Sorry for the delay. Here it is. More to come.

June 25 - Mr. Billy - Children’s Entertainer
July 2 - Marcoux Corner - Pure Vocal Extravagance
July 9 - Vicky Emerson - Sophisticated Blending Of Folk And Blues.
July 16 - Birch Creek Percussion - Steel Percussion, Island Rhythms
July 23 - Altered Five - Favorite Pop In Rockin’ Rhythm ’N’ Blues
July 23 7:00-8:30 - Bittorf Brothers - Old Time Country Music
July 30 - Birch Creek Jazz I - Big Band Jazz
Aug 6 - Dang Its - Honky Tonk, Western Swing
Aug 13 - Birch Creek Jazz Ii - Big Band Jazz
Aug 20 - Mark Paffrath - Pop/Folk Singer, Songwriter
Aug 20 7:00-8:30 - Hat Trick - In The Style Of Jimmy Buffet
Aug 27 - Cold Sweat Jazz Quintet - Jazz Standards, Vocally Amazing

Mark your calendars!!

“STONECROSS is one of the strongest American duos out there!
Great vocals, great instrumentals. We love this Pair!”
Bill Margeson / Live Ireland.com / Chicago Irish American News Irish Music Magazine / National Public Radio 2006

“You’ll have guessed from the names that STONECROSS has some exotic blood. The latest Band from the US to capture our ATTENTION!”
Pay the Reckoning 2005

“If you want to close yor eyes and feel like you are in IRELAND, pick up STONECROSS’ Dark Irish”
CelticGiveCds.com-2005

“BRILLIANT!”
Tommy Murphy Midwest Radio-IRELAND-2006

STONECROSS is an exceptional Celtic and World Music duo. Well founded on strong vocals and woven together with a broad mix of instrumentation, they have been bringing their music to fans of traditional and Irish Music at festivals, special performances and workshops throughout the Midwest, East Coast, and across the ocean. Siusan O’Rourke on guitar, is the lead vocalist of STONECROSS.

She is a true alto and a second generation Irish American from Brooklyn, New York who was mentored by her family. Siusan chooses songs in both English and Gaelic, and is known for singing a tune that is 250 years old then following it with one that is contemporary but arranged in flavors of the past. O’Rourke’s own original songs also echo the traditional music she has loved all her life.

The instrumental landscape of STONECROSS is accomplished by the remarkably versatile musician and songwriter, Ziggie Zeitler. Zig’s background is Blues and World Music, and he toured extensively and had a successful run with his Zydeco Cajun Band for many years. He has 16 CDs of his own and has written and arranged songs for several other artists. He has a wonderful open style to his leads on Bouzouki while peppering it with the rhythms of other World Music. Zeitler brings to STONECROSS crisp leads on the bouzouki, octave violin, fiddle and an occasional harmonica thrown in for the rebels of the crowd.

 

 Leatherwing Bat [3:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Devil's Courtship: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Pop/folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Paffrath has been charming audiences for over 25 years. From the concert and festival stage to your local bar and grill or coffeehouse, his thoughtfully chosen interpretations and well crafted original music are as much about his history as where he would like to be; as much about how the world is, as the way he’d like to see it. His observations, repartee and humor are self-deprecating but keen, quirky and refreshing. His command of vocal and instrumental skills is well honed from years of performing. Artists of his genuine sensitivity and caring are rare and often alienated or discouraged by the music business - but this is all he’s ever wanted to do - and he’s doing it!

While he’s not fond of comparisons, his vocals have been called reminiscent of Kenny Loggins, Dwight Yoakam, John Denver and Lyle Lovett. (That’s some kind of hybrid!) And whether he’s flat-picking, finger-picking, or soloing, his rolling and percussive “big” guitar sound is not only due to the vintage Gibson he is so attached to but also to his many years as a drummer and mandolin player.

A performance by Mark Paffrath may leave listeners a little more aware of the foibles of the human condition, the ironies that life is made of, the difficulties and joys of living in this world, but may also leave them feeling just a little bit better about their part in all of it - and this alone is well worth the price of admission.

Currently Mark is performing as a solo act, singing and playing guitar and mandolin. In the fall of 2001 he released an award winning CD called “Retrofix - Life’s Journey With Musical Friends”. It features music, original and borrowed, from many of the different groups he has performed with, plus one new original song produced by Joe Puerta of the group Ambrosia. In 2002 Mark “swept” his hometown music awards, winning the categories for “Best CD” (”Retrofix”), “Best Song” (”Forest Green Beret”), “Best Songwriter”, “Best Male Vocalist”, and “Best String Player”. Mark got another nice surprise in 2003 when he received the honor of being voted “Best Musician” in the “Best of Racine County” poll.

In early 2004 Mark completed his first solo release of all new material called “Soothe”. The CD (already receiving glowing reviews) features original material as well as thoughtfully chosen, time tested material from his live shows including songs by other songwriter pals and several favorite standards.

Mark also collects vintage watches, loves James Bond movies, TV Land, Karmann Ghias, Studebakers, old Chryslers, stuff from the 1950s and 60s, time off and Dean Martin. His favorite color is green. He and his wife and son love summer and each other, have two cats, three fish and a dog and live on the West coast of Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin.

Today’s Sponsors…
Top Shelf Cafe & Gourmet
Voyager Inn
Yacht Works
Sister Bay Mobil, Sub Express & Pizza Primo

See you there!

Gregg

 

 On The Street Where You Live [1:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Mindreader [1:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The beaches were mentioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council for regularly monitoring water quality, taking significant steps to reduce pollution and violating public health standards less than 10 percent of the time. The NRDC, an advocacy group based in New York City, based its report on beach closing information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

I found this in an article from Journal Times of Racine who also has a local beach rated in the top 13.

What a great place to listen to music in Door County, Wisconsin!

Gregg

Big Band Jazz II
from Birch Creek Music Center!

Wednesday, August 8, 2006

Birch Creek is a music school by day and a performance venue in the evenings, offering over 35 concerts throughout the summer months in the campus’ historic concert barn east of Egg Harbor. Birch Creek offers four two-week resident sessions in Symphony, Percussion and Steel Band, and Big Band Jazz (two sessions). Students range in age from 13-19, and are given the unique opportunity to perform alongside their instructors, whose credentials include performing with such impressive groups as the Minnesota and Chicago Symphonies, the Eastman School of Music, and the Count Basie and Frank Sinatra Jr. Orchestras. Birch Creek Music Performance Center is a unique summer music school and concert venue located on Wisconsin’s beautiful Door County peninsula. For more than a quarter of a century, Birch Creek has been summer home to outstanding young musicians and some of the country’s top performers and music educators, who teach by day and perform by night in the rural campus 500-seat concert hall.

Birch Creek’s Jazz program offers students a unique learning experience at levels of jazz performance not found in most other jazz programs in America. Our program gives students an effective combination of experiences to help them master the fundamentals of jazz while establishing professional attitudes by playing side-by-side with some of today’s top performers and educators.

Big Band Jazz II
Wednesday, August 8, 2006 - 3:00 - Beach Park Pavilion

Sponsors:
BAYLAKE BANK
BIRCHWOOD LODGE
BRIDENHAGEN TREE & LANDSCAPE
CARLSON & ERICKSON BUILDERS
CASPERSON FUNERAL HOME
CHURCH HILL INN

 

 Birch Creek Sample [2:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download