(HUDSON, N.Y.) – Banjoist Noam Pikelny will lead an all-star bluegrass outfit at Club Helsinki Hudson on Sunday, February 23, 2014, at 8pm, performing as Noam Pikelny & Friends featuring Brian Sutton, Luke Bulla, Barry Bales & Jesse Cobb. With each member being a front man in his own right, the band will present an evening of original and classic bluegrass music.
An Evening with Noam Pikelny (banjo), Bryan Sutton (guitar), Luke Bulla (fiddle), Barry Bales (bass), and Jesse Cobb (mandolin) marks a historic collaboration between five of the most celebrated acoustic instrumentalists and singers of our time. These musical friends are gathering in concert to share with audiences an experience that customarily only happens behind closed doors, whether backstage at a festival or at a Nashville picking party.
Noam Pikelny has emerged as the preeminent banjoist among a new generation of acoustic musicians. A founding member of Punch Brothers, Pikelny has helped broaden the awareness of the banjo in the mainstream through numerous collaborations on stage and in the studio. In September of 2010, Pikelny was awarded the first annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass and was recently nominated for a Grammy for his album, “Beat The Devil and Carry A Rail.”
Bryan Sutton is one of the most sought after acoustic guitarists on the planet. Sutton entered the bluegrass world in 1995 as a member of Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder band, playing on two Grammy Award-winning records. His playing can be heard along side such names as Keith Urban, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, and Harry Connick Jr. Sutton has also released four solo projects and toured the world with artists such as Béla Fleck and Chris Thile, and as a member of the legendary bluegrass band, Hot Rize.
A member of Alison Krauss + Union Station for the past 23 years, Barry Bales has carved out a successful career as band member, session musician, producer, and songwriter. He has worked with such diverse artists as Merle Haggard, the Civil Wars, Dolly Parton, Elvis Costello, the Chieftains, and Shania Twain. He was heavily involved in the making of the soundtrack for the movie “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” Additionally, Bales has received 14 Grammy Awards, one Country Music Association award, one Academy of Country Music award, and 11 International Bluegrass Music Association awards, including Bass Player of the Year in 2008.
As a young man, Luke Bulla made his mark on the fiddle contest world with 7 wins at the National Oldtime Fiddlers Contest, where he set a new record as the youngest person to make the top 10 at the Grand Masters. For the last 14 years, Bulla has been working as a session player, songwriter, and live performer with artists such as Ricky Skaggs, John Cowan, Jerry Douglas, and Lyle Lovett.
Jesse Cobb is a much sought after mandolinist known for his strong rhythmic presence and lyrical leads. Jesse has toured extensively in the US and Europe, taught at major festivals and camps, and as a member of The Infamous Stringdusters, has won awards and accolades from the bluegrass and Americana communities including a Grammy nomination for the band in 2011.
For reservations in The Restaurant or in the club call 518.828.4800.