Grammy-award winning songwriter Jay Ungar presents workshop for local student musicians
 by Kathy S-B  ·  22 September 2011

Fourteen local student musicians had a rare opportunity to be taught by a Grammy-award winning songwriter and then have the added treat of sharing the stage with him at the me&thee coffeehouse on Friday, September 16. A generous donation by the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Marblehead enabled these young musicians to have a musical experience of a lifetime. Jay Ungar presented an afternoon “strings” workshop for the students and taught them how to play a “head arrangement” of two songs — all by ear. Most of the students who participated are members of the Symphony by the Sea Youth Orchestra, which is led by Alan Hawryluk, former Concertmaster and Assistant Conductor of Symphony by the Sea and John Koza, clarinetist with Symphony by the Sea.

Jay Ungar and Molly Mason are exceptional musicians, which many know from hearing them on “A Prairie Home Companion,” from their own live radio program, “Dancing on the Air,” on WAMC in Albany, from film soundtracks such as Legends of the Fall and Brother’s Keeper. Millions were entranced by the music they did for Ken Burns’ PBS documentary on the Civil War, which features Jay’s “Ashokan Farewell” as its signature tune. The first tune that Mr. Ungar taught the North Shore musicians was “Tombigbee Waltz,” an old-time melody that is named for the Tombigbee River which flows from northeastern Mississippi into the Alabama River. The name “Tombigbee” is rumored to mean ‘coffinmaker’ in one of the Native American languages. Additionally, the students learned “Far from Home,” which is a Shetland Island contra dance tune. Both Jay and Molly accompanied the students on these two songs and delighted the audience.

Student musicians included Jeena DeFrancesco, Ilana Frost, James Ksander, Alexandra O’Donnell, Alise Ritterhaus, and Meredith Schwartz on violin; Reina Sekiguch on viola; and Kathi Allphin, Gabriel Buschsbaum, Diana Kelly, Emilia Ronchi, Maria Ronchi, Nicole Schwartz, and Ben Silverstein on cello.

From the student musicians themselves:

Alise Ritterhaus, 17, of Lynn: “It was a wonderful experience to play with such talented musicians such as Jay Ungar and Molly Mason.”

Kathi Marcos Allphin, 14, of Marblehead: “It was a fun and educational introduction to traditional fiddle music.”

Maria Ronchi, 15, of Marblehead: “It was quite an experience. I’ve never learned and played full pieces by ear before.”

Emilia Ronchi, 12, of Marblehead: “I really liked playing by ear. It was a different type of music that I’ve never played before. I liked how relaxed and fun it was.”

Each year the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Marblehead uses some of the proceeds of their “Beatles benefit” to send musicians into the schools for concerts or workshops. In this case, an arrangement was made with Jay Ungar to work with the students on the day of his concert at the me&thee coffeehouse. A video of the performance can be viewed on the coffeehouse’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/metheeTV.

Quick Q and A with Kate Taylor, September 2011
 by Kathy S-B  ·  17 September 2011

Kate Taylor is a gem. Her clear sweet voice. Her lovely cheerful smile. Her sparking mischievous eyes. Her witty rapport with her bandmates. Yup. A Kate Taylor show is definitely a cool place to be.

How many of you saw Kate as the special guest at the Evening for Dick Pleasants that took place at Sanders Theatre in Cambridge last January? She walked on the stage full of folk luminaries like Tom Rush, Jonatha Brooke, Buskin & Batteau, Lori McKenna, Ellis Paul, and more . . . and the stage lit up and the audience went wild when the group ended the evening with brother James’ “Shower the People.”

Acquaint yourself with Kate on her website. Scroll down the News page and read all about her travels to Sudan earlier this year. Inspiring, to say the least.

Here’s a clip from the documentary about Kate, her famous family, and life on the Vineyard.

Since the last time you visited the me&thee, you’ve released the DVD Tunes from the Tipi and Other Songs from Home. What was the reaction to this video?

Everywhere that we have screened the film we have had folks tell us how moved they were by this film, so beautifully put together by a daughter for her mother, and how much they love seeing the footage of my brothers and me when we were kids growing up in Chapel Hill. It covers decades! People also love visiting in the tipi, with a fire going and music being made. I especially like the footage of a show I did in Central Park in 1971.

Your CD, Fair Time, includes all tunes written or co-written by you. What strikes me about these songs is that they are all so very different! Some are pretty soulful and some are jazzy and some are downright rockers! So here’s a typical question from a non-musician to a musician. What comes first — the lyrics or the music?

I think that it is different for all players and writers. As you noted, some of the songs on Fair Time I wrote by myself, and others were collaborations. This time, the lyrics generally came first. I brought the lyrics, and the other players, most notably Billy Derby on this record, put them to music. It is wonderful to collaborate, I appreciate what others bring to the table.

The song “Sun Did Shine” is autobiographical — about your musical family. Did you come up with the term “the Chapel-Hillbillies” or is that a standard term of endearment for Chapel Hill folks? I loved it and thought it was so appropriate given the topic of that song.

When the term “Chapel Hillbillies” occurred to me, it was the first time I had heard it. I don’t know how it could have happened that it was never used before, but there you have it!

Do you listen to much “new” music these days? If so, have you discovered any new music that you think everyone should tune into?

There is a lot of great music being made today. I would appreciate the names of any favorites that your readers could recommend to me. I can be reached at kate(at)katetaylor.com!

I was fascinated by your trip to southern Sudan earlier this year. [Kate traveled to Africa with a friend and helped Sudanese women learn some beadwork for the purpose of providing much-needed income.] Would you consider it a life-changing experience?

Yes, this trip to South Sudan was a life changing experience. It was way out of my normal travel range! Landing there was like stepping back in time 2000 years. The people are beautiful and strong and joyous, despite the difficulties and heart breaking events they endure. They certainly gave me much more than I gave them.

I hope to get to go back sometime soon. Africa calls.

Have you always been interested in jewelry making? Tell us about wampum work!

I don’t know if it was a reaction to growing up with a house full of brothers or whether I would have been drawn to adornment anyway, but I have had a fascination with jewels and shells for as long as I can remember. And, I was drawn to Native American art and culture. These affections brought me and a couple of like minded friends to the discovery of wampum bead collections among the Native American artifacts in the Peabody Museum at Harvard University and the Heye Foundation in NYC. The desire to have some of these beads led us to the study of their traditional uses as a means of documentation and communication, and to our revival of the craft of wampum bead making. You can see some of what I do with the shell by visiting my wampum facebook page.

Quick Q and A with Sarah Blacker
 by Kathy S-B  ·  11 September 2011

Mark my words. Sarah Blacker is a name that you will be hearing more and more. Remember that you heard about her here first and then write and tell me how much you appreciate the tip. Sarah has a helluva voice, great guitar (and uke) technique, and a terrific on stage presence that will leave you wanting more.

Check out this video that I took of her at a recent Boston Area Coffeehouse Association showcase. Listen to some of Sarah’s music and learn more about her on her website.

You are a certified music therapist. For those readers who don’t know what that means — could you try explaining your work with children?

I currently work with children and teens with Cerebral Palsy in group sessions at an elementary school in Boston. We use co-active music making within instrument, movement, and singing songs to work on fine and gross motor skills through holding, playing and manipulating instruments and moving to the music both independently and with assistance; communication skills through vocalizing, learning words, and receiving immediate response from peers or the therapist to the responses they offer within the music; and cognitive skills through playing on cue, recalling song lyrics, or learning specific “parts” within a song. I also work with in and outpatient children and families at an inner-city hospital wherein we work on socio-emotional goals of self-expression and building community/decreasing isolation through songwriting, improvising, and singing preferred songs or playing preferred instruments in individual and group scenarios. I have also worked extensively with individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities in conjunction with Mass General Hospital, the Doug Flutie Foundation, AFAM, ARC, YouthCare, and in my own private practice, Rumble Bee Music Therapy. Within some settings, I also train and supervise Berklee College of Music Music Therapy practicum students. Music Therapy is success oriented, flexible, person-centered and transferable to any age group in a variety of settings!

You also do some charitable work with the Music Drives Us Foundation. Do you have any memorable experiences working with autistic children?

I have so many memorable experiences based around my learning how to be a therapist, what my preferred methodology is, and how I related to individuals. This being said, the most memorable experiences are those wherein an individual exhibits significant growth after a period of time, and together we get to celebrate within a music-making context! I have seen individuals with Autism find their voices through vocalizing, approximating words, and then beginning to speak! I have also felt the deep connection music establishes between people, without any words, only sound. I thoroughly enjoy making music with children with Autism because they are often so unique and charismatic, and music can allow them to really express themselves without boundary, but within the innate structure and form that rhythm, melody and song form posses. It challenges them to charter new territory, but to stay safe within the walls of a song.

When did you first start writing music?

I remember writing songs in my friend Dina’s basement when I was in elementary school. We would hit record as soon as one of us had a melody in mind, and then come up with harmonies to each other’s creations. Our words were regularly about love, loss, and yearning . . . apparently we tapped into something we thought we knew something about ;) In high school, at age 16, I wrote songs for a jamband I was in with a group of friends, by creating words and melodies. When I turned 17, I finally got my first guitar, a classical guitar for $75 from Florence, Italy, and immediately began writing 3 or 4 songs a day. Songwriting is how I learned to understand myself and the world around me, and it’s also how I taught myself to play the guitar.

Which one of your songs are you most proud of?

I would have to say, currently, ‘I’m Like a Train, My Lord,’ off of my newest CD, Come What May, is what I would always play first when asked to play a song for someone. It’s not the song’s hook, nor its succinct 3 minute structure that makes it what it is, but that seemingly everyone can relate to how the song feels. I typically write with metaphor, so that a listener can relate with their own respective. This song is a perfect example of this. It’s one of my most honest songs too.

You’ve been compared to many greats like Joni Mitchell, Natalie Merchant and Regina Spektor. I can see those comparisons — but perhaps the likeness to Regina Spektor’s work hits home most for me. Have you ever covered any of those wonderful ladies’ songs?

I cover her songs in my bedroom, and typically on the piano. I haven’t gigged much with the piano outside of my room, but I adore her ‘epic hook’ writing style where each part of the song is interchangeable and so very catchy! I do cover Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue,’ and it’s one of the scariest songs I play because of the incredulous shoes I must fill!

What plans do you have for the near and far future?

The near future holds recording a new EP of 6 or 7 songs, and creating an innovative line of merchandise to take on an October tour to the southern US states along the east coast with my new percussionist, Shaysh. We will be performing mainly house concerts and festivals, and also some exciting Halloween shows in the mountains of WV, and PA!

In November, I have been invited to perform at a festival and several other art galleries and house concerts throughout the UK and Germany, so am thrilled to be heading overseas for my first time!

The far future includes a tour to Israel, Shaysh’s home country, a trip to SXSW, and hopefully my dream — touring with Ray LaMontagne! But that’s still a dream!

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