Bluegrass in Connecticut – New London: Garde Arts Center Presents the Rock Hearts on February 28
Rock Hearts bring their brand of bluegrass to the Oasis Room at the Garde Arts Center, a cozy 120-seat theater, ideal for jazz and other intimate music, theater, and comedy performances. Help our debut at this amazing theater become a huge success by purchasing your tickets ahead of time! The Oasis Room includes state of the art LED stage lighting and audio, a modular stage and movable seating.
Fri, Feb 28 at 8:00PM Tickets here
Formed in 2013, Rock Hearts brings together five seasoned musicians from Southern New England who love to sing and pick bluegrass, old country tunes, and seek out tunes from other genres to “bluegrass-ify.” Named an Official 2021 IBMA Showcase Band, the band is enjoying national radio and Chart activity. They are a sought after band for major festivals. They are 615 Hideaway record label artists and work closely with label owner, Sammy Passamano, in Nashville, TN. Their first independent project, Starry Southern Nights, put them on the national radar. A year later they signed with Sammy Passamano and released their first 615 Hideaway Records label single from their new project, Wanderlust, which continues to receive outstanding fanfare and radio attention. Their 3rd project and second with the 615, Unfinished Bridges, is by far their best work yet.
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St, New London
Community Contra Dance
JAN 17, 2025, 7-9 PM
In the tradition of New England’s earliest settlers, The Granite and the Redding Grange #15 invite you to a New England Contra Dance to celebrate the traditions of community dancing! You don’t need to bring a partner or have any prior experience. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. Tickets are required. $10 suggested donation.
Tickets For the Contra Dance here
Boston Bluegrass Union’s Jamming Festival “Jam Val” to occur February 14 – 16, 2025
BBU’s JamVal 2025 “Non-Festival“
February 14 – 16, 2025
at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel
JamVal 2025 will be a weekend-long bluegrass “non-festival” focused on jamming held over President’s Day Weekend (February 14 – 16, 2025). There will be dozens of workshops and jams hosted by loads of amazing musicians and teachers, and one big difference from usual festivals: no big stage show to distract from the picking! For those who missed the original JamVal, last year’s schedule is available HERE.
Weekend passes are available for sale now at https://bbu.wildapricot.org/ (day passes go on sale soon). Complete details are at https://bbu.org/events/jamval-faqs/
Bluegrass Situation covers CT Group “Keep Your Eye and Ear on Young Connecticut Bluegrass Group, On the Trail”
By Oriana Mack
“While Boston may claim its title as the bluegrass capital of the Northeast, acoustic quartet On the Trail is living proof that the Connecticut bluegrass scene is not only alive and well, it is thriving. Composed of four impeccable musicians who each attended Western Connecticut State University to earn vastly varying degrees, On the Trail weaves together an uncommon collection of backgrounds to deliver a unique sound.
Drawing inspiration from opera to the Beatles to jazz, these four achieve a sonic richness that will leave listeners edified and enamored. True to their band’s name, they trailblaze full force with the release of their first full-length album, Where Do We Go from Here.
BGS recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Tom Polizzi (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Matt Curley (bass, vocals), Charlie Widmer (guitar, vocals), and Austin Scelzo (fiddle, vocals) to discuss all things On the Trail.”
Bluegrass in Connecticut: Henhouse Prowlers and On the Trail at Fairfield Theater Company
Thursday | February 13, 2025 on StageOne
THE HENHOUSE PROWLERS ARE BLUEGRASS AMBASSADORS.
Founded two decades ago with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass, this Chicago-bred quartet now finds themselves at the intersection of performance, diplomacy, and education.
Onstage, the group’s enthralling performances give audiences a sense of how much they love what they do. On record – including their latest offering, 2023’s Lead and Iron, released via Dark Shadow Recording – the band explores their collective life experiences through songwriting and intricate instrumentation. While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Prowlers’ music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all their own.
Working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors, the Prowlers have toured over 25 countries across the globe. The group’s experiences with people and musicians across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have shaped the band’s worldview and broadened the group’s direction towards bridging cultural gaps with music, educational programs, and workshops. Using traditional American music as a foundation, connecting folk music, customs, and history the world over, the Prowlers incorporate international elements into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music.
Whether playing live or presenting seminars, wherever they are, the Henhouse Prowlers find and spread the commonality we share as human beings through the universal language of music. You can feel it at every show.
On the Trail is a modern acoustic band that explores everything from bluegrass to contemporary pop, from stunning instrumentals to beautiful traditional songs. The group was founded through their love of bluegrass and the band the Punch Brothers. They have already gained recognition and praise for their exploration and strong execution of the challenging music, as well as for their new original music. Most recently, On the Trail had the honor of winning the 2022 Thomas Point Beach Band Competition after participating in 2021’s Telefunken Battle of the Bands at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival. They also were selected as an Emerging Artist at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2023. On The Trail features Austin Scelzo (fiddle and vocals), Tom Polizzi (mandolin and vocals), Charlie Widmer (guitar and vocals) and Matt Curley (upright bass and vocals). Their debut self-titled EP On the Trail is also available for streaming on all platforms.
Get involved with the Connecticut Bluegrass Association
We have lots more we would like to get done! From a list of local teachers to a YouTube and Instagram presence, we are looking for volunteers to help out.
Please reach out to CTBluegrassAssociation@gmail.com if you’d like to be involved.
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