Upcoming Events
Fall 2019 (42nd Season begins)
Season Pass Holders
One price for all events & prime seating
Fall $95~Winter/Spring $125 ~ All Season $210
Student ticket price $10; ages 16 & under half price; under 5 free.
Tickets are available online*, at Rivers End Bookstore (19 West Bridge Street, Oswego NY) or at the door.
Your email receipt from Brown Paper Tickets is your admission ticket
Sultans of String Christmas Caravan
December 7th $25-$28
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
Celebrate the season with an adventurous musical trip around the world! Sultans of String deliver an exuberant performance … From fiery fiddle tunes to a Caribbean sleigh ride, this surprising and delightful holiday fiesta heats up when these 3x Canadian Folk Music Award winners bring their signature sound to well known gems such as Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, a djembe-driven Little Drummer Boy, a Turkish twist on Greensleeves, as well as a Gypsy-jazz inspired Django Christmas, and a Rumba Flamenca-fuelled Jingle Bells.
“We wanted to make a real contribution to the Christmas repertoire, and hopefully create some new standards”, says bandleader and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee recipient Chris McKhool. ”This is a Christmas show and album, but approached from the perspective of a world-music band. We explored diverse genres, from Quebecois fiddle tunes to collaborating with a traditional Turkish string ensemble, and jump around from the classic sounds of the Andrews Sisters, to a Himalayan sleigh ride, African roots music, Gypsy-jazz, rumba flamenco, ska, and even the grandeur of the symphony."
Sultans of String are an “energetic and exciting band with talent to burn!” (Maverick Magazine UK). Thrilling audiences with their genre-hopping passport of Celtic reels, Gypsy-jazz, Arabic and Cuban rhythms, fiery violin dances with kinetic guitar, while bass and percussion lay down unstoppable grooves. Throughout, acoustic strings meet electronic wizardry to create layers and depth of sound. The band’s Christmas Caravan CD hit Billboard’s World Music charts (#6) and The New York Times Hits list.
Special Guest, Rebecca Campbell is an acclaimed and prolific singer who also serves up percussion, Stella guitar, melodica, and harmonica. Bred in the Maritimes and Ottawa and now based in Toronto, Rebecca has performed with Jane Siberry, Parachute Club among countless others. Her gorgeous voice has graced both the big and small screen, and on over 120 recordings.
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​“Sultans of String are an “energetic and exciting band with talent to burn!”
~Maverick Magazine UK
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For more information visit: sultansofstring.com
Gangstagrass
January 11th $17-$20
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
“The Brooklyn group brings together rappers and pickers to create music as steeped in Appalachia as it is in beats and lyrical flow. By the end of their set the members of Gangstagrass succeeded in igniting a full on dance party and showing that the melding of hip-hop and bluegrass can be done proper. Their set featured all the best attributes of both styles of music: top notch musicianship with the occasional jam, lively harmonies, and two MCs at the top of their game dropping rhymes and keeping the crowd fully hyped. In other words, they are an act not to be missed.” ~Glide Magazine, 9/5/17
"Gangstagrass fuses string instruments with hip-hop artists, resulting in arguably the best argument yet for a rap and country music marriage.” ~Rolling Stone Country
"When music is this good it smashes every borderline, every genre, every preconceived idea of what a bluegrass hip-hop fusion might sound like.” ~Essentially Pop
“Gangstagrass meld authentic bluegrass with rap and hip-hop. It's a concept that may look jarring on paper but the band does it so effectively that it's a much easier idea to sell once music fans see or hear them.” ~Forbes, 8/29/18
“A mixture of bluegrass and hip-hop that might repel some purists on either side of the country-and-rap divide, but will knock the socks off just about everybody else.”
~Wall Street Journal
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For more info visit: gangstagrass.com
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Matt Nakoa
January 25th $13-$16
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
Matt grew up on a small goat farm in Smyrna, NY and began composing music as a teenager. Following a formative stint as a classical pianist, Matt won a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Matt has earned many songwriting awards, including a win at Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Competition. Additionally, Matt’s piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney. Matt now tours internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush.
“On the ivories, (think of) a hot-handed phenom who can go from Chopin to beer-drenched honky- tonk in one set ...On guitar, a Jack Johnson-esque singer-songwriter... Nakoa does not disappoint. Actually, between his piano chops, charismatic stage presence, and heartfelt originals on guitar ... he drops jaws.” ~The Boston Globe
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For more info visit: mattnakoa.com
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The Faux Paws
February 8th $15-$18
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
Andrew and Noah VanNorstrand became known in their youth as members of the popular dance band, The Great Bear Trio, named after the recreation area near their homestead in Fulton. When Chris Miller joined the brothers in 2010, they evolved to become The Faux Paws and honed their blend while traveling throughout North America. Andrew & Noah VanNorstrand on guitar, fiddle, feet, vocals and Chris Miller on saxophone, banjo, vocals— together their music is a mix of fiddle tunes, bluegrass, country, explosive jams and tight harmonies.
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For more info visit: thefauxpawsmusic.com
Karen Savoca & Pete Heitzman
February 22nd $14-$17
Annual Meeting 4:30 ~ Pot Luck Dinner 5:15pm ~ Show 7:30pm
Grit and sensitivity. Percussion and groove. Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman are sinuous as two skaters gliding on ice as they play across soul, R&B, roots and world rhythms, conjuring a communion between audience and stage. It’s no wonder they were recently inducted into the SAMMY Hall Of Fame.
In the words of Russ Tarby of the Syracuse New Times, "Savoca and Heitzman kicked off the show with an absolutely transcendent set and added an eighth SAMMY to their collection. The music they make together resonates from Mother Earth to the wide blue heavens."
"If she were a Native American, her name would be Sings Like Two Birds.”
~Greg Brown
"Heitzman has a sly touch that, combined with Savoca’s in-the-pocket drumming and spectacularly soulful vocals, gives the duo the impact of a four-piece band.”
~!Acoustic Guitar Magazine
"An addictive blend of hybrid pop with lots of jazz whimsy and slippery funk." ~Dirty Linen
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For more info visit: karensavoca.com
Jay Ungar & Molly Mason
March 7th $17-$20
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
He was a Bronx kid. She grew up in Washington State. He was raised on pop music of the 1940s and ’50s. She had a fondness for traditional fiddle music and ’30s and ’40s popular tunes. He hung out in Greenwich Village coffeehouses and roamed North Carolina and Tennessee in search of traditional players. She played clubs and colleges on the West Coast and took a liking to the jazzy sound of the Swing Era. Since joining forces—both artistically and romantically, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason have become one of the most celebrated duos on the American acoustic music scene.
These extraordinary musicians won international acclaim after Ken Burns’ The Civil War hit the airwaves. Their performance of Jay’s haunting composition Ashokan Farewell — the musical hallmark of the PBS series — left a lasting impression on everyone who tuned in. The soundtrack won a Grammy and Ashokan Farewell was nominated for an Emmy.
Jay & Molly are masters of music and storytelling who generously share their lives and their music with audiences. There are so many moments and strands to savor in the course of the evening!
Jay’s fiddling is brimming with playfulness, drama, soulfulness and technical verve, as he explores the many musical styles and idioms that he has internalized and made his own. Molly’s total mastery and inventiveness on piano and guitar is always spot-on, as she supports the tunes and follows the flow of the melody. Her rich and expressive vocals along with the resonant strains of Jay’s violin, reveal the deep emotions that flow in the duos veins.
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For more information visit: jayandmolly.com
RPR
March 21st $16-$19
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
From stirring anthems to whisper-gentle ballads, RPR takes you on a cinematic journey of joy, laughter, tears and reflection with a dynamic tapestry of musical styles that range from folk, rock and blues traditions in unique and refreshing ways.
Band members left to right: Rob Ritchie, Steve Ritchie, Beaker Granger, Al Parrish
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"Gorgeous harmonies [that] make the hair on the back of your neck stand up."
-Roots Music Canada 2018
"Even better than Tanglefoot; a greater range of light and shadow."
- Otley Folk Club, Yorkshire
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The Cadleys
with special guest Mark Wahl
April 4th $13-$16
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
Following in the tradition of great male-female duets like George Jones and Tammy Wynette, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Emmylou Harris and Gram Parsons, John and Cathy show how two voices blended in seamless harmony can produce one powerful sound.
Featuring mostly original songs from John’s pen (including a #1 hit, “Time”), the band is John Cadley (acoustic and electric guitar, vocals), Cathy Cadley (acoustic guitar, vocals), Perry Cleaveland (mandolin, vocals), and John Dancks (bass).
With soaring bluegrass harmonies, masterful songwriting, solid musicianship, and great audience rapport, the Cadleys are an entertainment delight on every level.
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For more information visit: cadleys.com
Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio
April 18th $13-$16
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
Heather Pierson (piano, acoustic guitar, tenor banjo, ukulele, melodica) is an award- winning singer/songwriter, pianist, and performer ... from New Orleans traditional jazz to blues to rousing Americana and poignant folk.
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Davy Sturtevant (acoustic guitar, cornet, dobro, fiddle, mandolin) is an accomplished
singer/songwriter of his own, wielding both an arsenal of stringed and brass instruments and a gorgeous tenor voice. With wit and flair, Davy performs in a way that moves listeners to tap their toes, nod their heads.
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Shawn Nadeau (bass) brings an unassuming rock-solid foundation and a keen awareness to every moment of every song, informed by over two decades of wildly varying musical performances, from punk rock to reggae to jazz.
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“If you're one of those people who likes any style done well— old-school jazz, folk, pop, classical— you’ll love this prodigiously talented threesome. Keyboards, brass, all sorts of strings, and beautiful singing make for a dynamic show packed with energy and surprises.” ~Sarah Craig, Caffe Lena
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For more information visit: heatherpierson.com
The Ruddy Well Band
May 2nd $13-$16
Doors at 7pm Show at 7:30pm
A homegrown entity formed in Syracuse, the Ruddy Well Band has emerged as one of Central New York’s premier performing string bands. A finely-crafted combination of dynamic rhythms, tight harmonies, and mindful lyrics— the acoustic instrumentalists bring their audience fun, foot-stomping Americana.
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Although members of the band have played together in different forms since 2008, officially the Ruddy Well Band was created in 2011 with the release of their self- produced album, Little Blue Marble. Continuing to evolve, they produced Change of Course in 2013 and Building a Fire in 2015. In 2017, Ruddy Well orchestrated the album Common Ground at SubCat Studios featuring original songs sung by the band as
well as local Syracuse area musicians. All proceeds of the album were given to the non-for profit In My Father’s Kitchen.
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The Ruddy Well Band— Andrew Ruddy. Monique Ritter, Ryan Burdick, Blake Propst— received a Sammy for Best Americana Album (Change of Course) and received a second Sammy in 2014 for People’s Choice for Best Band.
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"So the musical chemistry began... Ruddy and Ritter of Pulaski and Burdick of Baldwinsville are cutting into a huge slice of Americana pie as The Ruddy Well Band."
~Mark Bialczak, Post Standard
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“There’s no ambiguity when it comes to figuring out who and what they are. They’re straight-ahead acoustic charm wrapped up in passionate and ample fiddle lines and earnest songwriting.”
~Jessica Novak, Syracuse New Times
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For more information visit: ruddywellband.com
Tickets available soon!
Season Finale with
Emerging Artist Showcase
May 16th $15/Free for Members
Show starts at 5:00pm w/ Sunset Reception
Dinner Buffet $12 (optional)
Oswego Music Hall
is supported by