[Folkus Project] Folkus on Lost Boys and Banjos

[FolkusFans at folkus.org]

Folkus Fans!

Thanks to everyone's help last Friday!  The Eddie From Ohio show was the
Folkus Project's biggest show ever!  Lots of extra volunteers helped pull it
off -- many people put a lot of time into making this show happen.  Thanks
to all for going that extra mile.

So last week it was contemporary songwriting on the rock & roll side of
folk. This week's two-for-one concert also features contemporary songwriting
& harmony singing, but more unplugged: John Cadley of the Lost Boys writes
songs that are a new branch of the bluegrass tree. Dana Cooke writes songs
that borrow from a number of styles, but with an old-time banjo player in
his band, it's all rooted in Americana.
    Some special things to expect this weekend: As fiddler Henry Jankiewicz
of the Lost Boys appears on Dana Cooke recordings, watch for him to play
some with Dana, too. And Dana will be debuting a couple of new songs,
including a paean to a desert!
    The details:

Saturday, March 12
CNY Songwriters Double Bill!
THE LOST BOYS and DANA "SHORT ORDER" COOKE & HIS BAND JOE
tunes of gentle grace and beauty meet silliness, irony, and poignancy
8:00, $8 ($5 for WCC members)
at Westcott Community Center
826 Euclid Ave (at the corner of Euclid & Westcott)
Call 478-8634 for tickets!

About THE LOST BOYS:
    The Lost Boys, now going into their sixth year as one of Central New
York's premier bluegrass groups, have just released a new CD, "Black Dog,"
following their critically acclaimed debut disc, "Middle of Nowhere," which
was named "Best CD of the Year" in 2002 by The Syracuse New Times and won a
SAMMY for Best Bluegrass Recording. The Lost Boys are Paul Wakker (bass,
vocals), John Cadley (guitar, vocals), Mark Allnatt (banjo, vocals) and
Henry Jankiewicz (fiddle). They perform a mix of traditional bluegrass and
original compositions by Cadley, who has had songs recorded by Tony Trischka
and Skyline, Jim Hurst & Missy Raines, Lou Reid and Carolina, John Rossbach
and Chestnut Grove, and Silk City, a New Jersey group of former Skyline
members. 
    John Cadley has played country and bluegrass music for 40 years,
including a stint as a touring road musician based in Nashville, and as a
member of the Syracuse area's first bluegrass band, The Down City Ramblers,
and the area's seminal country rock group, Cross Creek. Paul Wakker's
smooth, clear voice is often compared to the singing of Vince Gill. Mark
Allnatt is a solid 5-string banjo player (he also plays great flatpick
guitar) in the style of Bill Eldridge (of the seminal bluegrass band, Seldom
Scene) with a rich baritone akin to Doc Watson. And Henry Jankiewicz has
been amazing Central New York audiences since his days with Cranberry Lake.
He is everybody's "fiddler of choice" for old time, Irish, contra dance, and
bluegrass music. His song, "Einstein," has achieved special status as one of
the most requested songs on Minnesota Public Radio, where Henry performed
the song with Cranberry Lake on Prairie Home Companion.

About DANA ³SHORT ORDER² COOKE & HIS BAND JOE:
Songwriter Dana ³Short Order² Cooke puts the fun back in irony. With his
well-developed sense of the absurd and contradictory, he gets at things that
are real. ³Cooke writes songs that make you think,² wrote the Syracuse
Post-Standard¹s Mark Bialczak. ³Then they make you chuckle. Finally, they
make you want to invite him over to swap tales and share beverages." He is
accompanied by His Band Joe, which consists of Joe Cleveland on banjo,
guitar, and vocals; and John Dancks on bass. His Band Joe lends Cooke a
percolating Americana edge.
    "[Joe] Cleveland's sweet harmonies are the perfect foil to Cooke's
sardonic narratives. And bassist [John] Dancks effortlessly provides the
solid rhythm foundation that Cooke's witty lyrics and intricate melodies
require. Add to that Cooke's easygoing, conversational manner with an
audience, and you get a performance as comfy and unaffected as a living-room
jam session." --Tammy DiDomenico, Syracuse New Times
    "If there is a heaven above, then Dana 'Short Order' Cooke's latest
14-track release [Snowball¹s Chance] will get the attention it deserves.
With devilish irony and self-effacingly hellacious humor, Cooke is a
modern-day Everyman who endures life reverses, major and minor.² -- Sing
Out! Magazine


VOLUNTEER
Please?  Email Doug at <volunteer at folkus.org>
    Anyone want to bring some brownies or cookies or something for the
refreshment stand? Count it as a donation to the venue -- that's where the
donations for refreshments go. Let's make sure they think hosting folk &
acoustic music is a wonderful thing to do! Email <volunteer at folkus.org>

PUBLICITY VOLUNTEER NEEDED
The Folkus Project needs a volunteer to coordinate publicity. In exchange
for no pay but lots of love, the Publicity Coordinator will help drum up
attendance at Folkus shows by distributing press materials and developing
other promotional strategies.  Interested?  Please contact Joe Cleveland or
Doug Randall at a Folkus show or email Doug at <volunteer at folkus.org>. We
love you already.

TELL A FRIEND...
...about the great music that you've found in Syracuse.  The best way for
Folkus to grow is for you to help spread the word.  Bring a friend to a
show.  Get a friend to sign up on the email list.  Make the music happen!

UP-COMING CONCERTS:
 
Saturday, March 12
CNY Songwriters Double Bill!
The Lost Boys and Dana "Short Order" Cooke
tunes of gentle grace and beauty meet silliness, irony, and poignancy
8:00, $8 ($5 for WCC members)
at Westcott Community Center
 
Friday, March 18
Bill Morrissey 
finely-honed songs tell stories of humor, insight, & empathy
8:00, $15
at WESTCOTT COMMUNITY CENTER (please note venue change!)
    be sure to email <tickets at folkus.org> for reservations!
 
Friday, April 1
Lee Murdock
Great Lakes Balladeer
8:00, $10
at May Memorial
 
Saturday, April 9
Tracy Grammer 
Celebrating the postmodern mythic American music of Dave Carter
8:00, $15 ($12 for WCC members)
at Westcott Community Center
 
Friday, April 15
Michael Smith
Renowned songwriter of unpredictable creativity
8:00, $10
at May Memorial
 
Friday, May 6
Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen
Legendary songcraft & engaging musicianship
8:00, $12
at May Memorial
 
Saturday, May 14
Tanglefoot
High-impact Canadian culture
8:00, $17 ($15 for WCC members)
at Westcott Community Center


RESERVATIONS & LOCATIONS

To make reservations for the Folkus Project / May Day Cafe shows at May
Memorial, call (315) 440-1818 or email <tickets at folkus.org>. May Memorial is
located at 3800 East Genesee Street, just inside the Syracuse City Limits.

To make reservations for Second Saturday shows at the Westcott Community
Center, call (315) 478-8634. The Westcott Community Center is located at 826
Euclid Avenue, at the corner with Westcott Street.

For more information, visit the Folkus Project¹s web page at
<http://folkus.org/>.

Because it's the music we love & who we are.

-- 
The Folkus Project ** folk & acoustic music for Syracuse & Central New York!
Joe Cleveland, Artistic Director
http://folkus.org/
joe at folkus.org
(315) 457-2290