JonShain
Jon Shain is a veteran singer-songwriter who’s been turning heads for years with his words, his fiery acoustic guitar work, and his evolved musical style – combining improvised piedmont blues with bluegrass, swing, and ragtime. Shain’s newest disc, a duet album with Joe Newberry, Crow the Dawn, was just released in January, 2016.
In addition to the new album with Joe Newberry, and a live album with Jon Shain Trio, Jon has released eight studio albums, working with studio luminaries such as Dave Mattacks, Tom Dube, and Chris Stamey, along the way. In addition to festival slots and headlining club dates, the last few years has seen Shain playing esteemed listening rooms and opening sold out theatre shows for John Hiatt, Keb’ Mo’, Little Feat, and others.
Walter Parks
For ten years, musician and writer Walter Parks toured the world and recorded as sideman/guitarist to Woodstock legend Richie Havens. Parks, a Florida native, presents a creative mix of swamp blues, folk and jazz delivered sometimes in an ambient style and sometime in a gritty-rootsy style. Parks’ repertoire is half originals and half covers that he performs on acoustic and electric guitars. As a solo artist Walter played the U.S., Canada, Germany and Spain. As guitarist for Mr. Havens, Parks played the entire world with notable concerts at Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall and The Glastonbury Festival in England. In 2014, Walter performed at Lincoln Center with Judy Collins for the Pete Seeger tribute concert. For fans of Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen this would be a recommended show.
“Walter Parks is an extraordinary singer whose songs can break your heart as well as get you dancing. Lyrical and political, personal and otherworldly at the same time, transcendent as well as down to earth, Walter is a musical treasure, an artist of the highest caliber. To hear him is to be lifted into a mystical sphere. I adore him.” – Judy Collins
“A listen to Parks’ soulful Americana rock is to be immersed in warm guitar melodies, smoky vocals and troubadour narratives that gather strength with age.” – WNYC