For many June 21st is a special day. It is the beginning of summer and with it the promise of things to come. The sun selflessly offers up light to the earth as life basks in its glory.
In Ithaca, N.Y., on June 21, 2008, in a small club, “The Lost Dog”, “Crossing Borders Live”, was engaged in its Saturday night concert series. Although the crew knew this date had the potential to be special, how special wasn’t going to be realized until the last note’s decay and the audience was left basking in the musical light of Filipe Salles and his band.
From the first note to the last the band played with creative brilliance and demonstrated the difference between those that think they can and those that do. His band played not as a collection of parts but rather as an organic whole. Each musician intimately familiar with the underlying meaning and message of each song created a voice that spoke of the lessons of yesterday, the joys of today and the promise of tomorrow.
On that special day, those in attendance were fortunate to experience something extraordinary. Fortunately, for those that weren’t in attendance or unable to listen in on the radio, Filipe agreed. After contacting us and making arrangements to obtain the recorded multi-tracks, Filipe and Mika Pohjola have crafted a CD that recreates the glowing energy of that special performance.
“Timeline”, the name of this new CD, not only marks the creative stages of Filipe’s life work but also marks a moment in time when Filipe brought his band to Ithaca and shared with us what is the magic of his music.
--Dave B on behalf of Ray Ackerman
Posted by Dave B at 23:55 2009-04-14 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Coming Soon to Crossing Borders LIVE (General)
Lots of exciting stuff is on the way... don't miss out!
Coming up on Crossing Borders: November 29th - The Joe Crookston Annual Thanksgiving Show; and December 6th - The Sim Redmond/Hank Roberts/Nate Silas Richardson Reunion Show. On Dec 13th, the Burns Sisters Annual Holiday Concert.
And just announced for December 27:
El Rumbon - an 8 piece salsa band with a singular mission: to be at the center of a raging Latin dance party. Featuring:
Charlie Izzo...congas/vocals
Cesar Enciso...bongos/vocals
Jorge Cuevas....timbales
Ryan Zawel...trombone/vocals
Frank Campos...trumpet
Rick Huyge...sax/flute
Harry Aceto...bass
Alejandro Bernard...piano
Posted by Dave B at 19:00 2008-11-14 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
October Poster (Posters)
For your viewing pleasure, here's the October poster calendar!
Posted by Dave B at 21:08 2008-09-25 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Miche Fambro Returns to Ithaca (Posters)
and we have a poster to go along with it!
Posted by Dave B at 16:39 2008-09-17 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Crossing Borders goes LIVE to Homer CPA to Broadcast Dougie MacLean on Saturday September 13th! (Press)
Ithaca..Crossing Borders LIVE, WVBR's multicultural radio concert series, is pleased to partner again with the Center for the Performing Arts at Homer when Scotland's Dougie MacLean Makes a Rare Central New York Appearance at Homer's Center for the Arts on Saturday, September 13th at 8pm. The two- hour live broadcast can be heard on WVBR 93.5fm or online at wvbr.com and is also part of the Crossing Borders September Songwriter Series. Live concert and ticket information to hear the man the Wall Street Journal called "Scotland's best kept secret!" and "a Musical Hero".., can be found at www.center4arts.org or info@center4arts.org. Specific ticket information can also be found in the last paragraph of this release. Please note that Crossing Borders Passport subscriptions do not apply to performances at the Center for the Arts at Homer. For information about Crossing Borders, go to www.crossingborderslive.org.
Dougie MacLean has for many years been at the forefront of the development of Scottish music and song. One of Scotland's most gifted and successful contemporary singer/songwriters, his innovative work has created a modern interpretation of this music while keeping its fundamental values rooted in the ancient Scots culture. An aficionado of both fiddle and guitar, Dougie is one of those rare artists who have maintained the respect of traditionalists while mastering a contemporary style, happily managing to juggle the two as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Dougie's songs have been heard all over the world and been recorded by many top artists including Kathy Mattea, Frankie Miller, Mary Black and Delores Keane. "Caledonia", a song he wrote 15 years ago about Scotland, has become somewhat of a Scottish anthem and went straight to number 1 in Scottish charts. MacLean has appeared at the Carnegie Hall in New York, been awarded gold discs (sales of over 500,000) for his music used on the movie The Last of the Mohicans and for songwriting and co-producing on Kathy Mattea's album Time Passes By. Sales of his own albums have resulted in a further six gold discs. His songs can be regularly heard on NPR's Thistle & Shamrock. In 1995 MacLean wrote and recorded the music for A Mug's Game, a networked BBC television series from the BAFTA award-winning writer /director team of Donna Franceschild and David Blair. He has also been the focus of three films The Land- Songs of Dougie MacLean (1993), Song Roads - A Musical Friendship from Nashville to Dunkeld (1997), and Children of the Sea (Clann na Mara) (2001) directed by Mark Littlewood (Pelicula Films) and shown on the BBC.
Tickets for the September 13th performances (General admission $25; seniors $20; students with valid ID and children under 14 are free) can be purchased in advance at Jodi's Hallmark and Sheridan's Fine Jewelry in Cortland, Linani's in Homer, Ithaca Guitarworks in Ithaca, through the Center's website at www.center4art.org, or by calling 607-749-4900, and if available, at the door the evening of the performance. The Center Social Hour begins at 7:00 PM offering desserts, coffee, tea, wine and beer for purchase as a fundraiser for the Center.
Posted by Dave B at 23:24 2008-09-03 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Walter Strauss Returns to Crossing Borders on Sept 6th (Press)
Ithaca..Crossing Borders LIVE, WVBR's multicultural radio concert series, is pleased to present a September Songwriter Series beginning September 6th, with most shows live from the Lost Dog Lounge at 106 S. Cayuga Street. The series kicks off with the return to Crossing Borders of Ithaca favorite Walter Strauss and his band Tensleep on Saturday, September 6th. The two- hour simultaneous broadcast can be heard on WVBR 93.5fm or online at wvbr.com. Admission for the live audience is $10.00 or free to Crossing Borders Passport holders.
"Michael Hedges meets Bruce Cockburn and together they steal Ry Cooder's smoking jacket..." is an often used description of Walter Strauss' musical style.
The fingerstyle guitar wizard was born in Wyoming and was seduced to look to the vast spaces of the American West for his musical inspiration. But while rooted in American folk forms, Walter's music evokes far reaches of the globe as well. He's worked with musicians from West Africa to Australia and Finland, and successfully weaves world beat, Americana, and jazz into a brand uniquely his own. Walter digs deep grooves for his audiences - he layers on highly articulated melodies and harmonies, rhythms and counter-rhythms in a way that gives the impression he is playing several instruments at once. His voice is smokey and intimate, and captivates the listener with a mischievous charm whether he's singing a lusty proposition or an existential lament.
Before embarking on his solo career, Walter performed for more than 15 years as an ensemble musician at concert venues, theaters and festivals throughout the United States, Canada and the UK. He toured extensively with The Burns Sisters Band, fiddle legend Vassar Clements and Celtic guitar wizard Martin Simpson. Walter also performs solo and with The Walter Strauss Trio (with bassist Sam Bevan (David Grisman, Joe Craven) and drummer/percussionist Kendrick Freeman (Alison Brown, Rob Ickes). For the last 5 years, Walter has also engaged in a unique transcultural collaboration, touring periodically in a duo with Malian kora virtuoso and 2005 Grammy nominee Mamadou Diabate. His band Tensleep includes two locally based musicians: Rich DePaolo and Bill King.
Posted by Dave B at 19:20 2008-08-27 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
September Songwriter Poster (Posters)
Here's a preview of the new September Songwriter Series Poster. Look for the larger version linked from the website main page following the Bertha Hope show.
Posted by Dave B at 21:32 2008-08-17 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
Welcome to the Crossing Borders Live Blog (General)
Allow me to be the first to welcome you to our new blog!
On this page, you'll find thoughts from all of the various Crossing Borders LIVE staff members.
Enjoy!
Posted by Dave B at 16:44 2008-08-17 | Trackbacks (0) | Comments (0)
