TAMPA CONCERTS

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HOWDY. WELCOME TO MY BLOG.

The Blog's purpose is help spread the word about the TAFEE Concerts, the Concerts in the UU Dome series, & add'l concerts which I help organize (and/or wish to publicize.)

TAFEE = Tampa Acoustic, Folk, Etc., Enthusiasts. (not an organization per se, just a name I came up w/to identify the concerts) TAFEE Concerts are held at Skipper's Smokehouse on occasional Tuesday nights (TAFEE Tuesday) and also occasionally at Jimmy Mac's Restaurant in the Banquet Room. Concerts are catch as catch can -- No set schedule.

Concerts in the UU Dome are held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tampa. For further info go to www.uutampa.org click on concerts.

I'm chair of the Concert Committee at the Tampa UU, am on the board of Friends of Florida Folk www.foff.org, am a fan of acoustic blues and contribute the "Acoustic Connection" column to the Twelve Bar Rag, a publication of the Suncoast Blues Society www.suncoastblues.org .

Upcoming Concerts
(which I'm either organizing or helping to organize or helping to publicize)


UU Dome - Sun/Jan 23/3pm/The Kennedys (Contemporary Singer-Songwriters, folk-rock) http://www.kennedysmusic.com/ $12 at the door.

Brandon Library - Mon/Jan 24/7pm/FREE. Jack Williams www.jackwilliamsmusic.com Sponsored by Friends of Florida Folk & Friends of the Brandon Library. Info
813-744-5630 (I'm helping w/publicity for this concert -- Jack will not only be playing his original "southern acoustic" music but he will also be chatting a little about his long music career and the state of folk music today)

UU Dome - Thurs/Feb 3/7:30pm/$10. Rounder Recording Artists Barry & Holly Tashian www.tashian.com . Mike O'Neill opens. Barry & Holly are duet singers. In 1994 the National Association of Independents Record Distributors (NAIRD) awarded their album "Straw into Gold" Country Album of the Year. In 1998, their album "Harmony" was nominated for Bluegrass Album of the Year by the Nashville Music Awards. Barry Tashian first won national attention with his legendary rock group, Barry & The Remains, opening for The Beatles’ North American tour in 1966, and recording an album on Epic Records at age 19. His band appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show and Hullaballoo. He has recently written a book about touring with The Beatles titled Ticket to Ride. ****** Singer-Songwriter MIKE O'NEILL has been playing original rock and roll music in the Tampa area for the past 15 years - both solo and with various bands, including his current band, Unrequited Loves. Equipped with his 12 string acoustic, he will be solo at the UU. Per Gina Vivenetto, Music Critic for the St Pete Times: "(Mike) has been considered one of the local scene's finest songwriters for as long as he's been on the scene...." Mike thinks that Barry & The Remains rock!

UU Dome - Sun/Feb 6/Celebrating Black History Month (during the regular church service & during an afternoon concert & poetry presentation)

From 11- noon: Regular Church Service. Rev. Marjorie Bowens-Wheatley will offer reflections on how the African American Spirituals and poetry have grounded and strengthened the African American community. A special guest during the church service will be Tampa's Poet Laureate James Tokley who will present his poem "Black Gospel."

From 3-5: SPIRITUAL RENAISSANCE SINGERS (SRS) OF TAMPA BAY W/Tampa's Poet Laureate JAMES TOKLEY. Beginning at 3 & lasting a little over an hour, the SRS will present a beautiful a capella concert of African American Spirituals. To read about the SRS go to: http://www.polkmuseumofart.org/content/interior.asp?section=events&body=oldperformances.htm After the music portion of the afternoon event, Poet James Tokley will perform the works of two 19th Century African American poets: Paul Lawrence Dunbar, the first African-American to gain national eminence as a poet; and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, poet, suffragette, abolitionist, and Unitarian. No set charge, however, free-will offering will be appreciated.

Feb 9/7:30/Double Bill @ Jimmy Mac's Banquet Room/$10 suggested donation: STILL ON THE HILL & MAGGI, PIERCE & EJ (MPE Band) -- STILL ON THE HILL is fiddler/singer Donna Henschell and multi-instrumentalist/singer Kelly Mulhollan, a husband and wife acoustic duo from Arksansas. Per Bluegrass Now Magazine: "These musicians have grafted the wild climbing vines of bluegrass, folk,jazz, classical, jug band and blues onto the hardies of Ozark Mountain root stock. The result is... music that simply compels people to stop and listen... It's magic..." MAGGI, PIERCE & EJ (MPE Band) are multi-instrumentalists who perform what they describe as Down Home Farm City Junk Music. Influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Johnny Cash, theirs is a creative blend of roots music and rock n roll. With their instrumental talent plus amazing vocal harmonies they present an innovative, energetic and highly entertaining show. http://www.mpeband.com/ http://www.stillonthehill.com/

A FIRST!!! CONCERTS IN THE UU DOME GOES CLASSICAL! UU Dome - Thur/Feb 10/7:30pm/$10. Matt Haimovitz w/Lloyd Goldstein opening Matt is a classical cellist who is making international waves; Lloyd is a Tampa UU favorite classical bassist. Israeli-born Haimovitz is a hipster driving across the country in a hybrid car with just enough room for his cello and his CDs who has been selling out acoustic music and jazz clubs, taverns and coffeehouses. His performances promise to leave audiences refreshed, engaged, and revived. http://oxingale.com/matthaimovitz/presskit

BACK TO THE WORLD OF FOLK:

UU Dome - Fri/Feb 11/7:30pm/ Billy Jonas (Sensitive Singer-Songwriter, OUTSTANDING percussionist w/"found objects" ) http://www.billyjonas.com/ The entire concert will be a family-friendly one; however, the first set will be geared more for kids & the 2nd set will be geared more for adults. $5 per child; $10 per adult; $20 family max. ( ALSO - Billy will probably be stopping by Cam Dilley's WMNF show around 8 am this morning & later in the morning will be doing a short concert for kids at my granddaughter's pre-school in South Tampa)

UU Dome - Sun/Feb 13/3pm/$10. Jeff Barbra & Sarah Pirkle (currently have a top 10 record on the bluegrass charts) http://www.jeffandsarahonline.com/

UU Dome - Mon/Feb 14/7:30pm/$12. VERLON THOMPSON IN A VERLONTINE CONCERT. BRENNEN LEIGH OPENS. Give yourself (and your sweetie too) a great Valentine's gift by coming out to hear lovable Verlon. www.verlonthompson.com (Fla. Festival Goers have gotten to know & love Nashville's Verlon main stage appearances both as Guy Clark's sidekick and as a solo artist. This will be Verlon's first UU Dome concert. Don't miss it!. BRENNEN LEIGH accompanied by brother SETH will open. Per Margaret Moser of the Austin Chronicle in reviewing Brennen's latest CD: “Too Thin to Plow" delivers Leigh's iron grasp of Americana in bits of country, bluegrass, and roots-rock, making her a most welcome yodel on the scene ("Wish I Was a Single Girl"). Think this is hyperbole? {She} just landed herself touring dates with bluegrass godfather Ralph Stanley.” http://www.brennenleigh.com

Skippers Smokehouse- TAFEE Tues/Feb 15/8pm/$7/ Curtis & Loretta w/Jenny & Ron opening. Original and traditional folk w/great harmonies and multiple instruments inc. folk harp, mandocello, mandolin, guitars, banjo and ukulele. http://www.curtisandloretta.com/ OPENING ACT JENNY JAMES & RON GILBERT (also known as Roseville Fair) are a husband and wife duo who present down-to-earth, feel-good music w/a romantic bent. In addition to their nice vocal harmonies they are adept instrumentalists on guitar, flute, Celtic whistle, mandolin, and banjo. http://rosevillefair.jjweb.us/

Feb 17/7:30pm/$8/Jimmy Mac's (banquet room) The WIYOS w/JUSTIN BECKLER opening. The Wiyos is a trio based in NY. With three voices, a washboard, harmonica, kazoo, guitar, and upright bass, this young band presents old-timey American music such as vaudevillian ragtime blues, early swing, jugband and old time country. Justin is a St Pete based Singer-Songwriter who does original music about lamentable topics, albeit w/a big grin & crowd-pleasing personality. www.wiyos.com www.justinbeckler.com

UU Dome - Fri/Mar 4/8pm/$12/ Don White (Humorist - heartwarming Singer-Songwriter/Storyteller) http://www.don.white.net/

UU Dome - Mon/Mar 7/8PM/$10. Lissa Schneckenburger & Acoustic Eidolon DOUBLE BILL (Beautiful, Gorgeous acoustic music -- multiple instruments - fit for royalty)
Lissa Schneckenburger http://www.lissafiddle.com/
Acoustic Eidolon http://www.acousticeidolon.com/

Skipper's Smokehouse - TAFEE Tues/Mar 15/8pm/$10. KRAIG KENNING & MICHAEL PICKETT DOUBLE BILL. FOLK/BLUES BLOWOUT - If you like great slide guitar, you'll LOVE this concert. www.kraigkenning.com www.michaelpickett.com

Tentative/UU Dome and/or Skipper's Smokehouse - Sun-Apr 24/Tues-Apr 26: ROWAN BROTHERS. The better known Rowan brother is Peter but the two younger boys can more than hold their own. Lorin & Chris offer a versatile and exciting mixture of bluegrass-flavored folk and Everly Brothers style rock and country. www.rowanbrothers.com

JULY - Tentative: Maybe a concert at the UU Dome w/Richard Leigh -- remember "Don't it Make Your Brown Eye's Blue?" That was Richard's song. He's a Nashville songwriter and a Grammy winner. He has written numerous hits performed by big name country stars -- but he, himself, is also a performer & a darn good one at that. www.richardleigh.com

STAY TUNED!!
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