The Kitchen Musician ~ Sept. 2011
Hello Friends,
Big musical news this month. Announcing Journey Home, my first studio album of original songs, to be distributed by Birch Beer Records. And several big shows coming up, including my first feature show at Club Passim on Oct 16th, my CD release celebration at Amazing Things Arts Center on Nov 6th, and the launch of my kickstarter campaign to support the new CD. Come into the kitchen, and I’ll fill you in on all of the exciting details!
Index:
News: My New CD!
This Month’s Music: “Journey Home” (The kickstarter video)
Upcoming Shows
Featured Non-Profit: Ample Harvest (Using nature’s bounty to feed the hungry)
News:
It is with great pleasure that I announce that my new CD Journey Home is finished and sent to manufacturing. I am extremely proud of the songwriting and musicianship on this album. It was a labor of love. It sounds great, in part because of the superior talents of the folks who have collaborated with me. Most importantly Seth Connelly, who produced, recorded, edited and mixed it with great care. Equally important, Seth has been my creative partner. I left each studio session telling myself that I am so fortunate to work with such a talented man.
Joining me on this album are some stellar musicians, including Mally Smith and Alle Santiago (vocals), Oen Kennedy (vocals and whistling), Joyce Andersen (fiddle and viola), Sean Staples (mandolin), Eric Royer (banjo), Billy Novick (clarinet) and Seth Connelly (vocals, guitar, upright bass, mandolin, banjo and bouzouki).
To help me share this album with the world, Birch Beer Records will be doing the distribution. You can purchase my CD from Birch Beer records starting Nov. 8, 2011. It is an honor to be included as a Birch Beer Records artist. Although a young company, BBR has a strong track record and growing presence in supporting the best of local music in my home state of Massachusetts. My new album “Journey Home” is a perfect fit. Although each BBR title is unique, all have a common respect for what I call music that is on a human scale. No big dollar productions here – just great songwriting delivered by top notch musicians in warm acoustic settings. It is wonderful to be in such company.
Now I am asking for your help to take this project across the finish line. The post-production tasks of graphic design, disc mastering and manufacturing will cost over $2500. I have created a Kickstarter campaign to help me reach that goal. Via the Kickstarter project page you can pre-order the CD (to be received BEFORE the CD release celebration). There are also other rewards if you pledge even more to the campaign. The following video was created to tell you a little bit about the campaign, and how you can help.
This Month’s Music “Journey Home (The Kickstarter video)”
© 2010 Tom Smith, Peabody Hill Publishing
Click the image above to play the video.
To visit my Kickstarter page, pre-order Journey Home and learn about other ways to support the release of my CD, please click the link below.
Thank you for your support, encouragement and friendship!
Peace and music,
– Tom
(If so inclined, I invite you to leave a comment by scrolling to the end of this page.)
Upcoming Shows
Sept. 3, Saturday, 12:45 – 2:05 pm, Cambridge, MA Club Passim is the pre-eminent folk and acoustic music venue in New England (if not the country). I am pleased to participate in their Labor Day Weekend Campfire Festival. I am sharing the stage in-the-round with Randall Kromm, Susan Cattaneo, and Addie Brownlee. If you can’t make it to Cambridge but would like to see this show (and the rest of the Campfire Festival), I am told that it will be streamed live on the web via Concert Window.
Sept. 3, Saturday, 6:45 – 7:00 pm, Keene, NH I return to the Keene Music Festival for the third time. Lots of music all over the city center. Always something to love!
Sept. 20, Tuesday, 8:00 – 10:00 pm, Warwick, RI On the Dock Grill. NOTICE! THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED..
Sept. 25, Sunday, 2:00 – 4:00 pm, Concord, MA The Olde Manse. I will be joined by my friends Kate Chadbourne, Pat Kenneally, Bill Kehoe, Linda Abrams, and Robert Phillips.
Sept. 30 – Oct 2, Charlton, MA Folk Song Society of Greater Boston. I am honored to join Kate Chadbourne on the musical staff at this long standing getaway weekend for lovers of traditional music.
October 16, Sunday, 8:00 pm Cambridge, MA A very important show for me at the venerable Club Passim with Randall Kromm and our daughters. Perhaps a new group is forming? “The Daughters and the Pappas”. Rumor has it that my new CD “Journey Home” may be available for pre-release purchase at this show. I would love to get a strong turnout at this show!
October 17, Monday, 8:30 pm in Concord, MA My daughter Mally Smith and I return to feature at the Emerson Umbrella open mic. We always enjoy this show.
Nov. 6, Sunday, 3:00 pm in Framingham, MA My big CD Release Celebration at the Amazing Things Arts Center. Special guests include The And Company, Seth Connelly, Oen Kennedy and others! This is going to be so much fun, and it would mean a lot to me to fill the room with friends!
Click to view all upcoming shows.
Featured Non-Profit: Ample Harvest
Are you a gardener? Here in New England gardens are producing a welcome harvest of fresh produce for many kitchen tables? But there usually comes a time when our gardens produce more produce than we can use.
“AmpleHarvest.org diminishes hunger in America by educating and enabling gardeners to donate their excess harvest to the needy in their community instead of allowing it to rot in the garden. One out of six Americans (including a quarter of all kids under six ) does not have access to healthy fresh food at their food pantry. The AmpleHarvest.org Campaign is a national effort utilizing the Internet that enables 40+ million Americans who grow food in home gardens to easily donate their excess harvest to one of 3,936 registered local food pantries spread across all 50 states.”
Click Using Nature’s Bounty to Feed the Hungry to view a video clip from CNN Heroes that describes the good work of AmpleHarvest.org.
Learn how you and your garden can help eliminate hunger in your own local community by visiting AmpleHarvest.org to find a food pantry near you, or consider a tax exempt donation.
If you have a non-profit to suggest for an upcoming issue of The Kitchen Musician please send me an e-mail.
