Enjoy Maplewood
on Facebook!

"Somewhere between Mayberry and Metropolis is Maplewood!"

The Focal Point

Traditional & Original Music Concert Series & Arts Center
2720 Sutton - Maplewood, MO 63143
314-560-2778 or 314-726-4707

January/February Newsletter

Concerts 2012

January     February    March      April

Join us on  

Eileen Gannon!

Eileen specializes in the playing of traditional Irish music on the Irish harp. Under the tutelage of Tracey Fleming, Eileen won several medals in International competitions. And in 2000, she was the All-Ireland Senior Harp Champion. She was the first performer from the midwest and only the third American to win this prestigious world title. Several of Eileen’s students have also won honors in All-Ireland competitions.
$10.00.

eileengannon.com/

Wack-a-Doo!

Wack-A-Doo is a St. Louis based band performing "American Musette"; a high energy mix of toe-tapping Vintage Swing, Folksy Americana, and Speakeasy Syncopation.  Their style is reminiscent of nostalgic eras: the Cafes of 1920's Europe, Prohibition, and the back porch swing.

 While recording some public domain songs for an educational project, many of these songs "struck a chord" with the group.  Adding individual passions and flavors of Gypsy guitar and accordion, harmonies along the lines of the Boswell Sisters or Bing Crosby, and "Louie Armstrong-like" hot brass licks, Wack-A-Doo creates a unique and irresistible sound that is sure to make you smile and start to move!! 

Band members include; Valerie Tichacek on vocals and accordion, Brian Reno on cornet and percussion, Paul Davis on acoustic guitar, and Mark Hrabovsky on acoustic guitar and percussion.
$10

www.wackadooswing.com/

Listen Up!

Listen Up! night is a showcase of St. Louis' most talented singer-songwriters, each playing a micro-set of their best songs. Performers this month: Fred Friction, Steph Plant and the Half Knots.

Seating will include tables & chairs for less formal atmosphere..
$3 cover.

Michael Smith!

One of the most captivating songwriters in the folk arena, celebrated musician Michael Smith has toured the United States and Canada for nearly five decades. He creates new work on a constant basis, and music’s finest performers record his songs. His beloved song “The Dutchman,” a signature piece for Chicago’s late Steve Goodman and Liam Clancy (recently heard on the Celtic Thunder PBS television special), is considered a classic. Whether Michael is touring concert venues, teaching writing workshops, or creating award-winning musical scores or recordings, you are sure to enjoy a musical experience like no other.
$15 in advance; $15 at the door.
Advance tickets available at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/220367

michaelsmithmusic.com

Martine Locke

We are excited to debut at Focal Point, Australian singer/songwriter Martine Locke. Martine is joined onstage by drummer/vocalist Dionne Ward and djembe/vocalist Jamie Price.  "If there’s anyone who knows a good story and how to express it, it’s Locke" says Mike Bauman, Toledo Free Press, Toledo Ohio.  2012 sees them taking it out on the road, across the US and Australia, doing what they love.

Performing at festivals, schools and house concerts across the country, Locke moves from one side of the US to the other and proves that the independent spirit is alive and well.  Passionate about her independence, Martine has continued to  perform over 100 shows a year in three countries. She has toured as opening artist for acts such as Ani DiFranco, The Cowboy Junkies, Tommy Emmanuel, Arlo Guthrie, and numerous Australian favourites.

Martine Locke brings a rambunctious, spirited, dynamic performance each time she performs and as columnist Lucky Clark wisely wrote once "…she will aim for your heart, as well as your feet".
$10 in advance; $15 at the door.
Advance tickets available at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/220368

www.reverbnation.com/martinelocke

St. Louis Songwriters Anonymous  

Focal Point presents this trio of emerging artists:  Chris Stewart, Billy Croghan, and a duet of Ben Sturdevant with Allie Vogler.  They are all part of an organization called St. Louis Songwriters Anonymous whose mission is to collaboratively further the music and the music careers of its members.

Once monthly critical listening sessions are held to help member songwriters develop new material he or she is working on. Loosely based on Liz Lerman's Critical Response Model, these sessions are designed to help an artist fully develop his or her songs to maximize their effectiveness and potential. YOU can be part of this growing process by attending this show!!

Additionally, part of the proceeds from the Saint Louis Songwriters Anonymous show will be donated to benefit Joining Hands in the Heartland, an Americorps fundraising campaign to purchase appliances for victims of natural disasters across Missouri.

Support local talent and help a great cause!!
$10

George Worthmore

Focal Point is proud to present this master of ragtime and country blues. George Worthmore, a star in the New York City music scene for over twenty years, began with a one-year stint as a guitarist with Kinky Friedman. He's played backup guitar for Bo Diddley, Ben E. King, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Lou Christy, and The Platters. He has also played shows as a second guitarist with Hot Tuna. His current show is a tour de force of solo acoustic guitar, from Ragtime to Blues, with some Bach thrown in for the more serious appreciators of the instrument. The music is interlaced with humorous comments and amusing stories about the songs and his experiences.
$15 in advance; $20 at the door

Advance tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/219161

www.georgeworthmore.com

ilyAIMY

The sound: Percussive acoustic guitar that references folk, rock, Americana and alternative, with lush male/female harmony and tribal percussion. Called "a welcome jolt in ... folk" and "an acoustically roiling, combustible attack on the usual singer/songwriter fare" by reviewers, they have been compared to everything from Buckingham/Nicks to Ani DiFranco to an acoustic Tool to Rusted Root.

Focal Point is pleased to welcome ilyAIMY back to our stage!  You will be thoroughly engaged by their carefully crafted, thoughtful lyrics and unique musicianship. Get your tickets early!
$10 in advance; $15 at the door.
Advance tickets at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/219154

www.ilyaimy.com/

The Paul McKenna Band

Combining their love for Folk and Traditional music, as well as original songs and tunes; The Paul McKenna Band from Scotland has been captivating audiences with live performances of their new album, titled ‘Stem the Tide’, out now on Greentrax Records.With a contemporary approach to songs, although not straying too far from their roots, their arrangements are both fresh and innovative. The exciting sound of The Paul McKenna Band is created through outstanding Vocals, driving Guitar and Bouzouki, intense fiddle playing, a warm pairing of flute and hiwstles and dynamic percussion.
$15 in advance; $20 at the door.

www.paulmckennaband.com/

Ged Foley, Ola Harrington and Andrew McNamara!

A concert of the joyous traditional Irish music of East Clare with button accordionist extraordinaire Andrew MacNamara, fiery fiddler Orla Harrington & the gifted guitarist, singer & fiddler Ged Foley. The lively lift of AndrewMcNamara's accordion has delighted audiences around the globe from his tours with the famed Tulla Ceili Band, the Irish traditional group Skylark & his own ensemble, The Lahawns. Orla Harrington is one of Irelands brightest young fiddlers. The discovery of a box of old tapes containing many unusual tunes in the attic of the Harrington household in East Clare, led to the release of Andrew & Orlas marvelous CD 'Flagstone Memories.' Ged Foley has been a member of some of the finest trad bands of our time; the Battlefield Band, the House Band, Patrick Street & the Celtic Fiddle Festival.
$15 in advance; $20 at the door.

Listen Up!

Listen Up! night is a showcase of St. Louis' most talented singer-songwriters, each playing a micro-set of their best songs. Performers this month: TBA

Seating will include tables & chairs for less formal atmosphere..
$3 cover.

Kaivama!

Finnish-American musicians Sara Pajunen and Jonathan Rundman of the folk duo KAIVAMA grew up in Northwoods cultures of long winters, lakeside saunas, rugged terrain, and solitude. The landscapes of their childhoods echo in the music of their new self-titled debut album, available June 7, 2011. Alternately ancient and modern Finnish influences reveal themselves in KAIVAMA's sound: danceable rhythms, joyous melodies, icy whispers, sleek construction, primal drones, and poppy hooks all interplay as Pajunen and Rundman explore the music of their ancestors.Sara Pajunen's unique fiddle playing is the common thread, a meld of technique and nuance. Jonathan Rundman adeptly adds various instruments to each track, from rollicking acoustic guitar to a WWII-era foot-pump harmonium to his Grandfather's tenor banjo.
$15 advance,/$20 at the door.

www.kaivama.com/music.html

Old-time barn dance featuring Doc Tyler and his Hoosier String-Ticklers!

Bring your dancing shoes, and prepare for the most fun you can have with your clothes on! Squares, contras, and probably a waltz or two, with expert calling by Will Mentor of Vermont. An all-star band from three states and a combined 90 or so years of experience includes fiddler Paul Tyler of the famed Volo Bogtrotters, St Louis's own Jim Nelson (of the Ill-Mo Boys and others) on guitar, Robert Freeman of Wabash Valley Cannonballs fame on banjo, and the Rhythm Method's Dedo Norris on string bass. There will be a few seats around the sides, but you needn't be shy about trying out a few steps; if you can walk you can dance!
$10.

Cumberland Gap

Foggy Memory Boys

Cumberland Gap and the Foggy Memory Boys — Local Heroes Series

Cumberland Gap and the Foggy Memory Boys present a night of fabulous blue grass goodness with all proceeds going to benefit the Focal Point.  The St. Louis Post-Dispatch named Cumberland Gap one of the "17 local bands you ought to know about" and had this to say about their live shows: "With their three-part harmonies soaring over strong, inspired string work, Cumberland Gap captures the soulful, upbeat side of American folk and bluegrass." With their good friends the Foggy Memory Boys as an opening act, you won't want to miss this great show!
$15.

www.cumberlandgapband.com/
www.myspace.com/thefoggymemoryboys

Mayor Taylor!

“Mayor Taylor”  is Lydia Ruffin (guitar/ukulele), Charlie Pfeffer (mandolin), and Mike Tiefenbrun (bass) doing “roots music” from jazz to folk to spirituals & original songs too, a vocal & acoustic treat. Their vocals are spot on, agile, swingy, satisfying; their instrumental work is dazzling. Lydia has performed solo and with a variety of groups over the years including Jasmine and Spatz. Charlie Pfeffer has sung and played the guitar and mandolin in a variety of traditional American musical styles for 33 years.
$15 in advance; $20 at the door.

Listen to them on YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzQAUt32Cvg

David Davis and the Warrior River Boys!

No foolin', this will be the best bluegrass band you've heard all year! David Davis & the Warrior River Boys seem to hail from a time and place where the line between bluegrass and country had not yet been drawn. Davis, an Alabama native, does have solid bluegrass credentials: Monroe hired his uncle Cleo to be the first Blue Grass Boy in 1938. Davis's own mandolin playing is distinctly Monroe-styled, and his vocals are classically lonesome. The Warrior River Boys are a relatively young group featuring Adam Duke on guitar, fiddler Owen Saunders, banjo player Daniel Grindstaff, and bassist Marty Hays. Of special note are the contributions from songwriter Alan Johnston, whose three original tunes stand up well alongside the more traditional fare.
$20 in advance; /$25 at the door.

www.daviddavisandwrb.com/

Listen Up!

Listen Up! night is a showcase of St. Louis' most talented singer-songwriters, each playing a micro-set of their best songs. Performers this month: TBA

Seating will include tables & chairs for less formal atmosphere..
$3 cover.

Curtis and Loretta!

Curtis and Loretta's music comes straight from the heart. The husband and wife duo's extraordinary harmonies and proficiency on a parade of stringed instruments create an alluring frame for their poignant original songs, and carefully chosen traditional pieces from the British isles, America, and beyond. The current menagerie includes Celtic harp, mandocello mandolin, guitars, clawhammer banjo, and National steel ukulele. Their repertoire includes old and new songs from many parts of the world, all done respectfully and with grace.
$15 in advance; $20 at the door.

www.curtisandloretta.com/

Alan Jabbour and Ken Perlman!

Ken Perlman and fiddler Alan Jabbourpresent a program of Appalachian tunes, featuring most prominently the music Alan learned in the 1960s from his mentor, West Virginia fiddler Henry Reed. Stories that evoke the lives and cultural milieu of Reed and his contemporaries add an extra dimension to the presentation. Alan and Ken have redefined that great American invention, the fiddle-banjo duet, and brought it to new heights of complexity. Alan’s powerful fiddling style, with its syncopated bowing patterns and lyrical texture, is offset perfectly by Ken’s inspired approach to clawhammer banjo, which explores chord inversions, harmony lines, voice leading, note-for-note playing, and counter-melody. Their performances testify to the grace, beauty, and power of Appalachian music.
$15 in advance; $20 at the door.

www.alanjabbour.com/
www.kenperlman.com/

Brothers Lazaroff — Local Heroes Series

Brothers Lazaroff may not be in the middle of a family feud, but anyone caught in the wake of their brand of psychedelic rock, groove and soul infused Americana will be left feeling punch drunk. Brothers Jeff and David Lazaroff formerly wrote all of their tunes via long distance collaboration, with Jeff calling St. Louis home and David living in Austin; however, fortunately for planning rehearsals, he has recently relocated back to St. Louis. Although often described as an Americana or folk band, their music includes and ignores these genres at the same time. Together with band members Grover Stewart on drums, Teddy Brookins on bass and Mo Egeston on keyboards, they twist and turn their way through the back roads of Americana with brief stops at noise-rock, acid-jazz, drum 'n bass and neo-soul along the way.

Brothers Lazaroff are releasing their fourth album this April and the April 21st show at the Focal Point will be part of a weekend long celebration.  Recorded here in St. Louis with Jacob Detering at Red Pill Entertainment, they went all acoustic for this album and they are excited to execute the entire album as true to this sonic approach as possible at the Focal Point.  In addition to performing the new material, they will also be playing a set of old favorites that lend themselves to an acoustic stripped-down sound.
$10

For a listen go to. www.brotherslazaroff.com

Tionól

The Mississippi River Celtic Music Festival grew out of an effort by several local musicians under the auspices of the Focal Point Traditional Arts Center to put on a weekend of sessions and workshops focusing on traditional Irish Music. The goal has always been to have a setting where musicians of all levels can get together, play music, and learn from each other. We wanted to bring the very best traditional musicians to share their knowledge and their music and to be accessible to the participants in a way not normally possible in the conventional concert or festival setting. Our approach is to provide a leisurely atmosphere and intimate settings where musician and fans can enjoy the music and the craic the way that generations before have done to bring the music to us today. Our job is to foster and preserve this heritage so it lives for those in the future.

For information, schedules and registration go to:
www.tionol.org

Bottoms Up Blues Gang
with special guest Sweet & Low — Local Heroes Series

The Bottoms Up Blues Gang is St. Louis' Acoustic Blues Trio featuring vocalist Kari Liston, guitarist Jeremy Segel-Moss and Adam Andrews on harmonica. The BUBG play a unique blend of originals and covers in the styles of St.Louis & Delta Blues, R & B, Soul, and Jazz . Over the past five years The Bottoms Up Blues Gang has averaged 275 shows a year, released 3 albums, been awarded the People’s Choice Award for Acoustic Blues at the 2006 St. Louis Music Awards, and has shared a bill with greats such as Chuck Berry, Robert Earl Keen, Bennie Smith, Debbie Davies, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Mofro, Parliament Funkadelic, as well as a host of St. Louis talent. For a listen go to www.myspace.com/thebubg
www.bottomsupblues.com/

Opening for and, likely joining BUBG for this show will be the Jazz standard power duo, Sweet&Low featuring renound StLouis performers Celia and Addam Wilke.
celiaisrock.com/press.html

Page updated 1/31/12
Problems on this site? Send us e-mail: Web volunteer