Bluegrass legends Tony Trischka, Bruce Molsky, and Michael Daves headline this year’s Down County Jump festival at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield, Mass., today and Saturday. Also on tap are the 30-person Driftwood Chorus, a newly formed, Hudson Valley-based polyphonic ensemble led by renowned Balkan Romani vocalist Eva Salina; Flophouse Follies, a Berkshire-based trio featuring Heather Fisch, Kip Beacco, and Alex Harvey, channeling the mischievous spirit of parlor ballads, novelty tunes, and vaudeville satires of the ragtime era, and Cajun accordionist and vocalist Jesse Lége, among many other performers. (Fri-Sat, Jun 13-14)
Grammy Award-nominated PUBLIQuartet will perform its program, What Is American: Rhythm Nation, a concert of works by Jeff Scott, Henry Threadgill, Mazz Swift, and Jessica Meyer, on Saturday, June 14, at 3pm, in Ancramdale, N.Y., in a concert to benefit the presenter, Clarion Concerts. The New York City-based improvising string quartet blends genres and highlights American multiculturalism. (Sat, Jun 14)
Renowned opera singer and recitalist Stephanie Blythe pays tribute to 20th-century pop songwriter Johnny Mercer in “Mister Inbetween” at Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Mass., on Sunday and Monday, June 15-16, at 8pm. Mezzo-soprano Blythe has had a long association with the Metropolitan Opera. Johnny Mercer’s best-known songs include “Moon River,” “Days of Wine and Roses,” and “Autumn Leaves.” (Sun-Mon, Jun 15-16)
Also of note:
Jazz Passengers bring their fusion of post-bop and musical comedy to the Rosendale Theatre in Rosendale, N.Y., tonight at 8pm. The group includes cofounder Roy Nathanson (soprano and alto sax), Bill Ware (vibes), Brad Jones (bass), E.J. Rodriguez (drums), Sam Bardfeld (violin), Gabe Nathanson (vocals, trumpet), Lucy Hollier (trombone), and Isaiah Barr (tenor sax). Their name is a take-off on Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, revealing the musicians’ wild ride along the eccentric currents in modern American music.
Singer-guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, best known for his work with Hot Tuna and Jefferson Airplane, brings his blend of country- and folk-blues to Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, N.Y., for back-to-back shows tonight and Saturday at 8pm.
The Clyde Criner All-Stars will pay tribute to the late keyboardist, composer, and Williams College alumnus at the ‘62 Center at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., on Saturday at 1pm. The group includes Avery Sharpe (bassist for McCoy Tyner and Yusef Lateef) and Pittsfield native Royal Hartigan (drums), both of whom played in Clyde’s original trio, saxophonist Kris Allen, and pianist Joe Mulholland, and will perform compositions by Albany native Clyde Criner, Avery Sharpe, Joe Gold (a Williams College classmate of Criner’s) and others.
Brazilian musician Tarcisio Ramos and his quartet play traditional choro and other Brazilian music in a free concert at Trinity Church in Lenox, Mass., on Sunday at 3pm.
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center plays works by Beethoven and Dvořák in the Spa Little Theatre at SPAC in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on Sunday at 3pm.
Seth Rogovoy is editor of the Rogovoy Report, available at rogovoyreport.substack.com.
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