SUN. 11/16
7:30 PM
JOHN McCUTCHEON
We're delighted to welcome back John McCutcheon, an
absolute treasure of American folk music. Pete Seeger said, "John
McCutcheon is not only one of the best musicians in the USA,
but also a great singer, songwriter, and song leader. And not
just incidentally, he is committed to helping hard-working people
everywhere to organize and push this world in a better direction."
Jo Ann Kennedy of the Wolf Trap Foundation has written, "A
captivating storyteller and musician whose music is truly magical,
John McCutcheon connects in concert with every member of his
audience, mesmerizing with talent, continuity and spirit."
And no less a figure than Johnny Cash simply called him, "the
most impressive instrumentalist I've ever heard."
A multi-instrumentalist to be sure--he has
mastered banjo, guitar, fiddle, autoharp, mountain dulcimer and
jaw harp. He is also the most influential hammer dulcimer player
in the country, and it is for that gift that music critics reserve
their most lavish praise. He's pushed the bounds of the instrument,
exposing it to country, rock and jazz audiences, and showcased
it in symphonic settings. His songwriting, rich in detail yet
broad in scope, revealing meaning in the mundane, has put him
in the forefront of contemporary songwriter/performers. Many
know his "Christmas in the Trenches," a poignant tale
of a soccer game between foes in the First World War, and now
a classic anti-war song and the subject of an annual, coast-to-coast
special on CBC. But the inclusion of traditional material sets
him apart from most folk songwriters. And his brilliant work
in children's music has earned five back-to-back Grammy nominations.
While he's at his best in a live performance,
he's equally adept in the recording studio, with 25 albums to
his credit over the past 26 years, all meeting with critical
and popular acclaim. Recent releases include Storied Ground
(1999), an album of original songs and a triumph of the topical
as well as the timeless, in which John's skill at finding the
world on our doorsteps shines. Sprout Wings and Fly (1997)
is his return to the Appalachian roots that first brought him
into prominence in the folk music world--but it weds the usual
instruments with exotic flavors like the Australian didgeridoo,
Cajun accordion and African talking drums.
More about John McCutcheon
