{"id":37802,"date":"2022-12-08T09:49:05","date_gmt":"2022-12-08T14:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=37802"},"modified":"2022-12-08T09:49:07","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T14:49:07","slug":"on-stage-matt-cappy-taps-into-holiday-spirit-at-city-winery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/?p=37802","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Matt Cappy taps into holiday spirit at City Winery"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Matt Cappy<\/p><\/div>\n

Matt Cappy, one of the top young trumpeters in the jazz scene, is a musician on the move.<\/p>\n

On December 15, he will travel 1,125 miles south to be a guest performer at the Mississippi Jazz Foundation\u2019s 19th Annual \u201cNight of Musical Artistry\u201d in Jackson, Mississippi.<\/p>\n

In April, Cappy will travel 3,400 miles overseas to start a U.K. tour in Manchester, England.<\/p>\n

But, before he starts racking up frequent flier miles, he will make a 20-mile trip from his home in Collingswood, New Jersey on December 8 to Philadelphia for a return engagement at City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, citywinery.com<\/a>). Cappy played to a standing room crowd at the venue back in May.<\/p>\n

The show at City Winery is billed as the \u201cMatt Cappy Holiday Show.\u201d <\/p>\n

In addition to travelling to perform live shows, Cappy has been travelling from his South Jersey home to University City in Philly to work on a new album at Drexel University\u2019s Studio One.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy previous album \u2018Tales of the Tape,\u2019 was recorded there,\u201d said Cappy, during a phone interview from Jersey on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve gone back there to record my next album because it\u2019s the most advanced studio in the city. And I get to work with my friend Ryan Moys, who is a great engineer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been recording there for a while \u2013 since the end of October and into November. I slide in there on Wednesday mornings. Drexel students are able to work on the process.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cappy\u2019s debut album, \u201cChurch and State,\u201d was released in June 2017. \u201cTales of the Tape\u201d was released in June 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m nine songs into my third album,\u201d said Cappy. \u201cThey are all originals. \u2018Tales of the Tape\u2019 was also all originals. The new songs have a Herbie Hancock \u2018Head Hunters\u2019 vibe with a Fender Rhodes motif.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hancock is an American\u00a0jazz\u00a0pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer who has played in bands with\u00a0Donald Byrd, Miles Davis and Bill Laswell. In the 1970s, Hancock experimented with\u00a0jazz fusion,\u00a0funk, and\u00a0electro\u00a0styles, utilizing a wide array of\u00a0synthesizers\u00a0and electronics. It was during this period that he released perhaps his best-known and most influential album,\u00a0\u201cHead Hunters.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Fender Rhodes piano is an electric piano which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, the hammers strike thin metal tines, which vibrate next to an electromagnetic pickup.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy new music is Rhodes-based with a groove like \u2018Head Hunters\u2019 \u2013 with a fresh twist on that,\u201d said Cappy. \u201cThis album is just me and my Rhodes \u2013 more keyboards and less trumpet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m hoping to have it done by the first quarter \u2013 hopefully April before I head off for the U.K. tour. I am thinking about releasing a single before then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before any of that, there is the \u201cMatt Cappy Holiday Show\u201d this week.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be a Matt Cappy show bookended by a Christmas show,\u201d said Cappy. \u201cI\u2019ll probably do \u2018Ave Maria\u2019 and maybe \u2018Amazing Grace\u2019 from my first album.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cappy\u2019s current band features Dan Rouse on keyboards, Andrew Marsh on drums, Tone Whitfield on bass and Zach Lopresti on guitar.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of them have been with me in the studio for the new album,\u201d said Cappy. \u201cFor the show at City Winery, Dan is out of town, so we\u2019ll have Dana Bennett on keyboards. We\u2019ll also have my good friend V Roane from Paulsboro on vocals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Valvin \u201cV\u201d Roane\u00a0is an American R&B\/soul singer and songwriter who has worked on projects with artists such as Anthony Hamilton, Jill Scott, Justin Timberlake, Musiq Soulchild, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will be the first time for me to do one of my shows with a vocalist,\u201d said Cappy. \u201cV is a soul singer with a velvety voice. We\u2019ll be doing my originals with a sprinkling of nice Christmas songs. I\u2019m really looking forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

One week after his Philly gig, Cappy will perform at a benefit show in the Magnolia State.<\/p>\n

The Mississippi Jazz Foundation\u2019s 19th Annual \u201cNight of Musical Artistry,\u201d which is a project by Ann Burton and the Burton Family, seeks to promote jazz musicians and jazz education. The MJF \u201cAnnual Night of Musical Artistry\u201d is a fall holiday jazz concert that serves as the organization\u2019s premier fundraising event to provide further support to the promotion of music education, as well as academic and performing arts, while honoring those individuals who have made substantial contributions to music and performing arts industry and providing scholarships to deserving students.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis event has a 20-year history,\u201d said Cappy. \u201cAnn Burton contacted me and said \u2013 we want to get you down here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cappy\u00a0has toured and\/or performed with a wide array of top-flight musicians including Jill Scott, Maxwell, The Roots, Kirk Franklin, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, Bilal, Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Leela James, Jeff Bradshaw, Gerald Levert, Fred Hammond, Mary Mary, Yolanda Adams, The O\u2019Jays, The Moody Blues, Gerald Veasley, Marah, Slo-Mo and John Train.<\/p>\n

His first real breakthrough came when performing with Jill Scott\u2019s band but there was a lot of music in his life long before that happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom was musical,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy. \u201cShe played the clarinet. My grandfather was a Methodist minister, and my grandmother played the piano in church.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he was young, his parents moved from New York to Berlin, New Jersey. In high school,\u00a0Cappy\u00a0played in the highly regarded Overbrook High music program in Pine Hill, New Jersey.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverbrook was a great music school,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy. \u201cThey had state competitions in New Jersey for music bands \u2013 sort of like they do for marching bands. We placed first in the state twice when I was in school.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his senior year,\u00a0Cappy\u00a0received the New Jersey Governor\u2019s Award for the Arts. Next on tap was studies at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cI majored in trumpet performance at the University of the Arts and then got a master\u2019s degree in education there in 1997,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy.<\/p>\n

He began playing clubs around the Philly area and that set the stage for the jump to the next level.<\/p>\n

\u201cBack in 1999, I was sitting in at a club in Philly \u2013 Wilhelmina\u2019s\u00a0on South 11th Street,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy. \u201cSome of the guys from Jill Scott\u2019s band were in the club. When they heard me play, they asked me to join the band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott is a singer, songwriter, model, poet and actress who is a native of North Philadelphia and a graduate of Girls\u2019 High and Temple University. Her 2000 debut album,\u00a0\u201cWho Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds Vol. 1,\u201d went platinum, and the follow-ups\u00a0\u2013 \u201cBeautifully Human: Words and Sounds Vol. 2\u201d\u00a0(2004) and\u00a0\u201cThe Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3\u201d\u00a0(2007) \u2014 both achieved gold status.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Jill Scott hit, \u2018Neo Soul\u2019 didn\u2019t exist,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy. \u201cThen, \u2018A Long Walk\u2019 took off in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA Long Walk,\u201d which was on Scott\u2019s debut album, was a Top 10 R&B hit in the U.S. and a Top 50 chart single in the U.K. in 2001.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight after that, she opened for Sting on his U.S. tour,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy. \u201cThat got a lot of press.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cappy\u00a0was off to a good start.<\/p>\n

Over the last 20 years, his talent has taken him around the world, into network TV studios, concert halls and clubs, performing and recording with musical giants like Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Earth, Wind and Fire.<\/p>\n

When he\u2019s not on the road,\u00a0Cappy\u00a0stays busy with gigs and recording sessions in New York City and Philadelphia, particularly in the \u201cNeo-Soul\u201d R&B scene centered at Larry Gold\u2019s The Studio. His reputation as a soulful trumpet player has led to touring, performing and cutting tracks with Grammy-winning acts such as Scott, the Roots and gospel superstar Kirk Franklin.<\/p>\n

Cappy\u00a0also has an impressive resume of studio work. Some of his other recording credits include work with jazz\/R&B greats such as Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Arturo Sandoval, Wallace Roney, and Stanley Clarke and Earth, Wind & Fire.<\/p>\n

He has recorded on multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning albums, including Fred Hammond\u2019s \u201cFree to Worship,\u201d and Kirk Franklin\u2019s \u201cThe Fight of My Life,\u201d which both won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album in 2008 and 2009, respectively. He also recorded on the John Legend and The Roots album\u00a0\u201cWake Up!\u201d\u00a0(Grammy Award for Best R&B Album 2011) and Alejandro Sanz\u2019s \u201cSirope\u201d (Latin Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Pop Vocal Album 2015).<\/p>\n

\u201cI played on the song \u2018Butterflies\u2019 from Michael Jackson\u2019s \u2018Invincible\u2019 album in 2001,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy. \u201cThe song was written by Jackson, Andre Harri and Marsha Ambrosius. Four years ago, Marsha sang on a track on my first album.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cappy\u2019s strengths include more than just providing melodies. He is a musician with the ability to make his instrument work as a vocal part of the song \u2013 similar to British guitar legend Jeff Beck, who can make a guitar sing like no other.<\/p>\n

Ironically, both\u00a0Cappy\u00a0and Beck have recorded versions of the operatic classic \u201cNessun Dorma,\u201d an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini\u2019s \u201cTurandot.\u201d In both recordings, listeners can hear the instruments \u201cvocalizing\u201d Puccini\u2019s lyrics.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to sing through my trumpet,\u201d said\u00a0Cappy\u00a0\u2013 stating the obvious.<\/p>\n

Video link for Matt\u00a0Cappy\u00a0\u2014\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/WPBrf6nAuvA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on December 8 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $18.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at City Winery are Tyler Fischer on December 9, Tamika Patton on December 9, Tim Reynolds on December 10 and Raheem DeVaughn on December 13 and 14.<\/p>\n

\"\"

QDK<\/p><\/div>\n

QDK is happening on December 10 in Lancaster.<\/p>\n

What is QDK?<\/p>\n

It could stand for:<\/p>\n

A. Quantum Development Kit \u2013 Microsoft\u2019s Quantum Development Kit which contains the tools you’ll need to build your own quantum computing programs and experiments.<\/p>\n

B. A nickname for radio station WQDK from Gatesville, North Carolina broadcasting a country music format as \u201cNew Country and the Legends.\u201d<\/p>\n

C. A trio that performs a blend of rock and roll, electric blues, surf, and rockabilly music — a band that might have rockabilly songs from its album played on WQDK (if it had an album).<\/p>\n

The correct answer is \u201cC.\u201d<\/p>\n

QDK is a Pennsylvania based band featuring guitarist Quentin Jones, drummer David Uosikkinen, and bassist Kenny Aaronson.<\/p>\n

On December 10, QDK will headline a show at Zoetropolis (112 North Water Street, Lancaster, www.zoetropolis.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Their first gig as QDK was for Gretsch Guitars at the world-famous Street Sounds in Brooklyn to an SRO crowed. The band made such an impression that the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper featured the band on cover of the June 2019 issue. Since then, QDK has been making a name for itself at venues and events all over the Northeast.<\/p>\n

\u201cGretsch was having a 40th anniversary party and the invited me to play,\u201d said Jones, during a phone interview Monday afternoon from his home in Hickory, a suburb of Lancaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had worked with David before in his project In the Pocket. I met so many musicians from being involved with In The Pocket.\u201d<\/p>\n

The individual resumes of the three musicians are more than impressive.<\/p>\n

Jones is a Hall of Fame guitarist who is endorsed by Gretsch Guitars.\u00a0He has played guitar for Peter Noone and Herman\u2019s Hermits, Billy Burnett, Robert Gordon, Graham Nash, Linda Gail Lewis, the Rockats, Marshall Crenshaw, Johnny Neel, Dee Dee Sharp, and John Sebastian.<\/p>\n

He also played guitar for Charlie Gracie, who took Jones on the road with him when he was the opening act for Van Morrison.<\/p>\n

Jones, who has written for Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats, co-produced\u00a0Charlie Gracie\u2019s\u00a02011 ABKCO Records release\u00a0\u201cFor the Love of Charlie\u201d\u00a0with Al Kooper.<\/p>\n

Jones has own unique style and sound. He has gained fame playing rock-n-roll, blues, surf, rockabilly and old-time country and western. He is endorsed by Gretsch guitars and in 2016 was enshrined in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Nashville Tennessee.<\/p>\n

Jones is also a well-known music producer and songwriter. His music appears in movies, network television shows, DVDs and has been recorded by some of the world\u2019s top artists.<\/p>\n

For the last four decades,\u00a0Uosikkinen\u00a0has been the drummer for the Hooters, one of Philadelphia\u2019s all-time favorite bands.<\/p>\n

Uosikkinen\u00a0has also recorded and performed with Alice Cooper, Robert Gordon, Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper, Taj Mahal, Dar Wlliams, Charlie Gracie and Patty Smyth, as well as with many other emerging artists. In addition, he has performed on extensive international tours, including Live Aid, Amnesty International and Roger Waters\u2019 \u201cThe Wall\u201d in Berlin.<\/p>\n

In 2010, he formed his own band, David\u00a0Uosikkinen\u2019s In The Pocket to bring awareness to music education and to pay homage to all of the great music that has come out of Philadelphia. For his In the Pocket project \u2014 both live and in the studio \u2014\u00a0Uosikkinen\u00a0uses a revolving line-up of Philadelphia\u2019s most celebrated musicians to perform covers of tunes from Philly\u2019s rich rock music history.<\/p>\n

In The Pocket has recorded 20 classic Philadelphia songs and two CDs \u2013 \u201cLive\u201d and \u201cSessions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The musicians are so talented that they are able to meld together on stage without any elaborate preparations.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody in In The Pocket is so good,\u201d said\u00a0Uosikkinen. \u201cWe have had line-ups with Tommy Conwell, Kenn Kweder, John Faye, Quentin Jones, John Faye, Ben Arnold, Zou Zou Mansour, Greg Sover.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some of the other in the Pocket regulars are Wally Smith (Smash Palace, Crosstown Traffic), Richard Bush (The A\u2019s), Steve Butler (Smash Palace), Greg Davis (Beru Revue), Joey DiTullio (JDT), Pete Donnelly (Figgs, NRBQ), Buddy Cash, Ben Arnold, Cliff Hillis, Graham Alexander, and Pete Donnelly.<\/p>\n

Aaronson is a highly acclaimed American bass guitar player.\u00a0He has recorded or performed with artists such as\u00a0Bob Dylan,\u00a0Rick Derringer,\u00a0Billy Idol, Foghat,\u00a0Sammy Hagar,\u00a0Billy Squier,\u00a0Mick Taylor, New York Dolls, and\u00a0Hall and Oates.\u00a0Since 2015, he has been the bass player for\u00a0The Yardbirds.<\/p>\n

In 1988, Aaronson was named \u201cBassist of the Year\u201d by\u00a0Rolling Stone.<\/p>\n

Aaronson has toured and recorded with a variety of artists including\u00a0Dave Edmunds,\u00a0Steve Cropper,\u00a0Brian Setzer,\u00a0Dickey Betts,\u00a0Link Wray,\u00a0Neal Schon,\u00a0Johnny Winter,\u00a0Lita Ford,\u00a0Tony Iommi, Dave Gilmour, HSAS\u00a0(with\u00a0Sammy Hagar,\u00a0Neal Schon, and\u00a0Michael Shrieve),\u00a0Graham Parker,\u00a0Robert Gordon and Leslie West\u00a0Band.<\/p>\n

Aaronson was a regular member of Joan Jett\u2019s backing group the Blackhearts from 1991-1995. Aaronson was one of the few Blackheart band members to co-write a track with Jett. The song, \u201cWorld Of Denial,\u201d was recorded for the 1994 album \u201cPure and Simple,\u201d but was not released in the U.S. until 2001\u2019s\u00a0\u201cFit To Be Tied- Great Hits by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts.\u201d<\/p>\n

A common thread for the three musicians is Robert Gordon.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur first gig was in 2014 with Robert Gordon,\u201d said Jones. \u201cKenny on bass, me on guitar and David on drums were backing Robert Gordon. After that, we made a conscious effort to keep playing together.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a wide decision \u2013 for the three musicians and for area music fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always put myself in a room with people more accomplished than I am,\u201d said Jones. \u201cDavid and Kenny are amazing musicians.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe like to make shows special events. People want to be entertained. We are pure rock and roll \u2013 all from different backgrounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our live shows, we play songs that aren\u2019t played to death \u2013 songs that are gems. We do some old school like Link Wray and Freddie Fender, and we play some originals. We focus on putting on a good live show.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Jones, there is no horsing around when it comes to music but there is some serios horsing around when it comes to the real world.<\/p>\n

During Jones\u2019 \u201cdowntime,\u201d he takes care of and trains a rescued horse named Nevi.<\/p>\n

Nevi was on the way to be butchered for meat when he as saved and sent to Quentin\u2019s brother Wendell Jones\u2019 farm. Wendell, who is also the singer in the Reach Around Rodeo Clowns, asked Quentin to help him at the stable during the shutdown of 2020. The bond between Quentin and Nevi grew so strong that Quentin adopted Nevi that summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cNevi is going to be five soon,\u201d said Jones. \u201cHe was going to be loaded in a truck to be taken to a slaughterhouse. We took him off the truck and sent him to my brother\u2019s farm. Nevi really bonded to me immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nevi, Wendell and Quentin all live in the Lancaster area. On Saturday night, Quentin and his band will be playing in their backyards with a show at Zoetropolis.<\/p>\n

In the concert on Saturday night, QDK will be joined by a guest artist \u2013 Daryl Davis.<\/p>\n

Davis is an international recording artist, actor and leader of\u00a0The Daryl Davis Band. He is considered to be one of the greatest Blues & Boogie Woogie and Blues and Rock\u2019n\u2019Roll pianists of all time, having played with The Legendary Blues Band (formerly the Muddy Waters Band) and Chuck Berry.<\/p>\n

As a race relations expert,\u00a0Davis has received acclaim for his book,\u00a0\u201cKlan-Destine Relationships\u201d\u00a0and his documentary, \u201cAccidental Courtesy.\u201d He is also the recipient of numerous awards including the Elliott-Black Award, the MLK Award and the Bridge Builder Award.<\/p>\n

\u201cDaryl is amazing,\u201d said Jones. \u201cHe\u2019s worked with the Klan to improve race relations. He\u2019s a great actor and an unbelievable musician.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn Saturday, we\u2019ll play a couple of his songs and a couple of our songs. We don\u2019t know his and he doesn\u2019t know ours \u2013 but we\u2019ll be fine. We\u2019re just going to get onstage and play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for QDK — https:\/\/youtu.be\/K8hqqMhgXJs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on December 10 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

Roots-Americana singer\/songwriter William Clark Green released his sixth album, \u201cBaker Hotel,\u201d\u00a0on March 25 via his own Bill Grease Records. He has been on the road ever since on a support tour for the album \u2013 a tour that touches down locally on December 9 at the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Eastland, Texas native has been selling out venues across his home state and beyond for the last 15 years, making a name for himself as a gritty performer with a \u201cbig ole\u2019 voice and a powerhouse band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Opportunities for his fans in the Northeast to hear him perform live are few and far between.<\/p>\n

Currently, he is in the Northeast for a brief run that includes stops in Annapolis (MD), Richmond (VA), Worcester (MA) and Sellersville.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do play in the Northeast \u2013 but not that often,\u201d said Green, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in Annapolis. \u201cWe played Philadelphia once. We\u2019ve played New York several times.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Texas, we\u2019re playing shows every weekend. In the Northeast, people are more appreciative because they don\u2019t get to see us that much.\u201d<\/p>\n

Green is Texas all the way through.<\/p>\n

He was born in Flint, Texas and attended\u00a0A&M Consolidated High School\u00a0in\u00a0College Station, Texas. He graduated in 2004 and then attended Texas Tech University\u00a0in\u00a0Lubbock, Texas.\u00a0It took six years for him to graduate because he was concentrating on his music career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned how to play guitar when I was in eighth grade,\u201d said Green. \u201cI started writing songs and kept working hard at it. I wrote rock songs, and I wrote country songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy biggest influences were Willis Alan Ramsey and Lyle Lovett. They\u2019re still my biggest influences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to high school in College Station. Lubbock is where my career got started. College Station is all maroon-and-white (Texas A&M University\u2019s colors). I decided to go to Texas Tech. I had to get out of College Station.<\/p>\n

\u201cI majored in agriculture economics at Texas Tech. I worked on ranches ever since I was young, so I knew I wanted to do something in ag.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Lubbock, I spent three years with a regular Monday night gig at the Recovery Room. Back then, I was just playing acoustic guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2008, Green recorded his first album while he was studying at Texas Tech. The album, \u201cDangerous Man,\u201d was released in September 2008. He followed with his second album,\u00a0\u201cMisunderstood,\u201d in 2010.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recorded \u2018Dangerous Man\u2019 in 2008 in Acuff, Texas,\u201d said Green. \u201cI started band and began touring in 2008 when I was 22.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2012, Green recorded his third album,\u00a0\u201cRose Queen,\u201d at Sixteen Ton Studio in\u00a0Nashville, Tennessee. The album was released in April 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Rose Queen\u2019 was my breakthrough album,\u201d said Green. \u201cI had five singles off it and three or four were Number 1s.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first single from the album, \u201cIt\u2019s About Time,\u201d became his first Top Ten song on Texas Radio. He had a Number 1 regional hit with the song \u201cShe Likes the Beatles\u201d\u00a0and the album yielded three Top Ten singles on the Texas country charts.<\/p>\n

In April 2015, Green released his fourth album,\u00a0\u201cRingling Road,\u201d which debuted in the Top Country Albums chart at No. 18. The first single from the album was \u201cSympathy,\u201d which topped the Texas Music Chart. Green\u2019s fifth album, \u201cHebert Island,\u201d was released in August 2018.<\/p>\n

Now, the focus is on \u201cBaker Hotel.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been working on it for years,\u201d said Green. \u201cCOVID had its good and bad. It gave us a good break. That\u2019s the silver lining.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere wasn\u2019t much going on. I took a year off from music for the first time. My goal was to find another source of income. So, I was a contractor for a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the second year of COVID, I did a lot of writing. In 2021, I was in and out off the studio all year. I was doing the recording sat Melody Mountain Ranch.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the recent lull in live performances, Green took stock of his career, re-prioritized, and challenged himself and his sound.\u00a0\u201cBaker Hotel\u00a0is the creative universe born out of the process.<\/p>\n

According to Green, \u201cWhat this record means to me is self-reflection, realizing that I just turned 35 and it\u2019s like, \u2018Where am I at in life? Where do I want to be? Where did I think I would be?\u2019\u00a0Not being able to work during the lockdown, I had a lot of time to sit and think about myself, and what\u2019s\u00a0really\u00a0locking me down, and that\u2019s what I think this record is about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for William Clark Green — https:\/\/youtu.be\/gIqsxVTcpzA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater on December 9 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $21.50 and $29.50.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the Sellersville Theater are Bill Kirchen on December 8, Mary Fahl on December 10, Riki Ratchman on December 11 and Anthony Geraci on December 14.<\/p>\n

Jamey\u2019s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,\u00a0www.jameyshouseofmusic.com<\/a>) continues its tradition of presenting top quality blues music this weekend.<\/p>\n

On December 9, Jamey\u2019s will host The Ardvark Felon.<\/p>\n

The Ardvark Felon is the anagram-derived alter ego of live music man Frank Velardo, composer, lead singer, guitar-slinger, and man in front of the band.<\/p>\n

The band’s music is spontaneous but polished, serious yet absurd. They\u2019re bluesy and funky in all the right ways, love playing for dancers, and know just when to turn things up with explosions of group improvisation and jamming.<\/p>\n

Video link for The Ardvark Felon \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/ME-SnQRLRfE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on December 8 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.<\/p>\n

On December 10, the venue in Delaware County will present THE URBAN ACOUSTIC\u2019s \u201cNot Just Christmas Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jefferson Berry has gone out as Jefferson Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition with a full band for years.<\/p>\n

Jefferson\u00a0Berry\u00a0& the\u00a0UAC\u00a0released its fourth studio album,\u00a0\u201cSoon!\u201d in April 2021.<\/p>\n

Berry grew up in Southern California and is a graduate of University of California Santa Cruz, a school whose sports teams are nicknamed, \u201cBanana Slugs.\u201d He eventually landed in the Philadelphia area where he became part of Philly\u2019s folk\/rock\/Americana scene.<\/p>\n

Berry\u2019s website presented the history behind\u00a0UAC:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2006, at around 3 a.m. at the Falcon Ridge Festival, Jefferson and his banjo playing brother Hank were playing a Hillbilly version of \u201cWhite Room\u201d by Cream. In fest-jam fashion, each vocal verse was separated by an instrumental-lead verse. Out and of the shadows and into the light of the campfire came this guy with a mandolin and long red hair, playing the song\u2019s iconic Clapton lead pretty much verbatim.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the sun was coming up, Jefferson asked Bud Burroughs if he wanted to start a band and Hippies and Hillbillies was born. The album Drumless America was recorded in Bud\u2019s living room: a quirky mix of covers ranging from Robert Earl Keen and Townes Van Zandt to Neil Young and U2, the show and CD was fun for some, but considered blasphemous at the bluegrass festivals the band played.<\/p>\n

\u201cBud and Jefferson\u2019s next venture involved Jefferson\u2019s daughter.\u00a0 Briana Berry and her sister were raised at the summer festivals\u2014Kerrville, Falcon Ridge, XFS and Philly. The Berry\u2019s 2009 album, Fairmount Station featured songs written by Briana and her Dad. It was promoted nationally to radio by Powderfinger Promotions and charted fairly high for an independent release on the folk charts. The band played X-Fest and the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Urban Acoustic Coalition came to be in 2014 with the release of Guitar on the River. Again, Bud Burroughs served as the music director for a collection of Jefferson\u2019s city-themed songs. Recorded at MelodyVision by Rodney Whittenberg, the album\u2019s sessions grew the band. Jefferson Berry and the Urban Acoustic Coalition (a mouthful) played the Camp Stage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival that year with a Coalition of players from Boris Garcia, Bad Sister and Beaufort.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was an example of the \u201ccoalition\u201d aspect of the band, an ethic that allowed players to keep their other projects alive while clearing dates with the\u00a0UAC\u00a0periodically. While bass players (Billy Hyatt, Dean McNulty) and female vocalists (Irene Lambrou, Emily Drinker) have cycled in and out of the band to pursue their own projects, the core of the coalition for the past six years has been Jefferson, Bud, Marky B! Berkowitz (on harmonica), Dave Brown (on banjo, guitar, keys and anything else needed), David Rapoport (on drums).<\/p>\n

The show at Jamey\u2019s on December 9 will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

On December 8, it will be time for the \u201cThursday Night Jazz Jam\u201d featuring Suzie Telep. The Dave Reiter Trio lays down the backing for some out of this world jazz to happen from 8-10 p.m. every Thursday.<\/p>\n

Parisienne chanteuse Suzie Telep is a world traveling jazz singer, scholar and teacher. She returns to her stateside homebase for a night of swing and bop.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday, Jamey\u2019s presents \u201cSUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM\u201d featuring the Philly Blues Kings from noon-1 p.m. and an open jam session from1-3 p.m. There is no cover charge.<\/p>\n

Jawn Of The Dead is a Philly band built around the nucleus of guitarists\/vocalists Rich Hill and Jim\u00a0Tauscher.<\/p>\n

Hill, who was a music major at West Chester University, will be bringing his band to the area in December for a pair of shows located not far from his alma mater.<\/p>\n

This weekend, Jawn of the Dead will come close to Chester County with a show on December 9 at Rivet Canteen & Assembly (238 East High Street, Pottstown, www.visitrivet.com<\/a>). On December 31, JOTD will play a New Year\u2019s Eve show atShere-E Punjab in Media.<\/p>\n

The Grateful Dead tribute band just celebrated a milestone event for a young music act \u2013 its third anniversary.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe started on March 20, 2019,\u201d said Hill, during a phone interview from his home in nearby Ridley Park. \u201cIt was supposed to be a one-off show at The Fainting Goat in Glenolden.<\/p>\n

\u201cI play there once a month with my bar band so I asked if I could do a (Grateful Dead) show. I invited some musician friends to get together to play Dead stuff. I took people from different bands, and we rehearsed 30-40 songs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe showed up at the club with our gear and the place was packed. Deadheads from around the area got the word and showed up.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter we played the second set, people were coming up to us saying that they loved it. I said to the guys \u2013 I think we have a \u2018thing.\u2019 They said \u2014 yeah, we do have a \u2018thing.\u2019 We didn\u2019t have a name, so we came up with Jawn Of The Dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

JOTD\u2019s other band members are Jim Shaflucas (bass\/vocals), Dean Sophocles (keyboards) and Drew Gerace (drums).<\/p>\n

Time out here for a Philadelphia based etymology lesson.<\/p>\n

If you live more than 35-40 miles from Philly, you might not have ever heard the word \u201cjawn.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJawn\u201d\u00a0is a\u00a0slang\u00a0term local to\u00a0Philadelphia\u00a0and its\u00a0metropolitan area. \u201cJawn\u201d is a context-dependent substitute noun, meaning it is a noun that substitutes for any other noun \u2013 and it can be singular or plural.<\/p>\n

\u201cJawn\u201d is a word loved by Philly residents. Because it has no specific meaning, it can be used to mean all sorts of things. One of the only points on which everyone can agree is that \u201cjawn\u201d is a noun \u2013 and that now it is part of the name of a Philly area band.<\/p>\n

Lesson over!<\/p>\n

\u201cWe played a handful of shows from March through August 2019,\u201d said Hill, who grew up South Philadelphia and graduated from Neumann High. \u201cThen, we got a call from the World Caf\u00e9 Live about its Tuesday Dead Jam. One of the bands cancelled and they asked us to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe audience liked it. We kept the band going \u2013 playing a few places around Philly. Last February, we played the Boot and Saddle. We figured that if we got 50 people, it would be a good start. We got 170. We were just getting started and then we had to shut down because of COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n

Billing themselves as \u201can energetic tribute to the\u00a0mystique\u00a0and musical mayhem of The Grateful Dead,\u201d Jawn Of The Dead posted this message on its website \u2013 \u201cThe dedication of the band to both the songs of the Grateful Dead and their spirit of musical exploration sets JOTD apart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not a tribute band in the sense that we\u2019re trying to be the people in the Dead,\u201d said Hill, who was a music major at West Chester University.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur commitment is to excellence \u2013 to playing the music well and to also honor the song writing. We play a whole catalogue of Dead songs along with cover songs the Dead played.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jawn Of The Dead has already become a favorite of Philly area Deadheads so the band must be doing something right.<\/p>\n

Hill and his mates aren\u2019t looking to conquer the world. Right now, they\u2019re happy just \u201cPlaying in the Band.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Jawn of the Dead \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/p6qxYa6p20o<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Rivet on December 9 will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is presenting The Last Big Band Holiday Show on December 20.<\/p>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is hosting Lilli Lewis with special guest Sara Henya on December 9, and Bryan Tuk Project on December 10.<\/p>\n

Phantom Power (121 West Frederick Street, Millersville, www.phantompower.net<\/a>) will have Maya de Vitry on December 9, and Aunt Mary Pat on December 29.<\/p>\n

In addition to all the music shows, there are several top-quality holiday-themed stage shows be presented at theaters around the area.<\/p>\n

Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org<\/a>) is bringing live theater to its stage with a rarely seen production of \u201cThe Butterfingers Angel.\u201d The show is running now through December 23.<\/p>\n

Created by William Gibson (The Miracle Worker),\u00a0one of America\u2019s major dramatists, this touching, funny and highly imaginative retelling of the Nativity story is presented from a fresh and richly creative point-of-view.<\/p>\n

The action follows a free-spirited Mary who had decided that men and marriage were not for her, a suddenly cautious Joseph who contends that he is too old for his intended, and a flustered boy-angel who directs each scene from a prompt book and can only manage to get the most strangled, bleating sounds from his trumpet.<\/p>\n

Enhanced by a talking tree, sheep and a donkey, along with traditional Christmas music, this wholly original theatre piece is both secular and sacred – often antic, but the spirit of reverence, joy, and the true significance of the occasion is never lost.<\/p>\n

This story is an original, funny and heartfelt retelling of the greatest story ever told. A fumbling young Angel announces to Mary that she has been chosen to become a mother. But Mary is a free spirit, and her plans do not include marriage, or motherhood. Once a bewildered Joseph is won over, an antic pageant of Tree, Sheep, Donkey, Cow, Kings, and others set off on the road to Bethlehem.<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cThe Butterfingers Angel\u201d \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/de1ihz8FvZo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show will run now through December 23.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $40.<\/p>\n

1812 Productions (1812productions.org<\/a>) is dedicated to creating theatrical works of comedy and comedic works of theater that explore and celebrate our sense of community, our history, and our humanity.<\/p>\n

1812 Productions was founded in 1997 by Jennifer Childs and Peter Pryor, two long-time friends and artistic collaborators, with a dedication to comedy, theater, and Philadelphia artists.<\/p>\n

1812 Productions is the only professional theater company in the country dedicated to comedy and was the recipient of an honorary citation from the City of Philadelphia for outstanding work and commitment to the Philadelphia arts community.<\/p>\n

This weekend, 1812 Productions is presenting their popular political satire, \u201cTHIS IS THE WEEK THAT IS.\u201d<\/p>\n

A celebrated part of the Philadelphia theatre season for the past 17 years, the show delivers sharp satire and content that changes with the headlines. This year\u2019s production will run now through December 31 at Plays & Players Theatre, which is located at 1714 Delancey Place in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first act is mostly songs and sketches,\u201d said Childs. \u201cThey are evergreen sketches that look back on 2022. \u00a0There are 2022 versions of holiday classics such as \u2018A White Christmas\u2019 and \u2018It\u2019s a Wonderful Life.\u2019 The second half features weekly \u2013 and sometimes daily \u2013 changes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Show times are December 8 at 7 p.m., December 11 at 2 p.m., December 15 at 7 p.m., December 16 at 8 p.m., December 22 at 7 p.m. and December 29 at 7 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices are $40-$45.\u00a0Select performances are mask-required.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Playhouse\u00a0on Rodney Square (1007 North Market Street, Wilmington, Delaware,\u00a0www.thegrandwilmington.org\/venues\/the-playhouse\/<\/a>)\u00a0is presenting \u201cHoliday Dreams Cirque\u201d on December 10 and 11.<\/p>\n

Holograms, projection mapping, interactive lasers and award-wining cirque artists all come together in a spectacular holiday production show.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoliday Dreams Cirque\u201d presents a jaw-dropping, modern holiday show featuring acrobats, comedy, daredevils and a modern soundtrack.<\/p>\n

Show times are 2 and 8 p.m. on December 10 and 2 p.m. on December 11.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $48 and $88.<\/p>\n

Now through December 23, The Candlelight Theatre (2208 Millers Road, Arden, Delaware,\u00a0www.candlelighttheatredelaware.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cIrving Berlin’s White Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n

The successful song-and-dance act of army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis follow a duo of singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil’s former army commander. Filled with laughter, romance, spectacular dance numbers and the unforgettable songs of Irving Berlin, it\u2019s clear to see why this is a holiday favorite for the whole family.<\/p>\n

The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, www.AMTshows.com<\/a>) is presenting its annual Christmas production \u201cThe 2022 Christmas Show: Home for the Holidays\u201d now through December 30.<\/p>\n

This live, original musical experience features a new cast delivering the same high-quality, Broadway-caliber performances as in years past \u2013 and it all begins the moment you arrive!<\/p>\n

Inspired by the warm, cherished memories of family Christmases spent together with loved ones,\u00a0\u201cHome for the Holidays\u201d\u00a0opens on the joyous gathering of family and friends who celebrate with a rich tapestry of song, dance, and holiday traditions. Next, we take you to Santa\u2019s Candy Factory where you\u2019ll be transported to a dream world of bright colors and Candy Elves! Finally, you\u2019ll join us at a \u201cmidnight\u201d candlelight service for some songs of worship, traditional carols, and the powerful, harmony-filled rendition of \u201cO Holy Night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ticket prices start at $23.<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Light (39 Conestoga Road, Malvern,\u00a0peopleslight.org<\/a>) is presenting \u201cAlice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto,\u201d which is running now through January 1, 2023.<\/p>\n

Each year, the People\u2019s Light holiday panto transforms a beloved children\u2019s story into a musical extravaganza filled with outrageous characters, toe-tapping original music, slapstick comedy, and topical humor for both kids and adults.<\/p>\n

The beloved holiday tradition returns to People\u2019s Light with the world premiere of \u201cAlice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto.\u201d The show, which is directed by Bill Fennelly, features book by Jennifer Childs and music and lyrics by Alex Bechtel.<\/p>\n

People\u2019s Light has adapted the theatrical form of British pantomime into its own unique brand of holiday hilarity. Audiences of all ages gather to partake in the songs, dances, topical jokes, and jovial camaraderie of this longstanding tradition.<\/p>\n

The People\u2019s Light panto is entertainment for the entire family, and the audience is part of the action.<\/p>\n

The show at People\u2019s Light will through January 1. Ticket prices start at $47.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Matt Cappy, one of the top young trumpeters in the jazz scene, is a musician on the move. On December 15, he will travel 1,125 miles south to be a guest performer at the Mississippi Jazz Foundation\u2019s 19th Annual \u201cNight of Musical Artistry\u201d in Jackson, Mississippi. In April, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[6269,14243,14244,14245],"class_list":["post-37802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-featured","tag-mat-cappy","tag-qdk","tag-william-clark-green"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37802"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37803,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37802\/revisions\/37803"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chescotimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}