PocoNotes Newsletter 2014-2: September, 2014
ONE stunning historic landmark...
TWO days of exhibits, music and workshops...
THREE artists who are masters at their respective crafts!
"The Faces and Voices of The Blues III" is coming to town on October 4th and 5th…and once again, Scranton’s historic Tripp House will be the stunning setting for this immersion into the American art form we call The Blues...through the images of acclaimed documentary photographer, Jim Gavenus, the guitar mastery of Nashville blues-rocker, Patrick Sweany, and an interactive display of unique instruments designed and handcrafted by Dave Whetsell of Snikle Cigar Box Guitars.
"Faces"
Jim Gavenus
Contributor, The 55th Annual Grammy Awards
The "Faces" artist is Jim Gavenus, whose photographs are exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide and were seen recently by 40 million viewers of The 55th Annual Grammy Awards. His images cover a wide range of subjects and have earned him the Gordon Parks Documentary Photographer of the Year Award and a place in the North Carolina Bluegrass Hall of Fame. He has photographed dozens of Hall of Fame musicians on – and behind – some of the most prestigious stages in the music world, and his images appear for Sony Music, Columbia Records, Lost Highway Records, Merlefest and FarmAid. Jim hails from Luzerne and Berks Counties and travels extensively to lecture, exhibit and expand his portfolio. He also shares his passion for photography as a professor at Luzerne County Community College, as well as through innovative photography workshops. For more information about Jim, go to www.GavenusPhoto.com.
"Voices"
PATRICK SWEANY
"Soon-to-be-legendary guitar man." ~ Rolling Stone
The "Voices" artist is Patrick Sweany, who has been described by "Rolling Stone" as a "soon-to-be-legendary guitar man" and has 2.5 million quarterly "plays" on Pandora, where he is likened to The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, Marc Ford and The White Stripes. He is a musical omnivore who has devoured every popular music sound of the last 70 years and mixed them together seamlessly into his own style. As he gained prominence as an acoustic blues guitarist and singer, Patrick drew the attention of notables like Jimmy Thackery, who brought him on tour…Roy Book Binder, who declared him to be the one from his generation who would carry the music forward…and Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna), who invited him to teach at his prestigious Fur Peace Ranch Guitar Camp alongside legendary guitarists like G.E. Smith (Saturday Night Live, Roger Waters), Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan, Levon Helm), Bill Kirchen (Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen), Steve Earle, Bob Margolin (Muddy Waters) and Tommy Emmanuel. Patrick has shared the stage with Dr. John, Sonny Landreth, The Black Keys, Los Straitjackets, Justin Townes Earle, Hot Tuna and Tedeschi Trucks Band, and his recent tour itinerary includes diverse events like Newport Folk Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Telluride Blues and Brews Festival and Nashville’s Americana Music Association’s Annual Conference. For more "buzz" about Patrick's growing, worldwide tour itinereay and fan base, go to www.PartickSweany.com.
"Special Guest"
SNIKLE CIGAR BOX GUITARS
Dave Whetsell, Master Luthier
Our very "Special Guest" is Clarks Summit resident, Dave Whetsell, whom we first met when he attended "The Faces and Voices of The Blues...Too" in 2013. As often happens with our audience members, we became friends and, in time, learned that he is the master luthier of Snikle Cigar Box Guitars. These unique instruments date back to the early 1840’s, with a popularity that has vacillated between near extinction and two major resurgences...the first during the Great Depression when young, cash-strapped musicians built their own instruments, and the second during the recent Roots Music movement when musicians rediscovered, and embraced, this "primitive sound." So, we invited Dave to add his stunning creations to this event as one more way for people to hear, see and feel the music.
THE NITTY GRITTY
Jim, Patrick and Dave are bringing lots of excitement with them, and we want to help you experience ALL of it. So, here's what you will find awaiting you at The Tripp House:
Photo Exhibit and Interactive Cigar Box Display:
- Saturday: 12:00 Noon - 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 Noon - 4:00 PM
Workshops: These will be suitable for all levels of expertise!
- Photography: Saturday 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
- Guitar: Sunday 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
"Porch Time" Jam Session:
- Saturday: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Concert:
- Saturday: 8:00 PM (Doors will open at 7:30 PM)
Jessee’s Place, one of the area’s "best kept secrets," is the labor of love of Tara Kojsza, who will be on the premises to sell food and beverages throughout the two-day event to ensure that you don’t miss a beat!
TICKETS
The photo exhibit, interactive cigar box display and "Porch Time" jam session are all FREE and Open to the Public. The workshops are also being offered at no charge but with advance reservations respectfully requested...and seriously suggested. However, tickets will be required for the concert for which seating will be "up close and personal"...and extremely limited!
Concert Tickets:
- Adults: $25 Advance/$30 Door
- Seniors/Students: 2 for $25
- Children (12 & Under) with Adult: Free...to KEEP The Blues alive and kickin’ for future generations
- Military Members & Family: Free...with Gratitude
Advance tickets are available from PocoNotes at www.PocoNotes.com or (888) 800-POCO or in Scranton at Jaida Spa at 3 West Olive Street, Duffy Accessories at 218 Linden Street and, last but not least, The Greenhouse Project at 200 Arthur Avenue in Nay Aug Park, to whom a portion every ticket sale will be donated as our way of supporting their mission to grow a sustainable community through education, food and healthy living.
LATE-BREAKING NEWS
Dave has created ONE special cigar box guitar specifically for this event that he will raffle off to a very lucky ATTENDEE. We truly don't have all of the particulars worked out at the moment; however, what we can tell you is that, while you do not need to be present to win, tickets will ONLY be available for purchase at The Tripp House during the event on SATURDAY, with the winning ticket to be drawn during the concert that evening.
OUR "VILLAGE"
Remember…we are just "two children of the 60’s" doing our very small part to leave the world in better shape than we found it…as our generation promised in its optimistic youth. However, we could not possibly do ANY of it without the support and generosity of a great many people.
We thank Matthew Hiller of Revival Letterpress and Coal Town Rounders for designing our stellar poster…and for brilliantly having Robert Johnson’s iconic image serve as the "branding" for our "Faces and Voices" series.
We cannot even begin to thank our media sponsors, Michael Lello and Highway 81 Revisited, Melanie Thiel and WNTI-Public Radio at Centenary College and Erika Funke and WVIAfor their endless efforts not only on our behalf but also - and far more importantly - on behalf of the artists who are graciously sharing this weekend of their "journey" with us.
We also thank Lackawanna County Community Arts and Culture Grant, a program of Lackawanna County Commissioners Corey D. O’Brien, Jim Wansacz and Patrick M. O’Malley, as well as by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which is administered by The Pocono Arts Council, for their generous support of this event.
We thank Nora Boczar (Jaida Spa), Maureen Duffy (Duffy Accessories) and Jane Risse (The Greenhouse Project) each of whom have more than enough on their respective "plates" but who STILL found room in their hectic schedules to add our ticket sales to their long and busy days.
We thank Nada and Michael Gilmartin of The Tripp House for entrusting us, once again, with "the keys" to the classiest address in town…1011 North Main Avenue!!
We thank Susan Potenzano for buying her pretty cool husband, Dave Whetsell, tickets to "The Faces and Voices of The Blues…Too" for Father’s Day last year. Without her, we would not be adding this amazing element of excitement to our event.
We thank Lennis Giansante and Sarah Lubrano for joining us again this year as our "hostesses." We cannot think of anyone with more gentle spirits to greet our guests and make them feel truly welcomed!
We thank Chad Casterline, who has been our "house photographer" since shortly after we met on a Honesdale sidewalk listening to the one and only Roy Book Binder doing what ONLY Roy can do, and for "documenting" these events for us...from beginning to end.
We thank Jim Gavenus, Patrick Sweany and Dave Whetsell for accepting our invitation to come and create something incredibly special! Separately and together, they are more than just "Faces" and "Voices" and more than just The Blues. Each of them will bring their special creativity, inspired talent and years of dedication to their respective crafts to help foster a new appreciation for a century's worth of music that is truly an American art form. We hope they leave with as many wonderful memories as we know they will help to create for anyone – and everyone – they meet during their time with us.
There are a few surprises "up our sleeve" for this event. So, we hope you’ll come to share the show – and the surprises – with us. Although there are some "special" PocoNotes supporters that will not be us physically, we know we will feel their good vibrations from afar. So, we thank them – and all of you – for the support you’ve shown over the years – both to us and to each of the 62 artists we’ve hosted. Some of them are the legends who have given us the soundtrack to our lives…others are hard-working, like-minded troubadours who play to live and live to play…and still others are local artists who deserve to be heroes in their hometowns. So, whether they travel by tour bus, church bus or Greyhound bus, they deserve - and have - all of our respect.
That's it for now! Be good to each other! We can STILL change the world…together.
Peace...really!
Dolores & Pat "It's About the Music!"
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