HASTINGS ON HUDSON, DOBBS FERRY, IRVINGTON, AND TARRYTOWN, NY: RiverArts announces the fifth annual RiverArts Music Tour to take place on June 1st, 2018 from 12 noon to 12 midnight. More than 275 musicians will participate in 120 performances at 30 different venues throughout the day in this multi-village event. Folk, Rock, Classical, Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, and World music are well represented. Seasoned professionals, budding musicians, and everyone in between will perform 40 minute sets on the hour from 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight. All performances are free to the public, and once again we we have partnered with Metro-North to make the tour a Getaway event.
The day begins with a choice of 12 performances at 12 Noon including a Peace and Justice Singalong with Jenny Murphy and Concerned Families of Westchester at the VFW Plaza in Hastings-on-Hudson which is immediately followed at 1PM by another singalong with the Walkabout Clearwater Chorus celebrating the 100th birthday of Pete Seeger. Hudson Valley Sally will also celebrate Seeger at her 2PM performance at Hastings’ Upstream Gallery (8 Main Street). The day also includes returning favorites Alan Murray & Friends performing mostly piano trios by various composers throughout the day [41 Hollywood Drive, 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM], the Bachtopus accordion quartet at the Dobbs Ferry Lutheran Church (43 Ashford Avenue, 1 PM), Westchester Klezmer Program (2PM, VFW Plaza), Gary Smulyan & Guests on his front porch at 2PM (16 Maple Lane, Hastings), Bash The Trash (11 Wilson Place, Hastings-on-Hudson 2PM), Mark Morganelli and the Jazz Forum All-Stars (Jazz Forum Arts, 1 Dixon Lane, Tarrytown,3:00 PM and 4:00 PM), PNK + GRN: an experience through color and sound in 3 acts at Clockwork Records (24 Main St, HOH, 3 and 5 PM), Old Dogs New Tricks (3PM, Upstream Gallery, HOH), Kimberly Hawkey’s vintage pop music from the 20s, 30s, and 40s (VFW Plaza 3PM), Heartwood performing their organic fusion of world flutes and soulful percussion at the Dobbs Ferry Public library (55 Main St, 6PM) and many more. The day draws to an end at the Irvington Presbyterian Church (25 N. Broadway) with a capella vocal group Aisteon singing pop classics, world, and classical music (10PM) followed by Jon Riss in a solo organ concert at 11PM.
Music Tour venues include public spaces [Kinnally Cove and VFW Plaza both in Hastings], performers living rooms, back yards and front porches, recording studios, Churches, and restaurants.Exciting new venues joining us this year are Joel Arnow’s Big Blue Recording Studio (100 Villard, HOH) featuring live in studio recording sessions open to the public with Open Book (1PM), Jim Koeppel (2PM) and Ursula Hansberry (3PM); Dobbs Ferry resident Dave Bunting who is hosting musicians from his King Killer Studios in Brooklyn in his backyard at 177 Clinton Avenue beginning at 2PM with the Sparrow Sisters and ending with DJ Sets from 8-10PM and at a section of the Dobbs Ferry waterfront hosted by sculptor artist Malcolm McDougall behind his studio at 145 Palisades St in Dobbs Ferry with evening performances by Room 13 (6PM) and The Great American Picturebook (8PM). There are also a multitude of new performers including Marguerite Stern (Upstream Gallery, 1PM), the Hastings Jazz Collective at the First Reformed Church in
Hastings (18 Farragut Avenue, 3PM), The Levins (Upstream Gallery, HOH, 4PM), Elston Gunnn reinterpreting the songs of Bob Dylan (5PM at 37 Amherst, HOH, and 8PM at South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry), and the Denise Reis Trio performing Brazilian music at the First Reformed Church at 6PM.
Restaurants host music too and this year you can enjoy the sounds of Loungezotica on the back deck at Harper’s Restaurant (92 Main St, Dobbs Ferry) at 5PM, and Jim Koeppel performing blues and jazz originals at the Mill (583 Warburton Avenue, Hastings) at 7 and 8 PM.
In addition to performances there are participatory events including: Songs of Peace and Justice Sing Along at 12:00 (VFW Plaza), a Community Song Circle & Jam (70 Hamilton, HOH, 12 Noon and 1 PM), the Music For People Ensemble featuring musical improvisation using structures and games (no experience necessary) at the Dobbs Ferry Public Library (55 Main Street, 4PM), Riverdrummers host a community drum jam in Irvington (25 Whitetail Rd 4PM), and there is a Backyard Stage All-Star Jam in Dobbs Ferry (306 Clinton Avenue, 8PM).
Barbara Prisament, Music Tour Co-Producer says: “As we approach this five year milestone and our Music Tour continues to grow I am beyond moved by the passion for the arts that pervades our communities: not only the depth and breadth of talent, but also the willingness to share it, and appreciate it. It’s always exciting to see performers return and also to discover the new ones that sign up. The experiences are so varied – all day and night backyard parties with live music, sing-a-longs, drum circles, live sessions in a recording studio, lounge music on a restaurant patio, organ music in a church, classical music in an intimate living room setting, bluegrass in a backyard, top-notch jazz on a front porch, – the choices are yours. I hope that everyone has a wonderful music-filled day and evening!
Adam Hart, Music Tour Co-Producer: I have looked forward to this event every year as a performer and as host of solar stage at the Hastings waterfront – a wonderful spot to put down a blanket and enjoy performances from Intuition (3PM), Steve Addabbo (4PM), Riverrun (5PM). This year, as co-producer, I have had the great privilege to coordinate with so many of our local musicians and it’s been such a thrill to discover new music right in our neighborhoods and give them a platform to perform. Hats off to all the performers who give their time to share their talent with the community – both burgeoning and professional – and all of the hosts! I wish every one a great day of music – the Rivertowns are so rich in culture, it is certainly something to be grateful for!
All events are free to the public, donations welcome. For more information and a complete schedule please visit riverarts.org/MT19. Please check that website for last minute updates, including rain locations and last minute changes to the printed schedule.
