Alan Cumming

Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 7pm at Troy Music Hall

Leslie Odom, Jr

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 7:30pm at Troy Music Hall

LOCATION:

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

EVENT TYPE:

‹ ALL EVENTS

JAZZ

Leslie Odom, Jr. is a multifaceted Tony and Grammy Award-winning, three-time Emmy and two-time Academy Award-nominated vocalist, songwriter, actor, and New York Times bestselling author. With a career that spans all performance genres, Odom has received recognition for his excellence and achievements in Broadway, television, film, and music. Most recently, Odom made his long-awaited return to Broadway starring in, and co-producing, the new Broadway production of the classic American comedy Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch by the legendary Ossie Davis, which opened in September 2023 to widespread critical acclaim. Additionally, he stars in the highly anticipated sequel to the original iconic film The Exorcist for Blumhouse and Universal Pictures out October 6, 2023. Odom recently starred in Rian Johnson’s 2022 Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which broke records for Netflix and is currently streaming worldwide. In 2020, he starred as legendary singer Sam Cooke in the award-winning Amazon film adaptation of One Night in Miami…, directed by Regina King. His critically acclaimed and highly lauded portrayal of the soul icon and musical performance of original song “Speak Now” earned him multiple awards and nominations. He also starred in The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to David Chase’s award-winning HBO series The Sopranos, released in October 2021. Well known for his breakout role as ‘Aaron Burr’ in the smash hit Broadway musical Hamilton, Odom hosted “The Tony Awards Present: Broadway’s Back!” on CBS in September 2021 (2022 Emmy nomination). Additional film and television credits include Apple TV+’s Central Park (2020 Emmy nomination), Hamilton on Disney+ (2021 Emmy nomination), Abbott Elementary, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, Love in the Time of Corona, Harriet, and many more. Co-written with Nicolette Robinson, Odom’s first children’s book, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know, was published by Feiwel & Friends on March 28, 2023. The book debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #7 in its first week. Odom is a BMG recording artist and has released five full-length albums. Released in November 2023, Odom’s fifth full-length album and his first of all-new original music since 2019, When A Crooner Dies, features a collection of 10 newly penned, original tracks that mark his most personal body of music to date.

Nickel Creek

Friday, March 22, 2024 at 8pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Nickel Creek is mandolinist Chris Thile, violinist Sara Watkins and guitarist Sean Watkins. Together a sum of more than their staggering parts, the trio revolutionized bluegrass and folk in the early 2000s and ushered in a new era of what we now recognize as Americana music. After a nine year absence, the Platinum-selling, Grammy Award-winning trio returned in 2023 with the highly-anticipated album,Celebrants—a bounty of 18 disparate but loosely connected songs written collectively during a creative retreat in Santa Barbara in early 2021. The result is perhaps the most audacious yet accessible release of the Grammy-winning trio’s 34-year career. The entire enterprise is, naturally, shot through with the trio’s virtuosic picking and shiver-inducing harmonies. The lyrics—addressing love, friendship, time, and the universal travails of travel—combine the poetic and plain-spoken, hitting a sweet spot of ethereal and relatable as bridges are built, crossed, burned, and rebuilt. In celebration of the release, the trio will return to the road including three sold-out shows at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium with more dates to be announced soon.

The High Kings and Gaelic Storm

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 7:30pm at Troy Music Hall

The High Kings are Finbarr Clancy, Darren Holden, Paul O' Brien and Brian Dunphy who have held the position as the distinctive voice of Irish folk music across the world for the last 15years.  And as they continue to sell out venues around the world to an ever- growing army of loyal fans The High Kings show no signs of stopping. Having already surpassed a 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify as well as 2 platinum albums in their time, 2023 saw The High Kings celebrate 15 years together by releasing 15 brand new tracks to their fans, as well as the release of their, 8th Studio Album The Road Not Taken. Renowned for their captivating harmonies and timeless melodies, The High Kings eighth studio album is a collection of original songs that breathe new life into traditional folk music, blending the old with the new. Having amassed almost 2 million streams since it’s release in June 2023 ‘The Road Not Taken’ has also reached the number independent album position in Ireland, No1 in Folk, Number 2 in all genres, No.2 in singer songwriter in the USA, the number 1 bestseller on Amazon Germany and a selection of top 5 chart positions worldwide. 'The Road Not Taken' by The High Kings is a groundbreaking collaborative effort, co-written and produced with some of Ireland's most respected and popular artists. This includes household names such as The Script, Kodaline, Picture This, Sharon Corr and more. The album also includes guest appearances from international artists such as legendary 'Journey' frontman Steve Perry, making it a genuine feast of global music collaborations. The High Kings have charted across the world and performed for hundreds of thousands of fans, as well as in many prestigious situations including for the Prime Minister of England (2011), Barak Obama( 2012) & George W Bush ( 2009 at the White house and at The Pentagon (2015) Notable performances include Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight ( 3 times – headlining in 2015) appeared in Time Square & headlined the St Patrick’s Day concert in Trafalgar Square London (2015) as well as performing at the top of the Empire State building on St Patricks day 2023. As they continue to go from strength to strength The High Kings remain firmly rooted in Irish tradition and classic folk music and their brand new tour will be a feast of well-known hits and spectacular musicianship, and they look forward to seeing you soon.

It’s hard to imagine Gaelic Storm just coming into their own after 20 years of success, but that’s exactly what makes a true anomaly. This multi-national, Celtic juggernaut grows stronger with each live performance, and as you can imagine, after two decades and over 2000 shows, it is a true force to be reckoned with. With their latest release, Go Climb a Tree, their music has never sounded more representative of themselves as musicians and as live performers. The band attributes their continued success to their fanatic audience, and it’s a well-diversified crowd for sure. The country-music folks adore the storytelling, the bluegrass-heads love the instrumentals, Celtic fans love their devotion to tradition, and the rockers simply relish the passion they play their instruments with. Each band member, in their own way, expresses a deep gratitude for their fans, but it’s best summed up in the words of Patrick Murphy: “The fans are the ones that have given us this life. We’re here for them.” On Go Climb a Tree, co-founders of Gaelic Storm, Steve Twigger and Patrick Murphy, along with longtime friend and co-writer Steve Wehmever, are again at the helm of song-writing duties. The album has everything—party drinking songs (“The Beer Song”), patriotic anthems (“Green, White and Orange”), beautiful folk songs (“Monday Morning Girl”), spritely instrumentals “”The Night of Tomfoolery”), perfectly poppy songs (“Shine On”), and even a raucous pirate song (“Shanghai Kelly”). When speaking of the overall concept of the album, Patrick Murphy gives some insight: “With all the craziness and division in the world, we wanted to make an album about ‘contemplative escapism.’ Go Climb a Tree certainly isn’t about dropping out of the conversation, it’s just about taking a short hiatus to recharge the batteries before you take on the world again.” Gaelic Storm takes a true blue-collar, hard-nose approach to touring, consistently traveling the US and internationally over 200 days a year, forging a unique path in the Celtic music world. “You have to see us live. We are the true working-mans’ band,” says Ryan Lacey, who joined the lineup in 2003. “We still, and most likely always will, tour most of the year, and that’s how we constantly hone our craft.” The dedication to live shows date all the way back to the mid-1990s, when Gaelic Storm kicked off its career as a pub band in Santa Monica, California. Due to their discovery at the pub, by the end of the decade, the musicians had appeared in the blockbuster film Titanic (where they performed “Irish Party in Third Class”). This laid the groundwork for a career that would eventually find them topping the Billboard World Chart six times, making appearances at mainstream music festivals, and regularly headlining the largest Irish Festivals across the country, all the while gaining a reputation as a genre-bending Irish rock band, whose songs mix Celtic traditions with something uniquely creative. Looking to the future, Gaelic Storm is excited about what lies ahead. In 2022, they were excited to welcome Natalya Kay, an incredible fiddler hailing from Western Massachusetts, but living now in Music City, Nashville, TN. Natalya's energy and presence on stage has been a force to be reckoned with.

Cat Power Sings Dylan

Friday, February 16, 2024 at 8pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Last November in London, Cat Power took the stage at Royal Albert Hall and delivered a song-for-song recreation of one of the most fabled and transformative live sets of all time. Held at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in May 1966—but long known as the “Royal Albert Hall Concert” due to a mislabeled bootleg—the original performance saw Bob Dylan switching from acoustic to electric midway through the show, drawing ire from an audience of folk purists and forever altering the course of rock-and-roll. In her own rendition of that historic night, the artist otherwise known as Chan Marshall inhabited each song with equal parts conviction and grace and a palpable sense of protectiveness, ultimately transposing the anarchic tension of Dylan’s set with a warm and luminous joy. Now captured on the live album Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Albert Hall Concert, Marshall’s spellbinding performance both lovingly honors her hero’s imprint on history and brings a stunning new vitality to many of his most revered songs.

Croce plays Croce

Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 8pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Multi-faceted singer/songwriter A.J. Croce is hitting the road again in celebration of two more of his father Jim Croce’s legendary albums, 1973’s Life and Times and his final release, I Got A Name, in addition to songs from You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. The much-anticipated fall tour, Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary commences in mid-October with the first announced date being Springfield, MA on October 27, and includes shows through November and December in historic venues like New York City’s Town Hall and Detroit’s Royal Oak Music Theatre.

The Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary show features a legendary band (including drummer Gary Mallaber, bassist David Barard, guitar/violin James Pennebaker) and a moving multi-media presentation accompanying Jim’s songs (which on the previous tour included memorable hits, “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)”, “Time in a Bottle,” and others). It was fan-demand for more, and the camaraderie that A.J. felt with the audience, the players, and the connection to his father’s timeless music that inspired A.J. to embark on the 50th Anniversary tour for 2023. “The audience reaction has been so great,” says A.J. “The shows we did last year were not only met with a huge response, but I learned so much about what works and what resonates, we knew we had to keep going.”  

Hannah Berner

Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Hannah Berner was born in Brooklyn, New York and emerged on the comedy scene by writing, directing, editing, and acting in videos on social media and writing viral tweets. She has two podcasts, Berner Phone and Giggly Squad with over 50 million combined downloads. She was a cohost on Bravo’s Chat Room, as well as a member of Bravo’s Summer House for three seasons, and has over 4 million followers across her social media platforms. Through her viral digital series, Han on the Street, she has interviewed stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Hailey Bieber, Priyanka Chopra, Kesha, and the Jonas Brothers. She currently is on a theater tour across America for her stand up comedy. In 2022, she was named one of Just For Laughs “New Faces Of Comedy" in Montreal. She was recently named one of Variety’s “Top Ten Comics to Watch in 2023”. 

Let’s Sing Taylor

Friday, February 2, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Let’s Sing Taylor - A Live Band Experience - is the ultimate tribute to the music of Taylor Swift. 

We can show you incredible things, including the most faithful and lively covers of Queen Taylor’s expansive and sacred catalog. Taking the country by storm, we’re bringing the communal experience of celebrating Taylor’s music in a live setting to Swifties near and far. 

So, let the games begin. Calling all Swifties to sing your hearts out and sport your Taylor- inspired attire. You can show up at our party any time.

Indigo Girls

Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Released in 1989, Indigo Girls' eponymous major label debut sold over two million copies under the power of singles “Closer to Fine” and “Kid Fears” and turned Indigo Girls into one of the most successful folk duos in history. Over a thirty-five-year career that began in clubs around their native Atlanta, Georgia, the multi-Grammy-winning duo of Emily Saliers and Amy Ray has recorded sixteen studio albums, sold over 15 million records, and built a dedicated, enduring following across the globe. Rolling Stone describes them as the “ideal duet partners.” Committed and uncompromising activists, they work on issues like immigration reform (El Refugio), LGBTQ advocacy, education (Imagination Library), death penalty reform, and Native American rights. They are co-founders of Honor the Earth, a non-profit dedicated to the survival of sustainable Native communities, Indigenous environmental justice, and green energy solutions. 

Their latest record, Look Long is a stirring and eclectic collection of songs that finds the duo of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers reunited in the studio with their strongest backing band to date. “We joke about being old, but what is old when it comes to music? We’re still a bar band at heart,” says Saliers. “While our lyrics and writing approach may change, our passion for music feels the same as it did when we were 25-years-old.” “As time has gone on, our audience has become more expansive and diverse, giving me a sense of joy,” she adds. To hear those collective voices raise into one, singing along and overpowering the band itself, one realizes the importance Indigo Girls’ music has in this moment. In our often-terrifying present, we are all in search of a daily refuge, a stolen hour or two, to engage with something that brings us joy, perspective, or maybe just calm. As one bar band once put it, “We go to the doctor, we go to the mountains…we go to the Bible, we go through the work out.” For millions, they go to the Indigo Girls. On Look Long they’ll find a creative partnership certain of its bearings, forging a way forward.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Wednesday, November 29 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band derives its name from Preservation Hall, the venerable music venue located in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter, founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. The band has traveled worldwide spreading its mission to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans Jazz. Whether performing at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, for British Royalty or the King of Thailand, the band conveys a joyful, timeless spirit. Under the auspices of current director, Ben Jaffe, the son of founders Allan and Sandra, Preservation Hall continues with a deep reverence and consciousness of its impressive history as a venue, band, and record label.

Lyle Lovett and Steve Earle

Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Music Hall

LYLE LOVETT
A singer, composer, and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel, and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Whether touring as a ‘Duo’ or with his ‘Acoustic Group’ or his ‘Large Band,’ Lovett’s live performances show not only the breadth of this Texas legend’s deep talents, but also the diversity of his influences, making him one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music. Since his self-titled debut in 1986, Lyle Lovett has evolved into one of music’s most vibrant and iconic performers. Among his many accolades, besides the four Grammy Awards, he was given the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award, and was named Texas State Musician. His works, rich and eclectic, are some of the most beloved of any artist working today.

Steve Earle

Steve Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protege of legendary songwriters Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, he quickly became a master storyteller in his own right, with his songs being recorded by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, Emmylou Harris, The Pretenders, and countless others. 1986 saw the release of his record, Guitar Town, which shot to number one on the country charts and is now regarded as a classic of the Americana genre. Subsequent releases like The Revolution Starts...Now (2004), Washington Square Serenade (2007), and TOWNES (2009) received consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. Restlessly creative across artistic disciplines, Earle has published both a novel and collection of short stories; produced albums for other artists such as Joan Baez and Lucinda Williams, and acted in films, television (including David Simon’s acclaimed The Wire), and on the stage. In 2009, Earle appeared in the off-Broadway play Samara, for which he also wrote a score that The New York Times described as “exquisitely subliminal.” Earle wrote music for and appeared in Coal Country, a riveting Public Theater play that dives into the most-deadly mining disaster in U.S. history, for which he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Mr. Earle was recently inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Lyle Lovett and Chris Isaak

Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Morgan Wade

Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Morgan Wade didn’t write to be a sensation, for critical acclaim or massive concert tours. She wrote to speak her truth, to save her own life – and perhaps throw a rope to others struggling with the weight of a world moving too fast, loves where you fall too hard and nights that, good or bad, seem to go on forever.

2021 saw Reckless, her Thirty Tigers/now Sony Music Nashville debut, and lead single “Wilder Days” topping critical lists from Rolling Stone, TIME, Stereogum, New York Times, Boston Globe, FADER, Tennessean, Whiskey Riff, Billboard, and The Boot and Taste of Country who both proclaimed, “a once-in-a-decade debut.” With a voice that is raw hurt, deep knowing and somehow innocence retained, Wade wrote or co-wrote a song cycle about the reality facing teens and 20-somethings that embraced raw desire, the reality of getting high and getting sober, the realm of crawling through the wreckage with a tough vulnerability that is as singular as the young woman from Floyd, Virginia.

Little Feat

Tuesday, April 18 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Little Feat is the classic example of a fusion of many styles and musical genres made into something utterly distinctive.  Their brilliant  musicianship transcends boundaries, uniting California rock, funk, folk, jazz, country, rockabilly, and New Orleans swamp boogie into a rich gumbo, that has been leading people in joyful dance ever since.  

It began in 1969 when Frank Zappa was smart enough to fire Lowell George from the Mothers of Invention and tell him to go start a band of his own.   Soon after, Lowell connected with Bill Payne, which stirred up sparks.  They then found drummer Richie Hayward.   

They were quickly signed by Warner Bros. and began working on the first of twelve albums with that venerable company.  The first album, Little Feat, featured the instant-classic tune “Willin’,” and the follow-up Sailin’ Shoes added “Easy to Slip,” “Trouble,” “Tripe Face Boogie,” “Cold Cold Cold” and the title track to their repertoire.  Paul Barrére, Kenny Gradney (bass), and Sam Clayton (percussion), joined up, and the latter two remain rock-solid members of Little Feat’s rhythm section.   

1973’s Dixie Chicken gave them the title track and “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” as good a blues as any rock band has ever written.  Their career to that point was summed up with the live Waiting for Columbus, truly one of the best live albums rock has ever heard.  

Fifty years on the road cost them Lowell George, then Richie Hayward and Paul Barrére, but the music has carried them forward. When you spend your life on the road you can get eaten up by the stresses, or you can hold on to your music and your friends and the joy of the people out front and keep the priorities straight the way the Featsters have.

Little Feat in 2021 is:  Bill Payne, Keyboards and Vocals; Sam Clayton, Percussion and Vocals; Fred Tackett, Guitars and Vocals, Kenny Gradney, Bass; Scott Sharrard, Guitars and Vocals; and Tony Leone, drums.   

Fifty years on, they’ve been up and they’ve been down and they know where they belong—standing or sitting behind their instruments, playing for you.  And anything’s possible, because the end is not in sight.  

Bruce Hornsby

Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Based out of Williamsburg, VA, Hornsby first rose to national prominence with The Way It Is, his 1986 Grammy-winning debut album with The Range. The title track became the most-played song on American radio in 1987 while Tupac Shakur's timeless song "Changes" builds on "The Way It Is" and set the stage for many subsequent versions of the track. In 1991 Hornsby collaborated with Bonnie Raitt, playing on her iconic hit "I Can't Make You Love Me." Additionally, Hornsby was a part-time member of the Grateful Dead from September 1990 to March 1992, performing over 100 concerts in America and Europe. The 13-time Grammy nominee has also solidified his status as a highly sought-after collaborator. Hornsby's own 23 albums have sold over 11 million copies worldwide, and he has appeared on over 100 records including releases with Bob Dylan, Don Henley, the Grateful Dead, Stevie Nicks, Ricky Skaggs, Bob Seger, Chaka Khan, Bon Iver, Brandon Flowers, Bonnie Raitt, Sting, Mavis Staples, Willie Nelson and more. His most recent studio album, 'Flicted, was released this past May.

Lewis Black

Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Known as the King of Rant, Lewis Black uses his trademark style of comedic yelling and finger pointing to expose the absurdities of life. His comedic brilliance makes people laugh at life’s hypocrisies and the insanity he sees in the world. A GRAMMY Award-winning stand-up, Lewis Black performs his critically acclaimed shows more than 200 nights annually, to sold-out audiences throughout Europe, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.  He is one of a few performers to sell out multiple renowned theaters, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City Center, the Main Stage at the Mirage in Las Vegas and a sold-out Broadway run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City. Since 2014 Lewis Black has done over 400 live streaming shows, called THE RANT IS DUE, at the end of each of his standup performances. Adding his own unique style, Lewis delivers audience-written Rants which have been submitted from the fans at his show and throughout the world.  These rants are now available on Lewis Black’s podcast, Rant Cast. Black is the longest-running contributor to THE DAILY SHOW on Comedy Central. He has had comedy specials on HBO, Comedy Central, Showtime and Epix. In 2001, he won Best Male Stand-Up at the American Comedy Awards.  His newest special Thanks for Risking Your Life (streaming premiere October 6, 2020) was his last live performance before the Covid lockdown. He has released eight comedy albums, including the 2007 GRAMMY Award-winning The Carnegie Hall Performance. He won his second GRAMMY Award for his album Stark Raving Black and has published three bestselling books: Nothing’s Sacred (Simon & Schuster, 2005), Me of Little Faith (Riverhead Books, 2008) and I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas (Riverhead Books, 2010). In 2012, he performed eight sell-out shows at Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway as well as did one of his two HBO Specials BLACK ON BROADWAY. In 2015, Black notably voiced the character “Anger” in the Academy Award-winning film from Pixar, Inside Out. A published playwright, he’s written over 40 plays and has found his work performed throughout the country, including at the A.C.T. Theatre, the Magic Theatre, The Williamstown Theatre Festival, and The Public Theatre. In addition to his professional pursuits, Lewis is dedicated to a number of charitable organizations including the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Rogosin Institute, and The 52nd Street Project. He’s also deeply committed to supporting our troops. A seasoned USO tour veteran, he’s performed for the troops on three Christmas tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn, Sara Jarosz

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn & Sarah Jarosz come together onstage for a special evening. A singular and enduring talent, Grammy winner Shawn Colvin's songs like "Sunny Came Home" are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured, lifetime companions for their listeners.   After winning a Grammy for his soulful ballad “Walking in Memphis,” Marc Cohn solidified his place as one of this generation’s most compelling singer-songwriters, combining the precision of a brilliant tunesmith with the passion of a great soul man. Though just barely in her thirties, Texas native Sarah Jarosz has compiled a remarkable career, winning four Grammy Awards in both the Americana and Folk categories.

Chris Botti

Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 8pm at Troy Music Hall

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall In Love, Chris Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist.  His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop muisc and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards.  Most recently, his latest album Impressions won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental.  Performing worldwide and selling more than four million albums, he has found a form of creative expression that begins in jazz and expands beyond the limits of any single genre.

Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed with the best in music, including Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Bublé, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and even Frank Sinatra. Hitting the road for as many as 300 days per year, the trumpeter has also performed with many of the finest symphonies and at some of the world's most prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House and the Real Teatro di San Carlo in Italy.

Impressions, Botti's 2012 Columbia Records and Grammy winning release, is the latest in a stellar parade of albums – including When I Fall In Love (2004), To Love Again: The Duets (2005), Italia (2007), and the CD/DVD Chris Botti in Boston (2009) – that has firmly established him as a clarion voice in the American contemporary music scene. Playing with his uniquely expressive sound and soaring musical imagination, Botti is joined on the disc by featured artists Andrea Bocelli, Vince Gill, Herbie Hancock, Mark Knopfler, and David Foster in a warm, intimate celebration of melodic balladry.
 

With Impressions and the albums that preceded it, Chris Botti has thoroughly established himself as one of the important, innovative figures of the contemporary music world.

Billy Bragg

Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 7:30pm at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

It was thirty-seven years ago when the Saturday boy from Essex became the UK’s foremost political singer-songwriter. He released his first record, Life’s a Riot with Spy Vs Spy, bashed out on a punk rock electric guitar. It charted at number 30. Billy Bragg had arrived. He’d ‘risen from obscurity to semi-obscurity.’ 

Politicised by a Tory government, Billy bought himself out of the British Army in 1981 (‘the best £175 I ever spent’), and blazed his own modest trail. His ‘difficult third album’ Talking with The Taxman About Poetry took on additional guitar, piano and flugelhorn. Between the Wars EP landed him on Top of the Pops. He even made a jaunty video, but went back to basics for William Bloke, reflecting a changing geopolitical world after the Berlin Wall. Nora Guthrie, daughter of the folk legend Woody, blessed him with Woody’s unsung lyrics; Mermaid Avenue (with Wilco) was Grammy-nominated. 

Tooth and Nail was recorded in five days in acclaimed songwriter/producer Joe Henry’s basement studio in Pasadena, Billy Bragg said: ‘I did it my way.’ It was his highest charting LP in the UK since Don’t Try This at Home in 1991. Shine a Light, his collaborative eleventh reunited him with Joe Henry; guided by the lights of myth, they boarded at Chicago’s Union Station and ‘looked to reconnect with the culture of American railroad travel. The Observer called it ‘a muscular chronicle’, and it cracked America for him. 

The intervening three-and-a-half decades have been marked by numerous milestones and waystations, political and personal, topping the singles chart, having a street named after him, being mentioned in Dylan’s memoir, being invited to deliver a seminar on accountability at the Bank of England and meeting the Queen.

‘Ruggedly handsome’ (according to one Facebook fan), there ain’t no stopping him now. For every protest song (‘There Is Power in A Union’), there’s a declaration of love (‘I Will Be Your Shield). Orator, published author, entertainer, rabble-rouser, negotiator, pamphleteer, the fabled ‘big-nosed bard from Barking’ is many things. 

Lockdown couldn’t keep him down. Instead, he looked inwardly as well as outwardly, and joined the two together, stronger. A new set, The Million Things That Never Happened emerged, blinking back into the light.

The Lone Bellow

Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 7:30 PM at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

The Lone Bellow is touring in support of their latest, highly anticipated new album, Half Moon Light. This album is an artistic triumph worked toward for years, earned not by individual posturing, but by collective determination and natural growth. With earthy three-part harmonies and songwriting as provocative as it is honest, the trio made up of Brian, lead vocalist Zach Williams, and multi-instrumentalist Kanene Donehey Pipkin creates sparks that make a stranger’s life matter or bring our sense of childlike wonder roaring back. On Half Moon Light, The Lone Bellow mix light and dark to muster a complex ode to memory, a call for hope, and an exercise in empathy. Anchored in the acoustic storytelling that first so endeared the band to fans and critics, Half Moon Light also takes more chances, experimenting with textures and instrumental fillips to create a full-bodied music experience. The result is The Lone Bellow’s most sophisticated work to date.

“I want it to bring comfort,” The Lone Bellow guitarist Brian Elmquist says, reflecting on the album. “But it’s not all hard conversations. There’s a lot of light and some dancing that needs to happen.” 

This roots-rock band wants their music to offers a salve and a shelter to the listener. “In my own perfect little world, I would be able to put the music out and not talk about it––just, Here. Bye. See you next time,” says lead vocalist Zach Williams. “I do hope someone will find this music in a peaceful moment when they can turn it on and get lost in the story and the sound.” 

BEN FOLDS

Sunday, October 17, 2021 at 7:30 PM at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Ben Folds is widely regarded as one of the major music influencers of our generation.

He's created an enormous body of genre-bending music that includes pop albums with Ben Folds Five, multiple solo albums, and numerous collaborative records. His last album was a blend of pop songs and his Concerto for Piano and Orchestra that soared to #1 on both the Billboard classical and classical crossover charts.

For over a decade he's performed with some of the world's greatest symphony orchestras and currently serves as the first-ever Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center.

In addition to solo rock and orchestral touring, Folds released his first book -- a collection of interrelated essays, anecdotes, and lessons about art, life, and music -- in 2019, which debuted as a New York Times Best Seller, and is currently hosting a podcast series spinoff of his book entitled "Lightning Bugs: Conversations with Ben Folds."

Folds, who was on tour in Australia when the pandemic hit in early 2020, has been doing some live shows in Australia, as well as live and taped virtual streams, and is preparing to work on a TV series and possibly do some solo piano and orchestral tour dates upon his scheduled return to the US later this year.

An avid photographer, Folds is also a member of the prestigious Sony Artisans of Imagery, has worked as an assignment photo editor for National Geographic, and was featured in a mini-documentary by the Kennedy Center's Digital Project on his photographic work.

An outspoken champion for arts education and music therapy funding in our nation's public schools, he has served for over five years as an active member of the distinguished Artist Committee of Americans For The Arts (AFTA), and serves on the Board of AFTA's Arts Action Fund. He also served as Chairman of the Arts Action Fund's ArtsVote2020 national initiative that encouraged voter engagement in the 2020 US elections, and continually advocates for improving public policies for the arts and arts education.

The Moth - True Stories Told Live

Thursday, May 13, 2022 at 8:00 PM at Troy Music Hall

Join us for an evening of stories, shared live as five storytellers take the stage and share a true, personal story from their life:  joy and heart, in equal measures. Stories of glory and defeat, taunting fate, laughing in the face of danger, and the moments that forever changed the course.

Zero:

Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, Melvin Seals,

Pete Sears, & Hadi Al-Saadoon

Friday, November 20, 2020 at 7:30 PM at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Thirty-five years ago, having met when Steve Kimock auditioned for former Grateful Dead members Keith and Donna Jean Godchaux’s Heart of Gold Band (which already had Greg Anton as its drummer), Greg and Steve recorded an album, Greg on drums and piano, Steve on guitars and bass, which would be released decades later as Absolute Zero. Then they started a band to play the music. Having gone through many, many names, Greg asked Steve how many were left on the list to consider: “Zero” was the answer, and Zero became the quintessential jazz/rock fusion band, and a pioneer of the “jam” band scene.  

They went years without vocals, creating such instrumental-only gems as Here Goes Nothin (1987), Nothin’ Goes Here (1990) (albums so good that Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab re-released them), and the live Go Hear Nothin’ (1991).   Along the way they played with some of the Bay Area’s greatest talent: John Cipollina, John Kahn, Banana, Martin Fierro, Hadi Al Saadoon, Bobby Vega, Nicky Hopkins, John Farey, and Steve Wolf. A casual conversation with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter in the early ‘90s sent the band in a new direction, and they added vocalist Judge Murphy and produced the classic Chance in a Million.  

As bands will, Zero came and went – but always returned. After their incendiary set at the 1999 30th anniversary Oregon Country Fair, the Fair manager said, “You guys want to be on the 50th anniversary bill?” “Sure,” and they shook hands…and 20 years later, in July 2019, Zero (now with Pete Sears (Jefferson Starship, Hot Tuna, Moonalice) on bass, and Melvin Seals (JGB, Oteil & Friends) on keys) returned to the Country Fair stage. “Both Pete and Melvin,” said Anton, “used the word magic to describe it. We worked, as Zero does. One thing Steve and I have is a work ethic. We played for many hours before each of the two shows‚ because the songs needed to be honored. The songs have developed so many moves over the years, and we were in touch with them.”  

Last fall they celebrated their 35th anniversary at the Great American Music Hall, with other shows in Northern California, and as usual it proved to be far too much fun to stop. Joined by their long-time cohort, trumpet legend Hadi Al Saadoon, there will be more.

So as we enter the visionary year of 2020, we can announce that as summer comes in, Zero will fly again.

CURRENT LINE-UP: Steve Kimock, Greg Anton, Melvin Seals, Pete Sears with Hadi Al-Saadoon on trumpet and more! 

CANCELLED

An Acoustic Evening with

Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt

Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 7:30 PM at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

Two legends are teaming up once again for an evening of expert songwriting and entertaining storytelling!

A singer, composer and actor, Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of country, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. 

 Whether touring as a ‘Duo’ or with his ‘Acoustic Group’ or his ‘Large Band’, Lovett’s live performances show not only the breadth of this Texas legend’s deep talents, but also the diversity of his influences, making him one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music. 

 Since his self-titled debut in 1986, Lyle Lovett has evolved into one of music’s most vibrant and iconic performers. Among his many accolades, besides the four Grammy Awards, he was given the Americana Music Association’s inaugural Trailblazer Award, and was named Texas State Musician. 

 His works, rich and eclectic, are some of the most beloved of any artist working today. 

“You know how writing goes for me,” John Hiatt says, offering a glimpse into his creative process. “I get a couple of lines going, and then I just tag along as the songs start to reveal themselves. You’ve just gotta jump inside and take the ride.”Hiatt has been on that ride—as have we all, tagging along right beside him—for more than four decades now. In fact, since the release of his 1974 debut, Hangin’ Around the Observatory, rarely has more than a year or two passed without a new Hiatt collection hitting the shelves. 

The Eclipse Sessions, his newest collection, offers up his strongest set of ‘em in years. Long celebrated as a skilled storyteller and keen observer of life’s twists and turns, Hiatt can get at the heart of a knotty emotion or a moment in time with just a sharp, incisive lyric or witty turn of phrase. And the 11 tracks he recorded demonstrate that the singer-songwriter, now 66, is only getting better with age, his guitar playing more rugged and rootsy, his words wiser and more wry.  

An Evening with Bruce Hornsby and yMusic

Friday, February 28, 2020 at 8:00 PM at Troy Music Hall

Bruce Hornsby, the creatively insatiable pianist and singer-songwriter from Williamsburg, Virginia, always has succeeded on his exceptional gifts, his training, and his work ethic. He became a global name in music by reimagining American roots forms as songs that moved with the atmospheric grace of jazz. “The Way It Is” defined sonic joy on the radio, however as a hit record it also evidenced a thrilling re-structuring, and during the years afterward Hornsby, in staggeringly diverse ways, has kept going.

He has returned to traditional American roots forms, collaborating with Ricky Skaggs. He has played with the Grateful Dead. He has fused the plunk and dazzle of twentieth-century modernist classical composition to singer-songwriter emotional inquiries. He has scored films. He has performed with symphony orchestras. If the sound of an arrogant air-conditioner or a stretch of rude playing caught his ear, he has entered the hallowed doors of the conservatories of punk.

yMusic, "six contemporary classical polymaths who playfully overstep the boundaries of musical genres," (The New Yorker) performs in concert halls, arenas and clubs around the world. Founded in New York City in 2008, yMusic believes in presenting excellent, emotionally communicative music, regardless of style or idiom. "One of the groups that has really helped to shape the future of classical music," (Fred Child, NPR's Performance Today) their virtuosic execution and unique configuration (string trio, flute, clarinet, and trumpet) has attracted the attention of high profile collaborators -- from Paul Simon to Bill T. Jones to Ben Folds -- and inspired original works by some of today's foremost composers, including Nico Muhly, Missy Mazzoli and Andrew Norman.

Air Supply

The Lost in Love Experience

Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 8:00 PM

Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock sing their greatest hits, including "All Out of Love," "Lost In Love," "The One That You Love," and "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All.”

Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock met on May 12, 1975, the first day of rehearsals for "Jesus Christ Superstar" in Sydney, Australia; they became instant friends with their common love for The Beatles and, of course, singing.

After the shows' performances at 10:30, they would play pizza parlors, coffee bars and night clubs with just one guitar and two voices. They quickly gained a reputation for great harmonies and for original songs that Graham was constantly writing. They made a demo on a cassette of two songs, "Love and Other Bruises" and "If You Knew Me" and took it to every record company in Sydney. Everyone turned it down but one — CBS Records — who admired their unique style.

They made a single in one afternoon and it shot to number one on the national charts. Air Supply was born! That same year, they opened for Rod Stewart across Australia and then throughout the U.S. and Canada playing all of the famous huge venues before Rod would take the stage. They found new fans, but did not break the U.S. market.

Back in Australia they had to start again and made a record called Life Support. On this record were some treasures of songs, including "Lost in Love" which went Top 10 in Australia and somehow found its way to music industry executive Clive Davis in New York.

Clive immediately signed Air Supply to Arista Records and in 1980, "Lost in Love" became the fastest selling single in the world, leaping to the top of all of the charts. Now Air Supply was on their way. The second single was "All Out of Love," and that went up the charts even quicker.

Seven top-five singles later, Air Supply at that time had equaled The Beatles' run of consecutive top five singles. The albums Lost in Love, The One That You Love, Now & Forever, and The Greatest Hits sold in excess of 20 million copies. "Lost in Love" was named Song of the Year in 1980, and, with the other singles, sold more than 10 million copies.

The trademark sound of Russell Hitchcock's soaring tenor voice and Graham Russell's simple yet majestic songs created a unique sound that would forever be known as Air Supply.

However, it is the live shows that always hold audiences captive around the world. They were the first Western group to tour China, Taiwan, and countless other countries that before would not allow pop music across their borders. In 1983 they recorded "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" by Jim Steinman which solidified the group as a permanent force in modern music. This song was released on The Greatest Hits album which soared past 7 million copies.

"Lost in Love", "All Out of Love", "The One That You Love", "Sweet Dreams", and "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" have each achieved multi-million plays on the radio.

In 1986 the group's music was still playing endlessly on radio. That same year, Graham was married to actress Jodi Varble from Rochelle, Illinois, who also was his leading lady in the video for "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All."

Air Supply began to tour with lavish productions in places that no one had been before. In South America and Asia they became a part of everyone's life. In 1988, Air Supply was asked to participate in Australia's bicentennial celebration and to play for HRH Prince Charles and HRH Princess Diana, where they learned both were already ardent fans. This engagement would be one of their most treasured moments in their career.

In 1989, they recorded "The Earth Is" album selling over a million copies outside of the U.S. This album was followed by "The Vanishing Race" CD and, with the singles "Goodbye" and "It's Never Too Late", again saw multi-platinum success. The following albums, "News from Nowhere", "Yours Truly", and "Across the Concrete Sky" all gave their second greatest hits album multi-platinum status as they traveled the world each and every year.

In 2000, a new production company was founded to be devoted to Air Supply's entire future product, called A Nice Pear, which gave them complete creative control.

In July 2005, their live DVD, "It Was 30 Years Ago Today" celebrated 30 years of success around the world and in that same month, Air Supply smashed attendance records when, in Cuba, at one show they played to 175,000 people. Also 2005 saw the release of "The Singer and the Song", an acoustic album of many of their big hits which received critical acclaim.

In May 2010, the long-awaited album, "Mumbo Jumbo" –also the duo's first studio recording in eight years- was released. Recorded at Graham Russell's home studio near Park City, Utah and at Odds On's state of the art facilities in Las Vegas with top session musicians and an orchestra, "Mumbo Jumbo" was produced by Russell and engineered by Odds On's Sean O'Dwyer, whose credits include Pink Floyd, Randy Newman and Blink-182. Among the 14-tracks, released by Odds On's label, was the first single "Dance With Me," which earned Air Supply a prominent feature article in Billboard Magazine titled "Still Supplying The Hits After 35 Years."

Just weeks after composer and vocalist Graham Russell was honored with a BMI Million-Air Certificate recognizing 3 million performances of the duo's hit "All Out Of Love," Air Supply's new song was the #1 most added track on the FMQB AC40 Chart, and also one of the most added on the R&R (Radio and Records) AC Chart and the Mediabase AC chart.

In 2013, the duo was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association’s Hall of Fame. Air Supply celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2015 and continue to delight audiences all over the world.

Hot Tuna

Celebrating 50 Years

featuring Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams

Celebrating their 50th anniversary, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady are Hot Tuna and they play the blues. They are also Rock n Roll Hall of Fame inductees (with the Jefferson Airplane). Larry Campbell is a multi-instrumentalist and was a long time guitarist for Bob Dylan. Larry is joined by his wife, guitarist and vocalist Teresa Williams.

Patty Griffin

with special guest Rose Cousins

Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 7:30 PM at Troy Music Hall

Patty Griffin is among the most consequential singer-songwriters of her generation, a quintessentially American artist whose wide-ranging canon incisively explores the intimate moments and universal emotions that bind us together. Over the course of two decades, the GRAMMY® Award winner – and seven-time nominee – has crafted nine classic studio albums and two live collections, a remarkable body of work in progress that prompted the New York Times to hail her for “[writing] cameo-carved songs that create complete emotional portraits of specific people…(her) songs have independent lives that continue in your head when the music ends.”

Patty has announced the release of her long-awaited new album. The acclaimed singer-songwriter’s 10th studio recording and first-ever eponymous LP, PATTY GRIFFIN arrived Friday, March 8 on her own PGM Recordings label via Thirty Tigers. The album was recorded predominantly at Griffin’s home in Austin, TX, with Griffin and longtime collaborator Craig Ross co-producing, while the band is made up of a number of friends and frequent accompanists, including Ross, guitarist David Pulkingham, drummer/percussionist Conrad Choucroun, cellist Lindsey Verrill, pianist Stephen Barber, and Robert Plant, who contributes backing vocals to the LP’s “What Now” and “Coins.”

A native of Prince Edward Island, Rose Cousins lives in Halifax Nova Scotia. She deeply values being part of multiple music communities, and is constantly fueled by collaboration. Cousins’ 2012 album We Have Made A Spark celebrated her Boston community and featured a cast of musicians Cousins had known and played music with for a decade. It won a JUNO Award, 3 East Coast Music Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award, was nominated for the Polaris Music Prize, and made picks/best of lists in USA Today, NPR Music and Oprah Magazine.  Her music has found its way into several TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy.

Pink Martini

Thursday, October 24, 2019 at 7:30 PM at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall

“PINK MARTINI IS A ROLLICKING AROUND-THE-WORLD MUSICAL ADVENTURE… IF THE UNITED NATIONS HAD A HOUSE BAND IN 1962, HOPEFULLY WE’D BE THAT BAND.”
– THOMAS LAUDERDALE, BANDLEADER/PIANIST

In 1994 in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, Thomas Lauderdale was working in politics, with the intention of eventually running for office. Like other eager politicians-in-training, he went to every political fundraiser under the sun… but was dismayed to find the music at these events underwhelming, lackluster, loud and un-neighborly. Drawing inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop – and hoping to appeal to conservatives and liberals alike, he founded the “little orchestra” Pink Martini in 1994 provide more beautiful and inclusive musical soundtracks for political fundraisers for causes such as civil rights, affordable housing, cleaning up the Willamette River, funding for libraries, public broadcasting, education and parks.

One year later, Lauderdale called China Forbes (who will be performing at the Hall), a Harvard classmate who was living in New York City, and asked her to join Pink Martini. They began to write songs together. Their first song – “Sympathique” (Je ne veus pas travailler)- became an overnight sensation in France, was nominated for “Song of the Year” at France’s Victoires de la Musique Awards, and to this day remains a mantra (“Je ne veux pas travailler” or “I don’t want to work”) for striking French workers.  Says Lauderdale, “We’re very much an American band, but we spend a lot of time abroad and therefore have the incredible diplomatic opportunity to represent a broader, more inclusive America… the America which remains the most heterogeneously populated country in the world… composed of people of every country, every language, every religion. Except for Native Americans, all of us are immigrants from every country, of every language, of every religion.”

Featuring a dozen musicians, Pink Martini performs its multilingual repertoire in over 25 languages on concert stages and with symphony orchestras throughout Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, Northern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America. Pink Martini made its European debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997 and its orchestral debut with the Oregon Symphony in 1998 under the direction of Norman Leyden. Since then, the band has gone on to play with more than 70 orchestras around the world, including multiple engagements with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, the Boston Pops, the National Symphony at the Kennedy Center, the San Francisco Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House, and the BBC Concert Orchestra at Royal Albert Hall in London.