LISTENING ROOM MUSIC SERIES Hosted by Hunter Hughes

"The Listening Room", an eclectic music series hosted by local personality, Hunter Hughes, is returning to the Waterside Marketplace in downtown Norfolk, Sundays, April 11th - June 27th, 2010, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

The series will be held inside DOCKMASTERS, is being produced by Norfolk Festevents and features a diverse selection of local and regional talent representing musical genres ranging from acoustic folk and rock to jazz, blues and country. 

"This is such a great place to wrap up your weekend...a place to chill before the work week begins. It's a room where you can experience some really great artists in a very intimate setting down by the Elizabeth River", stated Hughes, host of Sunday Acoustic Concerts on the Waterfront and Hunter At Sunrise airing from 7am to 11am every Sunday on 89.5 WHRV's digital channel HD3 and it also streams on the web at hunteratsunrise.com and whrv.org, playing acoustic and eclectic music.

APRIL

Robbin Thompson: Acoustic rock and blues Sunday, April 11, 2010  6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Robbin Thompson is a career singer/songwriter/producer that has recorded 12 albums and written songs for hundreds...if not thousands of commercials and films. In recentyears Thompson has found an audience internationally in such places as Europe and China and his visits to far off places are made evident on his most recent releases He resides in Richmond, Virginia and calls it home.

M.S.G. Acoustic Blues Trio: Blues Sunday, April 18, 2010         6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
M.S.G.-the Acoustic Blues Trio is a sought-after regional blues band. They are the only Piedmont style acoustic blues group in the Hampton Roads area. They have worked closely with their mentors Phil Wiggins and the legendary (late) John Cephas. They have performed at numerous regional festivals, some include: Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Bristol, TN/VA for three consecutive years; Bull Durham Blues Festival, Durham, NC; HarborFest, Norfolk, VA; Artscape, Baltimore, MD; Picker's Supply Singer/Songwriters' Showcase in Fredericksburg, VA; Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Washington, DC; and Bayou Boogalou, Norfolk, VA. They have also had the honor of performing twice at the Kennedy Center. Their latest release in Sept. 2008 "Done Spoke My Mind", and their debut CD "Meet Me in the Middle" were featured as "CD of the Week" on Paul Shugrue's "Out of the Box," WHRV Public Radio. Both CD's are being played in full rotation on Sirius Satellite Radio "B.B. Kings Bluesville" with Bill Wax.

Stephen Bennett: Acoustic guitar Sunday, April  25, 2010,               6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Stephen Bennett: Stephen Bennett was born in Oregon , grew up in New York and has lived in Virginia for the last three decades. Since his 1987 first-place win at the National Flatpicking Championship in Winfield, Kansas (The Walnut Valley Festival), he has become known as a versatile guitarist who consistently garners critical praise and audience enthusiasm for his compositions and live performances. With his stellar musicianship, a relaxed stage presence, and quick wit, Stephen has performed throughout the United States and Europe, as well as in Canada, Australia and Japan. Aside from his work on the six-string guitar, Stephen is also one of the world's premiere performers on the Harp Guitar, an instrument he indirectly inherited from his great-grandfather. As a composer and arranger, he has created an enduring repertoire and a significant body of recorded work for this instrument.

 MAY

Susan Greenbaum: Acoustic folk and pop, Sunday, May 2, 2010      6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Susan Greenbaum, a singer-songwriter based in Richmond, VA, loves to share stories, especially when those stories are set to music. She has always sung, even when she was a baby, and even when her professional career detoured her through the halls of corporate America. Susan writes beautiful melodies to accompany her meaningful lyrics; her talent as a songwriter has won her several songwriting awards, including the top prize at the Smithsonian Songwriters' Showcase and Grand Prize in the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest. Her stage personality combines boundless energy with fine wit, good humor and all kinds of  fun. Susan performs solo, in a duo with her percussionist and husband Chris Parker, and also with her band, who helped her sell out their tribute to Carole King's "Tapestry" at the Williamsburg Library. Come hear the Susan Greenbaum Duo; you'll be so glad you did!

Randall Bramblett:  Acoustic rock and blues, Sunday, May 9, 2010  6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Bramblett may not be a household name, he is legendary within music circles for his songwriting and musicianship. He released a pair of acclaimed solo albums in the mid-‘70s, then joined the jazz-rock outfit Sea Level, becoming their principal songwriter and vocalist. From there, Bramblett embarked on a path as a big-league, musical utility man (primarily sax and keys) and landed on the speed dial of some of the greatest names in rock history, including Traffic, Steve Winwood, Levon Helm and Bonnie Raitt. Along the way, although he did not resume his solo recording career, he continued to perform live with The Randall Bramblett Band. Then around the turn of the new millennium, he refocused on his recording career and signed a contract with New West Records. Now It‘s Tomorrow, his fourth for the label, represents an artistic peak in his long and stellar career.

John Toomey Trio: Jazz, Sunday, May 16, 2010                                6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
John Toomey is Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Music Technology at Old Dominion University. Prior to joining Old Dominion University, he was keyboardist and music director for jazz legend Maynard Ferguson, with whom he recorded two CDs. Professor Toomey has traveled the globe to perform, including such venues as the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Berlin Jazz Festival. He was recently designated as a University Professor in recognition of his excellence in teaching. He performs frequently in the Tidewater area, and has just completed recording a compact disc with clarinetist Gerry Errante that will be available soon.

Julie Clark with guest artist Larry Berwald: Acoustic folk and pop, Sunday, May 30, 2010 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm 
 Julie Clark is a multi-award-winning Folk/Pop artist based in Norfolk, Va. She tours nationally, performing at premiere festivals and venues across the United States. Known for her unique voice and heartfelt delivery, Julie's critically acclaimed songwriting addresses a broad range of human experience, including love in its many forms. Her numerous accolades include winning the Kerrville New Folk Songwriting Competition (adding her name to a list of luminaries that includes Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin); winning 1st Place in the Great American Song Contest; and being named Grand Prize Winner in the 2009 MASC Song Contest. Julie will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Larry Berwald for this Listening Room performance. 

  JUNE

Jae Sinnett Trio:  Jazz Sunday, June 6, 2010        6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Jae's current working trio consists of pianist Allen Farnham and bassist Terry Burrell. Allen is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. He's performed with Mel Torme, Susannah McCorkle, John Fedchock and many more and is a gifted arranger and composer. His latest release is called "Allen Farnham Meets the Rias Big Band" on Concord Records, performing his arrangements. Terry spent a couple of years with Steve Coleman and the Five Elements and has also performed with Chuck Mangione, Hilton Ruiz and more. He's versatile and can play many jazz styles and plays both electric and acoustic bass. He attended Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond VA. The trio first performed together in 1995 and has been together as a working group since. Some of the major performances include: The Ella Fitzgerald Festival in Newport News Virginia -The University of Wyoming, Coe College, Iowa State University, The M'Shop in Ames, Iowa and The Jazz Corner in Hilton Head S.C. - Millersville University, Wayne State University, the Texas Jazz Festival, the Tucson Jazz Festival and Emory University in Atlanta and many more.

 Mercy Creek & Skye Zentz  Aggressive acoustic folk Sunday, June 13, 2010               6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Based in Virginia, Mercy Creek has successfully paved a musical path by creating a unique brand of music they call aggressive folk rock. Constantly writing new material, releasing major label quality recordings, and constant touring make up the band's hard work approach. A two piece act, (singer/guitarist Cheryl Nystrom, and song writing partner/drummer Jim Ball), Mercy Creek uses elements of modern folk, world beat, rock, and hints of blues and bluegrass to create a unique sound and style of music. Radio listeners and club fans enjoy the song writing, independent spirit of the band, Nystrom's impressive vocals, and Ball's dynamic drumming.
 

Lewis McGehee, acoustic rock and folk, Sunday, June 20, 2010   6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Richmond VA native, graduated from the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in Philosophy. While performing in New York's Greenwich Village, Lewis was "discovered" by Terry Cashman and Tommy West ( Jim Croce's producers ). Lewis' debut album on Lifesong Records was released worldwide. Lewis gained much experience touring with such artists as Ry Cooder, Neil Sedaka, and Al Stewart. On the strength of his live shows, McGehee went on to perform with many national acts such as John Prine, Robert Palmer, Talking Heads, Christopher Cross, and Christine McVie. Lewis also completed a 15-city tour as an opening act for Bruce Hornsby. Portfolio Magazine's Musician Poll has voted McGehee as the top acoustic act for three consecutive years and was recently voted "Best Musician". 9 Volt Magazine's local music awards named McGehee "top performer of the year" for 2000 and 2001. McGehee has extensive experience in the recording studio as a session guitarist and vocalist, as well as composing, producing and performing on many regional radio and television commercials. In July of 1990, McGehee released a critically acclaimed recording of original songs on Headlight Records and Tapes. In 1991 he had three recording projects getting extensive air-play. 1994 marked the debut of a CD entitled "The Famous Unknowns" featuring Lewis with two other songwriters Michael Lille and Robbin Thompson. His aggressive approach to acoustic guitar has made him a prominent force in the Virginia music scene

Bobby "BlackHat" Walters:  Blues, Sunday June 27, 2010                 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Bobby "BlackHat" Walters, recording artist, harmonica player, vocalist, and songwriter hails from Cleveland, Ohio and has been playing harp for over 30 years. Bobby BlackHat brings together the finest blues musicians in Hampton Roads to perform classic, modern, as well as original blues tunes that will keep your toes tappin and your hips shakin all night long. Members of the band include: Bobby "BlackHat" Walters, harmonica and vocals; Larry Berwald (guitar), Jim Kolacek (drums), and Brian Eubanks (bass).