An Evening with Fran Lebowitz

SOPAC • Fri, 05.18.18 • 8 PM

In a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. 

Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media – as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. The New York Times Book Review calls Fran Lebowitz an “important humorist in the classic tradition.” Purveyor of urban cool, Leibowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker. Her writing — pointed, taut and economical — is forthright, irascible, and unapologetically opinionated.

Lebowitz worked odd jobs, such as taxi driving, belt peddling, and apartment cleaning (“with a small specialty in Venetian blinds”), before being hired by Andy Warhol as a columnist for Interview. That was followed by a stint at Mademoiselle. Her first book, a collection of essays titled Metropolitan Life, was a bestseller, as was a second collection, Social Studies. By turns ironic, facetious, deadpan, sarcastic, wry, wisecracking, and waggish, Lebowitz’s prose is wickedly entertaining. Lebowitz is also the author of the children’s book, Mr. Chas & Lisa Sue Meet the Pandas.

Between 2001 to 2007, Lebowitz had a recurring role as Judge Janice Goldberg on the television drama Law & Order. She also had a part in the Martin Scorsese-directed film, The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). A raconteur if ever there was one, Lebowitz has long been a regular on various talk shows including those hosted by Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, and Bill Maher. In an interview with the Paris Review, Lebowitz said “I’m not a nervous person. I’m not afraid to be on TV. I’m only afraid when I write. When I’m at my desk I feel like most people would feel if they went on TV.”

She can also be seen in various documentary films including the American Experience series on New York City, as well as Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures (2016), Regarding Susan Sontag (2014), and Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol (1990), among others. A documentary about Lebowitz, Public Speaking, directed by Martin Scorsese, premiered on HBO in November 2010.

Lebowitz lives in New York City, as she does not believe that she would be allowed to live anywhere else.

Anthony D'Amato | Naked Soul | The Rubin Museum Friday, June 16th, 2017

Anthony D'Amato is an American songwriter and singer signed to New West Records. His latest album is 2016's 'Cold Snap,' produced by Mike Mogis and featuring performances by Conor Oberst and members of Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Cursive.

An Evening with Kris Kristofferson at The Garde Arts Center

Heralded as an artist’s artist, Kris Kristofferson has recorded 27 albums and has spent three decades performing concerts all over the world. He achieved remarkable success as a country songwriter at the start of the 1970s. His songs "Me and Bobby McGee," "Help Me Make It Through the Night," "Sunday Morning Coming Down," and "For the Good Times," all chart-topping hits, helped redefine country songwriting. By 1987, it was estimated that more than 450 artists had recorded Kristofferson’s compositions. 

His renown as a songwriter triggered Kristofferson’s successful career as a performer and that, in turn, brought him to the attention of Hollywood, leading to his flourishing career as a film actor. Kristofferson has acted in more than 70 films.  In 1977 He won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in “A Star Is Born.”  He’s appeared in cult favorites including the “Blade” trilogy, “Lone Star,” “A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries,” “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Blume In Love,” “Cisco Pike,” and “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.” Recent films include “Fast Food Nation,”  “Dreamer: Inspired By A True Story,” “The Jacket,” “Silver City,” “He’s Just Not That In To You,” and “Dolphin Tale.”

Loretta Lynn Live at Tarrytown | Sun. 04.22 | 7 PM

We are thrilled to welcome back country music icon Loretta Lynn. For over 55 years now, Loretta Lynn has fashioned a body of work as artistically and commercially successful—and as culturally significant—as any female performer you’d care to name. An honest-to-goodness American icon, she is the proud owner of ten #1 albums, sixteen #1 singles, four Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, twelve Academy of Country Music Awards and eight Country Music Association Awards. Her music has confronted many of the major social issues of her time, and her life story is a rags-to-riches tale familiar to pop, rock and country fans alike. In 1972, she became the first female artist to win the Country Music Association’s coveted Entertainer of the Year award. Now a member of the Country Music and Songwriters Halls of Fame, she received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. In all, she has sold more than 45 million albums, worldwide. In 1976, Lynn penned “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” making her the first woman to write a best-selling autobiography. In 1980, Universal Pictures released a movie by the same name, which would later earn an Academy Award for Best Actress (Sissy Spacek).

Kim Russo live at Landmark on Main Street April 8th, 2017

Kim Russo, also known as “Kim The Happy Medium,” has been able to see the world of spirit since the young age of nine.   Sometimes referring to herself as a translator for the spirit world, Kim also calls herself the psychic journalist, as she prides herself on the accuracy in understanding their language  and is most  careful to “interview” the spirit coming through during a reading. She explains her ability to understand the voice of spirit as nothing more than being fluent in their language.

Kim has been put through a battery of tests and has become a Certified Medium by The Forever Family Foundation and The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential. This foundation is dedicated and committed to proving the existence of life after death by integrating mediumship along with scientific studies. Kim has appeared on A & E’s hit show, Paranormal State and their hit TV show "Psychic Kids". She has also appeared on The Biography Channel's "Celebrity Ghost Stories" featuring the Country Legend Music Star, Loretta Lynn. She is currently the Host of the weekly running series "The Haunting Of..." on The LMN channel airing at 10pm Est. /9C, Saturday nights. Each week Kim visits with celebrities whom have had a paranormal experience. Watch Kim help them unravel their mystery while she explores not only the haunted location but other special surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn at SOPAC 8 PM

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, “the king and queen of the banjo” (Paste Magazine), have a musical partnership like no other. Béla Fleck is a sixteen-time Grammy Award winner who has taken the instrument across multiple genres and Abigail Washburn a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player who re- radicalized it by combining it with Far East culture and sounds. The pair performs music from their self- titled debut for which they took home the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.

The two met at a square dance, began collaborating musically and eventually fell in love. Over the years, they played together most visibly in the Sparrow Quartet alongside Ben Sollee and Casey Driessen and informally at a pickin’ party here, a benefit there, or occasionally popping up in each other’s solo shows. Fans of tradition-tweaking acoustic fare eagerly anticipated that Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn would produce a full-fledged project together as a duo. Sure, in the abstract, a banjo duo might seem like a musical concept beset by limitations. But, when the banjo players are Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, it’s a different matter entirely. Whether at home, on stage or on record, their deep bond, on top of the way their distinct musical personalities and banjo styles interact, makes theirs a picking partnership unlike any other on the planet.

Fleck has the virtuosic, Jazz-to-Classical ingenuity of an iconic instrumentalist and composer with Bluegrass roots. His standard-setting ensemble Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and a staggeringly broad array of musical experiments, from writing a concerto for the Nashville Symphony to exploring the banjo’s African roots to Jazz duos with Chick Corea, have had many tout that he’s the world’s premier banjo player. Washburn has the earthy sophistication of a postmodern, old-time singer-songwriter who has drawn critical acclaim for her solo albums. She has also done fascinating work in Folk musical diplomacy in China, presented an original theatrical production, contributed to singular side groups Uncle Earl and The Wu-Force and become quite a live draw in her own right.

Ari Hest Live at Naked Soul | The Rubin Museum of Art Friday, April 7th, 2017

Ari Hest, with mesmerizing guitar licks and smoky vocals can sound vulnerable, formidable, angry, and hopeful, all with a sense of honesty and passion that is rarely found. Over his fifteen-year career Hest has released more than a dozen albums. He is half of the folk-pop duo The Open Sea with Rosi Golan and half of the Brazilian music–inspired pop duo Bluebirds of Paradise. His music has been featured in The Lincoln Lawyer (“Now”) as well as the television shows Private Practice, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill. Throughout his career he has toured worldwide, sharing the stage with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Judy Collins, Suzanne Vega, and others.

Morgan James with Andy Allo Live at Landmark on Main Street Saturday, April 1, 2017

The Reckless Abandon Tour

"A phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep...This woman is on fire." -- The New York Times

One voice is all it takes. The right vocalist can make you fall in love at first listen, elicit tears, or bring you back to a different era altogether. A microphone and a stage remain the only necessities. That holds true for New York-based soul singer, songwriter, and Broadway chanteuse Morgan James. On her full-length debut for Epic Records, Hunter, she casts an unbreakable spell with a powerhouse voice, theatrical swing, and a soulful poise.

Hunter boasts powerful and personal renditions of Prince's "Call My Name" (reached Top 15 at Urban AC radio and #1 most added) along with Hall & Oates' "She's Gone" and Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark". The album features a gradient of soulful styles: from lush tracks, with stacks of voices and horns; modern throwbacks to summertime pop; haunting ballads; empowering farewells.

In addition to Hunter, Morgan has released a live tribute to Nina Simone, Morgan James Live, as well as an EP featuring some of her fan's favorite covers, YouTube Sessions.

Since the release of Hunter, Morgan's music videos have accumulated more than 45 million views (and climbing). With viral sensation Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox, Morgan toured the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. She is currently touring with her band featuring her new original music.

10,000 Maniacs Live at SOPAC - March 26th, 2017

One of the most acclaimed bands of the last three decades. 10,000 Maniacs defined college rock and created the first wave of alternative rock bands that became known as the alternative rock format on FM radio.

Writing and performing powerful, danceable and socially conscious original material in and around their hometown of Jamestown, New York the group toured extensively and produced two independently released records, Human Conflict Number Five (1982) and Secrets of the I Ching (1983) on their own label. By producing, manufacturing and marketing their own recordings, 10,000 Maniacs were one of the original “indie” bands before signing with Elektra Records.

Although Natalie Merchant is no longer with 10,000 Maniacs, the band has the added distinction of helping to launch her solo career. The singer-songwriter and musician parted ways with the band in 1993. 

2016 marks 35 years of 10,000 Maniacs and in honor of the anniversary the band released their first live album with lead vocalist Mary Ramsey, Playing Favorites.

Honing a synthesis of folk and blues for 50 years, Chris Smither is truly an American original.

Reviewers and fans from around the world agree that Chris is a profound songwriter, a blistering guitarist and, as he puts it, a 'one man band to the bone!' Chris melds the guitar styles of his two major influences, Lightnin' Hopkins and Mississippi John Hurt, into his own signature sound. His music continues to draw deeply from the blues, American folk music, modern poets and humanist philosophers.

His newest release, Still On the Levee, is a career spanning retrospective double CD. Recorded in New Orleans with studio mates The Motivators, Still On the Levee plays host to special guests including Allen Toussaint and Loudon Wainwright III. The record highlights the vast catalog of an American music master.

Multi-instrumentalist David Lindley performs music that redefines the word "eclectic." Lindley, well known for his many years as the featured accompanist with Jackson Browne, and leader of his own band El Rayo-X, has long championed the concept of world music. The David Lindley electro-acoustic performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass traditions with elements from African,Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy, and Turkish musical sources. Lindley incorporates an incredible array of stringed instruments including but not limited to Kona and Weissenborn Hawaiian lap steel guitar, Turkish saz and chumbus, Middle Eastern oud, and Irish bouzouki. The eye-poppingly clad "Mr. Dave's" uncanny vocal mimicry and demented sense of humor make his onstage banter a highlight of the show.

In 1990 a chance meeting of Lindley and Jordanian born percussionist Hani Naser led to an impromptu jam and an instant decision that "we should take this on the road." David and Hani toured the world for the following six years. The duo recorded two self-released "Official Bootleg" compact discs, 'Live in Tokyo Playing Real Good' and 'Live All Over the Place Playing Even Better' on Pleemhead Audio.
At his expansive and eclectic live performances David Lindley consistently gives one of the most unique concert experiences available to adventuresome music listeners.

10,000 Maniacs Live at Tarrytown Music Hall - 3/25/17

One of the most acclaimed bands of the last three decades. 10,000 Maniacs defined college rock and created the first wave of alternative rock bands that became known as the alternative rock format on FM radio.

Writing and performing powerful, danceable and socially conscious original material in and around their hometown of Jamestown, New York the group toured extensively and produced two independently released records, Human Conflict Number Five (1982) and Secrets of the I Ching (1983) on their own label. By producing, manufacturing and marketing their own recordings, 10,000 Maniacs were one of the original “indie” bands before signing with Elektra Records.

Although Natalie Merchant is no longer with 10,000 Maniacs, the band has the added distinction of helping to launch her solo career. The singer-songwriter and musician parted ways with the band in 1993. 

2016 marks 35 years of 10,000 Maniacs and in honor of the anniversary the band released their first live album with lead vocalist Mary Ramsey, Playing Favorites.

Vinicius Cantuaria canta Antonio Carlos Jobim Live at SOPAC, March 24th, 2017

Singer, guitarist, composer, drummer, and percussionist, Vinicius Cantuaria is a well-known Brazilian musician in the sphere of Bossa Nova and Jazz. He was a pioneer of neo-Brazilian music in the 1990s, then became one of the most important downtown New York figures, collaborating with artists as eclectic as Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson, Brad Mehldau, Arto Lindsay, and Bill Frisell. 

Born in Manaus, Amazonas, Vinicius Cantuaria grew up in Rio de Janeiro, and after several successful records, he moved to New York in the mid-1990s. He has proved himself in a number of fields, directly or indirectly linked to Brazilian music. Leader of the rock band O Terco, he released six albums in Brazil in the 1980s and with his album Sol na Cara was a pioneer of neo-Brazilian music in the 1990s. As a composer, Vinicius Cantuaria has had many successes, with Lua e Estrela, Coisa Linda, So Você, and Na Cançao. As a sideman, he has performed with Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque, to name a few.

Vinicius Cantuaria, who owns his studio in New York and frequently travels to Brazil, works every day and progresses in small steps which gives the impression of a simple, melodic music that is incredibly sophisticated. His sound is full of incredible subtlety as well as contrasts, of great unity and remarkable diversity, with a pure and completed classicism. The music is almost classic, in a modern world.

Chris Smither & David Lindley Live at SOPAC: March 23rd, 2017

Chris Smither and David Lindley

Reviewers and fans from around the world agree that Chris Smither is a profound songwriter, a blistering guitarist and, as he puts it, a “one-man band to the bone!” He melds the guitar styles of his two major influences, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Mississippi John Hurt, into his own signature sound. His music continues to draw deeply from the Blues, American Folk music, modern poets and humanist philosophers.

Chris Smither’s newest release, Still On the Levee, is a career-spanning retrospective double album. Recorded in New Orleans with studio mates, The Motivators, Still On the Levee plays host to special guests including Allen Toussaint and Loudon Wainwright III and highlights the vast catalog of an American music master.

Multi-instrumentalist David Lindley performs music that redefines the word “eclectic.” Well known for his many years as the featured accompanist with Jackson Browne, for his collaborations with Ry Cooder, and for leading his own band El Rayo-X, he has long championed the concept of World music. The David Lindley electro-acoustic performance effortlessly combines American Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy and Turkish musical sources. He incorporates an incredible array of stringed instruments including but not limited to Kona and Weissenborn Hawaiian lap steel guitar, Turkish saz and chumbus, Middle Eastern oud, and Irish bouzouki.

Throughout this long and distinguished career, Lindley has been one of Hollywood’s most in-demand session musicians, lending his skills to the recorded works of Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Linda Ronstadt, Crosby and Nash, Warren Zevon, and many others. At his expansive and eclectic live performances, David Lindley consistently gives one of the most unique concert experiences available to adventuresome music listeners.

Alan Doyle, actor, producer, newly-minted best-selling author, and best known as lead singer for Newfoundland's beloved Great Big Sea these past 20+ years, released his second solo album, So Let's Go, in January 2015. Title-track lead single So Let's Go, is a rousing rallying cry that's only further proof of Doyle's ability to draw the listener under his banner.

Alan Doyle hails from Petty Harbour, NL, and formed Great Big Sea in 1993 with Sean McCann, Bob Hallett, and Darrell Power, in which they fused traditional Newfoundland music with their own pop sensibilities. Their nine albums, double-disc hits retrospective, and two DVD releases have been declared Gold or Platinum and have sold a combined 1.2 million copies in Canada. So Let's Go continues to cement Alan Doyle's reputation as one of our country's most treasured musicians and storytellers. "I always want people to have the greatest night of their life when the house lights go down."

More on Alan Doyle at alandoyle.ca

Special guest Donovan Woods

When you listen to Donovan Woods, you can hear the craft of songwriting being carried forward: Stripped down, but never simple; direct yet poetic; new and timeless. The music is delivered with confidence, and in an evocative voice that you wouldn't expect from someone as young, approachable, or humorous as Woods.
His acclaimed fourth album Hard Settle, Ain't Trouble received a 2016 Polaris Music Prize nomination.

Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat (Family) Live at Tarrytown Music Hall: Saturday, 3/18/17 @ 2pm

From the moment his tall, red-and-white-striped hat appears at their door, Sally and her brother know that the Cat in the Hat is the most mischievous cat they will ever meet. Suddenly the rainy afternoon is transformed by the Cat and his antics. Will their house ever be the same? Can the kids clean up before mom comes home? With some tricks (and a fish) and Thing Two and Thing One, with the Cat in The Hat, the fun’s never done! Founded in 1977, Childsplay is a nationally and internationally respected professional theatre company whose chosen audience is children. At Childsplay they believe that young people deserve to experience challenging, thought-provoking theatre of the highest artistic quality. Written by Katie Mitchell, Adapted from the Book by Dr. Seuss

Griffin House at Naked Soul at The Rubin Museum of Art in NYC @ 7PM

“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House,” hails American Songwriter. House’s latest album, So On and So Forth, is a deep and reflective narrative. Recording and performing for over a decade, House has toured with Ron Sexsmith, Patti Scialfa, Josh Ritter, and many others. He received early critical acclaim on CBS Sunday Morning, and his songs have since been featured in countless films and television shows. Most recently CNN Newsroom invited House to perform “Paris Calling” from So On and So Forth live on the air. House has released ten albums and continues to headline his own national tours.

A Year With Frog and Toad (Family) Live at Tarrytown: Sun., 3/12/17 @ 2pm

Based on the beloved children's books by Arnold Lobel, this whimsical musical follows two great friends -- the cheerful, popular Frog and the curmudgeonly Toad -- through four, fun-filled seasons, meeting new friends like Man Bird and Lady Bird; Father, Mother and Young Frog; Turtle; Squirrel and many more along the way. Waking from hibernation in the Spring, Frog and Toad plant gardens, swim, rake leaves, go sledding, and learn life lessons along the way. The two best friends celebrate and rejoice in their differences that make them unique and special. Part vaudeville, part make believe, all charm, A Year With Frog And Toad tells the story of a friendship that endures, weathering all seasons. A hit on Broadway, A Year With Frog And Toad was nominated for 3 TONY Awards - including Best Musical. Based on Arnold Lobel's beloved children’s books and featuring a jazzy, upbeat score by Robert and Willie Reale that bubbles with melody and wit, the show is an inventive, exuberant, and enchanting experience for the whole family.

Tommy Emmanuel - "It's Never Too Late Tour" at Tarrytown Music Hall: Saturday 3/4/17

Special Guest: Joe Robinson
One of the finest guitar players of our generation, Tommy Emmanuel returns after a sold out appearance 2015! Give a listen to “Old Photographs,” the closing track on Tommy Emmanuel’s It’s Never Too Late and you’ll hear the distinctive squeak of finger noise as he runs his hands across the frets of his Maton Signature TE guitar. Many musicians would edit those imperfection’s out, but to Emmanuel, those imperfections are perfect. A master technician, Emmanuel started professionally at age 6, rising through the ranks as a studio player and member of several Australian rock bands before he set off on a solo career. One of only five musicians handpicked by his mentor, Chet Atkins, as a Certified Guitar Player (CGP), he’s piled up numerous accolades, including two Grammy nominations, two ARIA Awards from the Australian Recording Industry Association (the Aussie equivalent of the Recording Academy) and repeated honors in the Guitar Player magazine reader’s poll. A noted fingerstyle guitarist, Emmanuel frequently threads three different parts simultaneously into his material, operating as a one - man band who handles the melody, the supporting chords and the bass all at once. His talents, which translate in any language, carry him to the far corners of the globe, but Emmanuel never plays the same show twice, and he improvises big chunks of every date.

Ben Sollee Live at Naked Soul - 3/3/17

Known for his thrilling cello playing that incorporates new techniques to create a unique mix of folk, bluegrass, jazz and R&B, Ben Sollee possesses rough, smooth, smoky vocal stylings and a knack for intricate arrangements. Sollee shares himself completely with his audience, whether it be by personal lyrics, or his commitment to the environment. In 2012, Sollee self-released his fourth album, Half-Made Man, a revealing, deeply moving album that explores a man trying to figure himself out, just as we all are. Sollee first gained major notice with his 2008 debut, Learning to Bend, which led NPR’s Morning Edition to call him one of the “Top Ten Great Unknown Artists” of the year. Later, All Things Considered called his debut “an inspired collection of acoustic, folk and jazz-flavored songs, filled with hope and the earnest belief that the world is good.”

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo - An Acoustic Evening at Tarrytown Music Hall: Thurs. March 2, 2017 @ 8pm

Pat Benatar: she’s always been a rule-breaker and a trail-blazer, she remains a bold and distinctive artist both on stage and on record, and now, after more than three decades in rock ‘n’ roll, she’s a bonafide living legend. A four-time Grammy winner, Benatar is a classically trained mezzo-soprano. During the 1980s, Benatar had two RIAA-certified Multi-Platinum albums, five RIAA-certified Platinum albums, three RIAA-certified Gold albums and 19 Top 40 singles, including the Top 10 hits, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", "Love Is a Battlefield", "We Belong" and "Invincible". 

Tommy Emmanuel has been voted Favorite Acoustic Guitarist in both Guitar Player Magazine and Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s reader polls, and is a YouTube sensation. His videos have over 29,000,000 views and have led to sold out shows in new markets all over the US.  Tommy has also been seen all over the United States in his Public Television pledge specials Center Stage and Tommy Emmanuel and Friends.

About Tommy Emmanuel: Two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel is one of Australia’s most respected musicians. The legendary guitarist has a professional career that spans five decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world. A household name in his native Australia, Tommy has garnered hundreds of thousands of loyal fans worldwide. Tommy’s unique style – he calls it simply “finger style” – is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Rather than using a whole band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, Tommy plays all that – and more – on one guitar. Guitar legend Chet Atkins was one of the first to inspire Emmanuel to try this “fingerpicker” style as a child. Decades later, Atkins himself became one of Emmanuel’s biggest fans. Tommy Emmanuel is an honorary Kentucky Colonel, a CGP (Certified Guitar Player – a title given by Chet Atkins to only 5 guitarists in the world), an Order of Australia Medalist (AM) and the holder of both an honorary Master’s Degree (MA) and more recently an honorary Doctor of Arts (DR) from Charles Sturt University in Australia in recognition of his commitment to rural Australia and his contribution to music education.

Bruce Hornsby & Ricky Skaggs with Kentucky Thunder at Tarrytown Music Hall: Sunday, Feb. 26th, 2017

Country and bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and renowned pianist and songwriter Bruce Hornsby, fellow friends and GRAMMY winners, go back out on the road to collaborate with Skaggs’ razor-sharp band Kentucky Thunder on brand new tunes and traditional bluegrass classics. Without any restrictions, their music is as fascinating and masterful as the two stars that created it. The pair blends songs drawn from deep roots in mountain music, adding piano and Hornsby's inimitable songwriting to Skaggs’ instrumental core of mandolin, guitar, bass, fiddle and banjo into a musical feast. Punctuating the show is a vibrantly expansive version of Hornsby's early hit "The Way It Is" and a performance of "White Wheeled Limousine," and to sum up the free-spirited nature of their collaborations, Skaggs and Hornsby joyfully present the vintage fiddle tune "Cluck Ol’ Hen." Skaggs and Hornsby promise to kick up a storm with their mix of high-lonesome harmonies, full throttle bluegrass picking, and improvisational piano.

All aboard Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul “With Genevieve!” Genevieve is the hippest of all singing train conductors. Together with DC, her beat boxing, break dancing railroad engineer, Genevieve brings Choo-Choo Soul to South Orange for a show full of soulful renditions of the ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and all your favorite Disney songs covered with catchy beats.

Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul “With Genevieve!” has been honored with a Parents Choice Award for Children’s Television.       

Stay after the show for a meet & greet with Genevieve and DC in the SOPAC Loft! 

Recommended Ages: 4-8
Running Time: approximately 60 minutes   

Kids ‘N Family Series sponsored by Robert Northfield.
See more performances and save!

Use code Kid15 to save 15% on tickets to two or more performances purchased in the same order. Tickets may be purchased online, by phone at (973) 313-2787 or in person at the SOPAC Box Office. Discounts cannot be combined, SOPAC Members are not eligible for the Kid15 promotion. All sales are final. Tickets are non-refundable.                                                                       

Choo-Choo Soul’s Genevieve

Born to musician parents in the San Francisco Bay Area, Genevieve Goings has been creating music since childhood. She perfected her live stage performance touring with her neo-soul band, Legato in 2004. Genevieve’s studio career began in hip-hop, writing and recording hooks for multiple local artists. This expanded into joining many hip hop groups and free styling at many San Francisco venues. Her studio experience led her into voice-over work, and to date she can be found on multiple video games, children’s toys, and websites.

Choo-Choo Soul was developed by video game designer Greg Johnson and music director Burke Treischmann. The two met Genevieve Goings when she auditioned for one of the voice-over roles in a video game they were working on together. Genevieve recorded several character voices on that project, some of which were gospel singers. For those characters, Genevieve suggested singing her lines as opposed to speaking them and both Greg and Burke were so blown away by the soul in her voice that Greg edited the script, adding over 10 pages of new singing lines for Genevieve.

Since the success of Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul “With Genevieve!” she has moved to Los Angeles and released the solo album Diversity Personified, a title expressive of not only her diverse heritage, but her effortless knack for combining genres and styles. In addition to touring with Choo-Choo Soul, Genevieve is also currently working with Disney’s ELL division, creating musical curriculum which teaches English as second language to young children.

Choo-Choo Soul’s DC

Constantine “DC” Abramson is a renaissance man of the entertainment world. Break dancing, beat boxing, acting, painting, drawing and performing as mascots for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and the NBA’s Golden State Warriors are among his many talents. DC and Genevieve first toured together in the neo-soul band, Legato. In addition to touring regularly across the US and Canada with Choo-Choo Soul, DC is also currently working on a compilation of beat boxing fused with musical arrangements. Constantine is also a visual artist working in oil on canvas and pen and ink.

Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul "With Genevieve!”Live at Tarrytown Music Hall:  Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017 @ 1pm & 4pm

A Music Hall/Music Without Borders Co-presentation
All aboard Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul “With Genevieve!” Genevieve is the hippest of all singing train conductors. Together with DC, her beat boxing, break dancing railroad engineer, Genevieve brings Choo-Choo Soul to Tarrytown for a show full of soulful renditions of the ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and all your favorite Disney songs covered with catchy beats. Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul “With Genevieve!” has been honored with a Parents Choice Award for Children’s Television.

Bebel Gilberto Valentine's Day Tour at Tarrytown Music Hall 2/18/17 at 8PM

“Bebel Gilberto has taken on traditional bossa nova rhythms and infused it with her trademark alluring vocals to create a hypnotic new sound.” – NPR

“Atmosphere is everything to this music, and it’s an atmosphere that creates a cozy realm between the retro and the fashionable, and between Brazil and international clubland.” – New York Times

World-renowned singer-songwriter Bebel Gilberto, who has earned multiple Grammy nominations over the course of her career, has captivated fans and earned media acclaim worldwide with her trademark electronic bossa nova, taking over clubs around the world and positioning Bebel as one of the top-selling Brazilian artists in the U.S. since the ‘60s. Gilberto’s penchant for sonically transporting listeners to Brazil, with bright, incandescent bossa nova-infused melodies, lyrics about love, and a lilting performance style has earned her raves for her live performances.

Gilberto was born in New York to Brazilian music icons João Gilberto and Miúcha. Her musical education was her childhood in Brazil. She was surrounded by extended family including her uncle Chico Buarque and family friends like Milton Nacimento, Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso, and João Donato; she made her first recording at age 7. “I will turn 50 this year, so I’ve been recording and performing music for 47 years!” exclaims Bebel with a laugh.

Bebel’s influences are vast and eclectic. In addition to living and breathing all types of Brazilian musical styles as a child, she was exposed to the greats, from Debussy to Prince; Michel Legrand to Billie Holliday; Bjork to Gershwin. She also has a strong love for North American soul; she discovered Donna Summer, Earth Wind and Fire, and Michael Jackson on the dance floor as a budding teenager. “The whole disco thing plays a big role in my heart,” says Bebel, who still loves to dance.

Several years after Bebel moved to New York City in 1991 her present day sound of electronic meets Brazilian began to crystallize. “Little by little, I learned what I wanted musically,” says Bebel, who gigged all around the city and collaborated with many artists. “I think there I became a New Yorker—with a Brazilian heart of course!

Saxophonist Maceo Parker embodies the legacy of soul and funk music like no other musician can. Always at the forefront, Maceo has been a common thread in the history of funk — helping to pioneer the sound of the genre in collaborations alongside seminal icons like James Brown, George Clinton, and Prince, all the while honing his own signature brand of showmanship. Leading his flawlessly tight band with a cool confidence, Maceo transports audiences to the slickest of eras in performances that are positively timeless. Maceo will soon re-release Roots Revisited — The Bremen Concert, a live recording from the first incarnation of Maceo’s own band in 1990 (which, at the time, included Fred Wesley on trombone, Pee Wee Ellis on tenor saxophone, Larry Goldings on B-3 organ, Rodney Jones on guitar, and Bill Stewart on drums). Maceo’s current band hits the road this season in celebration of repertoire spanning the prolific career of this funk legend: 50 Years of Funk.

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have risen like a phoenix out of the ashes of war and enflamed the passions of fans across the globe with their uplifting songs of hope, faith and joy. From their humble beginnings in West African refugee camps, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars have performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages and matured into one of Africa’s top touring and recording bands.

The band is a potent example of the redeeming power of music and the ability of the human spirit to persevere through unimaginable hardship and emerge with optimism intact. Throughout the 1990s, the West African country of Sierra Leone was wracked with a bloody, horrifying war that forced millions to flee their homes. The musicians that would eventually form Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars are all originally from Freetown, and they were forced to leave the capital city at various times after violent rebel attacks. Most of those that left the country made their way into neighboring Guinea, some ending up in refugee camps and others struggling to fend for themselves in the capital city of Conakry.

Ruben Koroma and his wife Grace left Sierra Leone in 1997 and found themselves in the Kalia refugee camp near the border with Sierra Leone. When it became clear they would not be heading back to their homeland anytime soon, they joined up with guitarist Francis John Langba (aka Franco), and bassist Idrissa Bangura (aka Mallam), other musicians in the camp whom they had known before the war, to entertain their fellow refugees. When a Canadian relief agency donated two beat up electric guitars, a single microphone and a meager sound system, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars were born.