Jan. 12 - Feb 6, 2008 Admission: Various on location Various Venues in Lower Manhattan newyorkguitarfestival.org
NYGF has presented more than one hundred and fifty of the world’s most distinctive guitarists at Carnegie Hall, The 92nd Street Y, Merkin Concert Hall, Joe’s Pub, and the World Financial Center Winter Garden. Performers have included: Pepe Romero, The Assad Duo, Vernon Reid, Andy Summers, Daniel Lanois, Jorma Kaukonen, Bill Frisell, Sonny Landreth, Cindy Cashdollar, Taj Mahal, Leo Kottke, and surprise guests Bruce Springsteen + Emmylou Harris.
Since 1999, the New York Guitar Festival has been examining virtually every aspect of the guitar’s musical personality. In addition to producing eclectic, multi-genre concerts and radio broadcasts, commissioning new works, and supporting innovative collaborations among outstanding artists, its Guitar Harvest series of recordings supports innovative outreach programs in our public schools.
Below is a list of our highlighted concerts during this winter's New York Guitar Festival. But one man's highlight is another man's footnote, so be sure to check out newyorkguitarfestival.org for a complete schedule of events.
The Royal Albert Hall Project
Jan 12, 8 pm Admission: FREE!! World Financial Center Winter Garden 200 Vesey Street 212-945-2600 worldfinancialcenter.com
Bob Dylan
The opening night concert will be a performance of the "Royal Albert Hall" Project, which honors Bob Dylan’s storied May 17, 1966 concert. Performing their own arrangements of Dylan’s songs in sequence from the original show will be Laura Cantrell, Stevie Jackson (Belle & Sebastian), Marshall Crenshaw, Oakley Hall, Nicole Atkins & Lenny Kaye, Jason Isbell, Jim Lauderdale, Toshi Reagon, Freeman (recently signed by RCA), Harry Manx & Kevin Breit, The Last Town Chorus/Megan Hickey, Jesse Harris,Richard Julian & Jim Campilongo, Kelly Joe Phelps, Chocolate Genius Inc. and others.
Hank Williams achieved much in his short life. Taught everything he knew by a bluesman known as “Tee-Tot”, Hank went on to write and sing some of the best loved country music. His love for the blues gave his music a lasting quality that has kept him in the spotlight for over fifty years after his death. Hosted by John Schaefer with performances by Jorma Kaukonen, Larry Campbell, GE Smith, Toby Walker, and Chocolate Genius (aka Marc Anthony Thompson)
Guitarist /composer Gyan Riley will play an evening of music from his latest CD release, "Melis Mantra". He will be joined by Tracy Silverman on electric violin and Scott Amendola on Drums. Gyan’s awards include First Prize in the Portland International Guitar Festival Competition and First Prize in the San Francisco Conservatory Guitar Concerto Competition. He played in the American premiere of John Adams’ El Nino with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the San Francisco Symphony. This concert will be a CD release party.
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Dan Zanes & Friends
Jan 19, 3 pm Admission: FREE!!
Apple Store SoHo 103 Prince Street 212-226-3126 apple.com
Dane Zanes
Dan Zane picked up the guitar when he was only eight and started listening to Lead Belly records as soon as he could snag a library card. In the 80s, he found fame with the Del Fuegos, a group dubbed the “Best New Band” by Rolling Stone in 1984. But it wasn’t until a few impromptu jam sessions with other musical fathers and their kids that he discovered his latest calling — creating music that could be enjoyed together by every member of the family.
Guitarist/ composer Dominic Frasca and visual artist Roy Wiemann will present a preview of “Fixations.” A collaboration combining the visual art of Wiemann, who will present a series of new paintings/constructions along with music and film by Frasca . The event also serves as the opening for Mr Wiemann’s exhibition of new work entitled “newsuffering”, which will run at The Monkey January 19 to February 16.
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Kaki King
Jan 20, 3 pm Admission: FREE!!
Apple Store SoHo 103 Prince Street 212-226-3126 apple.com
Kaki King
The zeitgirl of instrumental guitar, Kaki King could hardly be expected to just stand still. Lately she’s swapped her acoustic for an electric and her own voice. Still fully capable of jaw-dropping pyrotechnics, King is self-assured and irreverent but not afraid to be vulnerable and disarmingly sweet. The New York Times said King’s earlier “percussive, super-fluid style” was “the kind of thing that makes people say ‘Wow’ as an involuntary reflex,” going on to note, “now she’s making music that more often sounds like the abstract, dreamy and hypnotic end of alternative rock.”
