drums and bass. Their "gloom pop" sound ranges from upbeat with subliminal sadness to slow textured laments.

20 December 2008 7 - 9 p.m., Jason Anderson presents the Second Annual Good Cheer Festival 
Benefit for Teen Empowerment Somerville and Somerville Early Head Start
Jason Anderson • Teen Empowerment Somerville • Somerville Early Head Start • Jason Anderson Podcast
FREE.
Please bring canned food donations for Somerville Early Head Start.
Contributions will be accepted for Teen Empowerment Somerville.

Twas just days before Christmas and all thru the city
The people were scurrying to make everything pretty.
Everyone was preparing and keeping so busy
It just seemed like a whirlwind of activity was making all dizzy.
Then came a suggestion, of celebrating right
With the Good Cheer Festival, on a Saturday night
So fun and so festive, filled with spirit and light
To make the holiday truly happy and bright.
Jason Anderson performing with songs of such cheer
That even the Grinch would want to appear!
So let's sing some Carols together, could be such a sight
With cookies and eggnog to delight.
Please wear a Christmas themed sweater, of red and green
And bring something meaningful to contribute to the scene.
The spirit of the holiday created by "Art"
And to cause others to smile because of generous heart.

The Nave Gallery, P.O. Box 43600, Somerville, MA 02143. © 2004-2009. All rights reserved. info@navegallery.org