June 2023 Update

June 26, 2023: Greetings, everyone! The past few months have been like a double dose of spring, with leaves unfurling and flowers growing as the world keeps opening up after the long Covid winter. We had a few shows in 2020-22, which we were very grateful to have, but it's been a struggle to feel like ourselves without steady work. Every show this year has been a revelation in that regard, bringing us back to ourselves and stoking us with new ideas. Another forgotten phenomenon, the last-minute gig, has returned and we are finding new opportunities to play locally over the summer, which we will post as they come in. The latest one to materialize is a new venue with old friends - we will be joining Mojo Rodeo compats Kathleen Parks (from Twisted Pine) and Brad Bensko for a package show at the Hygienic Art Park in Mystic, CT on July 6. We are also looking forward to returning to play for audiences in Vinalhaven, Maine (August 12), Berlin, MA (September 9), Tuckerton, NJ (September 23), Needham, MA (September 30), and Pittsburgh, PA (October 7). 

Paul was honored last year by the Massachusetts Cultural Council with a Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant. He has been teaching local roots musician Ira Klein more of the country blues repertoire that they worked on when Ira was Paul's student in the American Roots Music Program at Berklee College of Music. It is a joy to pass this music on and we are grateful to all the people who have helped make this happen, including Bob Davoli and Eileen McDonagh, Matt Glaser, Bruce Molsky, Kevin Barry, Elijah Wald, and Mary Flower, as well as the state legislators that have voted to fund these Traditional Arts grants.

Back in 2021 we took part in a crazy concert in Woodstock, NY, hosted by John Sebastian and featuring Cindy Cashdollar, Joe Louis Walker, Steve Boone, James Wormworth, and Benson Sebastian. The concert was compiled together with archival footage for a documentary titled “John Sebastian’s Jug Band Village.” It’s now streaming on Amazon Prime.

In other news, we've been going back in the studio this year to dust off some old projects and make some noises as this engine creaks to life! We're looking forward to updating you about that as things progress. We hope you have a safe summer and we look forward to seeing you at some shows!

ATB,

A&P