• Old friends: Legend is that fiddler Michael Doucet ditched rock and began BeauSoleil after hearing “Cajun Woman” by Fairport Convention in the early 1970s, and began immersing himself in the immigrant music of his native Louisiana. He later met Richard Thompson, who wrote the song. Thompson is currently a special guest on a tour celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary. Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $65 and up at tupelohall.com.
• Band stand: The Zajac Brothers, Vanna Pacella and other regional artists revisit The Last Waltz, The Band’s farewell concert held at San Francisco’s Winterland on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, immortalized by director Martin Scorsese. Pacella’s turn as Joni Mitchell performing “Coyote” and backing up Neil Young on “Helpless” is a highlight, along with Dylan and Van the Man. Friday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m., Stone Church, 5 Granite St., Newmarket, $30 at stonechurchrocks.com
• Retro pop: Looking to give Journey, Rick Springfield and other ’80s Top 40 hitmakers their due, Waltham formed in 1999 when such a notion was very uncool. A raucous party changed all that; guests stopped drinking to gawk and the buzz began — “they’re from Waltham, they’re called Waltham, the guy points to girls and sings to them and rips off his shirt.” Donaher and Colleen Green open. Saturday, Nov. 22, 8:30 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $15 at the door, 21+.
• Not eggmen: Maine-based Beatles tribute act Spencer & The Walrus are now called We Are The Walrus according to an announcement from the Concord venue they’re returning to. Far from a Fab Four recreation, there are many musicians on stage playing strings and keys for an evening of late-period Beatles songs never performed in concert, like “Fool on the Hill” and “Come Together.” Saturday, Nov. 22, 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $36 and up at ccanh.com.
• Christmas croon: Feel-good New Romantic singer Anthony Nunziata brings his annual holiday show to town to give a boost of spirit. Nunziata’s new album, Christmas & You, consists of all original songs. “My Every Wish” is a soulful tune, while “The Miracle” and “Heavenly Father” are “faith-affirming” anthems and “El Regalo Eres Tú” is a Spanish language classical crossover. Sunday, Nov. 23, 2 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $40 and up at palacetheatre.org.
A new space featuring works of art accompanied by text both inspirational and challenging, The Eleventh Letter Writing Gallery opened in downtown Concord ahead of November’s First Friday Art Walk. Passers-by are drawn in by a modern white nightstand stacked with books and topped by a small pumpkin, with a wooden letter K on the floor underneath it.
Hung on the wall to the left of the arrangement are collages of book covers and pages from works by different authors. In the back of the foyer room are two chairs, one with postcards and artful photos on it, the other with pencils and notebooks. They surround an alcove with a sign reading, “Kismet: Defining Patterns.”
The overall effect is warm and welcoming, as well as an invitation to the creative imagination. There are writing prompts tucked into the free notebooks. “What signs and symbols do you see all the time?” reads one, others asks for a paragraph on “an amazing coincidence” or “a wish for one thing to manifest.”
Its intent is to unify images and phrases — and build a community around them.
“We affirm that all the arts are in dialogue with each other; our mission is to start the conversation,” owner Jocelyn Winn wrote in late October. The gallery, she continued, “champions the written word and elevates the creative vibration within the … arts community through monthly text-art exhibitions, workshops, and literary events.”
It also offers professional writing and editing services, something Winn has done as owner of The Eleventh Letter since it opened in 2014. The Writing Gallery, across from the Statehouse on North Main Street, is the first retail location. In a sit-down interview during Art Walk, Winn talked about how it came to fruition.
“It’s always been my dream to have a brick-and-mortar space where people can actually come in and enjoy writing,” she said. “So this is sort of a play on the idea that writers are artists … everything here, every piece, is art, but it has to have a word or text element to it.”
There are two exhibits currently running at the gallery. One features erasure and collage works by artist in residence Laci Mosier. Many are provocative, like “Froot Loops: The Fungus Among Us,” which combines the cut-up profile of a naked woman and a boy on a tricycle with phrases like, “How much Windex do men go through to create history?”
“Kismet” is Winn’s artwork. On one piece, “Manifest,” a framed photo of cut-up lemons sits next to a few paragraphs delving into the title’s etymology — manus combined with festus, two words that respectively mean “hand” and “joy” — and how its meaning has shifted since it was first coined in the 14th century. It ends with a meditation on ellipses.
Winn is big on vision boards. She calls them “manifestation posters,” and the path to opening a writing gallery was lit by hers.
“I got very specific,” she explained. “I said I want a Main Street space. My name is Jocelyn Winn. It’s in Concord, New Hampshire, 03301. A couple months later, I could see these spaces opening up, and so I took my chances.”
An array of activities is ahead in the coming weeks, like a workshop on making holiday cards, a class on the art of letter writing, and a session on appreciating winter, perfect for folks prone to seasonal affect disorder. “It’s based on the book Wintering, about how to love winter,” Winn said. “Which is my favorite season, true.”
There are also two free events: a writing circle led by local arts writer Rachel Wachman, and Solstice Open Mic, which invites writers to read their work. “Five minutes each, and everyone is welcome, even if they’re not reading,” Winn said.
In January there will be two six-week sessions, on fiction and nonfiction writing.
“The gist is every month there’s an array of workshops for advanced writers as well as those looking to start or curiously dip their feet,” Winn said. Along with classes, the gallery will have a monthly main exhibition with a local writer-artist, with works from an artist or writer in residence showing for three months.
“I do have a lot of opportunities and plans for the future, bringing writing to the community,” Winn said. “I think a lot of people are maybe scared of writing, or they shy away from it.” She hopes her workshops, along with the writer’s utensils she’ll be selling soon, will inspire many to the impulse of turning words into art — and vice versa.
The Eleventh Letter Writing Gallery Open: Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Where: 146 N. Main St., Concord More: theeleventhletter.com
Upcoming Events: The Art of Letter Writing – Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6-7:30 p.m., $22 Winter Is My Favorite Season – Monday, Dec. 8, 6-7:30 p.m., $33 (includes free copy of Wintering by Katherine May) Holiday Card-Making – Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6-8 p.m., $40 (led by Art Plus NH owner Karen Hicks) Writing Circle – Wednesday, Dec, 9, free (led by local arts writer Rachel Wachman) Solstice Open Mic – Wednesday, Dec. 17, free (five minutes each, all welcome even if not reading)
With new special out, Jay Chanoine readies the next
Six years ago comedian Jay Chanoine released a special and immediately got to work on his next one. It’s a comic’s creed that committing an act to tape is both the way to bury old jokes and incentive to craft new ones. Then the pandemic came, and Chanoine had to start again from scratch when things reopened in late 2021 — in more ways than one.
“Not only was some of that material no longer usable; I had to remember how to do stand-up again,” he said in a recent phone interview. “I ended up building up this body of work.” Chanoinigans, released as an audio album in mid-October and on YouTube on Halloween, is the result.
When Chanoine walked on stage at the Empire Theatre in Portland, Maine, in August 2024, the curveballs were still coming. First, his grandmother died a day before the show, which spurred “a whole new batch of emotions I was not prepared to have.” Beyond that, he’d written a new opening focused on a recent series of hospital visits.
“You’re seeing me at an interesting time in my life,” he told the crowd. “A little over a month ago, I went to see an autism doctor to begin the testing process. And that sentence can only go one of two ways. It’s either I feel like I’ve wasted a ton of money, or that my entire life has been a sham. Good news, guys. I don’t feel like I’ve wasted any money.”
Chanoine began reading DSM-V, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and had a series of eureka moments that made him feel he was cracking a code to his own mystery.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my God, this is me I’m reading about,’” he said, adding he quickly discerned a connection between the diagnosis and his comedy.
“You could draw lines from almost every one of those bits that I was about to record,” he said. “‘This is why you have a joke about how you did a bad job growing up and how people think you hate them. How you still love Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers and you come off as abrasive….’ I was like, oh, my God, this is a special about finding out I’m autistic!”
He used the experience as fuel for that night up north.
“I think a lot of times, at least for me, when you have that much emotional abrasiveness kind of swimming around inside your head, you can channel it and just turn it into, ‘This is the thing I need to focus on right now,’” Chanoine said. “Divert that anxious energy into this performance.”
Since making the special, he’s spent a lot of time at the weekly Laugh Attic open mic at Strange Brew Tavern, each time doing five fresh minutes, slowly building a follow-up to Chanoinigans. “I try out new material in this safe environment where people already think they like me,” he said.
He’s looking forward to an extended set at Strange Brew on Nov. 21.
“We’re doing a Friday show, and I get to kind of do all the stuff that they saw me do for the very first time when it was fresh and unpolished and a little clumsy,” he said. “And I get to see it again after it’s been through a little bit of a rock tumbler and shined up.”
Fans can check out the new special on YouTube; Chanoinigans is his best yet. He talks about “coming aut” and having a realization about his New England school days; he may have misheard what sounded like praise for being artistic. “I love to draw, and I had no idea what my teachers were actually saying every time they went, ‘I think you are wicked autistic.’”
So the youngster took the kind words in stride; now, he’s reassessing.
“I’d just be standing there like, ‘Yeah, I guess that drawing is pretty good. It only took me 4,266 pencil strokes to complete it.’ That’s what happens when you start looking back on your life through autism-tinted lenses.”
Jay Chanoine w/ Troy Burdett, Arianna Magee & Ramses Rafael When: Friday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Where: Strange Brew Tavern, 88 Market St., Manchester Tickets: $20 at eventbrite.com – 18+
• Shredder clinic: Guitar fans have the chance to enjoy a free performance by Gary Hoey as he demos the Fender Tone Master Pro effects pedal and dazzles with frenetic fretwork, part of an event celebrating the brand. It’s followed by a meet and greet with the Ho Ho Hoey guitar hero, who will be back in town next month for his annual Christmas concert at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. Thursday, Nov. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Manchester Music Mill, 329 Elm St., Manchester, manchestermusicmill.com.
• Parrothead pair: Carrying on Jimmy Buffett’s legacy, Mac MacAnally performs with fellow Coral Reefer Band mate Eric Darken. The last time the 10-time CMA winner and writer of “Old Flame” and “It’s My Job” came to town, the show sold out quickly, but there are some tickets still left for this show. Lately he’s been doing his old bandleader’s poignant song “Bubbles Up.” Friday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., Dana Center, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, $65 at anselm.edu.
• Floydian dream: Mary Fahl returns to Concord for an evening of music focused on one of her favorite albums, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, along with other selections from her ethereal catalog. She’s so enamored of the ’70s classic that she released a surround sound version of it, which is quite the listening trip with the right equipment. Saturday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $44 and up at ccanh.com.
• Fitful music: When the Vermont-based Conniption Fits squeeze in an original from one of their many albums, expect a power-pop blend of swagger and finesse belying bandleader and guitarist Stevens Blanchard’s metal kid past. For bar shows, the band plays mostly well-chosen “re-makes” — don’t call them covers — from Foo Fighters, Green Day, Weezer and others. Saturday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m., Stumble Inn Bar & Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, conniptionfits.com.
• Soothing songs:Jim Brickman’s upcoming concert promises a collection of hits like “Love of My Life,” “Valentine” and “Angel Eyes,” favorites like “The Gift” and “Merry Christmas Beautiful.” Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $54 and up at etix.com.
If Lake Wobegon had a Hallmark stage division it might come up with something like Icehouse, a Bedford Off Broadway production with three more performances through Nov. 16. Making its first New England run, the Peter Bloedel farce is a funny, heartfelt and warm look at friends helping a friend.
The end-of-the-20th-century comedy is about a Minnesota ex-pat, now living in Florida and lonesome for the cold air, and his buddies, as they try to build an epic ice chateau and keep it a secret from their wives.
There’s a great line toward the end of Act I that sums up the haplessness of five buddies trying to lure a sixth pal back for an ice fishing holiday, only to stumble due to kind-hearted incompetence.
“Every village needs an idiot,” one of them tells his suspicious spouse. “Ours just has more.”
What makes the play succeed is a solid cast that plays well off each other even while managing set changes throughout the production. The family-friendly farce centers on Oskar (Rich Hurley), trapped in Florida with Ingrid (Deb Lund) after she has coerced him to move there for her many climate-related maladies.
When Oskar and Ingrid return for the wedding of Erik (Tigran Kotsinyan) and Michelle (Abby Lefebvre), his friends Arn (Glen Grimard) and Conrad (Declan Lynch) share their plan to build a structure fit for an ice-fishing billionaire, with a full kitchen, sleeping quarters and sauna, an idea they got during a fishing conversation.
Oskar’s in and the six are soon working on their respective co-conspirator tasks.
The machinations employed to get Oskar home again are comedy gold in the hands of Wilhelm (John Decareau) and Lars (Matt Bader). Conrad, Arn and reluctant recruit Erik persuade them to concoct a story to fool Ingrid, delivered from a pay phone (back when they were common) in fake voices.
Of course, the effort only makes things worse — albeit funnier.
Let’s just say that Wilhelm takes his method acting task a bit too seriously, Lars starts to share his enthusiasm, and the two have the audience thoroughly entertained. The pair’s across-the-wire shenanigans, with hilarious support from fellow cast members, are aided by the impressive set design of director Judy Hayward and Daro Fuchs.
The hallmark of a great community theater is often its ability to do a lot with a little, and BoB achieves this with Icehouse. The play opens with a spare set; a couple of hardware store bucket stools for Arn and Conrad to sit on while they fish later becomes a series of different furniture. Then the wall behind the stage moves and it’s all transformed.
The wives, first fooled out of Middle Creak, Minnesota, by Oskar, who turns out to be talented at subterfuge, will find their fury when Lars and Wilhelm’s stunt backfires. Camilla (Lisa Colburn), Helen (Deb Curtis), Rita (Natasha DaCunha-Lund) and Sarah (Julie Shea) all have great moments confronting their respective husbands.
Claire Fry, as mother of the bride Lenora, deserves praise for helping to give the play its heartfelt quality. She’s the wild card. To know what that means, one needs to buy a ticket, but rest assured the experience leaves a sweet finish.
Ultimately it’s chemistry that carries Icehouse to the finish line. It’s Judy Hayward’s first time directing a BoB show and during rehearsals in September she praised the cast while rehearsals were underway.
“One thing that’s nice about it is that everybody pretty much has an equal part,” she said. “It’s quite an ensemble show.”
The opening night crowd agreed. The smiles began with an introductory explanation that the play was being performed in a foreign language (Minnesotan) and continued as the show bounced along merrily through laugh after laugh. With a cast working at a very high level, and a script that’s new to these parts, Icehouse is a must-see.
Icehouse – A Comedy by Peter Bloedel When: Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. Where: Bedford Off Broadway at Bedford Town Hall, 70 Bedford Center Road, Bedford Tickets: $15 ($12 seniors and students) at brownpapertickets.com
When it comes to live music in New Hampshire, there are plenty of choices. It all comes down to what suits the mood. Maybe a country singer with a story to tell, or a musical conversation between the members of a jam band, in the form of nods and hand signs. Or a troubadour folkie with a song that joins old traditions to modern sensibilities might be just right. Maybe it’s a bluegrass combo keeping the mood acoustic, or perhaps the interplay of jazz, the emotive rock of pop-punk, the soaring sound of progressive rock. It’s all here.
Eight of the state’s musical mavens were asked to define their genres and talk about what people might not know about them. Each also weighed in on the leading purveyors and the best venues where they perform.
Hopefully, it’s a handy guide for a night of appreciating the state’s music.
Folk
Tom Pirozzoli is a singer, songwriter, painter and promoter. In 1994 he had a new album and wanted to do a release show, so he asked Tom Mills, owner of Flying Goose Bar & Grille in New London, if he’d be interested in hosting it. Thirty-one years later, weekly folk nights are a staple at the restaurant, bar and brewery. Pirozzoli also books other shows at coffee houses in the area. Find his schedule at pirozzoli.com.
How would you define folk?
Every folk musician gets the same answer. Bill Broonzy once said, ‘I ain’t never heard no horses singing.’ To me, it’s somebody like Harvey Reid, who’s a true troubadour. Harvey knows so many songs. I mean, he knows some pop songs, too, like ‘Ode to Billie Joe,’ which was a hit record, but it’s really a country song. He knows all the Carter Family music, he’s got a huge catalog of folk music. And he’s a great songwriter as well.
What got you interested in it?
I was born in 1950, so I was listening to a little transistor radio when I was 13 years old in 1963. Everybody got one at that age. Then The Beatles came out, and I still remember all the words to their songs. But when I first heard Bob Dylan singing … ‘Just Like A Woman’ was the first song I heard by him and it just blew my mind. It was right around then I started playing guitar, and I guess I got into folk music because it was what I could do.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative folk acts?
Well, Tom Rush, obviously, would be at the top, even though I think he jumped in between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Click Horning is with a band called Night Kitchen with Gerry Putnam … his son plays bass, and then Alex Keenan, who plays in a variety of bands down on the Seacoast. Cormac McCarthy was born in New Hampshire, but he lives in Maine now — you can count him.
Where are some of the best places to see folk performed?
Well, the Flying Goose and there’s also the Peterborough Folk Music Society. There’s also Bass Hall, and Deb McWethy’s house concerts — those are what is going to save us…. There are also coffee houses — in Sunapee and Andover, there’s the Deering Coffee House and then the Anonymous Coffee House in Lebanon. Also, the Word Barn in Exeter is great, and the Stone Church [in Newmarket] is too.
Pop Punk
Aaron Shelton plays in a band and runs Kinetic City Events. Most of his shows happen at the Shaskeen in Manchester (such as Emo Karaoke Night with a live backing band, the next of which takes place Friday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m.), but he occasionally books other venues. The emo band tribute night Live Free or Cry has grown into an institution, as well as the muti-band shows that regularly happen in the back room of the Elm Street Irish bar and restaurant. Find Kinetic City Events’ upcoming schedule on their Facebook page.
How would you define pop punk?
I think it’s largely just anything that is more poppy, accessible punk. Typically lighthearted, upbeat punk music.
What got you interested in it?
I listened to nu metal in the late ’90s and around 2001 I came across Thursday, New Found Glory, Boy Sets Fire, bands like that (only one is pop punk), and that led me to dive deeper and found bands like Rufio, The Stryder and Saves The Day.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative pop punk acts?
The bands that come to mind at the moment are Donaher, Hell Beach and Breaking Up. I’m sure I’m missing some, though.
Where are some of the best places to see pop punk performed?
I’m a little biased but right now I think The Shaskeen and BAD BRGR are doing a lot of excellent pop punk and emo/post hardcore stuff. [Editor’s note: Other venues include Terminus Underground in Nashua, with a Pop Punk Pop happening on Nov. 29, as well as Newmarket’s Stone Church and the Press Room in Portsmouth.]
What’s the most misunderstood thing about pop punk?
I’m not sure I’d say anything is misunderstood exactly. I think there are some big jumps between what I would call true (or good) pop punk and radio pop punk bands like Sum 41 and Good Charlotte, which are of course the biggest of the broad term of the genre.
Jam band
Eric Reingold. Courtesy photo.
A founding member of JamAntics, Eric Reingold has played in a multitude of bands over the years. Lately he fronts Concord supergroup UP and plays bass with JamAntics spinoff Lucas Gallo & the Guise. Past groups include People Skills, Cold Engines and Blacklight Ruckus. Reingold’s take on jam band music isn’t one of rules-free improvisation. He prefers compact songs and believes discipline, skills and communication are the genre’s hallmarks. Find “UP – the band” on Facebook. Lucas Gallo & The Guide will play Penuche’s Ale House in Concord on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 9 p.m.; follow them via lucasgallomusic.com.
How would you define jam band music?
My impression of jam bands is picking things up on the fly … a little bit loosey-goosey but coming back into a very tight togetherness, whether it’s the verse or the chorus, or taking a stroll down in order to segue into a different song. Now, that being said … if a song is 20 or 30 or 40 minutes long, even if a song is seven or eight minutes long, I’m ADD enough to be like, ‘OK, that’s enough for me,’ and it’s very much shaped my way of being in a jam band. I’ve very much modified my own style to be jam band but tight and short.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative jam band acts?
Concord especially, where I live, is so welcoming of not only jam bands but just music, original music. … On any given night it’s tougher to find a cover band in Concord than it is to find an original band.I love that about Concord. But the jam band scene, … Any of the Laliotis brothers, all three of them are great musicians. Scott Solsky is another great artist. My bands, Lucas Gallo & the Guise, and UP. Other bands that I’ve become friendly with, in and outside of Concord, and recommend seeing are Kenny Brothers, J3ST, Holy Fool and Trade, which is one of the best examples of super-talented jam originals. Other bands I could recommend I actually became part of after being a fan, like People Skills, Cold Engines and Blacklight Ruckus.
Where are some of the best places to see jam band music performed?
The love of my life will always be Penuche’s. I love that place. … Feathered Friend has really done a lot. They have a great big stage out back, so they’re really up and coming. Then there’s the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, which is amazing … anybody can play on all scale levels. That’s where Andrew Grosvenor puts on an open mic. He’s done a great job of getting solo artists and individual groups that don’t have any following up onto a stage that might never get that opportunity to play on such high-end equipment or such a nice stage. The Tap House is a new place in the Lakes Region, and I want to make a point to bring up Henniker Brewing Co.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about jam band music?
I just want to reiterate … it’s not that people are noodling around and really loose on stage. I think jam bands actually take a lot more skill than having parts and exact songs playing in exactly that way. Just because you need to know…. There needs to be communication up on stage. It’s a tougher thing for a band to have.
Jazz
Brad Myrick Trio. Courtesy photo.
Brad Myrick leads an eponymous trio and performs solo throughout the region when he’s not traveling in Europe, where he’s made guitar albums with musical partner Nicola Cipriani, and has a new one coming early next year. A characteristic of good jazz, he said during a break from a series of workshops with fellow musician Vinx in southern France, is that it contains echoes of other sounds — pop, rock, the Great American Songbook — to draw listeners in. Catch the Brad Myrick Band Sunday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club in Portsmouth. Find more shows at bradmyrick.com.
How would you define jazz?
… I think jazz is really about the spirit of listening, interplay, improvisation and not setting rules. It’s really a wide open space and that’s why it’s been so amazing….
What got you interested in it?
When I was a teenager in the ’90s, I was playing a lot of pop and rock … I was into prog and metal and some of the heavier stuff, and I was into popular music. … But my guitar teacher, Joe Gattuso, kept introducing me to new little things like, Hey, check this out, check this out…. I realized that as a guitar player there were all these other things I could do beyond just the pop and rock stuff, and I just fell in love with jazz and world music …
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative jazz acts?
I’m not as tapped into that as I probably should be, but I love David Newsam. He was the head of the UNH guitar program for a long time, and he still teaches at Berklee. David’s got a whole bunch of different projects going on. … Choro Loco is a great little band where they play Brazilian music — choro and samba and that kind of stuff is really interesting. But I would say if you can tap into Dave he’s got a few projects. He works with some saxophone players that are just fantastic.
Where are some of the best places to see jazz performed?
I’ve actually been trying to reach out and find different places that aren’t necessarily music venues. So I’ve been going to art galleries and presenting ideas. Obviously Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues in Portsmouth is a beautiful venue. Another place I’ve played some music with was a place called Glimpse Gallery in Concord…. My trio plays at Jimmy’s, we do the brunches, and that’s great. They treat us pretty well there, but there’s not a lot of venues that are paying real money for jazz musicians.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about jazz?
I don’t want to speak for anybody else, but my experience is that you, as an artist, should give people a little bit of permission to come be part of what you’re doing, instead of just being the guy on stage with your head down playing a lot of notes. If you include them a little bit, people are really open to it … they say, I don’t know what’s going on here but I’m interested and it’s cool. So just saying hello, talking about the song, raising your head up and smiling at the crowd. … I try to interact with people and let them know, here’s what’s going on.
Prog rock
Though Jerry LoFaro isn’t a musician, he knows plenty about progressive rock, and he even built a venue in back of his Henniker home for concerts. Everyone from Springsteen keyboard player turned jazz fusionist David Sancious to New Hampshire’s own Rocking Horse Music Club has performed at the LoFaro Center, with more shows on the way. LoFaro is also an artist who’s done album covers, including one for a CD/DVD tribute to prog hero Keith Emerson, and he’s the house photographer at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. Find the LoFaro Center’s schedule on Facebook.
How would you define prog rock?
The simple explanation is to point to the bands that everyone thinks of…. Yes, ELP, Genesis and of course Pink Floyd. That was the benchmark, and of course a lot of people consider the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds to be one of the first prog albums, and The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour … coming from the ’60s, and then all the experimentation happened. So the early definition was pushing the boundaries of composition and skill level … a lot of these jam bands are clearly influenced by prog rock due to the stretching of instrumentals. You hear it in bands like Umphrey’s McGee.
What got you interested in it?
I had all Elton John’s records, and then his Greatest Hits came out with him with the white tux and the hat on the cover. I bought it to have for my collection. I grew up on Long Island and the popular radio station played this commercial with Keith Emerson [and] it was so intriguing. Here’s a guy with a keyboard, and I’m listening to Elton John … I think I’d heard ‘Lucky Man.’ After that commercial, and this is in the days when you could do that, I went back to Sam Goody, where I bought the Elton John record, and traded it in for Brain Salad Surgery, even steven. That album, it just changed my life. I mean, the journey officially began.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative prog rock acts?
That’s a tough question. The only one I can think of right now is the Rocking Horse Music Club, who just performed here. Rocking Horse creates popular music and they work with a lot of different artists, but when Brian [Coombes, the studio’s owner and producer[ wants to do his own thing, it’s, it’s very prog oriented, very adventuresome, eclectic. His latest album, Last Pink Glow, is really beautiful and very progressive. Then there’s Mindset X from Manchester, and Delusive Relics, which was called Mavara.
Where are some of the best places to see prog rock performed?
I have a loyal following here, but of course the Tupelo Music Hall has had prog rock, it had the Musical Box, a Genesis tribute act, a number of times, and some others that touch upon the genre for sure. Flying Monkey in Plymouth, too. John Lodge played both places, and he certainly would be considered part of that.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about prog rock?
I think the fact that people consider it intellectual music is a barrier for a lot of people. They think, I like rock ’n’ roll, but I don’t want to have to think too much or pay attention to the music. I just want to hear it as background. That has always been a bad rap. Of course, for those of us that lean intellectually, we love that. Another misconception is that it’s pompous, full of itself or show-off or it doesn’t reflect the essence of rock ’n’ roll. Meanwhile, you’ve got Madonna in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Country
April Cushman performing at Gilette Stadium. Courtesy photo.
Born and raised in New Hampshire, April Cushman is arguably the state’s most successful country artist. The past four years, she’s been nominated at the New England Music Awards for Best Country Artist and won two times. While fans can catch her in clubs, lately Cushman has been headlining places like the Colonial Theatre in Keene. In the recent past she’s become the go-to country performer for the New England Patriots, singing the national anthem multiple times and, last Nov. 2, starring in a Salute to Service-themed halftime show. See aprilcushman.com for upcoming shows.
How would you define country?
What makes it country music is the stories behind the songs. Typically country music is real life experiences, the life that you’re living, the life that you’ve seen other people live. … It’s the lyrics, not necessarily the melody or which branch of country music it kind of pulls off from. There’s always that storyteller element.
What got you interested in it?
I grew up on Tom Petty, The Eagles, Sheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac, all the stuff that my dad essentially grew up on … but I believe it was Keith Urban that really drew me into more of the early 2000s country, Rascal Flatts and stuff, [and] I’m a huge ’90s country fan. Honestly, I think the thing that made me fall in love with it was the relatability of the stories, even though I was a young teenage kid. I think essentially the older you get too, the more you can look back and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I can relate to Reba McEntire, I totally get it.’
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative country acts?
I feel like a lot of the country music acts in New England kind of fall from the Massachusetts side of things. … Martin and Kelly … are both out of New Hampshire. There is the North County Band. They’re out of Connecticut and they play up in New Hampshire a lot. They’re really, really great people. Nate Ramos is another one.
Where are some of the best places to see country performed?
One of the places that I play a lot, and I’ve actually got a residency that I’m going to be pulling next summer, is up in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. It’s called the Tap House. It’s right out, you can see Winnipesaukee, it’s right there. And I believe they have a lot of classic rock stuff in there too, but it’s a very country-forward place if you have country artists in there, and they’re wonderful. Then there’s Saddle Up Saloon in Kingston, Bonfire and The Goat in Manchester. Arts Alley is great. BNH Stage is right there too, and the rooftop is super cool. …
What’s the most misunderstood thing about country?
A lot of the people that listen to today’s more modernized country and the pop country thing, I think they think … that’s what it is just as a whole, that’s all that it is, but they don’t realize that there’s very different branches and elements to country music that come off from the genre as a whole. So I think the most misunderstood part about country is that there are many, many branches that come off of it, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that not every country song is about missing a girl in the neon lights sitting at the bar.
Bluegrass
Scott Heron is an acoustic multi-instrumentalist who performs with a number of bluegrass groups, including The Treetellers, who recently covered Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs at a Ryman Auditorium Remembered show in Concord. He also leads Any Which Way and the Heron Bluegrass Company and is a member of Big Sweetie, a Seacoast supergroup that includes Jake Davis, Zac Arnault and Jake Smith, which draws from a variety of influences, from country to r&b and rock ’n’ roll. Upcoming shows include with the Heron Bluegrass Company at the Barrington-based Nippo Lake Golf Club’s Bluegrass Series on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m.; see scottheron.com.
How would you define bluegrass?
That’s a very good question, because I play a lot of not bluegrass. I play all sorts of genres. I love bluegrass, and I think people see you with a banjo and their perceptions are that, oh, you’re playing bluegrass. You have a banjo or you have a fiddle, so you’re playing bluegrass. So it’s a funny thing to try to define, but there’s … that typical Bill Monroe five-piece outfit: fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin and upright bass. So it can be looked at as the instrumentation is making it bluegrass, but obviously the sound, there’s a particular sound that’s bluegrass. You know it when you hear it.
What got you interested in it?
Probably like everybody else, I came across the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? I was familiar with some of it … the Stanley Brothers, and I knew who Bill Monroe was. But I think that really put it in the forefront, and so it kind of got me going down a rabbit hole. Conversely, I came at it from another angle, ultimately from classic rock, and I just kept kind of diving further and further. You get to classic rock, then get to Bob Dylan and The Band, and then you get to Bob Dylan’s influences, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and then you start getting into the whole folk revival.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative bluegrass acts?
I’m fortunate to come across a lot of these folks, particularly where I’m on the Seacoast, we have quite a few bluegrass and Americana bands. One of the long-term ones, my buddy Cecil Abels plays in the New England Bluegrass Band. He’s from Mississippi originally, but he’s been up here in New Hampshire for quite a few years, and they play all over. My buddy Rick Watson used to play in the Bolt Hill Band, but I don’t think they’re around any longer. One of my favorite people, his name’s Old Time Dave Talmadge. The big one that comes to mind, who’ve been playing together for over 50 years, is Lunch at the Dump.
Where are some of the best places to see bluegrass performed?
Obviously, the Nippo Lake Bluegrass Series jumps out, and the Word Barn. Stone Church used to do a bit more bluegrass, and they may be bringing it back. There’s a summer series at the Applecrest Farms. There is Pembroke City Limits. I love seeing something like what Rob Azevedo’s done. He’s just made this wonderful space. It can be a honky-tonk, a listening room or just a rowdy bar. He’s been so welcoming.
Hip-hop
Few music genres in New Hampshire have a cheerleader with the energy of Bill Fee, who performs hip-hop as Fee the Evolutionist. He’s nominated for a 2025 New England Music Award, which follows a Rising Star New Hampshire win a couple of years ago. “It only took me 20 years,” he said with a laugh at the time. With his life partner Ruby Shabazz, another NEMA winner, Fee is also a big booster of his hometown of Nashua and often does shows there, along with performing throughout the state and across the Massachusetts border. Fee the Evolutionist is on the bill for Hellbound for the Holidays Toy Drive and Concert on Saturday, Dec. 13, at The Spot in Nashua at 6 p.m., according to his Facebook page, where you can find more upcoming performances. Follow Ruby Shabazz on her Facebook and Instragram pages.
How would you define hip-hop?
Hip-hop, for me, is more than just music; it’s a culture, a movement, a force for truth and connection. It’s about the four pillars — MCing, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti—but it’s also about knowledge, consciousness and giving back. When I define it in my music, I’m talking about that raw, organic feeling from the golden era, where soul samples and real instrumentation drive the beat. It’s a living art form that allows for storytelling, social commentary and genuine expression.
What got you interested in it?
Growing up, hip-hop always resonated with me; it speaks to my soul. I harked back to the fun, melodic harmonies and soul samples of the golden era. I was fascinated by the whole culture and wanted to learn everything I could. I remember sitting in Ski Beatz’s living room and watching him flip deep soul samples into bangers — it was magic to me. That raw, authentic sound, and the ability to use my voice for something meaningful, that’s what got me hooked and kept me evolving.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative hip-hop acts?
The New Hampshire and general New England scene has some serious talent. I’ve been proud to collaborate with great artists from the area like Ruby Shabazz, DJ Myth, Dez tha Baker, Cody Pope & Byron G. I also work with legends from the broader New England scene like Edo G, Termanology, Brady Watt and REKS, who are all putting in work and repping the culture strong. Flow Free or Die is a production company from Nashua that is continuously putting out podcasts and promoting shows. Mr. Goodbarz at ToyBox studios has been producing a lot of local acts. Recently a brand new multimedia company called 603 Beat Collaborative just launched and they specialize in live sound, recording production and content creation so that is exciting. We’re all part of this movement that’s bringing respect to the art form.
Where are some of the best places to see hip-hop performed?
The scene is growing and spots are popping up. Locally, I’ve been to some great shows at places like The Spot here in Gate City. I have also performed outside on Main Street during the summer for a series of shows that the Great American Downtown organization put together, which has been great for exposure and community. Believe it or not we played a fantastic show at Jimmy’s Jazz club in Portsmouth! We have played a bunch of times at Warp & Weft in Lowell and have a gig coming up on Nov. 22 at the Lass Stop with the live band. The key is finding venues and events that respect the culture and provide a platform for local artists to shine. “Rap Night” in Manchester is New Hampshire’s longest-running hip-hop residency and recently celebrated its 12th anniversary in June. It is held at The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant every Sunday night and is hosted by DJ Myth, Eyenine and Shawn Caliber.
How healthy is the scene for hip-hop?
The scene is flourishing — I’d call it a renaissance period for hip-hop up here in New England. It’s becoming more diverse and inclusive. Sure, it can be tough for homegrown talent to get exposure, but if you love your craft and stay persistent, progress is inevitable. I was just nominated for Hip Hop Act of the Year by the New England Music Awards, so the industry is definitely acknowledging the art form here in New Hampshire. There’s a real hunger for that organic, jazz-style hip-hop with vision and purpose. People are appreciating the authenticity, which makes the scene very healthy in my eyes.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about hip-hop?
I think the most misunderstood thing is that when some people think of hip-hop they think of the extreme. They either associate it with gangster music or materialism. But at its core real hip-hop is about the culture, social commentary and knowledge. My music is all about shining a light on real life, cutting through the noise to deliver a message that has meaning and gives back to the community. It’s not just noise; it’s art with a vision.
Find your sound Here are some of the upcoming shows where you can enjoy your genre of choice.
Folk – David Wilcox, Thursday, Nov. 13, Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille, 40 Andover Road, New London, flyinggoose.com Prog Rock – Levin Brothers, Friday, Nov. 14, LoFaro Center, 722 Gulf Road, Henniker, jerrylofaro@mcttelecom.com Hip-Hop – Sound Off Saturday, Saturday, Nov. 15, Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/billyfee/events Jazz – David Newsam Trio (brunch), Sunday, Nov. 16, Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth, jimmysoncongress.com Pop Punk – Waltham, Donaher & Colleen Green, Saturday, Nov. 22, Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/KineticCityEvents Jam Band – Lucas Gallo & the Guise, Wednesday, Nov. 26, Penuche’s Ale House, Bicentennial Square, Concord, facebook.com/lucasgallomusic Country – Nate Ramos Band, Friday, Nov. 28, Derryfield Restaurant & Lounge, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, nateramosmusic.com Bluegrass – Heron Bluegrass Company, Sunday, Nov. 30, Nippo Golf Club, 88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington, nippobluegrass.com
Featured photo: Fee the Evolutionist and Ruby Shabazz, photographed at Castro’s Back Room in Nashua by Colleen Jamieson, courtesy Fee the Evolutionist.
