Crimson Canary is BACK and playing a lovely evening concert for us on the Library lawn. They will be performing classic vocals from the 40s, 50s and 60s in several languages. Bring a blanket or chair, relax, and let the music move you! (Rain date Friday, August 5th, 6-7pm)
Crimson Canary consists of guitarist/vocalist David Chu and vocalist Lonnie Chu, known for their vintage music sung in various languages. They also perform and educate about flamenco music.
David Chu began his music career as a teen playing piano and percussion, but soon switched to guitar. An accomplished soloist, he provides accompaniment and is the group’s arranger and composer. He delights audiences with the variety of genres he plays on either guitar, including flamenco, jazz, blues, Brazilian, and even Beatles.
Lonnie Chu, manager and singer, has also played folk guitar and bluegrass mandolin and enjoys singing in various languages and genres. A retired professor of Spanish, she delights in teaching audiences how to participate in flamenco’s rhythmic hand-clapping (palmas).
Read more about Crimson Canary on their website at crimsoncanary.com
This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.
Join us as we welcome author Tim Spofford for a conversation about his new book What The Children Told Us. Tim will discuss the lives and work of Drs. Kenneth and Mamie Phipps Clark, including Clark/Phipps genealogy (guided by vintage family photos), the Doctors’ famous Doll Test, and their roles as Black activists, humanitarians and intellectualists in Springfield, MA and nationally.
This event is drop-in and masks will be required.
Author Bio:
Tim Spofford’s writing career was inspired by the May 1970 slayings on the Kent and Jackson State campuses amid antiwar unrest. He wrote Lynch Street, the only book about the black students slain in Mississippi. A writing career focused on racial issues in education followed the completion of his first book.
For seven years, Spofford covered educational policymaking for the Albany Times Union, including at the NYS Education Department, the NYS Legislature and the 64-campus State University of New York system. He often interviewed Kenneth Clark, a policymaker on the NYS Board of Regents.
Spofford has taught writing and journalism in schools and colleges and has a Doctor of Arts in English degree from the State University at Albany. He’s published articles in the New York Times, Newsday, Mother Jones, Columbia Journalism Review and other publications. He also worked as a copy editor, most recently at the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, where he coached young editors. Spofford is an avid but unaccomplished hiker, swimmer and landscaper. He lives with his wife, Barbara, in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Lee, Massachusetts.
Join the Library and Meat for Tea in welcoming local authors Jane Yolen and Peter Tacy! Jane and Peter will read selections from “The Black Dog Poems” (pub. 2022), and other works, including pairs of poems written by them that they call “back and forth poetry”. Masks are required at this in-person program.
Author Bios:
Jane Yolen is best known as the author of many best-selling and award-winning children’s books. However, among her 400 published books are 14 books of adult poetry — many of which have recently won awards, including the Sophie Brody Medal and the Sydney Taylor Body of Work Award. Her husband Peter Tacy is a retired independent-school educator. He and Jane first met through their shared interest in poetry during the 1950’s, when they were at Smith and Williams Colleges; but then they went separate ways and into separate marriages — until, both widowed, they re-connected and began writing with and to each other in 2019. They divide their time between Jane’s home in Hatfield and Peter’s in Mystic, CT.
Join Jim Armenti (poet) and Dave Madeloni (photographer) in support of Sun On The Muddy a book of poetry and fantastic photos published by Levellers Press of Amherst, for a short presentation, poetry reading, a few songs and conversation. Books will be available for purchase.
Jim Armenti is a poet, musician, and composer. In Sun on the Muddy he gives us fifty irresistible reflections on the people and objects that make a life. He was born in Ann Arbor, MI, the third-generation product of Italian immigrants. Jim grew up in a household of musicians, his father a classical mandolin player, one sister (of three) a guitar player, another a flute player and everyone a singer. In high school Jim started a band called H&WA, named after the school counselor’s report that Jim is “happy and well-adjusted.”
Jim performs with the legendary band, The Lonesome Brothers. He tours internationally with The Young at Heart Chorus, and he constantly writes poetry.
Dave Madeloni is a photographer, educator, and journalist. Early on, his parents strongly encouraged his curiosity and creativity. He immersed himself in the lyrics of great songwriters while capturing images of performers, protesters, and most recently, puddles. For the last forty years, he has also taught and supported young people with social/emotional disabilities, inspiring their curiosity and creativity. In Sun on the Muddy, Dave explores in photos the beauty and meaning found all around us, but not where we ordinarily look.
©Brandi Ediss 2015
**Out of an abundance of caution, the Lonesome Brothers Concert is CANCELLED for tonight (7/14). We have RESCHEDULED for next Friday (7/21) at 6:30pm**
Come celebrate summer and local music with us on the Library Lawn! Happening rain or shine. In the event of rain, we will move the concert indoors.
“The Bros combine the best elements of American music with the raw honesty of their natural and totally believable lyrics. There’s real poetry here in the writing of Ray Mason and Jim Armenti that evokes the best of Hank Williams or Chuck Berry – a down-home conversational style that tells a story with vivid insight into the human condition.” –Paul Burton, Music Revue
Learn more about Lonesome Brothers and their music at lonesomebrothers.com
This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.
©Brandi Ediss 2015
Come celebrate summer and local music with us on the Library Lawn! Happening rain or shine. In the event of rain, we will move the concert indoors.
“The Bros combine the best elements of American music with the raw honesty of their natural and totally believable lyrics. There’s real poetry here in the writing of Ray Mason and Jim Armenti that evokes the best of Hank Williams or Chuck Berry – a down-home conversational style that tells a story with vivid insight into the human condition.” –Paul Burton, Music Revue
Learn more about Lonesome Brothers and their music at lonesomebrothers.com
This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.
Continuing our Summer Concert Series with local musicians! Happening rain or shine. Join us on the Library Lawn. In the event of rain, we will move the concert indoors.
The Logistics specialize in expert renditions of enduring favorites from the 50’s through the 80’s, providing fun music with three-part harmonies for a lively party or creating a pleasant background ambiance. They have played for over fifteen years, from Buffalo to the Pioneer Valley, at weddings and private events, in restaurants, bars, cafes, theaters, schools, libraries, and festivals.
Lonnie Chu, manager and vocalist, played folk guitar and bluegrass mandolin and studied vocal music in college before becoming a professor of Spanish. She first performed as a soloist when singing flamenco, then she added vintage songs in various languages as well as jazz standards. She’s thrilled to now be covering the songs that she grew up with.
David Chu, guitar and vocals, has a BA in music and a background in percussion and piano, but built his career as a player of electric guitar in jazz and pop styles. He then played flamenco guitar professionally for many years. Returning now to his electric roots, he’s equally at home in jazz, blues, Brazilian, classic rock, funk and R&B.
Ruth Critcher, vocalist, has a long history of singing in a variety of ensembles. In college she focused on exploring creativity through music, art and writing. A freelance academic editor, she has continued to pursue music, most recently singing with an a cappella group which performed for many years in Western Massachusetts.
This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.
Continuing our Summer Concert Series with local musicians! Happening rain or shine. Join us on the Library Lawn. In the event of rain, we will move the concert indoors.
Come enjoy award-winning folk singer songwriter Lisa Bastoni for an acoustic evening. Lisa’s songs have been described as delicate, thoughtful and soul-stirring! We hope to see you there.
Lisa Bastoni is a Northampton, MA-based singer-songwriter. She is a 2021 New England Music Award nominee (Roots), 2020 & 2019 Boston Music Award Nominee (Folk) and winner of 2019 New Folk at the esteemed Kerrville Folk Festival. In addition to her work in music, Lisa Bastoni is an accomplished visual artist and teacher, with artwork currently on display at Club Passim. She performs regularly with multi-instrumentalist/producer Sean Staples, a fixture on the Boston/Cambridge roots/folk scene. Lisa Bastoni has opened for/performed with Lori McKenna, Dar Williams, Regina Spektor, The Secret Sisters, Teddy Thompson, Rose Cousins, Mark Erelli, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, and many more. Learn more about Lisa at lisabastoni.com
“Bright, attractive and wonderfully poetic…” (Americana-UK)
“Expressive, well-crafted songs…” (Glide Magazine)
“A beautiful melancholia…real and human.” (Red Line Roots)
“Americana of the highest order, along the lines of Patty Griffin or Gretchen Peters” (Maverick UK)
This program was funded in part by Emily’s Friends of the Library.