ARTS Pick: Brooke Annibale

For Nashville-based singer-songwriter Brooke Annibale there was never any doubt that a career in music was in her future. “My family owns a music shop in Pittsburgh,” she said. “I started taking lessons and as soon as I knew enough chords, I started writing songs.” Annibale has four self-releases to her name including 2013’s Words […]

ARTS Pick: San Fermin

Named after the Spanish festival in Pamplona famous for the running of the bulls, San Fermin is the pop music outlet for Brooklyn-based composer and songwriter Ellis Ludwig-Leone. Along with vocal contributions from Allen Tate, Jess Wolfe, and Holly Laessig of Lucius, Leone brings baroque stylings to the indie arena in an operatic composition that unites familiar […]

ARTS Pick: Cindy Blackman Santana

Bridging the gap between jazz and rock, virtuoso drummer Cindy Blackman Santana is gigging on her new release, Another Lifetime. The album is a showcase for the critically acclaimed style that pays homage to her mentor Tony Williams, and the classical training that focuses her sonic explorations. Rising from humble beginnings as a busker in […]

Interview: Daniel Bachman digs deep into folk music’s past

Daniel Bachman is a 24-year-old fingerpicking guitarist whose style is often compared to American Primitive musicians like John Fahey and Jack Rose. Bachman’s signature layered tones are in fine form on his fourth full length album, Jesus I’m a Sinner, and his fall tour will make its final stop at the Tea Bazaar on November […]

Nathan Bowles brings his banjo fusion to a dynamic triple bill

To the average listener, traditional Appalachian music has little in common with avant-garde drones and improvisational noise. Nathan Bowles has forged a career in each of these genres. The brilliance of his body of work is the suggestion that these styles share a common aesthetic and inform one another. “They’re both fueled by the same spirit,” […]

ARTS Pick: Three Notch’d Road: The Charlottesville Baroque Ensemble

Indulge in the sounds of the 1600s with Three Notch’d Road: The Charlottesville Baroque Ensemble’s season opener, “O Sacred Oracles: Handel Oratorios & Sonatas.” Local instrumentalists perform using period instruments, like the baroque violin and recorder, which were popular in the era between Renaissance and Classical music. Highlighting works by German composer George Frideric Handel, […]

ARTS Pick: Up the Chain

Singer-songwriter Reed Kendall is an up-and-coming force within the booming Philly music scene. His touring act, Up the Chain, has been deemed a “collective of some of the city’s finest musicians.” With its smooth trumpet work and skillful blues guitar harnessed by a flow of rhythm, the band draws comparisons to Paul Simon’s solo work. […]

The Prism Coffeehouse is poised to reopen at The Haven

For 40 years, the Prism Coffeehouse was a highly-regarded venue in Charlottesville, and revered by folk and roots music connoisseurs nationwide. Originally located at the corner of Gordon Avenue and Rugby Road, the space could accommodate over 100 people, but it always felt much smaller. I have vague memories of going to concerts there as […]

ARTS Pick: Houndmouth

Driven by Zappaesque blues guitar riffs and enchanting three-part harmonies, Houndmouth is making its mark in today’s burgeoning folk scene. The young band enjoyed a hectic festival schedule this summer, and a run through the late night talk show circuit to promote its catchy debut album, From The Hills Below the City. There’s also an […]