Bruce Molsky & Tony Trischka
SOLD OUT!
The father of modern bluegrass and a world-renowned fiddler…
Two legends of the folk/roots world—Grammy-nominated fiddler extraordinaire Bruce Molsky and banjo master Tony Trischka—join forces for an evening of old time string band wizardry. The two will trade songs from their prolific and beloved catalogs as well as the deep well of American traditional folk tunes, both well-known and recently unearthed.
Tony Trischka is considered to be the consummate banjo artist and perhaps the most influential banjo player in the roots music world. The Syracuse native helped usher bluegrass out of the dusty past and into a progressive future, while honoring the old time traditions. For half a century, his stylings have set new standards for genre-bending virtuosity, inspiring a whole generation of bluegrass and acoustic musicians with the many voices he has brought to the instrument, from monster banjo innovator Béla Fleck to Steve Martin, the banjo’s unofficial celebrity ambassador.
Trischka’s landmark solo debut, Bluegrass Light, was released on the Rounder label in 1974. “For the first album,” Trischka recalls, “I was just doing what I loved, music I was hearing.” Many other milestone albums followed, including A Robot Plane Flies Over Arkansas (1983), which refined the eclecticism of Bluegrass Light; World Turning (1993), a wildly ambitious love letter to the banjo and its mighty journey throughout America’s cultural firmament; Grammy-nominated Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular (2007); and Great Big World (2014). His 2021 album, Shall We Hope, is a visionary exploration of Civil War history featuring an all-star cast. Trischka was also musical director and co-producer of Marc Fields’ documentary Give Me the Banjo (2011), narrated by Steve Martin.
Trischka has two Grammy nominations, and won three awards at the 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association gathering, including Recorded Event of the Year and Banjo Player of the Year. He was named a United States Artists Friends Fellow in 2012.
“Urban bluegrass whiz.” --Time Magazine
“The great banjo liberationist.” --NPR
“[Trischka] is known as the father of modern Bluegrass.” --New York Times
“Father of banjo fusion.” --Wall Street Journal
Bruce Molsky says, "I spent my earliest years visiting old mountain fiddlers in the southern states, and was fortunate to have learned at the knees of some of the greats who are no longer with us. Their lessons in music and life, along with decades of study of old recordings, 25+ years of solo and band touring, studio production and teaching has given me a broad palette of experiences and playing techniques that I love to share with my students."
Grammy-nominated and described as “an absolute master,” Molsky transports audiences to another time and place, with his authentic and personal interpretations of rarities from the Southern Appalachian songbook and other musical traditions from around the globe. Best known for his work on the fiddle, his banjo, guitar and his distinctive, powerful vocals also resonate with listeners. His combination of technical virtuosity and relaxed conversational wit makes a concert hall feel like an intimate front porch gathering. His take on tradition has landed him in collaborations with some of the world’s most highly respected players from roots to rock.
February 2022 marked the long-anticipated release of Molsky’s solo guitar CD Everywhere You Go, a coming-together of new interpretations and arrangements of a wide swath of styles.
Molksy holds the title of “Visiting Scholar in the American Roots Music Program” at Berklee College of Music, where he is the go-to guy for the next generation of roots musicians.
“Performing and teaching traditional music are the biggest things in my world. For me, being a musician isn’t a standalone thing; it informs everything I do in my life. It’s always been about being creative and being a part of something much bigger than myself, a link in the musical chain and part of the community of people who play it and love it.”
“Molsky is easily one of the nation’s most talented fiddlers, and he plays a mean claw-hammer banjo and blues guitar to boot.” --Mother Jones
“His fiddling is world-renowned.” --FolkWorks
“A towering figure of musical brilliance and an inspirational teacher.” --Folk Radio UK
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.
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This project is made possible with funds from the Tier Three Project Support program, a regrant program of the County of Onondaga with the support of the County Executive and administered by CNY Arts. |
~ This project is also made possible through the support and generosity of our Folkus members. ~