A highly selective preview of cultural events taking place this weekend in the greater Hudson, N.Y., region, including folk-jazz royalty; a jazz guitar legend; a celebration of Chopin; an Obie Award-winning play; abstract art; and more.
Jen Chapin (photo Merri Cyr)
JEN CHAPIN to BRING SOULFUL, JAZZY ‘URBAN FOLK’ to HELSINKI HUDSON
(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Singer-songwriter Jen Chapin brings her unique style of soulful, jazzy “urban folk” to Club Helsinki Hudson on Sunday, August 13, at 7pm, as part of the Rogovoy Salon, a new music and literary series curated and hosted by cultural journalist and music critic Seth Rogovoy.
Chapin, who performed several memorable concerts in the original Club Helsinki listening room in Great Barrington, Mass., has been celebrated for writing “brilliant soulfully poetic urban folk music” (NPR) for well over a decade, beginning with her stunning debut album, “Open Wide,” in 2002, followed up by “Linger” in 2004, which featured such sensual numbers as “Good at Love” and “Little Hours” alongside her sociopolitically charged “Passive People” and her poignant 9/11 eulogy, “Hurry Up Sky.” The song “Let It Show” on 2006’s “Ready” was one of her first songs dealing with the responsibilities of parenthood, while the title track once again was a sultry, bedroom number.
Freddie Bryant
JAZZ WORKSHOP CULMINATES with FREDDIE BRYANT at HUDSON HALL
(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Jazz guitarist/composer Freddie Bryant headlines the 11th annual Hudson Jazz Workshop concert at Hudson Hall on Sunday, August 13, at 4:30pm. Bryant will perform with Hudson Jazzworks artistic directors Armen Donelian (piano) and Marc Mommaas (saxophone) as well as an international line-up of workshop participants. The concert is preceded by a free talk with the artists at 4pm.
Caleb Teicher & Company
(CHATHAM, N.Y.) – Caleb Teicher & Company brings its mix of tap, lindy hop, and vernacular jazz dance to PS21 on Friday-Saturday, August 11 and 12, at 8pm, as part of the Chatham Dance Festival. The PS21 program will include Variations, in which three tap dancers make Bach’s Goldberg Variations leap from the page; Small & Tall, in which “small” Macy Sullivan and “tall” Lindsey Jones pair up for a funny and heartwarming duet; and Meet Ella, in which Teicher collaborates with swing legend Nathan Bugh to riff to the music of Ella Fitzgerald.
Claire McMillan (photo Molly Nook)
LEE MATTHEW GOLDBERG, CLAIRE McMILLAN & LAURIE STONE to READ AT SPOTTY DOG in VOLUME SERIES
(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Authors Lee Matthew Goldberg, Claire McMillan, and Laurie Stone will read from their works at Spotty Dog Books & Ale on Saturday, August 12, at 7pm, as part of Volume, the free monthly reading and music series every second Saturday of the month. The readings will be followed by book-signing and a DJ set by Andy French.
Caroline Shaw
HIGH PEAKS FESTIVAL CELEBRATES FEMALE COMPOSERS at BASILICA HUDSON
(HUDSON, N.Y.) – The Catskill High Peaks Festival brings its summer-long focus on women composers to Basilica Hudson on Friday, August 11, at 8pm. The event features various chamber music combinations and crossover repertoire including cello chorus, violin and mandolin ensembles, and the High Peaks Chamber orchestra, in works by Vivaldi and notable women composers, historic and contemporary, including Amy Beach, Lily Boulanger, Caroline Shaw, and Grazyna Bacewicz. Performers include Irina Muresanu and Peter Zazofsky, violin; Michael Strauss, viola; Yehuda Hanani, Paul Dwyer and DoYeon Kim, cello; Michael Chertock and Mikael Darmanie, piano.
Jenny Nelson, Bend, 2017
ABSTRACTIONS EXHIBITION OPENS at CARRIE HADDAD GALLERY
(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Abstractions, a new multi-artist exhibition featuring works by Jenny Nelson, Stephen Walling, Juan Garcia-Nunez, Bruce Murphy, Christopher Engel, Joe Wheaton, and John Griebsch goes on view at Carrie Haddad Gallery on Wednesday, August 9, and runs through Sunday, September 24. A reception for the artists takes place on Saturday, August 12, from 5 to 7pm.
The exhibition features new abstract paintings by Jenny Nelson; 3-D wooden wall sculpture by Stephen Walling; a new series of abstract watercolors by Juan Garcia-Nunez; enamel sheet metal paintings by Bruce Murphy; gestural abstract paintings by Christopher Engel; and oxidized metal sculpture by Joe Wheaton. The upstairs gallery will feature aerial landscape photography by John Griebsch.
Maria-Christina Oliveras
OBIE AWARD-WINNING ‘WE’RE GONNA DIE’ GETS ANCRAM OPERA HOUSE STAGING
(ANCRAM, N.Y.) – Maria-Christina Oliveras stars in the Obie Award-winning play “We’re Gonna Die” by Young Jean Lee at Ancram Opera House on Friday-Saturday, August 4-5, and again on Friday-Saturday, August 11-12. All shows are at 8pm.
A blend of storytelling, music, and theater, “We’re Gonna Die” examines the universal experience of life’s unavoidable truths. A singer takes the stage, backed by her band, and tells slyly humorous stories about the one thing we all have in common. This play with live music boldly explores some of life’s darkest moments with humor and insight.
The Singer will be played by multi-talented actor Maria-Christina Oliveras, whose extensive theater, TV and film credits include “Taylor Mac’s 24 Hour History of Music” (St. Ann’s Warehouse); “Here Lies Love” (The Public); “Amelie” “Machinal” (Roundabout); “Law & Order: SVU” “Nurse Jackie” “Ugly Betty” “St. Vincent de Van Nuys” and “Time Out of Mind.”
Fryderyk Chopin by Maria Wodzinska (1819-96)
BARD MUSIC FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ALL THINGS CHOPIN
(ANNANDALE-on-HUDSON, N.Y.) – Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin, who transformed the aesthetic potential of the piano, will be celebrated at the Bard Music Festival, running for two weekends (August 11-13 and August 18-20) in the Fisher Center at Bard College. Twelve themed concert programs will be complemented by pre-concert lectures, panel discussions, two special events, and expert commentary.