4/30/11
Brad Yoder
Brad Yoder believes musical success should be measured in more than just the obvious ways. Being voted in the top three slots multiple times since 2002 for "Best Acoustic/Solo Artist" by Pittsburgh City Paper readers is great; playing Poughkeepsie, New York, and having a college freshman from Los Angeles request songs she's only heard via Internet downloads is actually cooler. Just as tangible in terms of success are the pieces of original art on Brad's walls created by supporters and inspired by specific songs, and the many "gig guest books" full of appreciative comments from 10+ years of live shows.
Acknowledged by Pittsburgh Magazine as "ruling the Pittsburgh coffeehouse scene," Brad logs over 150 performances annually, playing colleges, cafés, churches, festivals, First Nights, and even the zoo. Brad has opened for a diverse range of artists, including Erin McKeown, Tegan & Sara, the Cowboy Junkies, Lucy Kaplansky, Carrie Newcomer, the Vigilantes of Love, Emmylou Harris, Robyn Hitchcock, Ellis Paul, and Rob Dickinson of Catherine Wheel, plus played the second stage for David Gray, Peter Paul & Mary, and Steve Earle/Jackson Browne.
Brad has also led workshops at over 30 different colleges and universities on "Exploring Songwriting" and other topics including performance, and creative choices for working artists, encouraging student songwriters to find their own unique voices.
It's Brad's unique mix of humorous, poetic, political, funky and edgy original songs, covering a musical range from folk to indie rock (with unexpected musical and lyrical twists), that has earned him a loyal following ranging from kids in single digits through retirees.
5/14/11
David Hein
Award-winning singer/songwriter, David Hein, writes high-energy acoustic rock, strapped to rapidfire lyrics and beautiful ballads. Known for his catchy hooks and solid songwriting, Hein's music and infectuaous live energy have earned him comparisons to Blue Rodeo, Barenaked Ladies, Counting Crows, John Mayer and Dave Matthews. Hein's songs are urban, short stories about lost loves, lost travelers and lost time, but paired with open, optimistic promises of change.
www.davidhein.net
6/18/11
Cliff Eberhardt
Cliff knew by age seven that he was going to be a singer and songwriter. Growing up in nearby Berwyn, he and his brothers sang together and their parents played instruments. His dad introduced him to the guitar and he taught himself to play. He cut his teeth listening to the likes of JamesTaylor, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt, and Mississippi John Hurt at The Main Point. At the same time, he was also listening to great pop songwriters like Cole Porter, the Gershwins, and Rodgers and Hart, which explain his penchant for great melodies and clever lyrical twists.
At 15, Cliff and his brother began touring as an acoustic duo, playing the Eastern club circuit until Cliff turned 21 and moved to Illinois, where he found space to develop his own voice. After a couple of years there and a short stay in Colorado, Cliff moved to New York in 1978. Because the clubs were great and the company amazing (John Gorka, Suzanne Vega, Lucy Kaplansky, Julie Gold, Steve Forbert, Christine Lavin, and Shawn Colvin), New York was an ideal musician's boot camp. Cliff worked steadily on his music throughout the 80's, doing solo gigs and studio work, and playing guitar on the road with Richie Havens, Melanie, and others. Singing advertising jingles for products like Coke, Miller Beer and Chevrolet ("The Heartbeat of America" campaign) allowed him to devote more time to his songwriting.
www.cliffeberhardt.net
7/16/11
Jim Boggia
Jim Boggia grew up an only child with an acutely developed ear for music. His early fascination for such iconoclastic pop classics helped to inform an aesthetic sensibility that would push him to create album-length listening "experiences" on his own releases. Boggia has gained impressive career momentum in a short amount of time. Blackberry selected one of his tracks for a new ad campaign and his songs have also been featured on MTV's Real World and ABC-TV's Men In Trees. He's developed a loyal grass-roots fan base for his dynamic, improvisational live shows. His work has been embraced by numerous fellow artists and kindred spirits, many of who have lent their talents to Boggia's albums.
In recent years, Jim has developed quite a following on "the other side of the pond," – with several tours of England and even an appearance at Abbey Road studios – quite a thrill for the Beatles' enthusiast. In fact, Jim is also an active member of the widely acclaimed Beatles' cover band, the Fab Faux. This past year, Jim also made his first tour of Japan. Jim's music sparkles with melodic wit, inspired arrangements and perfectly crafted songs, and he infuses many pop covers with his own special signature energy.
Jim has been performing at our only summer concert – "if it's July, it must be Boggia" for almost a decade, for good reason – he always sells out.
9/17/11
Ellis
Ellis may not be a household name, but once you've seen her perform you're not likely to forget her. A mix of folk artist, dharma teacher, and comedienne, her music is best described by the effect it has on her audience rather than a particular genre. Simply put, she leaves audiences better than she finds them, with softened edges & opened hearts. With compelling songwriting and engaging performances, Ellis is quietly amassing a loyal following of supporters across the country. She released her 7th album, Right On Time, in September 2010.
In recent years, Jim has developed quite a following on "the other side of the pond," – with several tours of England and even an appearance at Abbey Road studios – quite a thrill for the Beatles' enthusiast. In fact, Jim is also an active member of the widely acclaimed Beatles' cover band, the Fab Faux. This past year, Jim also made his first tour of Japan. Jim's music sparkles with melodic wit, inspired arrangements and perfectly crafted songs, and he infuses many pop covers with his own special signature energy.
A native of Texas, Ellis moved to Minneapolis at the age of 16, where she quickly built a local following that blossomed into a nationwide presence, with extensive touring and seven albums released in the last sixteen years. In addition to selling more than 35,000 copies of her CDs independently, Ellis has accrued a wealth of accomplishments including national songwriting honors and performances at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Sisters Folk Festival and the Rocky Mountain Folk Festival. This is her second – and long awaited – Musical Lairs' performance.
10/15/11
Zoe Mulford
A set by American songwriter Zoe Mulford is like a small volume of short stories - evocative, beautifully crafted, and endlessly varied. Whether her starting-point is Franklin's doomed polar expedition or the neglected contents of her own refrigerator, her vivid storytelling and down-to-earth humor promise listeners an enjoyable journey. She backs her clear voice with guitar or claw-hammer banjo and intersperses her own songs with selections from the music that inspires them: American and British folk ballads, Appalachian banjo tunes, and the work of songwriters from George Gershwin to Richard Thompson. Raised near Philadelphia, she now lives in Manchester, England and plays on both sides of the Atlantic.
Her latest release, "Bonfires", celebrates the folk tradition from North Carolina to Liverpool. The album reached #3 on the Folk-DJ chart the month after its release and has continued to have airplay across the US and beyond. In addition to music, Zoe likes farmer's markets, children's books, martial arts movies, and cooking with lots of garlic. This will be Zoe's first appearance on the Musical Lairs' stage.
11/5/11
Sharon Katz and Peace Train
South African Grammy-nominees, The Peace Train, take you on a joyride from the traditions of Mother Africa to the exhilarating jazz-folk-rock fusions of today with their unstoppable beat, powerful dances, and compelling harmonies. Making history in 1992, they formed South Africa's first 500-member multiracial performance group to break through the barriers of Apartheid. Organizing a courageous tour on board a real train - The Peace Train - they were joined by their friends Ladysmith Black Mambazo and helped spearhead the path toward democracy in South Africa. The Peace Train band has now toured the world for over a decade as Nelson Mandela's cultural ambassadors.
Now based in America and performing annual coast-to-coast tours, the versatile group thrills audiences from intimate venues to stadiums of 80,000. Their school and university programs combine diversity education with interactive entertainment for all ages. U.S. highlights include LA's Getty Museum, Carnegie Hall's World Music Concerts & Neighborhood Series, Disney's International Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Harlem's Schomburg Center for Black Culture,
11/26/11
Chuck Brodsky
Every Thanksgiving weekend since 2001, Chuck has come "home" to the Philadelphia area and to the Musical Lairs' stage. Chuck's shows are so popular that we both just routinely put the Saturday after Thanksgiving on our new calendars when we open them in January. This award winning, yet down to earth musical storyteller, with his dry, barb-witted social commentary combined with a deep underlying compassion, knows that the best stories are the little things in the lives of everyday people trying to muddle through with some grace. His great gift as a writer is to infuse these stories with humanity and humor, making them resonate profoundly with his listeners. His spoken introductions to his songs can be as spellbinding as his colorful lyrics, which he brings to life with a well-travelled voice and a delivery that's natural and conversational. His groove-oriented strumming and fingerpicking draw on influences from the mountains of western North Carolina where he now lives, and from lots of different good old traditional folk stuff of all kinds.
Chuck Brodsky's songwriting pokes fun at political corruption, road rage, mischief he made as a kid, even dumping garbage in the river. He sings about unsung heroes and forgotten but incredible people…odd characters from the game of baseball, migrant fruit pickers, the Goat Man, a clown, or "Radio," a developmentally disabled man and the love showered on him for 40 years at a high school in South Carolina (this song was used in the 2003 movie "Radio"). He's appeared on nationally syndicated radio programs "Mountain Stage," "Acoustic Cafe," and "River City Folk," and has performed three concerts of his celebrated baseball story songs at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
12/3/11
Toby Walker
Toby’s passion for blues, rag, folk, and other traditional American music drove him to leave an apartment crammed full of recordings, books and instruments for the Mississippi Delta, Virginia and the Carolinas where he tracked down some of the more obscure - but immensely talented - music makers of an earlier era. He learned directly at the feet of Eugene Powell, James "Son" Thomas, Etta Baker, and R.L Burnside, among others.
The love Toby has for his craft pushes him to share his history and experience where he has performed in libraries and schools allowing others to share the sounds, sights, and emotions of his unique abilities. In recent years, he has been touring Europe regularly, introducing new audiences to Delta Blues. Toby’s teaching credits include, among others, Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch in Ohio. In 2006, Carnegie Hall acknowledged his rare talents and hired him to augment and teach in their "American Roots" program aimed at honor level middle school students. This one-of-a-kind series demonstrates the history of blues music and traditions, while teaching the history of African Americans as they migrated from the south into the north. His mastery of the blues was recognized in Memphis when he won the International Blues Challenge Award.