For music fans all over the country, it wouldn’t quite be summer without a run of Widespread Panic shows at Colorado’s breathtaking Red Rocks Amphitheatre. For the band’s 2011 visit – happening June 24-25-26 - iClips.net will be onsite documenting the sold out run. “Widespread Panic: Live From Red Rocks” webcast, available at iClips.net and LiveWidespreadPanic.com, will offer full performance real-time video streaming, bringing three nights of epic music directly into people’s homes.

Performances can be purchased separately or as a 3-night package, including a limited number of 3-night packages with an exclusive event poster signed by the band. Visit WidespreadPanic.com to purchase webcasts and for more information.

“This being the 25th anniversary of Widespread Panic, we felt it appropriate to simulcast the Red Rocks shows because they have been such a huge part of our 25 years of touring,” says Buck Williams, Widespread Panic’s co-manager. iClips.net CEO and Founder Nate Parienti adds, “During a Widespread Panic show at Red Rocks, the energy is palpable. We’re thrilled to capture it on video and try and bring as much of the experience as possible to the folks at home who aren't able to be there in person.”

TOWER OF POWER CELEBRATE ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY WITH ALBUM, DVD AND REUNION.   New Collection Features TOP alumni like Lenny Pickett and Chester Thompson; Special Guests Include Soul Legend Sam Moore.

It’s spring! As we celebrate the start of the baseball season, the end of the basketball season and the release of Tower of Power’s 40th Anniversary album, the operative phrase in everyone’s ears is “We Came To Play.” But then, Tower of Power has “come to play,” every single time they take to the stage over the last 42 years.  The horn driven soul and funk machine has toured consistently playing to so(u)ld out crowds around the world.  And after 40 years, four of the original musicians still play with the band.

Similar to sports teams, however, Tower of Power has had numerous players take free agency with other musical prospects. So the 40th Anniversary show gave the band an opportunity to stage their version of “Old Timer’s Day,” bringing 20 former members to work with the ongoing ten player line-up.

“When we were young and we’d lose somebody, it seemed like the end of the world,” TOP founder Emilio Castillo told Gary Graff.  “But it started happening at such an early age in our career, and we always overcame it and always got great people to come in.”

Captured live at the Legendary Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco in 2008, this extraordinary show welcomed such former members as Greg Adams, TOP’s trumpeter and arranger for 20 years and subsequently one of the architects of the “smooth Jazz” sound; Chester Thompson, who moved on to play keys for Santana and Elton John; and chart topping “smooth jazz” sax player and first call session guy Richard Elliott.

At a show recorded on the band’s actual anniversary, former TOP member Lenny Pickett, long time sax player for the Saturday Night Live band, joined in. He’s in the bonus footage and is interviewed.   Legendary vocalist Sam Moore, of Sam and Dave, added to the funkified festivities with “I Thank You,” and Otis Redding’s “Mr. Pitiful.”  The DVD is dedicated to Steve “Skip” Mesquite, long time alto player for TOP, who made the show and passed on shortly afterward.

The CD and DVD package is a slam dunk of soulful funk, with such great Tower of Power hits as “What is Hip?” “You’re Still A Young Man,” the ever timely “Only So Much Oil In The Ground,” and “This Time It’s Real.” After 40 years, this band can clearly still hit it out of the ballpark.

“It was probably the most special night of our entire career,” said Castillo. “Getting together and playing again with those guys we’d spent so much time with on the road. It was magic.”

The Boulder Theater is proud to announce two special performances with singer, songwriter and guitarist Jeff Tweedy on January 7th and 8th, 2011.  These concerts celebrate opening weekend of the 2011 concert season, and will be the first in a series of events commemorating this cultural institution’s 75^th Anniversary.

As the founding member and leader of the ground-breaking American rock band Wilco and co-founder of the alt-country band Uncle Tupelo, Jeff Tweedy is one of contemporary American music’s most accomplished artists. Since starting Wilco in 1994 Tweedy has written original songs for seven Wilco albums, sold millions of records worldwide, won two Grammy Awards, and earned rave reviews from critics and fans alike. Wilco’s latest studio album, 2009’s Grammy-nominated Wilco (The Album) landed on many critics’ lists as one of the year’s best albums and Rolling Stone magazine cited Wilco’s 2002 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as the 3rd best album of the decade.

While maintaining a full schedule of recording, releasing albums and touring extensively with Wilco, Tweedy has also toured frequently as a solo artist, playing intimate unscripted acoustic sets that draw from his 400-plus song repertoire.  A departure from Wilco’s carefully orchestrated, sonically complex performances, the solo concerts showcase Tweedy’s prolific output as a songwriter, his proficiency as a guitarist and his wry sense of humor.

Tweedy’s most recent work includes the launching of Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival in North Adams, MA and producing soul and gospel legend Mavis Staples’ latest release, the 2010 Grammy-nominated You Are Not Alone.

Come celebrate the Silver Anniversary of The Boulder Theater, which opened for business on January 9th, 1936 with a screening of the Paramount Pictures film, "A Bride Comes Home".

Tickets are on sale at Boulder Theater Box Office. Call (303) 786-7030 for tickets by phone.  Tickets are also available through the Boulder Theater website @ www.bouldertheater.com.

No instrument has spoken in more voices to more people than the guitar, and over the past decade no festival has sought out the modulations in those voices and the range of the guitar's cultural expressions than the New York Guitar Festival.

Following its success since 1999 (with rave reviews in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Jazz Times as well as sister festivals in Urbana, Illinois and Adelaide Australia), the New York Guitar Festival announces its tenth season of concert performances, January 8 though February 4, 2010.

The festival boasts over 30 exceptional guitarists of jazz, classical, rock, traditional, and avant garde styles. Participating venues include Merkin Concert Hall, The 92nd Street Y, The World Financial Center's Winter Garden, Le Poisson Rouge and Barbes. Concerts range from an all-day Guitar Marathon interpreting the music of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries, (featuring, among other internationally-famous musicians, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Paul O'Dette, Ana Vidovic, Eliot Fisk, Paul Galbraith and Nigel North) to the Hindustani slide guitar music of Debashish Bhattacharya.

The festival also has a history of commissioning remarkable original works, and the 2010 season breaks yet more new ground by presenting ten classic silent films (seven by Chaplin, one by Keaton and two by Harry Smith) accompanied by original scores performed live by a spectacularly rich and varied coterie of guitarists: Gyan Riley, Alex de Grassi, Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver), Steve Kimock, James Blackshaw, Marc Ribot, David Bromberg and the members of Chicha Libre.

The New York Guitar Festival, a not-for-profit arts organization, was founded in 1999 by musician and producer David Spelman, who serves as its Artistic Director. The Festival's goal is to broaden the public's appreciation for the guitar by fostering emerging talent, supporting innovative collaborations among outstanding artists, and commissioning new works. In addition to producing eclectic concerts and radio broadcasts, its Guitar Harvest series of recordings supports outreach programs in New York City public schools.

CONCERT SCHEDULE:

World Financial Center's Winter Garden

Battery Park City, bordered by West Street, the Hudson River, Vesey and Liberty Streets.  Tickets and information: (212) 417-7000 /  www.worldfinancialcenter.com.

Friday, January 8, 8:00pm

FREE OPENING NIGHT CONCERT

Slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya, and his tabla-playing brother Subashish will present an evening of Hindustani guitar music. This Grammy-nominated artist is one of India's most esteemed musicians and has performed with musicians such as Derek Trucks, Jerry Douglas and John McLaughlin. Debashish's music, spirit, and generosity have won him new admirers and devotees around the world and we are thrilled to have him open our tenth anniversary festival.  www.debashishbhattacharya.com

Merkin Concert Hall

Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street

Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org

Thursday, January 14, 8 p.m.

Silent Films/Live Guitars

Charlie Chaplin's The Immigrant + The Kid

Music by David Bromberg and Marc Ribot

2008 Grammy nominee David Bromberg is known for his eclectic combination of blues, bluegrass, jazz, folk, country, and rock. He's recorded and performed with Reverend Gary Davis, Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan and George Harrison among others and is presenting the premiere of newly commissioned music for Charlie Chaplin's 1917 The Immigrant. Style-morphing icon Marc Ribot has lent his mercurial guitar sounds to collaborations including Robert Plant and Alison Kraus, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and John Zorn, and will improvise a score for Chaplin's 1921 classic, The Kid.

Merkin Concert Hall

Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street

Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org

Thursday, January 21, 8 p.m.

Silent Films/Live Guitars

Charlie Chaplin's One A.M. and Easy Street + Buster Keaton's Cops

Music by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Steve Kimock

Bon Iver is the nom-de-guerre of musician Justin Vernon. His album For Emma, Forever Ago was a critical and commercial hit, making him one of the most talked-about indie artists of 2008. For his scores to One A.M. & Easy Street, he's joined by Chris Rosenau, of Collection of Colonies of Bees, whom Justin calls his "guitar mentor." Steve Kimock is best known as co-founder and guitarist for the San Francisco band Zero. He's recorded and performed with Bruce Hornsby and members of the Grateful Dead-Jerry Garcia once hailed him as his favorite guitarist. He performs music for Buster Keaton's Cops.

Merkin Concert Hall

Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street

Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org

Thursday, January 28, 8 p.m.

Silent Films/Live Guitars

Charlie Chaplin's Shoulder Arms and The Fall of the House of Usher (directed by James Sibley Watson and Melville Webber)

Music by Alex de Grassi + James Blackshaw

One of the top fingerstyle, steel-string guitarists, Grammy nominee Alex de Grassi is renowned for his impeccable technique and compelling compositions. He's explored a variety of world music influences and drawn acclaim for his 14 recordings on Windham Hill and other labels. He presents his original score for Chaplin's 1918 masterpiece Shoulder Arms. James Blackshaw is a London-based prodigy who's released seven albums of mesmerizing 12-string compositions. His style is often described as "American primitive" and incorporates elements of Indian raga, improvisation, and psychedelia.

92nd Street Y

Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street

Tickets and information: 212-415-5500 / www.92Y.org

Sunday, January 31, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., with a break at 5 p.m.

The Guitar Marathon: Bach

Music by Paul O'Dette, Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Eliot Fisk, Paul Galbraith, David Leisner, Nigel North, Gyan Riley, Benjamin Verdery, Ana Vidovic, Jason Vieaux, and additional artists to be announced.

Our 5th biannual Guitar Marathon at the 92nd Street Y's Kaufman Auditorium is co-curated by Paul O'Dette and the NYGF's David Spelman. Some of today's finest classical guitarists and lutenists will reveal the different facets of the music of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries. The event runs from 2-10pm, with a break at 5pm. "An epic event" is how the The Wall Street Journal classified our first Marathon, and Jazz Times called it "a veritable guitar orgy." Half and full-day tickets will be available in August. Presented in association with WNYC Radio and broadcast on 93.9 FM.

Merkin Concert Hall

Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street

Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org

Thursday, February 4^th, 8 p.m.

Silent Films/Live Guitars

Charlie Chaplin's The Pilgrim and shorts by Harry Smith

Music by Chicha Libre + Gyan Riley

The Peruvian-influenced psychedelic pop of Chicha Libre mixes Colombian cumbia, dreamy surf guitar, and Andean melodies. They present their score to Chaplin's 1923 The Pilgrim. Gyan Riley is an equally strong presence in the worlds of classical guitar and contemporary music. He's performed throughout Europe and the U.S., both as a soloist and in ensembles with Zakir Hussain, the San Francisco Symphony, the Falla Guitar Trio, and his father, the composer/pianist/vocalist Terry Riley.

Launched in 2000, The DJANGO REINHARDT NY FESTIVAL, the brainstorm of producers Pat Philips & Ettore Stratta, has become one of the most successful and highly anticipated annual musical events in the NY area with people flying in from all over the country to see some of the best ‘HOT JAZZ’ in the world. Ahmet Ertegun, who was a revered giant in the record industry, attended that 1st year and remarked ‘that he hadn’t seen that much excitement in a club since his early days in NYC”.  He went on to release a CD of 2000 which included Bireli Lagrene, Jimmy Rosenberg, and Babik (Django’s only son), his only recording in the US. The festival is dedicated to the memory of dear friend HANS MEELEN who turned the producers on to his great love of this music!

2009 marks the 10th Anniversary held at its official home, Birdland.  Hot Gypsy Jazz lives on!  Django, who was the partner of virtuoso Jazz Violinist Stephane Grappelli in the 30’s  and 40’s in Europe with  their Hot Club Quintette, left an indelible mark on music which continues on in the hands of thousands of top musicans around the world including stars such as Willie Nelson. Tony Bennett has written an English lyric to Django’s most famous song “Nuages”.

Gypsy Jazz is just that! It is Jazz coming out of the Gypsy life where children at three can be holding guitars while fathers and grandfathers sit  around and  play, many times in the caravans.  It is music passed from one generation to the other with love, amongst family, taken to the parks, streets, and boites, and as it became accepted as important music –  went to established clubs and concert halls where it is today, almost 100 years later.

Appearing will be the legendary TCHAVOLO SCHMITT, his first time at Birdland. Born in a gypsy family, living in Strasbourg, France, he epitoimizes ‘a swing of madness’ combined with romantic emotion.  He is joined by his nephew, SAMSON SCHMITT, a regular at the Festival where he grew up alongside his Dad, DORADO SCHMITT, who will return to NY on February 2nd in an important concert ending a US tour celebrating DJANGO’s ‘100th Birthday” also produced by Philips and Stratta.

ANDREAS OBERG, from Stockholm, is one of the most fluent young stylists on the guitar playing today. LUDOVIC BEIER, a real virtuoso from Paris, has also been a regular  at  the Festival playing Accordion and Accordina – a rare instrument that  is a cross between a harmonica and the accordion. Add to this community of musicians, AURORE VOILQUE, young female Violinist from  France, her first time to the US who became  part of the Manouche Jazz scene in Paris playing with all the great swing artists.  On Rhythm Guitar, which is vitally important to ‘hot jazz’, is Ted Gottsegan living in nearby Queens who has performed with the top players of this music including Robin Nolan.

A very adventurous part of the evening is when, each night, a US jazz musician steps in as special guest.  Most times, unless a repeat appearance, the players meet this guest for the first time and magic erupts bringing smiles to the faces of the musicians and audience alike. It is sometimes very daring but fun for the US artists to join into this excitement without rehearsal. Basically a few #’s are called backstage and ‘away we go’. That is the freedom of this Festival where anything can happen and does. Improvisation on all fronts abounds and creates surprises and a great time for all.

Guests:  

Nov. 3: Sax Great Joel Frahm
4:  Washboard  Percussionist:  David Langlois
5:  Another Trumpet Great:  Terrell Stafford
6:  Colombian Jazz Harpist:  Edmar Castaneda
7:  Harmonica Master:  Hendrik Meurkens
8:  Trumpet  Virtuoso:  Dominick Farinacci

It  all  happens  at BIRDLAND: 315 W. 44th Street in NYC –Showtimes:   8:30 &  11:00 PM -- Reservations: (212) 581-3080 or www.birdlandjazz.com