Monday, September 29, 2008

Soon come!

6th Annual Art of Sound Festival
When: October 17, 18, 19.
(Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Sunday afternoon)
What: 30-some bands and performers on several stages throughout Uptown Shelby.
High quality music with something for everyone.
Sponsored by the Cleveland County Arts Center, the City of Shelby and others
For information, ticket prices and schedules please call 704-484-6476 or www.artofsoundcc.com
Volunteers always welcome.


The Cleveland County Arts Council and sponsors will proudly present the sixth annual version of the Art of Sound Music Festival the third weekend in October. There will be events all three days this year, from Friday, October 17, through Saturday and Sunday, the 18th and 19th.

As in previous years, Saturday’s lineup will comprise the bulk of the festival, from about 11:00 AM running until about 11:00 PM. The site will continue to be the Uptown Shelby area and several intimate venues including an outdoor (free) stage, the Arts Center, First National Bank, old Farmer’s Market (experience it for the last time before renovations begin), the student stage on the Courthouse Square, and Shelby Music Center .

Friday evening’s activities will consist of the Frank Love Orchestra at First National Bank, and Dale Brittain followed by Acoustic Syndicate at the Farmer’s Market Stage. On Sunday, the 19th, renowned mandolinist Mike Marshall will join the Shelby High Orchestra for a collaborative concert.

The weekend of top-notch music in many genres promises to be the best yet, building on a tradition begun in 2002 to showcase excellence in all types of music from the local area, the region, and beyond. There will be Bluegrass, Jazz, Gospel, Cajun, Celtic, Standards, acapella Gullah singers, Old-time string band music, Swing, and Country to name a few. The following is a sampling of the total package.

For the first time playing for a wide audience in the area, Harold Williamson brings his New Wondering Souls band to the Art of Sound stage. Harold grew up in Cleveland County, took his dreams to New York City and the stages and studios of Harlem and recorded albums, then brought his music back home and eventually recruited a band from this area and is recording and performing again. His music is original, with lyrics from his personal trials and triumphs. The sound is big and powerful vocally, deeply rooted in R & B and gospel instrumentation that will draw you in.

Bluegrass and some of its branches will be well represented, including solo work from second timer Jack Lawrence. The FlintHill Band continue to grow as local favorites. They’re writing good music and interpreting gems from the past. Dean Jencks is one that has picked up the challenge of working from the county that produced an icon like Earl Scruggs and he is one of the best. Tenor Harold Simpson is part of the vocal glue that holds together their trio and quartet work while contributing a solid and musical bass line.

The wooden floor of the Farmer’s market will provide a fitting canvas for three good string bands that not only play and sing great old time material, but also will provide a groove for anyone who feels the urge to shuffle their feet. This is the music that inspires the old southern flat foot and buck dancing that has gotten a little scarce in these parts. If you know someone who has held on to any of this old time dance tradition somewhere between square dancing and modern clogging, get them down to see the Slate Mountain Ramblers, the Buffalo Creek String Band, and the Hush Puppies. Fiddler Richard Bowman and family (Slate Mountain) always get a stage full of dancers to join them when they play places like the Tommy Jarrell Festival in Mount Airy. If you’re not familiar, this is basically one step back from bluegrass into a more dance-oriented groove.

Fans of jazzy stuff, big guitars and big vocals, will have a lot to enjoy. Calvin Edwards will get you moving to the sound of his archtop jazz guitar and a tight ensemble. Ann Caldwell and Roger Bellow will sing and play some of the best music ever composed. That’s the stuff we now affectionately call the standards. One Leg Up plays Swing in the tradition of Django Rhinehardt and Joe Venuti. It’s exciting just to be near this interplay of sounds. Carey’s Fridley’s bass and vocals anchor the swing guitars horn and strings -- you’re going to want to dance to this too.

IIIrd Tyme Out is one of the big names in bluegrass , winning awards for seven consecutive years as Best Vocal Group by the IBMA. Critics have called them “the complete band from stage left to stage right.” Founding member Russell Moore (guitar), Steve Dilling (banjo), Justin Haynes (fiddle), Wayne Benson (mandolin) and Edgar Loudermilk (bass) have carved out a place for themselves as a distinctive band, worthy of the role of one of our top draws for this year’s lineup.

Mama Said is back and we’re proud to claim them. Phil Ruff recently won the 2008 Chris Austin Songwriting contest at Merlefest in the Gospel category for “Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.” Their new CD is called “Take Root” and is getting a lot of respect and airplay.

Speaking of traditional music, Gullah culture is the name given to the African American music from the South Carolina and Georgia coast and islands that came out of slavery days. Ann Caldwell and the Magnolia Singers will bring the unaccompanied sound of pure joy of living and spiritual roots from Charleston where they live and have played the Spoleto Festival. In this music are the roots of blues and jazz.

The Wrights are a husband and wife singing duets and carrying on the great Country tradition with a fresh and compelling sound. Adam and Shannon Wright, natives of Georgia, now work out of Nashville and write original material as well as interpreting others such as Willie Nelson and Don Williams.

The Old Ceremony will deliver a unique rock and roll experience drawing on a wide range of influences and instrumentation. The Chapel Hill based group defies general description but makes music that’s fun, danceable and sophisticated all at the same time.
Need Celtic music with bagpipes? Gael Warning is one of the projects that Tom Eure is associated with. See him alsowith Gator Gumbo for Cajun flavor or solo in the Early Bird Café.

The best way to plan your Art of Sound day and weekend, is to get a program (now available on the website), come early so you get the most value, and maybe make a point of trying something completely unknown. It’s not likely you’ll be disappointed.