Calliope Acoustic Masters Series 2010-11
Presenting the best in traditional and contemporary roots music

September 25--John Hammond
October 23--Tom Rush
November 20--Ken Whiteley & The Levy Sisters
December 11--Geoff Muldaur & Jim Kweskin
January 22--Gadji-Gadjo
February 26--Red Horse (featuring John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson, & Lucy Kaplansky)
March 5--Solas
April 16--Patty Larkin

New subscriptions are on sale NOW!
Single tickets and flex plans will be available mid-July.

Contact ProArtsTickets: (412) 394-3353, www.proartstickets.org

All concerts are held on Saturday evenings-- 7:30pm, Carnegie Lecture Hall (Oakland)

For information on other Calliope concerts:
Calliope Center Stage Concerts
Calliope Emerging Legends Concerts
Calliope Collaboration Concerts
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September 25
John Hammond

"John's sound is so compelling, complete, symmetrical and soulful with just his voice, guitar and harmonica, it is at first impossible to imagine improving it... He's a great force of nature. John sounds like a big train coming.
He chops them all down." - Tom Waits

Veteran bluesman John Hammond has performed or recorded with Jimi Hendrix (discovered while playing in John's band), Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Duane Allman, Mike Bloomfield, JJ Cale, Tom Waits, The Band, John Lee Hooker, Dr. John.

Since 1962, when he made his debut on Vanguard Records, Hammond has made thirty-four albums. He remains one of the world's premier acoustic blues artists and was nominated for a Grammy in 2010. A tireless performer, he continues to tour world-wide on an annual basis.

Opening Act: Daryl Fleming
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October 23
Tom Rush

Tom Rush is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration--a journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humor and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues.

Rush's impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the '60s and the renaissance of the '80s and '90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. James Taylor told Rolling Stone, "Tom was not only one of my early heroes, but also one of my main influences."

View a live Tom Rush performance

Opening Act: Carol Lee Espy
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November 20
Ken Whiteley
& The Levy Sisters

Ken Whiteley has been called "...a cross between
Pete Seeger and Tony Bennett on 11!"

A Canadian roots music legend, Ken's musical journey has included: jug band, folk, swing, blues, children's music, and gospel. Ken's shows are soul stirring, inspiring,
participatory fun.

Joining Ken will be the gorgeous vocal harmonies and percussion of the Levy Sisters. Deeply rooted in the gospel tradition, they have been associated with Ken for 15 years and have performed with people as diverse as Pete Seeger, Celine Dion and Kirk Franklin. Ken's son Ben Whiteley is quickly establishing himself as one of Canada's hottest acoustic bass players.

Ken has performed with musical legends including: Pete Seeger, Odetta, Tom Paxton and Leon Redbone (with whom he performed on Saturday Night Live). Recognized as a gifted guitarist and mandolinist, Ken has an impressive repertoire and a prodigious ability to play over 20 instruments.

An award winning songwriter with over 300 compositions, Ken’s songs have been covered by numerous artists and his walls are adorned with a dozen gold and multi-platinum records. Among numerous accolades, he has won a Canadian Folk Music Award, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals and Mariposa Folk Festival. A producer of over 125 recording projects, Ken’s productions have garnered 2 Grammy nominations, and sold over 8 million copies.

Opening Act: Joy Ike

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December 11
Geoff Muldaur &
Jim Kweskin

When it comes to acoustic folk, blues, and ragtime, Jim Kweskin and Geoff Muldaur are unparalleled exponents of the best aspects of American music.

As founding members of the nationally popular ‘60s group, Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band, they
helped create a new style in the American musical scene. Jerry Garcia’s first band (Mother McCree’s Uptown Jug Champions, a forerunner to The Grateful Dead), was formed after hearing the Kweskin Band’s first album. 

After many years apart, Jim and Geoff were brought back together in 2006 for a Fritz Richmond
memorial concert in Tokyo and their chemistry was instantly re-activated.They’ve been doing
select dates as a duo since then.

Opening Act: Brett Howland
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January 22
Gadji-Gadjo

Founded by Melanie Bergeron in 2002, the musicians of Gadji-Gadjo learned traditional pieces of the Klezmer/Tzigane repertoire and founded the band.

Coming from various regions of Québec, each musician adds her/his experience making a mix of jazz, classical, South American, Klezmer and Québec traditional influences.

With violin, mandolin, clarinet and bass clarinet, accordion, guitar, double-bass and percussion, the group is already making a splash on the world music scene.

Opening Act: Gordon Neidinger Trio

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February 26
Red Horse
(John Gorka, Eliza Gilkyson, Lucy Kaplansky)

Red Horse features Eliza Gilkyson, Lucy Kaplansky and John Gorka.

Red Horse was recently featured on NPR's All Things Considered
Hear the interview here

Eliza Gilkyson creates music that the New York Times calls, “Lush and passionate… edgy lyrics with piercing imagery.” A politically minded, poetically gifted singer-songwriter, Eliza Gilkyson is one of the most respected musicians in roots, folk and Americana circles.
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Lucy Kaplansky, who also holds a doctorate in Psychology, has appeared on the CBS Morning Show, NPR’s Weekend and Morning Editions, and Mountain Stage. Lucy is a gifted songsmith with a remarkable talent for harmony which has led her to collaborate with a variety of artists, including: Dar Williams & Richard Shindell (as Cry, Cry, Cry), Nanci Griffith, and friend and singing partner Shawn Colvin who also produced Lucy's 1994 album The Tide.
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John Gorka sings in a stunningly soulful baritone voice and writes multi-faceted songs full of depth, beauty and emotion, which led Rolling Stone to call him, "the preeminent male singer-songwriter of the new folk movement." John has graced the stages of Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage, etown and has appeared on CNN and has collaborated with artists including Ani Difranco and Patty Griffin.

Opening Act: Andina & Rich

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March 5
Solas

“...Mind-blowing Irish folk music, maybe the world’s best.”
--The Philadelphia Inquirer

Although Solas can play undiluted traditional Irish music as well as anyone alive or departed, they are always varying the mix of fire tested tradition and contemporary sensibility with an ease and naturalness that is as astonishing as their overwhelming musicianship. As a result, they transcend musical genres into the realm of pure musical expression that only a relative handful of musicians attain.

The internationally acclaimed supergroup has not only captured the hearts and ears of Irish music fans, but fans all around the globe with their blend of Celtic traditional, folk and country melodies, bluesy sometimes jazz-inspired improvisations and global rhythms. Solas has built a fanbase that includes the likes of Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris and the much sought-after rap producer Timbaland who sampled the band on his radio hit “All Y'all.” Their latest release is a live CD and DVD called Reunion (Compass Records) which celebrates the band's tenth anniversary.

Opening Act: Corned Beef & Curry
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April 16
Patty Larkin

Patty Larkin has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly) and a “drop-dead brilliant”  performer (Performing Songwriter).

Patty Larkin is part of the urban-folk/pop music phenomenon that spun off of the singer/songwriter explosion of the seventies, reinterpreting traditional folk melodies, rock, pop, bossa nova, drawing on anything from Dylan (Bob) to Dylan (Thomas). 

A self described “guitar driven songwriter,”
Larkin has wound her way through soundscapes
of evocative vocals, inventive guitar wizardry and imaginative lyrics.  Her songs run from impressionistic poetry to witty wordplay. 

In 2010 Patty releases a collection of 25 love songs in celebration of 25 years in the recording industry.  Here Patty has reworked 25 of her favorite songs in an acoustic, “unplugged” release, joined by friends along the way.

Artists joining Patty on her new record include:
Roseanne Cash, Suzanne Vega, Janis Ian, Greg Brown, Martin Sexton, Jonatha Brooke, Bruce Cockburn, David Wilcox, Shawn Colvin, Lucy Kaplansky, Chris Smither, Cheryl Wheeler, Catie Curtis, Erin McKeown, Dar Williams, John Gorka, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and more.

Opening Act: Stewart Lewis

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