Modern string-band sounds: Laney Jones at Helsinki Hudson
Hudson, N.Y. — Progressive-bluegrass outfit Laney Jones and the Spirits bring their modern take on string-band music to Club Helsinki Hudson on Thursday, August 13, at 8 p.m. New York City-based folk/rock singer-songwriter Milton will warm up the crowd. Laney Jones is a rising star on the modern bluegrass scene and has been featured in a documentary as an emerging artist, alongside musical great Alison Krauss. Her live performances highlight her multi-instrumental prowess on banjo, ukulele, tenor guitar, and harmonica backed by her band, the Spirits. Jones’s music ranges from very traditional-sounding bluegrass to electro-funk string-band tunes. New York City-based singer-songwriter Milton boasts a strong regional following based on his tender-yet-gritty tunes evocative of influences which include Hank Williams, Sam Cooke, Ralph Stanley, and Paul Westerberg.
For more information and tickets, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or call the Club at (518) 828-4800.
–E.E.
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Tony-winner Roger Robinson to star in BPL’s Aug. 12 reading
Great Barrington — Berkshire Playwrights Lab (BPL) will present the next play in its free Staged Reading Series on Wednesday, August 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. “Some Old Black Man” by critically-acclaimed playwright James A. Tyler and starring Tony Award-winner Roger Robinson, is a two-character play that looks at the dynamics between an elderly father who has unwillingly relocated from his southern home to his son’s penthouse in Harlem. The story of “Some Old Black Man” is at once a look at caring for an aging parent while also relating the experiences of two generations of African-American men in a post-Civil-Rights-era culture.
BPL’s free Staged Reading Series brings artists and audiences into conversation around new plays in development. There is no admission cost but reservations are recommended. To reserve tickets, call the Mahaiwe’s box office at (413) 528-0100.
–E.E.
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B’Shalom Chorale at Hevreh
Great Barrington — The B’Shalom Chorale of the Berkshires will present a concert of Jewish choral music at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12 at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire. The B’Shalom Chorale is conducted by Jack Brown, who is also the artistic director of the Berkshire Lyric Chorus and the choral director at Bard College at Simon’s Rock and the Hotchkiss School. The accompanist is Joe Rose, also of Berkshire Lyric and a well-known musician in the region. The music for the afternoon concert ranges from classical a cappella works to contemporary liturgical works and folk songs. Clarinetist Paul Green will join as a special guest.
Admission to the concert is $15. All are welcome. For more information call (413) 531-8706 or email bshalomchorale@gmail.com
–E.E.
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Linda Kaye-Moses’ jewelry and enclosures
Great Barrington — “The Unruly Jewels of Linda Kaye-Moses” will be shown at Lauren Clark Fine Art through August 31. Linda Kaye-Moses’ interest in ancient artifacts inspires her to create not only jewelry but also enclosures or “nesting cases” for her jewels, extending the tradition of adornment to protective environments for the pieces she produces. A full-time professional studio jeweler since 1978, Kaye-Moses has exhibited nationally in galleries and at juried craft shows, written books about jewelcrafting, and curated jewelry exhibits.
An artist’s reception will take place at the gallery from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on August 15. Call the gallery for more information at (413) 528-0432 or see the Berkshire Edge calendar.
–E.E.
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Francis Morrone to speak about Brooklyn’s Gilded Age
Lenox — Renowned architectural historian and writer Francis Morrone will deliver a talk entitled “Discovering Brooklyn’s Gilded Age” at Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum on Tuesday, August 11 at 4:00 pm with a Victorian tea to follow.
Between the Civil War and 1898 when it merged with New York City to become one of its boroughs, Brooklyn held its own as the nation’s third most populous city. Its thriving industrial and shipping complex was centered along the East River waterfront. The makers of industrial and mercantile fortunes lived in such fashionable neighborhoods as Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and Clinton Hill, which were among the most affluent communities in the United States. The Brooklyn Museum became one of the world’s great art museums and the Brooklyn Academy of Music a great performing arts venue.
Francis Morrone is the author of eleven books, including architectural guide books. His writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the New Criterion, City Journal and the New York Sun, where he was an art and architecture critic. He teaches architectural and urban history at New York University
Tickets for the Tea & Talk are $22 for advance reservations (which are recommended due to limited seating) and $27 day of the event. For more information see the Berkshire Edge calendar, call Ventfort Hall at (413) 637-3206, or email info@gildedage.org
–E.E.
