Tompkins Corners
Music Programs

Live on our Indoor and Outdoor Stages!

Songs, Stories & Art - Lessons from Strangers
A Multimedia Show by John John Brown
Saturday, September 23rd, 7:30 pm $20

Tompkins Corners will present Songs, Stories, & Art - Lessons from Strangers, a multimedia show by John John Brown. This original project weaves together storytelling songs with the visual arts creating “an imaginative musical performance woven into a unique visual experience.”

This project is the result of a four-year collaborative effort between Brown and an Indonesian artist named Sapri. Despite living across the globe and relying on Google Translate to communicate pages of detailed notes, Sapri created more than 200 vibrant drawings that help portray Brown’s storytelling songs. Bringing these giant comics and iconic photographs to the stage, Brown takes the listener inside the lives of fourteen unique characters while strumming his guitar and singing beside a projected graphic story, revealing the idea that all people, strangers alike, have a story we can learn from.  https://johnjohnbrown.com/songs-stories-art

The protagonists come from all walks of life, from an aging Vietnam Vet to a trumpet-playing orphan, a married couple debating evolution, to a young man with mental illness wandering the aisles of Walmart. “So well written that every song could be a short story, a treat for lovers of narrative-driven tales.” - Americana UK

This event is supported by a grant from the Anne Anastasi Foundation facilitated by Jonathan Galente and MaryBeth Minton.

Corner House
Scottish, progressive bluegrass and folk
Saturday, October 21st, 7:30 pm $20

Hailing from Boston, MA, Corner House takes their name from the place where the four young band members found musical family in one another - their shared home in Brighton as students at Berklee College of Music. Emerging from varied genre backgrounds, the quartet reveals a singular sound that incorporates old-time, Scottish, progressive bluegrass, and folk.

Originally made up of songwriter and guitarist Ethan Hawkins, Scottish fiddle player Louise Bichan, and bluegrass mandolinist Ethan Setiawan, Corner House debuted at FreshGrass Festival in North Adams, MA, in 2017 before recording a self-titled EP and touring Scotland. Returning from overseas, they invited cellist Casey Murray to join them, unveiling the new line-up on a second EP, Smart Folks, released in 2019. 

Their 2022 debut full-length album, How Beautiful It’s Been, showcases the Celtic influence in the band, with gorgeous cello and fiddle melodies
accompanied by rhythmic and arpeggiated mandolin and guitar, emerging into improvised solos. 
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Mutually inspired and open to any and all ideas, the group is a beautiful representation of their generation, embracing diversity in every aspect of their music-making. 
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The Putnam Chorale Summer Ensemble
"Poppin' Through the Decades!"
Saturday, September 9th, 3:00 pm $20

Take a walk down Memory Lane with the Putnam Chorale’s Summer Ensemble as they present a program of memorable popular songs from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Revisit old favorites like “Unforgettable,” “California Dreaming,” and “Let it Be.” You’ll be tapping your feet and singing along, you might even start dancing in the aisles!

​The Putnam Chorale, under the artistic direction of Music Director Dr. Jason Tramm, is the largest community chorus in Putnam County, NY. Founded by Bernard LaDue in 1984, the Chorale has been providing high-quality choral and orchestral music and academic commentary ever since. The two-fold mission of the Chorale is to provide amateur and aspiring professional singers an opportunity to enrich their lives through choral singing and to provide the community with compelling performance experiences.

The Man Without A World
Cine Concert with Alicia Svigals and Donald Sosin
Saturday, August 19th, 7:30 pm $20

 Tompkins Corners will present The Man Without a World, a modern-day silent film accompanied by an original live score composed by world-famous Klezmer fiddler Alicia Svigals and silent film music legend and pianist Donald Sosin.

A moving, comic melodrama set in a typical shtetl (village) in Poland, The Man Without A World is credited to the legendary (and imaginary) 1920's Soviet director, Nevgeny Antinov, but the film is anything but old. In fact, Antinov himself is the creation of contemporary filmmaker Eleanor Antin, a world-renowned artist, author, and performer.

"I want my audience to experience this world as if from the inside—but at the same time—with a sense of the distance they have traveled to get there." - Eleanor Antin
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Professor Louie and the Crowmatix
"Roots Music Royalty"
Friday, Aug. 11th AT 6:00 pm

Professor Louie and the Crowmatix will bring their mix of rock‘n’roll, blues, gospel, and American roots back to TCCC. These NY State Blues Hall of Fame inductees from Woodstock, NY, have performed since 2000 and average 150 shows a year in the US and worldwide.

A Grammy-nominated Woodstock All-star group, they began as the studio-backing band for Aaron, Professor Louie’s, musical productions for The Band. Rick Danko, bass player and singer of The Band, christened him "Professor Louie" due to his work with them. Louie collaborated with The Band, co-producing their last three CDs in the ‘90s.

Professor Louie & The Crowmatix have released sixteen studio CDs on The Woodstock Records Label. Their latest recording, Strike Up The Band, released in 2022, has been on The Roots Music Radio Charts for over nine months. Their single “Work It Out” hit #1 on the NY State charts.

Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert
Celebrated Americana Singer/Songwriters
Saturday, August 5th 7:30pm

Tompkins Corners will once again welcome celebrated Americana singer/songwriters, Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert.
From The Folk Alley review of Flowers... "Together the two have found an interesting common ground that's one part Woody-Guthrie-esque ruminations on the modern world and one part transcendent string band roots...new songs, old songs, fiddle tunes, it's all tossed together here in an overarching quest to find an authentic expression from two traditional masters brought together. The album is a delight!" 

Kieran Kane’s seminal work in The O'Kanes, as well as co-founding the independent label Dead Reckoning Records, laid the foundation for the contemporary world of Americana music. A successful solo artist, collaborator, and songwriter, Kieran’s playing is always understated, groove-oriented, and always serves the song.

Rayna Gellert turned to Appalachian old-time music at a young age. She’s easily one of the best old-time fiddlers in the world, a tune-hunter whose arrangements of tunes she’s uncovered become de rigueur at square dances around the country.

Ray Blue
Straight-ahead jazz with a rhythmic groove
Saturday, July 8th 6:00 pm

With a sound and style that are energetic, powerful, and sensitive, Saxophonist Ray Blue and his quartet take you for a musical ride that is characterized by passion and precision. With dynamic poetic phrases and strong grooves that leave audiences wanting more, a Ray Blue Music Experience stays with you for a long time.
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Deeply rooted in his New York community, yet equally a world traveler and jazz ambassador, Ray finds musical connection across the globe. #PEOPLE (2023), his latest release from Jazzheads, is all about “Love of Life, Love of People, Love of Humanity,” the saxophonist declares in an album note. “Each song was chosen because it touched one of those universal feelings.”

Ray was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. He was a cast member of the Ray Charles Show touring company from 2008 to 2010, performing in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy, and continues to perform internationally. 

Earning a Bachelor’s degree from William Penn University and a Masters from the University of Iowa in Clinical Social Work, he founded Cross-Cultural Connection, Inc. in 2005, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, whose mission is to increase cultural awareness, communication, and understanding through music. www.rayblue.com,  www.cccjazz.org/about

Larry & Joe
Venezuelan and Appalachian fusion folk
Saturday, June 17th, 7:30 pm 
John Cohen Memorial Music Series

ompkins Corners presents Larry & Joe, the duo of Joropo maestro Larry Bellorín (Monagas, Venezuela) and GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and old-time star Joe Troop (Winston-Salem, North Carolina). These two virtuosic multi-instrumentalists fuse their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions to prove that music has no borders. Their bilingual (esp/eng) program includes storytelling, humor, and singalongs.

Larry was forced into exile and is an asylum seeker in North Carolina. After a decade in South America, Joe got stranded back in his stomping grounds during the pandemic. Larry works construction to make ends meet. Joe's acclaimed "latingrass" band Che Apalache was forced into hiatus, and he shifted into action working with asylum-seeking migrants.

As a duo, they perform on harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, maracas, guitar, upright bass, and whatever else they decide to throw in the van. The program they offer features a distinct blend of their musical inheritances and traditions and storytelling about how music and social movements coalesce.
This event is free, with donations gratefully accepted, and is supported by a grant from the Anne Anastasi Foundation facilitated by Jonathan Galente and MaryBeth Minton.

"Coming Home" Concert and Reception
     With David Amram and Kate Hoekstra
Saturday, June 10th, 2:00 pm

Award-winning local artist Kate Hoekstra and jazz legend David Amram will come together for a special “Coming Home” Reception and Concert. 

These two esteemed residents of Putnam Valley and Peekskill Hollow Road will present an Artist’s Talk and Reflection as well as a musical tribute to celebrate and honor their artistry and history.

In her Artist’s Talk, Kate, a self-taught painter who also incorporates art into her practice as a psychotherapist, will share ways to discover your own individual style, and the inspiration to keep your artist’s journey fresh, as she herself has across a 30-year career and over 300 completed paintings. Kate’s exhibit, “Bloom!,” will be on display in the Maaike Hoekstra Gallery through June 25th, during TCCC events.

Following her talk, guests will be invited to a performance by the multi-talented Amram family, who have performed at premier venues all over the world. David began performing at the historic Tompkins Corners church 35 years ago when he started the outdoor concerts, dubbing the front lawn “The Tompkins Corners Stadium.” They will be joined by the Kitchen Table Band.

​View Kate's work: www.KateHoekstraArt.com

Guy Davis
American Roots Musician
Friday, June 9th, 7:30 pm $20

A two-time, back-to-back Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, Guy Davis has been called "America's greatest link to the blues right now."  He won the "Keeping The Blues Alive" Award and was nominated by The Blues Foundation for Best Acoustic Album of the Year, Best Acoustic Artist of the Year, and Best Instrumentalist. 

A musician, actor, author, and songwriter, Guy's  performances feature a mix of his original songs and cover songs by Muddy Waters, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Leadbelly, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and many others. 

Of his album, Kokomo Kid,  Chris Spector of  Midwest Record wrote, "With the acting chops this cat has running through his veins, is it any wonder he can sell anything and make it look easy? A modern, down-home acoustic blues set as inspired by his parents as it is Pete Seeger, as it is the storytelling tradition, this is a sucker Sunday punch that'll have you on your back before you know what hit you."

When asked about his experience as a performer, Guy replied, "There is no tale so tall that I cannot tell it, nor song so sweet that I cannot sing it."

"Out To Lunch"
Mixed styles from Bluegrass to Jazz to Celtic
Saturday, June 3rd, 7:30 pm $20

Tompkins Corners once again welcomes audience favorite, “Out To Lunch.” Bandmates Howie Bujese, Larry Cohen, Wayne Fugate, Susan Sassano, Michael Sassano and Joe Selly, musicians with very different backgrounds, will perform music ranging from Bluegrass to Jazz to Celtic. 
 
​On a typical evening with “Out To Lunch,” one might be treated to a smooth rendition of a classic such as Nat King Cole’s “Straighten Up and Fly Right” or Bill Monroe’s “Footprints in the Snow.” From there, the band might just as easily shift gears and perform a monster medley of Celtic dance tunes or some of their own inspired original compositions. While each of these tunes no doubt bears the stamp of “Out To Lunch’s” distinct sound, the respect for the traditions that these tunes come from is readily apparent. Their strong vocals blend to create harmonies that are a distinctive part of Out To Lunch’s musical charm.

​This concert will be held indoors.  

Pete Seeger Festival
FREE and Family-Friendly
Sunday, May 7th, 2:00 - 5:00 pm

Celebrate the musical, environmental and humanitarian legacy of our neighbor, mentor and friend with music, fine crafts and refreshments. Donations will be shared with local organizations that Pete created, including the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the Beacon Sloop Club and the River Pool at Beacon. Bring a lawn chair and a picnic, if you'd like!

This Year's Music Lineup:

​The Neverlee Brothers
Sarah Underhill
Rick and Donna Nestler w/ Rik Palieri
Betty and the Baby Boomers
R. J. Storm and the Old School Bluegrass Band
Jacob and David Bernz
The Trouble Sisters
This project is made possible, in part, through the NY State Council on the Arts with support from the Governor’s Office and the NY State Legislature.

Cortlandt String Quartet
 Traditional and contemporary classical chamber music
Saturday, April 29th, 7:30 pm $20

The Cortlandt String Quartet will present a unique program of traditional and contemporary classical chamber music featuring an ensemble of virtuoso artists who are well-known both in the US and abroad.

Andy Stein, a two-time Grammy award-winning violinist and conductor, is perhaps best known for his 22-year run with Garrison Keillor on A Prairie Home Companion and as a 40-year member of Vince Giordano's Nighthawks.

Joining Andy will be violist Rachel Evans, a member of the Sante Fe Opera Company, violist Sarah Adams, currently the principal violist of the Riverside Symphony, and Argentine cellist Leo Grinhauz, a dedicated tanguero, specializing in combining Latin jazz within the tradition of the string quartet.
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Their repertoire for this event includes Mozart’s String Quartet K.387 in G Ma, Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E minor Opus 44 No.2, and a world premiere of Andy Stein's Tango in C minor (2023).

Nicolas Babineau & Alexis Chartrand
Québécois Concert
Friday, April 14th, 7:30 pm
$20

Nicolas and Alexis are young Québécois musicians brought together by a common passion for traditional music. Their shared sensitivity for recordings of old fiddlers inspires their performances of traditional québécois repertoire. They sometimes play two fiddles and sometimes allow the guitar to accompany the melodies, with their feet energizing the dance tunes. The duo has released two albums, Gigues à deux faces (Best Traditional Album nomination at the Canadian Folk Music Awards) in 2017 and un beau petit son in 2019, and have performed throughout Québec, Canada, New England, and Sweden. 

“The final performance of Saturday night was nothing short of astounding. Two fiddles, one pair of feet and a guitar, all belonging to Alexis Chartrand and Nicolas Babineau, showed incredible musical sensitivity and virtuosity from these two young players.”  —Elizabeth Szekeres, Roots Music Canada.​


 Québécois Workshops
Nicolas Babineau & Alexis Chartrand
Friday, April 14th, 3:30 - 4:45 pm
$25

Learn more about Québec’s unique répertoire and style with Alexis and Nicolas in these 45-minute workshops. 

Alexis’ fiddle class, open to any melodic instrument, teaches a wide range of Québécois tunes including reels, quadrilles, jigs and cotillons, and focuses on style, ornamentation and technique.

Nicolas’ acoustic guitar class shares his personal approach to fiddle music accompaniment, breaking down the harmonic progressions, rhythms and voicings that are the best companions to Québec’s dance music.

Registration allows you to attend either workshop, or to move between them.

Samoa Wilson
Saturday, April 1st, 7:30 pm
$20

Widely regarded as one of the best blues, jazz and folk singers in New York City, Samoa began singing jug band music with her uncle Jim Kweskin at 12 years of age. She has been captivating audiences ever since. 

Her choice of repertoire makes the difference: torchy and honeyed renditions of haunting little-known tunes from a woman’s perspective. You won't be able to resist Samoa's sweet rendition of "After You've Gone," sung in the past by Bessie  Smith, Ruth Etting and Ella Fitzgerald, this time with Samoa's fantastic vocal work at the heart of it.
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​Tompkins Corners hosted Samoa and Jim four years ago. We are thrilled to have her back as a solo performer, several albums later, exploring gospel, ballads, blues, and swinging jazz standards.

Aoife Scott
Friday, March 24th, 7:30 pm
$20

Born into the legendary Black Family, (her mother is Frances Black and her Aunt is Mary Black), Aoife has steadily risen to the top of the traditional and folk music scene and has long enjoyed success as an established artist in her own right. 

Following her highly celebrated debut album, Carry the Day, which was triumphantly launched at Temple Bar Tradfest in 2016 to rapturous acclaim, Aoife released her much anticipated second album, Homebird, at the Button Factory at Temple Bar Trad Festival 2020. Produced by 12-time Grammy Award winner, banjo and guitar virtuoso Ron Block (Alison Krauss & Union Station, and Oh Brother Where art thou), her second album is in many ways a turning point in her musical legacy. Recorded in Nashville and Dublin, HomeBird is an impressive collaboration featuring the best of Irish folk and Grammy award-winning Bluegrass musicians.

“Folk Singer-songwriter Aoife Scott has an indefinable quality to her lucious voice that simply compels you to listen…and once you listen to one song the rapture is complete, you’re hooked.” - Folk Words​

Heron Valley
Sunday, March 19th, 4:00 pm
$20 - Children are Free!

Authentic, skillful, energetic Celtic music has been passed down through generations in Scotland's quiet, farthest-reaching parts. Heron Valley captures the iconic sounds of the bothies, village halls and kitchen ceilidhs. The Great Highland Bagpipe, the Irish banjo, and the West Coast fiddle mixed with the piano and guitar's driving accompaniment will transport you to Scotland's heartland.
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The five-piece group comprises Abigail Pryde on Fiddle and Vocals, Keith Morrison on Keys, Nick Hamilton on Banjo and Guitar, Alastair Maclean on Bagpipes and Whistles, and Callum Cronin on Bass and Guitar.

"The energy and enthusiasm come across clearly in their ernest, female-fronted vocals. Heron Valley has noticeable finesse in the layering of fiddle, guitar, pipes and banjo." Mike Rushby, MNPR (music, news, press, reviews) Magazine.
Extremely talented musicians in their own right, Jerron and Dennis have collaborated in many contexts over the years but have recently stepped up their duo project. In 2021 they released a self-named CD of ragtime, blues, 1920s pop songs, and original compositions, which show off their virtuosity on many different instruments. ​“The sound transports you to some Mississippi river bank in early America.” - Juliet Varnedoe

Jerron Paxton + Dennis Lichtman
Friday, March 10th, 7:30 pm
$20

Paxton, still only in his 30s, is a stunningly talented multi-instrumentalist who has earned a reputation for transporting audiences back to the 1920s. Playing banjo, guitar, piano, fiddle, harmonica, Cajun accordion, and percussion, he mesmerizes audiences with his humor and storytelling. A regular on jazz and blues stages around the world, Paxton has opened for legends like Buddy Guy and Robert Cray and has performed solo shows at TCCC in 2016 and 2019.

“Virtually the only music-maker of his generation…to fully assimilate the blues idiom of the 1920s and ‘30s, the blues of Bessie Smith and Lonnie Johnson.” - Wall Street Journal.

Dennis Lichtman, also a multi-instrumentalist playing mostly clarinet, is deeply entrenched in early to mid-1900s American music. In August 2018, he released Just Cross the River, a project instigated by a grant from the Queens Council on the Arts, culminating with two sold-out shows at Jazz at Lincoln Center.  Lichtman has also performed at Carnegie Hall, major festivals throughout the United States, and on stages in Europe, Brazil, and China. Two of his original compositions were featured on HBO’s The Plot Against America, where he also appeared as the bandleader.

Cajun Jam and Potluck
Sunday, March 5th, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Free

Join us for a Cajun Jam! We’ll be playing Cajun and Creole tunes and eating and dancing.  Bring your instrument or your dancing shoes, and a dish to share. We’ll have a pot of jambalaya on the burner so please bring a side, (especially vegetarian dishes), or a snack or dessert to share. Spread the word to musicians, dancers and listeners!
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The Putnam Chorale
Songs of the Season
Sunday, December 18th, 3:00 pm

The Putnam Chorale’s Winter Ensemble will present a concert of holiday songs popular during the mid to late 1800s which will transport you back to a time when singing and the playing of an instrument was the dominant form of entertainment in homes throughout the Hudson Valley. Their repertoire will inspire and entertain you with songs representative of the era and the holiday season, such as Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bring a Torch, A New Year Carol, and more.

The Putnam Chorale Ltd., under the artistic direction of composer/conductor Dr. Douglas Anderson, is the sole community chorus in Putnam County, NY. Founded by Bernard LaDue in 1984, they have been providing high quality choral and orchestral music and academic commentary ever since. The two-fold mission of the Chorale is to provide amateur and aspiring professional singers an opportunity to enrich their lives through choral singing and to provide the community with compelling performance experiences.

Please join us for this joyous holiday concert!​

NORA BROWN
Down Hill Strugglers
John Cohen Memorial Music Series
Saturday, November 19th, 7:30 pm

Nora Brown plays old-time traditional music with a particular interest in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee banjo playing. She also sings traditional unaccompanied ballads from southeast Appalachia and beyond. Still only 17, Nora holds a very special place in our hearts. John Cohen was a mentor and brought her to TCCC when she was still known as “Little Nora Brown,” and brought her back in 2019.
 
The Down Hill Strugglers is an old-time string band based out of Brooklyn, NY, and Louisville, KY, playing songs, ballads, fiddle tunes, and banjo breakdowns. Band member Eli Smith, a close friend of John’s, has collaborated with us on the John Cohen Memorial Music Series since its’ inception, and fiddler Jackson Lynch frequently plays as a duo with Nora. 

Playing both separately and together, this proves to be a very special evening.

Maeve Gilchrist
Saturday, November 5th, 7:30 pm

 Described by one critic as “a phenomenal harp player who can make her instrument ring with unparalleled purity,” Maeve has taken the Celtic (lever) harp to new levels of performance and visibility.  

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Maeve‘s innovative approach to her instrument stretches its harmonic limits and improvisational possibilities. She tours internationally as a solo artist and composer and is a member of the Grammy-nominated Silkroad Ensemble, Arooj Aftab’s Grammy-winning Vulture Prince Ensemble, and the multi-disciplinary quartet Edges of Light.
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Maeve has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Yo-Yo Ma, Frankie Gavin, Esperanza Spalding, Bruce Molsky, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Solas. As a composer, she straddles the worlds of folk and classical with pieces including her original concerto for symphony orchestra and harp (a co-commission with Luke Benton) and a three-movement Samuel Beckett-inspired piece for harp, string quartet, and sound samples, which premiered at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival in the spring of 2018.

Benjamin Verdery
Saturday, October 15th, 7:00 pm

Inhabiting his own exclusive territory in the classical guitar world, it’s not hard to make a case that Verdery has explored the most diverse musical terrain. The repertoire on the 15 albums in his catalog ranges from works by the masters to the most adventurous composers of the contemporary classical landscape. He has also made five albums featuring his own works and his arrangements of songs by Prince, Jimi Hendrix, traditional folk tunes and hymns, musical settings for Buddhist texts, and more.

Ben has been guitar professor at the Yale School of Music since 1985, Artistic Director of the 92nd Street Y's “Art of the Guitar” series since 2007, and Producer of his Maui Summer Master Class since 1999. He is also an Honorary Board Member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas.
Please join us for a rare opportunity to experience this prolific and dynamic performer in our intimate, incomparable setting.

More on his website: BenjaminVerdery

String Busters 
​ Moved indoors
Blues to bluegrass to country, folk and more! 
Saturday, October 1st, 4:00 pm

String Busters, formerly the WMD2 String Band,  will generously present another benefit for TCCC.  With roots in classic Americana and bluegrass, this acoustic string band sings and plays their instruments - guitar, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, upright bass - even suitcase percussion! - with high energy. 

Band members Will Demers, Mat Kastner, Dan Bonis, and Ed  Spallina are happiest when the audience has as much fun as they do. They broke the fun barrier during last year’s highly successful benefit; we predict an equally rollicking time for one and all this year!

Mamie Minch and Tamar Korn
John Cohen Memorial Music Series
Saturday, September 17th, 7:30 pm

We are excited to present Mamie Minch and Tamar Korn in the second concert of this year’s John Cohen Memorial Music Series.

Acclaimed solo performers in their own right, each brings her individual knowledge of genre, style, voice, and spirit together to create an immensely rich, unique, and diverse universe of sound.

Making music together for over ten years in the NY folk and Americana roots music scene, the duo released a self-titled 7” on Jalopy Records in 2019.
This event is part of the annual John Cohen Memorial Music Series and is made possible, in part, through the Putnam Arts Council’s Arts Link Grant Program with public funds provided through the NY State Council on the Arts with support from the Governor’s Office and the NY State Legislature and public funds from Putnam County.

Howard Britz Trio
Saturday, August 27th, 7:30 pm

Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Gospel, RnB, and Brazilian traditions influence the unique, original compositions by American/English pianist, bassist, and composer Howard Britz. His jazz piano trio will feature music from his 2021 EP Comfort and Joy.  This concert will be held indoors with light refreshments available.

The music of American/English pianist, bassist, and composer Howard Britz draws from Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Gospel, RnB, and Brazilian traditions.  His unique compositions tell musical stories and bring listeners into an intriguing world of ideas, sound, groove, and feeling. Britz’s music is melodic, open-hearted, emotional, and feel good.  Music from his 2021 EP Comfort and Joy and many other tunes from Howard’s catalog will be featured by his jazz piano trio.
Joining Howard will be bassist Peter Brendler who received his Bachelors of Music from Berklee College of Music, graduating Magna Cum Laude, and his Masters in Music from The Manhattan School of Music. He has made numerous sideman appearances on recordings and has performed at The Blue Note, Birdland, Smalls Jazz Club, The Jazz Standard, Sweet Rhythm, The Kennedy Center, and 55 Bar. Peter has also recorded three albums as a leader/co-leader and has performed throughout Europe and Russia.

Completing the trio will be Tim Horner on drums. He has 250 recordings as a sideman under his belt and three of his own projects of original compositions. Also a graduate of Berklee, he has shared the stage of The Village Vanguard, Birdland, The Blue Note, Lincoln Center, and Dizzy's Coca-Cola with artists who span a large cross-section of jazz history. Since 2000 he has been a five-time Jazz Ambassador for the US State Dept., concertizing and teaching in over 20 countries throughout The World.

Ray Blue Quartet
Saturday, August 6th, 6:00 pm

Tenor saxophonist Ray Blue is a veteran player with infectious sounds full of warmth, fire, and funk, at times. A composer and educator, as well as one of the most in-demand musicians in New York, Ray Blue is a soulful performer, a full-throated sax man with a fluid and lyrical style which makes his sound unique. Ray was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. 

Living in Germany from 2000 to 2012, he performed and toured throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. As a cast member of the Ray Charles Show touring company from 2008 to 2010, he performed in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. He continues to perform internationally.  

Playing with Ray will be Eddie Allen on trumpet, Radam Schwartz on organ, and Wayne Henderson on drums.

​Ray founded Cross-Cultural Connection Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, whose mission is to increase cultural awareness, communication, and understanding through music. www.rayblue.com,  www.cccjazz.org/about
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Bring a lawn chair and a picnic dinner if you’d like. Light refreshments will be available. Tickets are $20 and may be purchased HERE or at the door.
In case of inclement weather the concert will be held indoors.
TONIGHT'S CONCERT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE EXTREME HEAT.  STAY SAFE AND COOL.

"Open Book"
Saturday, July 23rd, 6:00 pm


Rick and Michele Gedney, the award-winning duo called Open Book, have been writing, recording, and performing together since 2000. Their original music features melody invention and vocal harmonies backed by a tapestry of interweaving guitars. They have released three albums to critical acclaim and have received national radio airplay and are putting the finishing touches on their fourth album. 

Open Book has shared the stage and recorded with many notable musicians including Buddy and Julie Miller, Dar Williams, Ellis Paul, Freedy Johnston, John Sebastian, Livingston Taylor, Martin Sexton,  Sloane Wainwright and many more.

In addition to writing, touring and recording, Michele and Rick are honored to be songwriting teachers at Dar Williams’ ‘Writing a Song That Matters’ retreat, which just celebrated its 10th year.

This concert, being held as a benefit for TCCC, will be held on our outdoor stage or, in case of inclement weather, either in our Carriage House or indoors. Bring a lawn chair and a picnic dinner, if you’d like. Light refreshments will be available. 
​This event is made possible, in part, through the Putnam Arts Council’s Arts Link Grant Program with public funds provided through the NY State Council on the Arts with support from the Governor’s Office and the NY State Legislature and public funds from Putnam County.

House of Hamill
Sophisticated, Independent Irish Folk Music
John Cohen Memorial Music Series
Saturday, July 9th, 6:00pm

Whether they’re ripping through a set of original jigs and reels, adding lush three-part harmonies to traditional folk ballads, or cracking up an audience with stories from the road, House of Hamill puts on a show that captivates audiences from the very first note.

Rose Baldino of Burning Bridgit Cleary, and Brian Buchanan of Enter the Haggis, first found themselves onstage together at the 2014 Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City, and subsequently formed the duo, House of Hamill. Four years and hundreds of shows later, the duo added bass player Caroline Browning.

Today, Pennsylvania-based House of Hamill is a fixture on festival stages across the US and has shared their music and stories on the country’s premier folk stages. Their version of “Pound a Week Rise” rose to #1 on the US Folk DJ charts, and the video for their all-violin cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” amassed over 16 million views on Facebook, where it was shared over 400,000 times. Their latest release, Folk Hero, was named #5 Top Album and Top Artist for January and February 2022, capturing perfectly the frenetic energy and eclecticism of their always engaging live show.

Grant Peeples
and the Peeples Republik Tour
with Erik Alvar
Sunday, June 26th, 4:00 pm

The recipient of the Focus Foundation Award for Creative Excellence, which cited the "humor, compassion, and wisdom of his songs," and their "unflinching social insight and cultural acuity," Grant’s shows are a rolling mix of funny stuff and not funny stuff.

Touring coast to coast, he is a regular performer at The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, the 30A Songwriters Festival, and The Florida Folk Festival.

Grant has made eleven studio records, three live recordings, and has published three poetry books, the latest of which is "My advice to Pilgrims," published by Mezcalita Press.

Erik Alvar, a brilliant young bass/mando player out of Brooklyn, will be joining Grant. Erik has played with many other well-known bands including Billy Strings, Jim Hurst, Tim Easton, and The Roys.

An Evening of Classical Music

This project is made possible, in part, through the Putnam Arts Council's Arts Link Grant Program with public funds provided through the NY State Council on the Arts with support from the Governor’s Office and the NY State Legislature.

The Cortlandt String Quartet
with Andy Stein
Saturday, June 25th, 7:30 pm

The Cortlandt String Quartet will present a unique program of traditional and contemporary classical chamber music featuring an ensemble of virtuoso artists who are well known both in the US and abroad. 
Andy Stein, a two-time Grammy award-winning violinist and conductor, is perhaps best known for his 22-year run with Garrison Keillor on A Prairie Home Companion and as a 40-year member of Vince Giordano's Nighthawks.

Joining Andy will be violist Rachel Evans, a member of the Sante Fe Opera Company, violist Sarah Adams, currently the principal violist of the Riverside Symphony, and Argentine cellist Leo Grinhauz, a dedicated tanguero, specializing in combining Latin jazz within the tradition of the string quartet. 

Their repertoire includes Antonin Dvorak's "American" String Quartet Op. 96, Mozart String Quartet K589 in Bb, and Wapango by Cuban Jazz clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera.

"Out To Lunch"
Saturday, June 18th, 6 pm

What happens when you put five musicians together with backgrounds and influences ranging from Bluegrass to Jazz to Celtic to Classical, and give them the common goal of making these varied music types come to life, and have a lot of fun doing it? You get Out To Lunch!
 
Bandmates Howie Bujese, Wayne Fugate, Michael Gold, Susan Sassano, Michael Sassano, and Joe Selly have been delighting audiences with a sound uniquely their own since 1980.
 
On a typical evening with Out To Lunch one might be treated to a smooth rendition of a classic such as Nat King Cole’s “Straighten Up and Fly Right” or Bill Monroe’s “Footprints in the Snow.” From there, the band might just as easily shift gears and perform a monster medley of Celtic dance tunes or some of their own inspired original compositions. Their strong vocals blend to create harmonies that are a distinctive part of Out To Lunch’s musical charm.
This concert will be held on our outdoor stage. Bring a picnic dinner and BYOB. Light refreshments will be available.

“An excellent recording for all those who like and are interested to discover the whole and real spirit of American roots music.” La Hora Del Blues

Professor Louie
and the Crowmatix
Saturday, June 4th, 6 pm

“Roots Music Royalty” - playing the fabric of American Roots Music.

Professor Louie and the Crowmatix will bring their mix of rock‘n’roll, blues, gospel, and American roots back to TCCC. These NY State Blues Hall of Fame inductees from Woodstock, NY, have been performing since 2000 and average 150 shows a year in the US and worldwide.

A Grammy nominated Woodstock All-star group, they began as the studio-backing band for Aaron, Professor Louie’s, musical productions for The Band. Rick Danko, bass player and singer of The Band, christened him Professor Louie due to his work with them. Louie collaborated with The Band, co-producing their last three CDs in the ‘90s.

                                           ~ The Crowmatix ~
Professor Louie (keys-accordion,vocals) collaborated with The Band  for 17 years.
John Platania (guitar-vocals) great performances with Van Morrison for over 30 years.
Gary Burke (drums) performed with Bob Dylan’s The Rolling Thunder Review.
Miss Marie (vocals-percussionist-keys) performed and recorded with Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson.
Frank Campbell (bass-vocals) Levon Helm’s music director with the Woodstock All-stars.

Harry Bolick
and the Mississippi Travelers String Band
Book signing and Concert
On our Outdoor Stage!
Saturday, May 14th, 6 pm

Over ten years ago, author, fiddler, and researcher Harry Bolick began a labor of love, tracking down every last bit of Mississippi fiddling history and music. Internet detective work combined with thousands of miles driving to remote parts of the state for interviews has produced his second book documenting the tradition, “Fiddle Tunes from Mississippi, Commercial and Informal Recordings 1920-2018.” Copies of the book will be available.

Bolick, with the Mississippi Travelers String Band, will celebrate the new book with stories and tunes from the dawn of country music. The Travelers also perform some of Harry’s tunes which are newly composed but in the old Mississippi style. 

The Mississippi Travelers are Harry Bolick - fiddle and vocals, Brian Slattery - banjo, fiddle and vocals, Jaques DiCroce - guitar, and Charlie Shaw, bass.
​
Tickets are $20 and may be purchased  HERE or at the door.

"Becoming Geppetto"
Award-winning Documentary film.
Q&A with Director Dale Lindquist
Saturday, May 7th at 7pm

The amazing journey of master guitar builder Bruce Petros and his son, Matt, accompanied by the musicians who make their guitars sing. Q&A with the Director will follow.  Click HERE for details and TRAILER.

Pete Seeger Festival
Our 6th Annual
Sun, May 1st, 2-5 pm
Masks may be required

Join us as we celebrate the musical, environmental and humanitarian legacy of our neighbor, mentor and friend. This FREE, family-friendly event will be held outdoors on the Tompkins Corners lawn.

KJ Denhert
Urban Folk & Jazz
Sat, April 9th, 7:30 pm
Masks may be required

NYC-based, award-winning songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and bandleader, KJ Denhert is a consummate artist with a rich history; a legend of Urban Folk & Jazz who channels a wide range of influences to create something unique.
A child of the 60s, KJ’s music is both a rich tapestry of Urban Folk & Jazz and a reflection of the fiery time of cultural upheaval in which she lived. Echoes of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Laura Nyro, and Steely Dan combine with KJ’s own unique musical voice to create music that is both unique and relevant for today.

Joining KJ will be Adam Armstrong on Bass, Eric Halvorson on Drums, Mark McIntyre on Guitar, and Pianist/composer Nicki Denner. All are appearing on her upcoming Jazz Project Recording, featuring four unreleased originals and offerings from Lennon and McCartney, Lerner and Loewe, and Rodgers and Hammerstein. Learn more at kjdenhert.com.

Mary Courtney
Live on our INDOOR Stage!
Sat, March 26th 7:00 pm
Masks required - only 50 tickets will be sold!

Mary Courtney, much loved County Kerry singer, guitarist, and bodhran player will reopen our indoor stage for our first St. Patrick’s celebration since 2019.

So much more than a striking interpreter of songs on the Irish-American music scene, she is also a conscience, a fearless beacon for a range of causes, and she never leaves a room without both moving and galvanizing the audience. Her powerful vocals are direct, allowing the beauty of the melodies and the emotion of the lyrics to come through.

Opening the show will be Tompkins Corner’s own Ceili Band. Led by Joe Mahon, performers will include JoEllen Blosson, Chris Blossy, David Carlisle, Maureen Carson, Joe Connelly, and, Patty McCue.

 Past Events - 2021

Picture

Music All Day
Sat, October 23rd  12:00 - 4 pm
Suggested donation $10 -  Bring the kids in costume!

Stop by our Harvest Fest
and enjoy all of these bands and so much more!

Tompkins Corners Ceili Band

Catahoula Cajun Band

Jacob Bernz and Hudson Lovell

The Kitchen Table Band
​
Linda Thornton and Tim Pitt

Piedmont Bluz
Sat, Sept 11th 4:00 pm

Ambassadors of Country Blues and the Piedmont Style of Fingerpicking!
With “stories to tell, people to remember, and things that must be said," husband and wife  Valerie and Benedict Turner are on a mission is to help preserve rural, east coast traditions by educating audiences about this unique aspect of African American culture. Weaving a bit of history into the presentation of each song, these Ambassadors of Country Blues music and the Piedmont style of fingerpicking will tickle your ears with delightful music.

Inducted into the NY Blues Hall of Fame in 2018, these tradition bearers have been featured in numerous festivals including the Newport Folk Festival, Chicago Blues Festival, Tel Aviv Blues Festival, Clearwater Revival, and Brooklyn Folk Festival. They have traveled as far as Europe and the Middle East to share their music, and are much loved wherever they go.
​
Valerie was invited to write the feature article, “Out of the Shadows - Undersung Women of Blues Guitar,” for the March/April 2021 edition of Acoustic Guitar magazine, and the duo was invited by Taj Mahal to perform at his first annual Roots Rising Showcase on Saturday, March 20th, 2021.

This is the last of four concerts in the John Cohen Memorial Music Series.

Tickets are $20 and are available HERE.

Jud Caswell
Sat, Aug 28th 4:00 pm

Jud Caswell, Maine singer/songwriter, is a talented multi-instrumentalist with a keen eye for detail. There’s a magic to the way he draws you in with clever, well-groomed lyrics, percussive guitar playing, and a powerful yet tender voice until you’re transported to the old farmhouse, the salty shore, a wood full of birdsong.

In 2006, Jud burst onto the national scene with wins at the most prestigious songwriting contests in the country, including the Kerrville New Folk competition, where his song “Blackberry Time” was hailed by songwriting guru Pat Pattison as a “perfect song.”  His song “The Weight of the World” (co-written with Amy Speace and grammy award winner Jon Vezner) was recorded by Judy Collins and named the “#4 Folk Song of the Decade” by New York’s premier AAA station, WFUV.

Wyndham Baird
Live on the Outdoor Stage
Saturday, August 7th 6:30 pm

"Lifting urban love affairs to the stuff of Gospel, and twisting personal disappointments into universal folk anthems " — Deli Magazine

Wyndham Baird authentically represents the folk trajectory from Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan with great voice, guitar, and harmonica. A “must-have” on John Cohen’s list for future events, John saw Wyndham’s work not as an imitation, but with an authenticity that brings these songs home to us.

Bring a lawn chair and picnic - grounds open at 5:45 pm. Light snacks and dessert will be available. In case of rain, the concert will be held in the Carriage Shed.

This is the third of four concerts in the John Cohen Memorial Music Series.

W M D 2
Live on the Outdoor Stage
Saturday, July 24th 6:30 pm

High energy Americana and Bluegrass with vocals, guitar, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, even suitcase percussion! WMD2 will get your toes tapping and hands clapping with a wide range of musical styles, from blues to bluegrass to country, folk, and more. Band members Will Demers, Mat Kastner, Dan Bonis, and Dave Anastasia are happiest when the audience has as much fun as they do! Known for playing fresh interpretations of well-loved songs, the band also performs its own original material.
 
 Bring a lawn chair, picnic, and BYOB - grounds open at 5:45 pm. Refreshments will be available. In case of rain, the concert will be held in our historic Carriage Shed.

Eva Salina and Peter Stan
Live on Our Outdoor Stage!
July 10th 6:30 pm

With groundbreaking interpretations of Balkan songs, Eva and Peter pick up and continue an interrupted legacy of empowered female voices in Serbian and Romani (gypsy) music. Moving effortlessly through the intricate and demanding expression of Balkan songs, they intertwine vintage pop songs with singular interpretations and present them with tenderness, grace, passion, and a commitment to keeping these songs alive and evolving.  This is part of our John Cohen Memorial Music Series.
*Made possible by  The Putnam Arts Council and NY State Legislature. ​

Bring a lawn chair and picnic - grounds open at 5:45 pm. Light snacks will be available. In case of rain, the concert will be held in our historic Carriage Shed.

Drew Young
Live on Our Outdoor Stage!
Saturday, June 26th  4 pm

 The Americana Crooner from New Orleans ​ Live on the lawn!
For the better part of two decades, Drew has been criss crossing the globe soaking up stories and experiences and translating the human experience into songs of longing, love, loss and learning. Throw in some Warren Zevon with a dab of R.E.M. and top it off with a little Jason Isbell and you will find the corner where Drew’s music sits. With two stellar band mates in tow, the band plays southern roots music that is refreshingly honest, defiantly original, and infinitely memorable. 

Preview Drew's music here - It'll Be Soon

Bring a lawn chair and picnic - grounds open at 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be available.  In case of rain, the concert will be held in our historic Carriage Shed.
This is the first of four concerts in the John Cohen Memorial Music Series, 
and is made possible, in part, through the Putnam Arts Council’s Arts Link Grant Program with public funds provided through the NY State Council on the Arts with support from Governor Andrew M Cuomo and the NY State Legislature. ​

Down Hill Strugglers
Saturday, June 19th  6:30 pm

Some of the best traditional American music, blues, gospel and hillbilly, was recorded on commercial 78 rpm records during the 1920s & 30s. The Downhill Strugglers keep that music alive with new interpretations. An old-time string band based simultaneously out of Kentucky and New York, they have released albums on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings and Jalopy Records and are featured on the soundtrack to the Coen Brothers film, "Inside Llewyn Davis" produced by T-Bone Burnett.

John Cohen, who became their mentor and bandmate, co-founded Tompkins Corners in 2015. He was a musician, photographer and filmmaker who performed and documented the traditional music of the rural South and played a major role in the American folk music revival. John played with the Strugglers at every Brooklyn Folk Festival since the beginning, as well as at every Washington Square Park Folk Festival and many more all across the country, including at the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center, the Newport Folk Festival and more.
​
Bring a lawn chair and picnic - grounds open at 5:45 pm. with Covid guidelines in place. In case of rain, the concert will be held in the Carriage Shed.

Circle of Song
Tuesday, June 15th  7 pm
Eli Smith of the Down Hill Strugglers to open our Circle!

Each month, new friends and old gather on Zoom to present a song or just to enjoy the camaraderie. All are welcome, and anything goes! Play a tune, sing a song, have a laugh! 
​
This month, Eli Smith of the Down Hill Strugglers will open our Circle with a few traditional American tunes.  The Down Hill Strugglers  will be presenting a live concert outdoors at TCCC on Saturday, June 19th - so join us for a preview!

To perform please contact linda@tompkinscorners.org.
To join us on Zoom: Circle of Song

Tompkins Corners to host
Albuquerque Folk Festival Master Classes 

June 8 - 13 Virtual

Enrich your musical life with insights and techniques from some extraordinary musicians in these FREE master classes! TCCC Board members Bill, Mark and Linda, who have been hosting our "Circle of Song" Zoom Sessions, will host.

Teaching Artists will include:
Deanie Richardson - Bluegrass Fiddle 
Wayne Shrubsall - Banjo Types & Styles
 The Limeliters - Songwriting
Stillhouse Junkies - Arranging for an Ensemble
Le Vent Du Nord -  The award winning francophone folk band from Quebec. 
David Garcia & Brenda Romero: Inditas and other NM narrative ballad genres.

Classes are free, with registration required.
For more information or to register, please visit: 
 abqfolkfest.org/masterclassschedule.shtml

Joanie Madden, Mary Coogan
& Bruce Foley
of Cherish the Ladies
Saturday, June 5th, 4:00 pm
Live on the Lawn!

TCCC is pleased to present Joanie Madden, Mary Coogan, and Bruce Foley of Cherish the Ladies, the long-running, Grammy-nominated, Irish-American supergroup that formed in New York City in 1985 to celebrate the rise of women on the Irish music scene. They have toured the world, played the White House and the Olympics, and have recorded 17 outstanding albums including an Emmy-winning live recording, "An Irish Homecoming," which was simultaneously videotaped for a Public Television Special that aired across America.
  
Tickets are $20, will be available soon, and will be capped at 100. Bring a lawn chair and picnic - grounds open at 3:30 p.m.  Covid guidelines will be in place (masks required and social distancing).  In case of rain, the concert will be held in the Carriage Shed.

 Deni Bonet
with Chris Flynn
Saturday, May 22nd 6:30 pm
Live on the Lawn!

Engaging, multi-talented singer/songwriter and virtuoso violinist, Deni Bonet, will perform in a special duo with guitarist/singer Chris Flynn. Playing quirky, melodic, and fun folk-rock for all ages, she has recorded and performed with R.E.M., Sarah McLachlan, Cyndi Lauper, and Warren Zevon, among many others. Deni Bonet’s reputation for high-energy performances, and particularly for her dynamic violin playing, has found her in demand - headlining festivals, performing arts centers, clubs, colleges, and international venues. Performance highlights include concerts at Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, the Great Wall of China, and the White House for President Obama.

Suggested donation is $20.

Circle of Song
Deni Bonet to open our Circle!
Tuesday, May 18th  7:00 pm
On Zoom

Deni Bonet, Singer/songwriter and virtuoso violinist will open our monthly “Circle of Song”. Enjoy a preview of her upcoming live show on May 22nd!

Each month, old friends and new gather to present a song or just to sit back and enjoy. We welcome all to our Circle, and anything goes! Play a tune, sing a song, perform solo or with a partner.

To perform please contact linda@tompkinscorners.org

To join us on Zoom: Circle of Song

Pete Seeger Festival!

Live music, fine crafts and refreshments
Sunday, May 2nd from 2-5 pm

Tompkins Corners Cultural Center presents our fifth annual Pete Seeger Festival to celebrate the musical, environmental and humanitarian legacy of our neighbor, mentor and friend. 

This is a FREE, family-friendly event outdoors on the Tompkins Corners lawn, with Covid guidelines in place (masks required and social distancing). If the weather is iffy, the stage will be set up in the carriage shed. Refreshments will be available. Donations will be gratefully accepted and will be shared with local organizations that Pete created, including the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the Beacon Sloop Club, and the River Pool at Beacon.

Scheduled performers include David and Jacob Bernz, Betty and the Baby Boomers, Lydia Adams Davis, Patrick Stanfield Jones, Pat Lamanna, Sharleen Leahey, the Trouble Sisters: Melissa Ortquist, Laurie Siegel and Karen Brooks, Andy Revkin, and Sarah Underhill. 

​The musicians were all Pete’s friends who performed with him and sailed with him on the sloops Clearwater and Woody Guthrie and worked with him at the Beacon Sloop Club. In addition to singing Pete’s songs and their own, they will reminisce about the man who inspired so many people in the course of his 94 years.