Mike Compton will be playing a VERY rare solo performance at the Cafe Carpe, in Fort Atkinson, on Wednesday, Sept 21st (8pm). Mike will be playing and singing tunes off of his soon to be released solo record, including many of his unreleased original tunes.

You’ve probably heard Mike’s mastery of the mandolin from his work on two award winning projects: “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” and “Down From the Mountain”. And maybe you’ve caught him with The John Hartford String Band (or maybe with John himself!), The Nashville Bluegrass Band, or with Elvis Costello. But unless you live in Australia, you’ve probably not seen his solo show.

Now’s your chance!

The Carpe is in downtown Fort Atkinson, right off the Rock River and features excellent food, great beers and a great sounding, intimate listening room. Seating is very limited at the Carpe so reservations are recommended.

To reserve seats ($10) call the carpe at 920-563-939.

Sugar Maple Fest is proud to present our Friday Night Headline act, Greg Brown w/ Bo Ramsey. Greg moves audiences with warmth, humor, a thundering voice and his unpretentious musical vision. He’s the folksinger of his generation, and a gifted spokesman for it. His roots run deep: to the land, to family, and to the richest and oldest veins of American music. Hillbilly country, black blues masters, and the history of American folk resonate together in his songs. Brown’s songwriting has been lauded by many, and his songs have been performed by Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Michael Johnson, Shawn Colvin, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. He has also recorded more than a dozen albums, with One Big Town earning three and a half stars in Rolling Stone, chart-topping status in AAA and The Gavin Report’s Americana rankings and Brown’s first Indie Award from NAIRD (National Association of Independent Record Distributors). Don’t miss this opportunity to catch Greg Brown in an intimate setting under Sugar Maple Festival’s tent.

This marks the eighth year in a row Dave Landau has entertained children of all ages at the Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival. Storytelling and performing children’s music are two of Dave’s passions and talents. A former elementary school teacher, Dave has been performing as a full-time musician for the past eight years. A singer and guitarist with Madison based Cork n’ Bottle Bluegrass Band, his musical programs are educational, entertaining, and motivating.

Catch this award winning children’s entertainer at the Roots & Reason Stage both Friday and Saturday.

There’s no two ways about it… this year’s lineup is just plain awesome! Be sure to pick up a weekend pass ’cause there’s multiple helpings of sweet musical goodness for one and all…

This year, The Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival will feature:

Greg Brown w/ Bo Ramsey (Folk-Fri)
Chulrua (Irish)
Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown (Old-Time)
Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers (Bluegrass – Sat)
Karl and the Country Dutchmen (Polka! – Sat)
Shotgun Party (Swing Pop Folk – Sat)
The Stellanovas (Jazz Swing – Fri)
Charlie Parr (Blues – Sat)
Dave Landau (Children’s Music)

More great traditional music than you could shake a veritable plethora of sticks at!

The Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective will host the Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival Kick Off Show on Friday, May 6th, 9:00 PM at the High Noon Saloon, in Madison, Wisconsin. The kick off show with feature two artists that played the Festival last year: The Modern Sounds and the Currach.

The Modern Sounds is a Chicago based trio featuring Joel Paterson on guitar and vocals; Beau Sample on string bass and vocals; Alex Hall on drums and vocals. This big little band is dedicated to performing traditional American music; specializing in rockabilly, hot jazz, western swing, classic blues and everything in between.

The Currach, features Darl Ridgley on bodhrán, Josh Perkins on guitar and Daithi Wolf on fiddle. This group is a Madison institution in the Irish traditional music scene, treating audiences with lively jigs and reels—“the stuff that’s been played in Irish pubs for hundreds of years,” according to Daithi Wolfe.

During the show, fans will have the opportunity to purchase weekend passes to the 2011 Sugar Maple Festival at a special Kick Off Show price of only $25! Amongst the acts lined up for this year’s Fest are Chulrua, a traditional Irish band who delivers music that has been handed down from generation to generation in Ireland, and folk legend Greg Brown, whose songwriting has been recorded by the likes of Willie Nelson, Carlos Santana, Shawn Colvin, and many more.

The James King Band will be performing at the Roxbury Tavern on Dec 12, 2010. Tickets are $12 in advance at the Roxbury and Lane’s Lutherie, or $15 at the door. James King, aka “The Bluegrass Storyteller”, is the real deal and the Roxbury is a great location with fabulous food; two great reasons this show should not be missed.

Here’s a video of James when he visited Madison and played Dudley’s…

Singer-songwriter Tim O’Brien has an uncanny intersection of traditional and contemporary elements in his music, as well as the array of instruments he utilizes, and the diversity of the artists who preform his songs, such as the Dixie Chicks, Nickel Creek, and Seldom Scene. O’Brien, in addition to collaborating with Steve Martin and the Chieftains, among others, has most recently been performing with Mark Knopfler’s band. Knopfler describes O’Brien as “a master of American folk music, Irish music, Scottish music….”

O’Brien’s musical journey began in his native West Virginia, where he was surrounded by classic country and bluegrass, by taking up the guitar and banjo, adding fiddle and mandolin to his repertoire later on. By 1990, after several bands, such as Hot Rize and Ophelia Swing Band, O’Brien established himself as a solo artist and recently released his 13th album, Chicken & Egg. Mixing O’Brien originals, collaborations, and a handful of outside compositions, Chicken & Egg is an illuminating, engaging, and ultimately life-affirming meditation on the art of living. “This stuff reflects what goes on in the life of someone my age,” O’Brien reflects. “I’m 56 years old. I’m not the young kid on the scene – and I’m happy about that. I’m at a strange point in my life: my kids are growing up, while my parents and teachers are passing on. There’s a lot happening – but it’s just life, and that’s what this album is about. There’s a little love song action here and there, but mostly it’s about living life.”

O’Brien listens to bluegrass and hears the music’s roots in modal Irish ballads and vintage swing. He insightfully re-examines and reconstructs those styles, and many others, in his own music, throwing off new sparks by reawakening the tension and interplay of the colliding components at the heart of American music. “Over the years,” he explains, “my music has become a certain thing. Each time I go into the studio to make a new album, I could make an Irish record, or a bluegrass record, or a country record…but it seems artificial to sift anything out. I feel like I’d be leaving out something important. In the end, I just try to make it round…”

Tim plays two sets at 2pm and 7:30pm on Saturday. He will also take part in the Fiddlers In The Round workshop at 3pm, Saturday.

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Ginny and Tracy met in 1988 when both were on staff at the Ashokan Fiddle and Dance Camp near Woodstock, NY. They soon discovered that, despite their differing childhoods, they shared a deep understanding of and love for the music of the rural south. It was Ginny’s birthright and Tracy’s lifetime devotion. Ginny’s father, Ben Hawker, was her mentor growing up. Together, they taught the beautiful old singing of his Primitive Baptist Church for ten years at the Augusta Heritage Workshops in Elkins, WV. He went with her to the Smithsonian, the Chicago Folk Festival and the Vancouver Folk Festival where their family harmony left an indelible memory with their listeners. Ben also introduced her to early Bluegrass harmony through the oral tradition. For the past 15 years, Ginny and Tracy have appeared in concerts and festivals throughout the United States, Canada, and England. Their harmonies are hair-raising and representative of the finest American traditional music. In addition to performances, each summer they teach southern traditional singing at several music camps. Recently they have started teaching students in their West Virginia home.

Ginny and Tracy play at 4:30pm on Saturday. Tracy also plays the Old-Time dance on Friday night and will take part in the Fiddlers In The Round workshop at 3pm, Saturday.

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