PiZZAJaZZ Big Night! Saturday, November 7

Pompanuck Farm Hosts an Evening of Fine Jazz
Saturday, November 7th

(Cambridge, NY) On Saturday, November 7th, Pompanuck Farm will hold its Fall Pizza/Jazz Big Night! From 6:30pm to 11:00pm, the last of Pompanuck’s Music-and-Meal nights of 2009 will happen with enough great music and pizza to take us through Thanksgiving and into the New Year. Come hear fine Jazz and enjoy wood-fired pizza in the Roundhouse at Pompanuck in a benefit night for Pompanuck’s programs and children’s scholarship fund.

Featured this evening will be three outstanding jazz singers from the surrounding area: Jeanne O’Connor from Saratoga NY, Evita Cobo from Pownal VT and Leah Carroll from Greenwich NY. Each of these singers has a personal and soulful approach to singing, whether it’s a toe-tapping Gershwin favorite, a tender ballad, a Brazilian classic or a funky blues. Featured musicians will include Pompanuck’s own Bruce Williamson (sax, flute, piano) as well as Mal Stein (drums), Bob Bowen (bass) and Khabu Doug Young (guitar), all from New York City.
There are always surprise musical guests in this Pompanuck event that has been popular for over 15 years.
Reservations are required. Tickets are $25.00 before March 15th ($28 after and at the door) and $15 (and $18 at the door) for students.

Pompanuck Farm is a 501c3 non-profit and eco-retreat learning center dedicated to educational exploration in a range of performing, healing, movement and nature arts for children and families, located at 494 Chestnut Hill Road in Cambridge NY. Call 518-677-5552 or email: info@pompanuck.org for reservations, directions and/or information. Please visit www.pompanuck.org


Additional information on the featured musicians:

Jeanne O’Connor (vocalist) - has brought her jazz singing to New York's Blue Note, Elaine's, Sweet Rhythm, the Rainbow Room, Smoke, and many other jazz clubs. Jeanne was recently a featured vocalist on opening night of "Midsummer Night's Swing" at Lincoln Center, sharing the stage with Nicholas Payton. In the New York Capital Region, Jeanne has sung at the legendary Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, Justin's jazz club in Albany, and the Saratoga Springs Arts Festival. As a member of the String of Pearls jazz female vocal trio, Jeanne has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall, Town Hall, and other venues in the U.S. and abroad. The New York Times calls Jeanne “a captivating jazz singer, “ while the Albany Times Union, says, "Exquisite... a buttery alto and nimble, graceful phrasing.”

Evita Cobo (vocalist) – has performed both locally and in NYC for the last 10 years. She has studied (and performed) with jazz divas Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton & Rhiannon. Her 2004 debut CD “Invitation” received critical acclaim.

Leah Carroll (vocalist) - started training classically at fourteen, but loves jazz because it's limitless and liberating - no boundaries. She has been performing at various venues in the capital region for the last five years, exploring many styles of music such as folk, jazz, soul, funk, blues and latin jazz.

Mal Stein (drums) – is a versatile and eclectic drummer/ percussionist, playing full-time in New York City and around the world. He loves all kinds of music; jazz, blues, funk and Middle Eastern. He works with dancers (both Joffery ballerinas and Belly Dancers), curates weekend jazz at the Cupping Room in Soho, NYC and tours with the Middle-Eastern group Taksim.

Bruce Williamson (sax, flute, piano) – most often heard in this area with long-time collaborator Art Lande (piano) or at Bennington College where he teaches jazz courses, Bruce has also performed with Fred Hersch, Bobby McFerrin, Gary Peacock, Jack McDuff, Dave Douglas, Paul McCandless and many others. Bruce has received two NEA grants for Jazz Compoistion. He can be heard on dozens of jazz recordings and over a dozen filmscores, the most recent being “Public Enemies” (accompanying Diana Krall singing “Bye Bye Blackbird”).

Bob Bowen (bass) - After moving to NYC more than 12 years ago from Cincinnati Ohio, Bob has performed with many notable and legendary musicians around the world including Lee Konitz, Jack Wilkins, Tony Trischka, Mike Clark, Joe Lovano, John Hicks, Art Lande and Matt Wilson.

Khabu Doug Young (guitar/ukulele) - Originally from the great state of Texas, Khabu has played with a remarkable assortment creative NYC musicians in many different ensembles including OK/OK, Slog, and the E String Band. Recently he has been expanding the realm of solo ukulele playing and you can see some of that work at the Ukulele Cabaret (http://www.ukulelecabaret.com)

Bernice Lewis in Concert October 17 !

Pompanuck Farm proudly presents Bernice Lewis on Saturday, October 17th at 7 PM. You are also welcomed to join us in a Songwriters Circle from 5pm-6:30 PM. Prior to the show, there will be a discussion about song structure and the writing process and share songs. If you'd like to have a critique, please bring 5 copies of your song lyrics.

Please call 518.677.5552 for reservations. Concert admission is $12 or $18 for attending both the Songwriters Circle and Concert. Desserts, coffee and tea will be available for purchase.

About Bernice:

"For me, it's about the songs, each different, each a well thought out message, each a labor of love," says Bernice Lewis. Her newest CD, She Undoes, (2006) was Recorded in Nashville and produced by Grammy Award winner Charlie Chadwick (Suzi Bogguss, John Carter Cash, Kathy Mattea). It features a duet with fellow singer songwriter Cliff Eberhardt and a jazzy a cappella version of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You," in addition to a collection of originals.

With three decades of performing festivals, concert halls, coffeehouses, colleges, and house concerts, along with a half dozen acclaimed CDs, Bernice Lewis has built a solid national fan base. She is also a published poet, a producer, and an educator extraordinaire. Lewis -- who studied vocal improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, guitar technique with Alex DeGrassi and Guy van Duser, and songwriting with Roseanne Cash and Cris Williamson -- has been a featured performer on NPR's Mountain Stage program, as well as at the Kennedy Center. In 1987, she was a finalist in the prestigious New Folk Songwriting Contest at the Kerrville (Texas) Folk Festival, where she continues to be a main stage favorite. Her ballad, "Bridges That Hold," was included in Peter, Paul and Mary's Lifelines video (PBS). She was featured in Yoga Journal for her work with sound and yoga, and has shared the stage with many renowned artists, including Dar Williams, Dixie Chicks, Patty Griffin, Pete Seegar, Ellis Paul, Rory Block, Livingston Taylor, Odetta, Christine Lavin, Marty Sexton, Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis... it's a long list.

Bernice currently teaches Songwriting at Williams College and Colorado College, as well as at schools and retreat centers. She has also been an Artist in Residence and workshop presenter at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, Kripalu Center for Yoga in Lenox, MA, and Esalen Institute in Big Sur. In 2008, she was awarded an Artist in Residence position by the National Park Service.

Bernice is also becoming widely known for her History Alive presentation, a multi-media discussion of her family's emigration from Nazi Germany, specifically designed for Junior and Senior High School classrooms. Her song, "Ways to Survive," won an award from the American Zionist Movement in 1996. Her writings and recordings will be archived in the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. In 2008. Bernice signed with the TV and film division of Shadow Mountain Music in Nashville. She has had a thirty-year daily yoga practice, loves good coffee, and her religion is the Grand Canyon.

Raves about Bernice:

"Bernice is a voice full of light and hope. She is one of the keepers of the flame of Real Songwriting."
- Rosanne Cash

"Bernice's life is filled with beautiful, deep things, and she writes beautifully and deeply about them. 'Good Kind of Love to Be In' is wonderful; spoke right to my heart! Great, jazzy cover of 'A Case of You.' Musically and vocally, she has new wings with the genres she's been exploring."
- Dar Williams

"An enlightening presence..."
- Steve Morse, Boston Globe

"It is impossible not to have a good time listening to Lewis sing."
- Scott Alarik, Boston Globe

"Bernice Lewis may well be the frosting on the cake!"
- Rod Kennedy, Director, Kerrville Folk Festival

"Lewis' lake-clear voice and satisfying mix of heartfelt and humorous compositions make her worth hearing. Again and again."
- David Steinberg, Albuquerque Journal

"When someone asks me who's the best I've heard, her name always heads the list."
- Eddie Russell, Outlaw Radio/Country Eastern Music

"Her talent at reaching the audience is undeniable."
- Sarah Song, The Williams Record, Williamstown, MA

Two! CircusYoga® Community Workshops October 3 and 7

CircusYoga® Community Workshop
For kids & adults ages 7 to 97
Saturday, October 3, 2009 2:00-4:30pm and Wednesday, October 7, 2009 3:30-5:30

$10/kids ages 7 and up, $20/grown-ups
(a limited number of scholarships are available)

Pre-register by calling 518.677.5552

CircusYoga celebrates the whole community, the whole family, the whole person. We foster a spirit of play and provide a level playing field for people of all ages and abilities. We create an environment that is relaxed and playful, and invites people of all generations to share new experiences together such as:

Community (Sangha) Yoga
Partner Yoga
Flying Yoga
Partner Acrobatics
Group Games & Invention
Circus Skills: Juggling, Diabolo, Devil Sticks, etc.
Clowning & Physical Comedy
Tightwire & Balance
Dance & Creative Movement
Partner Thai Massage

Bring your friends and families and join Kevin & Erin Maile O’Keefe for this workshop that embraces the principles of play, connection, and celebration. Enjoy the spirit of community as we explore circus and yoga that is both accessible and adventurous. And learn how to”FLY!”

Deena Chappell - CD Release Party September 19th

Pompanuck Farm is proud to host a cd release party for Deena Chappell's new collection of songs titled, "Voices of the Archetypes" on September 19, 2009 at 7:00pm in the RoundHouse. Admission: $10

This cd is full of original and astounding music, beautifully produced by Eric Geoffrey Belcher, and with lyrics that will make you want to sing, dance and reflect...

Who knows what lurks beneath the surface of our consciousness? Deena Chappell set out on a journey to find out. Creating a framework built on the philosophies of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung and famous mythologist, Joseph Campbell, Chappell created a delightful, insightful, and very listenable album of nine songs that track her progression through the quintessential search to meet and greet the Archetypes of the unconscious.

What are Archetypes? Well, that’s a question that can be answered in many different ways depending on who is doing the answering. Here’s one way of describing them. The Archetypes are images and experiences that we collectively share, although we more often then not undergo our encounters with them as individuals. An easily recognizable and understood Archetype is the Trickster. Trickster is ancient and exists in all cultures. A shape-shifter, Trickster can appear as a clown or a jester. In Native American traditions, he sometimes appears as a coyote or a raven. As do all archetypes, the Trickster serves a function. He shows up when we have taken ourselves too seriously. She appears when we are so distracted by our own drama that we’ve lost sight of the fact that life is but a cosmic joke. A popular incarnation of the Trickster in American culture is Bugs Bunny.

In her genre-hopping album, ‘Voices Of The Archetypes’ Chappell dances, cries and laughs her way down an enchanted path toward individuation. Brilliantly produced by Eric Geoffrey Belcher, this album pops with tasty audio bites that bring the story to life. The sequence of the enchanted tracks maps the journey. The story begins with a realization of the cost of living an inauthentic life for a false sense of security. Corporate marks a moment in time when a life-altering decision to jump off of the proverbial cliff is made. Big Green Bus speaks to the beginning of a wonderful, psychedelic-like journey to a new home. Song for Child, a piano based ballad, honors the child within and without. Cruel Mistake is a gospel-toned confrontation to blame and sorrow. Shadow Thing emerges in a pissed-off frenzy of screaming Sabbath guitars and Chappell spills dark, tortured sexually charged lyrics; parental guidance suggested. Shadow Aphrodite is a twisted little swing number that coaxes the ghost of the infamous man-eater. Reminiscent of the Beatles, The Only Time is Now is a lush, ethereal homage to the sacred voice that reminds us of our own divinity and keeps us on our path. The Trickster is a snappy, danceable tune with clever lyrics and a killer fiddle track. The album is summed up beautifully with an acoustic fairy-tale, Pandora.

Because there are so many different styles of music on this album, it would be difficult to categorize it. In a class by itself, ‘Voices Of The Archetypes’ is one of those pieces of true, honest art that comes along only once in a while.

reservations suggested. admission: $10

Beginning Mushroom Identification Workshop

Saturday August 22, 9 am - 4 pm.
Please join mycologist, Sue Van Hook, for a hands-on day in the field collecting fungi, making spore prints, and learning stature types for easy identification of the common edible and medicinal fungi. In the morning we will be introduced to how to collect mushrooms while we foray at Pompanuck Farm and the surrounding State Forest. Over lunch Sue will teach the major groups of fungi and we'll spend the afternoon practicing identification on our collections. Please bring any mushrooms or fungi from home, a collecting basket, a dull knife or garden trowel, waxed paper, a bag lunch, water and any sunscreen or repellents you desire. Please wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts for tick protection. Cost is $25

Sue Van Hook can most often be found on hands and knees in search of fungi in Skidmore's North Woods. She engages students in various mycoremediation projects as part of the first year biology majors course. Using fungal mycelium she and students have worked to restore segments of trail and degrade stable waste. She collaborates with researchers at RPI in Troy, NY growing fungi for "green" products. In 2007, Sue produced Treasures in the North Woods: a guide to the natural campus at Skidmore College in collaboration with students, staff and faculty spouses. As a Senior Teaching Associate, she currently teaches laboratories for Unity of Life (BI 105) and Diversity of Life (BI 106). She chairs the Campus Environment Committee, working on campus sustainability and stewardship of the North Woods.
Sue earned her M.A. in Biology and B.A. in Botany and French from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. She worked as a naturalist and preserve manager for the Nature Conservancy in northern California and as Stewardship Director for the Maine Coast Heritage Trust before coming to Skidmore in 1992.

Concert: NYC Songwriter Anna Dagmar - CD Release Tour

Pompanuck Farm is proud to present Anna Dagmar in concert on Friday, July 31, 2009, at 7:00pm. The British born, NYC-based pianist/singer-songwriter celebrates the release of her third album, “Let the Waves Come in Threes.” Pompanuck Farm is located at 494 Chestnut Hill Road in Cambridge, NY. Tickets will be available at the door for $10.

Song writer Jennifer Kimball says, “From the opening moments of ‘Let the Waves Come in Threes,’ Anna’s piano spills out over the band in fantastic, hooky, cascading lines and I am swept in. It’s a beautiful ride.” The title track is an upbeat sea shanty, which tells the vivid tale of a girl whose treasured diary has been swept up in a wild storm. She looks out across the ocean for meaning and direction as a mysterious voice rises from the waves. The album features twelve piano-driven folk/pop songs, lyrical string arrangements, spotless production by Ben Wittman (Jonatha Brooke, Patty Larkin), breathtaking soundscapes by guitarist Marc Shulman (Suzanne Vega), vocalist Theo Bleckmann (Laurie Anderson), and the wholesome, unpredictable and refreshing voice of Anna Dagmar.

Since 2001, Dagmar has become known from NY to Stockholm for her virtuosity as a pianist, singer and songwriter. She has released three albums, published a printed songbook, and has toured in cities such as London, Berlin, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Boston. Dagmar has been selected to perform on special occasions for luminaries such as world-class photographer, Annie Leibovitz, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, and Swedish Nobel Prize Winner, Torsten Weisel. Dagmar’s songs have been recognized in Collected Sounds Magazine Top Albums, The Unisong International Song Writing Contest, The Williamsburg Song Writing Contest, and the ASCAP Expo Listening Panel and have been included on CD compilations for HOPE and Children’s International. Recently, Dagmar’s song, "Amazed," was chosen by UK conductor Alex Douglas for a gospel arrangement and was performed by the LVC choir in Bristol.

Anna Dagmar is available for interview. Please contact publicist Eugene Foley to set up a time. You may also visit: www.AnnaDagmar.com for details.

Pompanuck Farm Hosts Annual Memorial Day Potluck Picnic and Arts Celebration on Sunday, May 24th.

Every Memorial Day since 1994, Pompanuck Farm has hosted an “open house” event - a tribute to this day of remembrance and to the people of our greater community. The public is invited to enjoy a day-long arts festival and tour Pompanuck’s buildings and grounds. An outdoor stage is constructed and tents and tables are set for a community wide potluck sharing and networking.

Over the years the Memorial Day Picnic at Pompanuck has become an annual festival of community building; play, meal sharing and a performance showcase for musicians and artists in varied media whose offerings often reflect the spirit of peace. Some of this year’s performers are: Natural History, The Dirty Old Strings, Road House Blues Band, Ferrilyn Sourdiffe, Tracey Forest, Scott Carrino and a special presentation by members of the Enrichment Program – “The Pompanuck Circus”.

A special request… Pompanuck is planning to have a plant sale on this day to raise funds for our programs… If you are thinning out your flower beds and would like to bring a few potted plants to donate to the sale, we would greatly appreciate it!

This event is free and open to the public. Bring a dish and family and friends. This year, Pompanuck will hold its Memorial Day gathering on SUNDAY, MAY 24 –12:00 noon until dark. Rain or shine!

Pompanuck Farm is located at 494 Chestnut Hill Road in Cambridge NY. Call 518-677-5552 or email: info@pompanuck.org for info and visit www.pompanuck.org and www.pompanuckfarm.blogspot.com