No instrument has spoken in more voices to more people than the guitar, and over the past decade no festival has sought out the modulations in those voices and the range of the guitar's cultural expressions than the New York Guitar Festival.
Following its success since 1999 (with rave reviews in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Jazz Times as well as sister festivals in Urbana, Illinois and Adelaide Australia), the New York Guitar Festival announces its tenth season of concert performances, January 8 though February 4, 2010.
The festival boasts over 30 exceptional guitarists of jazz, classical, rock, traditional, and avant garde styles. Participating venues include Merkin Concert Hall, The 92nd Street Y, The World Financial Center's Winter Garden, Le Poisson Rouge and Barbes. Concerts range from an all-day Guitar Marathon interpreting the music of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries, (featuring, among other internationally-famous musicians, the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Paul O'Dette, Ana Vidovic, Eliot Fisk, Paul Galbraith and Nigel North) to the Hindustani slide guitar music of Debashish Bhattacharya.
The festival also has a history of commissioning remarkable original works, and the 2010 season breaks yet more new ground by presenting ten classic silent films (seven by Chaplin, one by Keaton and two by Harry Smith) accompanied by original scores performed live by a spectacularly rich and varied coterie of guitarists: Gyan Riley, Alex de Grassi, Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver), Steve Kimock, James Blackshaw, Marc Ribot, David Bromberg and the members of Chicha Libre.
The New York Guitar Festival, a not-for-profit arts organization, was founded in 1999 by musician and producer David Spelman, who serves as its Artistic Director. The Festival's goal is to broaden the public's appreciation for the guitar by fostering emerging talent, supporting innovative collaborations among outstanding artists, and commissioning new works. In addition to producing eclectic concerts and radio broadcasts, its Guitar Harvest series of recordings supports outreach programs in New York City public schools.
CONCERT SCHEDULE:
World Financial Center's Winter Garden
Battery Park City, bordered by West Street, the Hudson River, Vesey and Liberty Streets. Tickets and information: (212) 417-7000 / www.worldfinancialcenter.com.
Friday, January 8, 8:00pm
FREE OPENING NIGHT CONCERT
Slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya, and his tabla-playing brother Subashish will present an evening of Hindustani guitar music. This Grammy-nominated artist is one of India's most esteemed musicians and has performed with musicians such as Derek Trucks, Jerry Douglas and John McLaughlin. Debashish's music, spirit, and generosity have won him new admirers and devotees around the world and we are thrilled to have him open our tenth anniversary festival. www.debashishbhattacharya.com
Merkin Concert Hall
Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street
Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org
Thursday, January 14, 8 p.m.
Silent Films/Live Guitars
Charlie Chaplin's The Immigrant + The Kid
Music by David Bromberg and Marc Ribot
2008 Grammy nominee David Bromberg is known for his eclectic combination of blues, bluegrass, jazz, folk, country, and rock. He's recorded and performed with Reverend Gary Davis, Jorma Kaukonen, Jerry Garcia, Bob Dylan and George Harrison among others and is presenting the premiere of newly commissioned music for Charlie Chaplin's 1917 The Immigrant. Style-morphing icon Marc Ribot has lent his mercurial guitar sounds to collaborations including Robert Plant and Alison Kraus, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and John Zorn, and will improvise a score for Chaplin's 1921 classic, The Kid.
Merkin Concert Hall
Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street
Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org
Thursday, January 21, 8 p.m.
Silent Films/Live Guitars
Charlie Chaplin's One A.M. and Easy Street + Buster Keaton's Cops
Music by Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Steve Kimock
Bon Iver is the nom-de-guerre of musician Justin Vernon. His album For Emma, Forever Ago was a critical and commercial hit, making him one of the most talked-about indie artists of 2008. For his scores to One A.M. & Easy Street, he's joined by Chris Rosenau, of Collection of Colonies of Bees, whom Justin calls his "guitar mentor." Steve Kimock is best known as co-founder and guitarist for the San Francisco band Zero. He's recorded and performed with Bruce Hornsby and members of the Grateful Dead-Jerry Garcia once hailed him as his favorite guitarist. He performs music for Buster Keaton's Cops.
Merkin Concert Hall
Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street
Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org
Thursday, January 28, 8 p.m.
Silent Films/Live Guitars
Charlie Chaplin's Shoulder Arms and The Fall of the House of Usher (directed by James Sibley Watson and Melville Webber)
Music by Alex de Grassi + James Blackshaw
One of the top fingerstyle, steel-string guitarists, Grammy nominee Alex de Grassi is renowned for his impeccable technique and compelling compositions. He's explored a variety of world music influences and drawn acclaim for his 14 recordings on Windham Hill and other labels. He presents his original score for Chaplin's 1918 masterpiece Shoulder Arms. James Blackshaw is a London-based prodigy who's released seven albums of mesmerizing 12-string compositions. His style is often described as "American primitive" and incorporates elements of Indian raga, improvisation, and psychedelia.
92nd Street Y
Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street
Tickets and information: 212-415-5500 / www.92Y.org
Sunday, January 31, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., with a break at 5 p.m.
The Guitar Marathon: Bach
Music by Paul O'Dette, Brazilian Guitar Quartet, Eliot Fisk, Paul Galbraith, David Leisner, Nigel North, Gyan Riley, Benjamin Verdery, Ana Vidovic, Jason Vieaux, and additional artists to be announced.
Our 5th biannual Guitar Marathon at the 92nd Street Y's Kaufman Auditorium is co-curated by Paul O'Dette and the NYGF's David Spelman. Some of today's finest classical guitarists and lutenists will reveal the different facets of the music of J.S. Bach and his contemporaries. The event runs from 2-10pm, with a break at 5pm. "An epic event" is how the The Wall Street Journal classified our first Marathon, and Jazz Times called it "a veritable guitar orgy." Half and full-day tickets will be available in August. Presented in association with WNYC Radio and broadcast on 93.9 FM.
Merkin Concert Hall
Goodman House, 129 West 67th Street
Tickets and information: 212-501-3330 • kaufman-center.org
Thursday, February 4th, 8 p.m.
Silent Films/Live Guitars
Charlie Chaplin's The Pilgrim and shorts by Harry Smith
Music by Chicha Libre + Gyan Riley
The Peruvian-influenced psychedelic pop of Chicha Libre mixes Colombian cumbia, dreamy surf guitar, and Andean melodies. They present their score to Chaplin's 1923 The Pilgrim. Gyan Riley is an equally strong presence in the worlds of classical guitar and contemporary music. He's performed throughout Europe and the U.S., both as a soloist and in ensembles with Zakir Hussain, the San Francisco Symphony, the Falla Guitar Trio, and his father, the composer/pianist/vocalist Terry Riley.
