February 2010

Cajun/Zydeco Mardi Gras Dance

Cajun Gator Baitors play a Mardi Gras dance to celebrate the season. Dance lesson 7:30 p.m., dancing 8:15 - 10:00 p.m. No partner or experience necessary.
$8.

Ray Bonneville — Songwriter's Spotlight

Our favorite Juno Award winning “North American” now based in Austin, Tex.—the Focal Point is proud to welcome Ray back with his “infectiously groove-laden” music.

“Bonneville writes tunes that are enterprising of melody while telling smart, surprising little tales of emotional dislocation...” —Downbeat Magazine

“The key to Bonneville’s music is the groove he finds and rides in each song.” —Montreal Gazette

“...a potent blues cocktail reminiscent of John Lee Hooker and JJ Cale, leavened with Clapton and Dire Straits styled guitar work.” —Folk Roots Magazine

$12.50 in advance; $15 at the door.

www.raybonneville.com

David Davis and the Warrior River Boys

A great testament to David Davis and the WRB is a review of their latest release in April, 2009 "Two Dimes & a Nickel."

A true bluegrass gentleman, David Davis doesn’t release albums terribly often. But when he does…Wow! Since taking control of The Warrior River Boys more than twenty years ago, and including this new Rebel recording, Davis has only released five albums of new material. Once again, David Davis and his Warrior River Boys — Owen Saunders, Adam Duke (guitar), Marty Hayes (bass and tenor vocals), and newcomer Robert Montgomery (banjo and baritone vocals) — have ideally captured their truly unique approach to bluegrass. David Davis albums have a bluesy, literary quality setting them apart from the annual releases of several more commercially successful artists. Davis works tirelessly to uncover songs of unusual quality, and then interprets them to best reveal their stories, emotions, and messages. August 29, 2009 by by Donald Teplyske lonesomeroadreview.

It has been a few years since David and band have appeared on our stage and we are looking forward to a truly magical evening.
$14 in advance; $16 at the door.

www.daviddavisandwrb.com

Bill Staines — Jan Marra opens — Songwriter's Spotlight

For over thirty-five years, Bill has traveled across North America, singing his songs and delighting audiences. A New England native, he became involved with the Boston- Cambridge folk scene in the early 1960’s, and was a popular performer in the Boston area. He weaves a magical blend of wit and gentle humor into his performances, and as one reviewer wrote, “he has a sense of timing to match the best stand-up comic.” His music is a slice of Americana,

“Bill Staines has been my hero since 1977. He carries on where Woody left off—carrying on the tradition of stories and characters you wish you knew.” —Nanci Griffith

$12.50 in advance; $15 at the door.

www.acousticmusic.com/staines
www.janmarra.com

Michael Smith

For Michael’s STL fans, the highlight of our season. Those who know his work call him a genius. His songs have been covered by thoughtful artists throughout his career. He wrote and performed the music for the acclaimed Broadway play, “The Grapes Of Wrath,” & created his own award-winning autobiographical revue. But his genius, his Michael Smithness, is that he is a seeker of beauty, finding it with words and music…and the gift is priceless!
$13 in advance; $15 at the door.

www.artistsofnote.com/michael/index.html

The Gordons with Tom Irwin

Gary and Roberta Gordon have been influenced by the great music of their era. This Illinois-based husband and wife duo were baptized by bluegrass music and have made wonderful folk music ever since. Accompanied by Gary’s tasteful Gallagher guitar and dobro, Roberta plays the American-born Appalachian autoharp—harmony singing is their signature. The Gordons are joined by singer/songwriter Tom Irwin, who has been taking life experiences, turning them into songs, and giving those songs life through performances and recordings. This talented teller of stories through words and music. singer-songwriter has opened for Willie Nelson at the 2001 Illinois State Fair and performed with many other popular artists.
$12.50 in advance; $15 at the door.

www.thegordonsmusic.com
www.myspace.com/tomirwin

Denice Franke

www.denicefranke.com/

April 2010

The Ramblers: Craver, Watson, Hicks and Newberry

Bill Morrissey

It has been a few years since this veteran songwriter has ventured from New England to our area and we warmly welcome his return. His astute lyrical gifts and graceful, understated melodies have put him on festival stages across the world; into theatres, concert halls, and coffeehouses; garnered him critical acclaim and two Grammy nominations. Bill has created as impressive a body of work as any songwriter today, his finely-honed songs that match an economy of lyric and melody with a writer’s gift for storytelling. His empathetic knack for capturing the harshness and small sadness of the characters in his songs is tempered by his wry sense of humor. We to not take for granted an opportunity to present this gifted songwriter and this concert is certainly not to be missed .
$13 in advance; $15 at the door.

www.turnandspin.com

Ben Bedford & Noah Earle

Coming in later 2010!

May 1: Lehto & Wright
May 8: Switchback
May 15: Jane Godfrey/Gloria Attoun
May 21 & 22: Brewer & Shipley
November 13: Chris Smither

Donate for Katrina Survivors

Donate a musical instrument and keep the music playing! Music for Lifelong Achievement will give you a tax deduction for its value and get the instrument to disadvantaged students in New Orleans or displaced Gulf Coast students in St. Louis schools.

New Orleans Musicians Clinic (NOMC)

This is a fantastic hands-on organization that has the names and addresses of so many great musicians because they have them all coming to their FREE health clinic all these years and now. They are the ones who are tracking down the local musicians and finding them shelter. The New Orleans Musicians Clinic is determined to keep Louisiana Music Alive! It is our beacon to soothe our souls. We want to relocate our New Orleans musicians into the Lafayette/ Acadiana community where they can remain a life force! But most of them have lost everything... we must help them rebuild their lives. They can't access any of their NOMC accounts. They desperately need money to fund these efforts.
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They can be contacted at musiciank@swlahec.com
Contact: Kathy Richard directly at 337-989-0001

Send donations to:
NOMC Emergency Fund
funds will be distributed by:
SW LA Area Health Education Center Foundation, Inc.
103 Independence Blvd.
Lafayette, LA 70506
desk: 337-989-0001
fax: 337-989-1401
e-mail: finance@swlahec.com
http://www.swlahec.com/