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Phil's message regarding the Towne Crier's future... There's been much written about the Towne Crier's possible closing/move. Here are just some of the articles: |
Concert Calendar
Fri, 5/18, 8:30pm JOHN ARRUCCI Quartet
Celebrating the release of his acclaimed debut CD, Metaphors, percussionist and composer John Arrucci comes to the Towne Crier with his quartet. His rich harmonic language provides fertile ground for lyrical improvisation. "His stylistic palette is tinged with new music, jazz and world music elements blended into what feels like an inevitable and organic entity." The quartet will perform works from "Metaphors" as well as additional Arrucci compositions. Trumpeter/Flugelhornist, Tony Kadleck; Keyboardist, Rob Aries; and Bassist, Brian Glassman round out the quartet. Arrucci's work is featured on more than 70 recordings, scores for feature films and music for television. He has recorded and/or performed with David Byrne, Mariah Carey, Michael Brecker, John Patittucci, Gil Goldstein, Livingston Taylor and many others. His compositions have been performed around the world. :|: listen ♪ | John Arrucci's home
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 5/19, 8:30pm DAVID LINDLEY; guest Alectro – Steve Kirkman & Jeff Eyrich
Multi-instrumentalist David Lindley performs music that redefines the word "eclectic." Lindley, well known for his many years as the featured accompanist with Jackson Browne, and leader of his own band, El Rayo-X, has long championed the concept of world music. The David Lindley electro-acoustic performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy, and Turkish musical sources. Lindley incorporates an incredible array of stringed instruments including but not limited to Kona and Weissenborn Hawaiian lap steel guitar, Turkish saz and chumbus, Middle Eastern oud, and Irish bouzouki. The eye-poppingly clad "Mr. Dave's" uncanny vocal mimicry and demented sense of humor make his onstage banter a highlight of the show. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | David Lindley's home
$30 advance/ $35 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 5/20, 7:30pm BACK TO THE GARDEN 1969
Since we've received comments that many people were unable to make the Passover/ Good Friday/ holiday weekend appearance in early April, we've invited back this fun group who celebrate the music of Woodstock with skill & respect. :|: Back To The Garden 1969 is comprised of a group of five musicians (two of which were at the original Woodstock festival) who have performed together in various combinations over the years, but joined forces specifically to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Woodstock Music Festival. This proved to be so much fun for everyone ~especially those who've come out to see them~ that there was no reason to stop! The band covers the wide variety of musical styles and classic sounds associated with Woodstock, including acoustic and electric rock, acid rock, folk music, and soul. Their musical performances are a tribute to the artists who helped make Woodstock the epic event that, to this day, remains unparalleled. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Back To The Garden 1969's home
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7pm, signup 5-7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT
The Towne Crier Cafe's Open Mics attract aspiring musicians from all over the Hudson Valley & beyond, having been referred to by many as the finest open mic in the northeast with its comfortable, respectful atmosphere and good sound. It attracts a range of musicians from budding 5-year-old beginners to musicians whose careers are starting to bloom!
all seats $4 | more/signup
Fri, 5/25, 8:30pm CHRIS CASSONE; guest Ian Young
Songwriter, singer, actor, playwright Chris Cassone started his music career as chief engineer in Chip Taylor's North Lake Sound, working with Frampton, Dr. John, Ace Frehley, Mercer Ellington among many others. The doo wop group, The Earls ("Remember Then") asked him to sing baritone and with them, played every major arena on the East Coast. Their friend, Chazz Palminteri, had Chris record the music for his hit film, "A Bronx Tale," with Robert DeNiro. He sold out performances in the area of his one man musical multimedia memoir, "The Cakeman Chronicles," detailing his exploits growing up in his family bakery, J.J. Cassone's. Splitting his time between NY and LA, he became homesick for his Putnam County and wrote the rocker, "Route 22" which went viral on YouTube. On his new CD, "Memorial Day," he is backed by members of Chip Taylor's and Howard Stern's band. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Chris Cassone's home
$15 advance/ $20 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 5/26, 8:30pm ARLEN ROTH
Known as "The Master of the Telecaster," music lovers consider Arlen Roth "the guitarist's guitarist." His legendary guitar prowess crosses all genres, all styles, and all types of guitar playing, including one of his specialties, slide guitar. He fluidly moves from folk and blues to country tunes, and has played some of the most resounding rock ever recorded. Arlen will be performing with Matt Rae on guitar and Eddie Denise on bass. "One of The Top 100 Influential Guitarists of the Century." - Vintage Guitar Magazine :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Arlen Roth's home
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 5/27, 7:30pm TERRANCE SIMIEN & The Zydeco Experience
Coming from one of the first Creole families to settle St. Landry Parish, Terrance Simien's musical roots are firmly planted alongside the great zydeco pioneers like Chenier, Delafose, Chavis, Ardoin and "that other Simien," Rockin Sidney -- some of whom mentored him as an emerging talent. Terrance remains a pivotal part of Zydeco music history -- in the early 1980s, there were only 2 emerging bands touring nationally, perpetuating the traditional zydeco roots music of their forefathers: young Terrance; and The Sam Brothers. More recently, Simien opened the 50th Grammy Awards pre-Telecast ceremony with a 10 minute performance. Later that day, he received the first Grammy for Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album. Simien's carefully crafted recordings, dating back nearly 30 years and including vinyl 45s, have stood the test of time. 2011 marked his 25th consecutive year performing at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival -- yet another testament to his contributions to Louisiana music culture. In 2005 Terrance led HBO producers deep into Creole country to film "The Music In Me: Children's Recitals From Classical To Latin, Jazz To Zydeco," in which he was also seen. In 2008 Simien became a spokesperson for the State of Louisiana Office of Tourism and is featured in national television commercials and print ads. In the Oscar nominated Disney classic film "The Princess & The Frog," set in New Orleans, Simien plays accordion on "Gonna Take You There," a zydeco tune penned by Randy Newman, inspired by a Simien original. Simien has also been featured in dozens of other films, including the blockbuster hit The Big Easy, TV movies and commercials. Terrance is well known for his legendary live performances, with music that will force you out of your seat, grooving all the way to the dance floor! :|: watch ♪ | Terrance Simien's home
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7pm, signup 5-7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT
all seats $4 | more
Fri, 6/1, 8:30pm CHRIS SMITHER
Chris' last show at the TCC sold out quickly -- here's another chance to catch this longtime friend and special artist, for those of you who may have missed Chris' great show earlier this year! :|: Renowned as an extraordinary guitar player, and for songwriting talents that display a real feel for language, New Orleans-raised Chris Smither's soulful vocal style resonates from its finger pickin' blues roots. Self described as a singer-songwriter-guitarist who plays acoustic folk blues, or as a one man rock-n-roll band, Chris visits everything from obscure Chuck Berry to Tin Pan Alley corn with an uncanny ability to inhabit a song with his unpretentiously charming personalty. Among other recognized tunes, Smither wrote the often covered Bonnie Raitt classics Love You Like A Man and I Feel The Same. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Chris' home
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 6/2, 8:30pm ELLIS PAUL; guest Paul Stafford
Ellis Paul is one of the leading voices in American songwriting. He was a principle leader in the wave of singer/songwriters that emerged from the Boston folk scene, creating a movement that revitalized the national acoustic circuit with an urban, literate, folk pop style that helped renew interest in the genre in the 1990s. Ellis' charismatic, personally authentic performance style has influenced a generation of artists away from the artifice of pop, and closer towards the realness of folk. Though he remains among the most pop-friendly of today's singer-songwriters ~his songs regularly appear in hit movie and TV soundtracks~ he has bridged the gulf between the modern folk sound and the populist traditions of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger more successfully than perhaps any of his songwriting peers. :|: watch ♪ | Ellis Paul's home (includes audio & video ♪)
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 6/3, 7 PM 
OPEN MIC FINALS ~ Invitational Round
Since 1988, the Towne Crier has hosted Open Mics which have attracted musicians from all over the Hudson Valley and the tri-state area. It has been referred to by many as the finest open mic in the northeast because of the comfortable, respectful atmosphere and good sound. This open mic attracts high-caliber talent, some of which have gone on to become national attractions, such as Sloan Wainwright, "Gandalf Murphy," The Mammals, etc.
all seats $8 Buy TICKETS now!
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7pm, signup 5-7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT
all seats $4 | more
Fri, 6/8, 8:30pm ROY BOOK BINDER; also PAUL GEREMIA
Roy Book Binder travelled with The Rev. Gary Davis in the '60s; re-discovered Pink Anderson and revived his career in the '70s; and has been included in The Blues Who's Who and the Big Book Of Blues. "The Book" has appeared on TNN's Nashville Now 30 times with many of Country Music's bigest legends, and has toured nationaly with Bonnie Raitt, JJ Cale, Hot Tuna ...you name it, Roy has done it! "The stories are as good as the songs," said the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia. Book Binder's eclectic repertoire includes blues, country tunes, bluegrass, folk and popular songs that originated on Tin Pan Alley. Jorma Kaukonen included Roy's songs on his last two albums | watch ♪ | Roy Book Binder's home :|: In the years since Paul Geremia abandoned all other means of support in 1966, he has built a reputation as a first rate bluesman, songwriter, a "scholar" of early jazz & blues and one of the best country blues fingerpickers ever. With his tools –six and twelve-string guitars, harmonica, piano and a husky soulful voice– and with an innate sense of the humor along with the drama of the music, he keeps traditional blues fresh & alive with his performances. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Paul Geremia's home
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 6/9, 8:30pm CHRIS O'LEARY Band
While the Chris O'Leary Band's music is rooted in the blues, you can hear shades of New Orleans, rockabilly and more in their big, high-energy sound. Their music is the fruit of many years on the road, with many nights absorbing the great blues, R&B, and and rock'n'roll that graced so many stages across the country. Several years ago, LEVON HELM was turned on to Chris O'Leary's blues harp playing through a mutual friend, which led to Levon joining in on some of Chris's early recording sessions, and then sitting in on his band's regular gigs. Soon, Levon asked Chris and his compadres to join the house band at his new club in New Orleans. Chris quickly relocated to New Orleans, where he spent the better part of a year at the club as a focal point of Levon Helm's Barn Burners, backing up touring stars and opening for New Orleans' finest players. Levon's club closed in 1998, but Chris continued to tour with his Barn Burners, garnering fans and critical acclaim. In 2007 O'Leary formed a new band, including fellow Barn Burner Frankie Ingrao on bass, guitarist Chris Vitarello (already known from his tasty, incendiary work with the Bruce Katz Band) and drummer Sean McCarthy. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Chris O'Leary's home
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 6/10, 7:30pm GUGGENHEIM GROTTO; also KINNEY & STORMS
Over the past five years Dublin-based alt-folk duo The Guggenheim Grotto has touched audiences in a way members Kevin May and Mick Lynch couldn't have imagined. From setting out as Dublin songwriter circuit regulars to building a devoted cult following in the U.S. with warm embraces from media and competitive iTunes charting, the band has captivated audiences and tastemakers on both sides of the pond and undergone considerable personal growth along the way. | watch ♪ | The Guggenheim Grotto's home (includes audio ♪) :|: Kevin KINNEY, a relatively new singer-songwriter with coffeehouse roots, has joined Jeffrey STORMS, a self-taught guitarist with years of experience and spanning several different genres of music. With diverse backgrounds and a shared passion, their style incorporates an addictive fusion of folk, pop and rock. Rachel Pearl, a classically trained cellist, adds a round, compelling dynamic to the group. This unique combination –their heartfelt poetry & soulfully expressed songs, warm harmonies, strong rhythm guitar with progressive leads, blended with Rachel's haunting cello– creates a large, powerful sound that is becoming highly recognized in the Hudson Valley.
:|: Kinney & Storms' home (includes audio ♪)
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7pm, signup 5-7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT
all seats $4 | more
Fri, 6/15, 8:30pm MATT "GUITAR" MURPHY; guest The Nouveaux Honkies
Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, was born in 1929 in Sunflower, Mississippi, and was educated in Memphis where he played with Howlin' Wolf and Little Junior Parker as early as 1948. By 1952, Murphy was in Chicago, where he began his long association with Memphis Slim by playing on his dates for United Records and Vee Jay Records, including the album At The Gate of Horn (1959). Murphy was already a legend among serious guitarists by the 1960s, famed for the incredibly fast and intricate blues riffs that would soon change rock & roll. A partial list of artists with whom Matt has performed with includes Robert Lockwood Jr., Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, Little Junior Parker, Ike Turner, Memphis Slim, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Etta James, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Chuck Berry, Joe Louis Walker, the Zaichik Brothers and The Blues Brothers (appearing on nine of their albums). Matt played with some of these bands for many years (20 years with Memphis Slim!), while others were just sessions during his work at Chess Records. More recently, Matt has toured with his old friend and bandmate James Cotton. :|: watch ♪ | Matt "Guitar" Murphy's home (includes audio ♪)
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 6/16, 8:30pm LORI LIEBERMAN; also JIM DAWSON
Lori Lieberman is one of music's best kept secrets, in spite of having written the classic, Grammy award-winning hit "Killing Me Softly With His Song." As a Singer, Songwriter, Recording and Performance Artist, to this day Lori remains among the upper echelon of American musical Artists. Her breathtaking voice --often like warm honey-- her honest and beautiful songs, her exquisite arrangements, the utter integrity of her presentation and her gentle connection to our souls reminds us softly of our human condition. | watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Lori Lieberman's home (includes audio & video ♪) :|: Jim Dawson is one of the great singer/songwriters of our generation with a large body of intensely loyal admirers of his songwriting and his amazing voice. He's warm, genuine, personable and his magic is especially powerful in concert. With a recording career that has continued to grow since the 1970s, Jim's songs have been recorded by artists as diverse as Mary Travers and Elmo (from Sesame Street). :|: listen ♪ | Jim Dawson's home
$30 advance/ $35 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 6/17, 7:30pm SHOWCASE EVENING
This is a very special series of concerts in which we present some of the most exceptional performers from the wealth of regional talent around us. These are up-and-coming artists whom we know well through their work at Open Mic Nights or as openers for featured musicians. These evenings are an opportunity to see what could be fame in the making, as many of our patrons have experienced in recent years. Join us for a great evening with these gifted performers.
all seats $8 Buy TICKETS now!
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7pm, signup 5-7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT
all seats $4 | more
Fri, 6/22, 8:30pm An Evening With WILLIE NILE and JAMES MADDOCK
"What surprises me is how little has changed since the beginning. My passion hasn't diminished one bit. The fire is still blazing inside of me." -Willie Nile | Twenty-five years after his much-heralded debut, Willie Nile's astonishing re-emergence with "Streets of New York" is witness of Willie's youthful, unflagging energy. U2's Bono summed the album up in one joyous burst: "Great Album!" Writing in The NY Times, the great rock critic Robert Palmer called him "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." watch ♪ | Willie Nile's home (includes audio & video ♪) :|: First recognized in the U.S as the front-man for the band, Wood (Songs From Stamford Hill), James Maddock has steadily gained traction in the Northeast with his infectious live performances and accessible touch with his fans. A top 50 chart position at non-comm radio in 2010 for Sunrise On Avenue C leaves Maddock poised to break through to a mainstream audience. :|: watch ♪ | James Maddock's home (includes audio ♪)
$30 advance/ $35 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 6/23, 8:30pm SLOAN WAINWRIGHT Band
Folk-pop artist Sloan Wainwright belongs to a musical dynasty of impossibly gifted singer-songwriters. Her family tree (brother and folk-music luminary Loudon Wainwright, sister-in-law Kate McGarrigle, nephew Rufus Wainwright, nieces Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche) reads like a who's who of contemporary folk music. Sloan's incredible gift is not only her unique songwriting ability but her dramatically voiced rendition of her original songs. "She's folk-influenced, obviously (you can't grow up in the First Family of Folk and not be, one imagines), but the real star here is her voice. Warm and smoky and smooth, it makes her earthy, ominous lyrics seem all the more intense." Defying standard categorization, singer/songwriter Sloan Wainwright consistently demonstrates her easy command of a variety of American musical styles -- pop, folk, jazz and blues -- held together by the melodious tone of her rich contralto. The end result, a unique and soulful hybrid. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | Sloan Wainwright's home
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 6/24, 7:30pm MUSICAL HERITAGE EVENING ~ A Tribute LEVON HELM & RICK DANKO
With the recent passing of our longtime friend, Levon Helm, we thought that it would be appropriate to honor and celebrate the music & spirit with which these two members of The Band touched so many. Their performances at the Towne Crier left us with many fond memories. Joining us this evening will be "Professor Louie" & "Miss Marie," with whom Levon performed several times at the Towne Crier as Levon Helm & The Crowmatix. Professor Louie (Aaron Horowitz) also worked with The Band as their producer with their award-winning album, Jerico. The Professor also appeared at the Towne Crier with Rick Danko on several occasions as well as with Garth Hudson. Also appearing will be Larry Packer on fiddle (who performed and appeared in the film, The Last Waltz); Guy Davis (a good friend who appeared with Levon on the Conan O'Brien show); Gary Solomon (bandleader of the tribute group The "THE BAND" Band); and Gary Adamson (of Back To The Garden 1969).
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7pm, signup 5-7pm OPEN MIC NIGHT
all seats $4 | more
Fri 6/29, 8:30pm THE GRAND SLAMBOVIANS
The Grand Slambovians (formerly Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams) have been called "the hillbilly Pink Floyd," which is an apt description, particularly if you throw in elements of Incredible String Band, Neil Young, The Band, Dylan and maybe even some Frank Zappa as well -- a clear indicator of its singularly indescribable uniqueness. At the same time, their sound and even their songs feel so familiar, so classic, it's as if you've been listening to these characters all your life. Upon returning recently from the U.K. this fall where they spread their contagious brand of quirky Americana from Glasgow to Penzance, the band completed work on their fourth studio album, The Grand Slambovians. The advent of The Grand Slambovians is both the band's latest reincarnation and the title of their new, soul stirring album. :|: watch ♪ | listen ♪ | The Grand Slambovians' home (includes audio & video ♪)
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sat, 6/30, 8:30pm LUTHER "GUITAR Jr." JOHNSON & The Magic Rockers
Grammy and WC Handy award-winning bluesman Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson's style features a blistering blend of sharp single note leads with powerful chordal self-accompaniment, which has influenced such further influential guitarists as Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler. After serving an apprenticeship alongside the late Magic Sam, from whom he inherited the west-side guitar-style throne, Luther gained an international reputation as a guitarist & vocalist in Muddy Waters' band. By the late '70s, Luther developed his own signature style, characterized by a strong rhythmic component and deeply moving vocal phrasings. You may also remember seeing Luther featured in the legendary Blues Brothers movie ... here's your chance to see him in the Towne Crier's intimate & respected setting! :|: watch ♪ | Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson's home
$25 advance/ $30 door Buy TICKETS now!
Sun, 7/1, 7:30pm 2nd Annual HARPIN' FOR HUNGER; with DENNIS GREUNLING; STEVE GUIGER; BIG JOE FITZ; and CHRIS O'LEARY
We had a successful Harpin' For Hunger event last year with a lot of food & $ donated and appecieated very much by the Food Bank Of The Hudson Valley! Harpin' For Hunger is a blues harp benefit featuring four of the region's top blues & roots harmonica players! :|: DENNIS GRUENLING has pulled in countless fans and numerous accolades from critics & musicians around the world for his swinging, highly original harmonica sound and style. Taking equal parts from the harmonica and swing/saxophone traditions and styles, Dennis has pushed the boundaries further for the sound of blues harmonica, while in the meantime pioneering a whole new sound and direction for the harmonica. "Best Modern Blues Harmonica Player" 3 years in a row from REAL BLUES magazine. :|: STEVE GUYGER: Philadelphia is home to one of the finest blues harp players in the world. Over the past thirty-plus years, Steve Guyger has been dishing out some of the finest blues to be heard anywhere. Steve has toured with the late Jimmy Rogers, and has played with many of the great Chicago bluesmen. His playing, vocals, songwriting and stage presence have earned him a place among the best of the players on stage today. :|: BIG JOE FITZ was born into a musical family in NYC and was drawn to the blues at a time when it was still possible to see the biggest names in blues in the small clubs of Greenwich Village. An extraordinary encounter with Howlin' Wolf at The Newport Folk Festival in 1966, and a meeting with Lightnin' Hopkins at The 1st Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969 sealed the deal on his lifelong devotion to the blues which continues to this day with his tenure at WDST. :|: CHRIS O'LEARY's musical background includes duties as lead singer and front man for rock and roll hall of famer and Grammy award winner Levon Helm's band The Barnburners. During the 6 years that Chris and Levon played together they toured across the US and Canada lighting up stages everywhere they went.
$20 advance/ $25 door Buy TICKETS now!
Although we do our best to check for errors, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information on our site. If you spot a possible typo, we would appreciate a quick note emailed to our webmaster at townecrier.com. Thank you.
Towne Crier Cafe
Open evenings Wed thru Sun; Closed Mon & Tues
130 Route 22, Pawling, NY · (845) 855-1300
